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Yusuf J's avatar

Hi Charles. This is Yusuf, I interviewed you many years ago where we explored your book Sacred Economics and some of the wisdom in the Islamic tradition pertaining to its condemntation of Usury. Thank you for finally letting us know what you think in your previous piece "Friends Don't let Friends Destroy Themselves" where you were honest about your conflict in working for RFK.Jr and his position on Israel. I'm glad you finally let us know what you thought, my heart could not accept that a heart like yours (which I greatly admire) would accept RFK Jr.'s position, I was also glad to read you highlight Chris Hedges writings, and his views on RFK.Jr and the Israel Lobby are clear for everyone to read: https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/robert-f-kennedy-jr-the-israel-lobbys/comments

On this piece, I completely agree with the sentiment, Sufis and mystics on both sides have tried to do what you are stating for years, there is a power imbalance in the equation you are proposing, one that can be redressed by the proposals you have highlighted, but for that to happen, alongside the condemning and removal of Hamas and extremist elements on the Palestinian side we need to call out the underpinning ideology of Zionism which is an extreme manifestation of the Science and Technological Programme you alluded to in the Ascent. There is a reason why Zionism and the inception of Israel was opposed by traditional Judaism, the orthodox position that was later rebranded as an ultra orthodox position, despite Israel being a violation of Judaism's Three Oaths, which entails a submission to God, to await for the Messiah, to not forcefully reclaim the Land of Israel and not to rebel against the other nations - all of which were abrogated in a paradigm of control, and the "fix" of lobbies, armaments, media and financial manipulation. The problem with any paradigm of such control, is the longer one goes down that road, the more the narrative falls apart, and if the solution then becomes more control and manipulation, the crisis just deepens more. Zionists have unmasked themselves, there is no going back now, they can't reclaim the moral narrative, because all the lies and deceit over 75 years have been laid bare. Rupert Murdoch's media empire can try as much as it wants to control the narrative, and the lobbies and political power of their machine can keep trying to deligitamize the Palestinians and demonize them but the world has shifted, the Global South sees the hypocrisy (South Africa is leading the way for a reason), and alternative/social media, the Max Blumenthals/Aaaron Mates/Chris Hedges of this world, will keep exposing the media lies. In the Muslim world, we are now getting educated on who the Zionists really are, see these extremely informative videos:

[1] Unveiling Zionism: Philosophical and Historical insights with Dr. Ali Ataie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egvFSx-J3b8

[2] How Zionism Indoctrinated the West with Ahmed Paul Keeler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2tKwj4GNYI

The last video is particularly relevant, because Paul Keeler was someone from the generation who were educated with the narrative of the Empire, and he speaks about how the loss of that narrative, has exposed Zionism.

In truth Charles, the Muslim world already extended the branch to Israel, the Abraham Accords only asked for the Israelis to stop building the settlements in return for normalization, but they continued building. Even the Hamas 2017 Charter (unlike the oft quoted 2008 one, this is the only Charter established when they were a political group) implicitly accepted an Israel and a separate Palestine state on the 1967 borders, but the Zionist Project is committed to the idea of the Greater Israel, and the ethnocentric supremacist state they seek to establish for that purpose. This is why the genocide and ethnic cleansing has been systemic and incremental, even if its one house at a time, as documented by the likes of Illan Pappe.

I know you probably know how integral to all this the Zionist Project for control is, and why it needs to be called out. I do suspect RFJ. Jr. knows this, which makes his association with the likes of the Likudnik Zionist Propagandist and so called Rabbi Shmuley Boteach all the more unconscionable. If he had associated with the likes of Rabbi Michael Lerner (https://www.tikkun.org/a-jewish-renewal-understanding/) he wouldn't have got the support from the Zionist machine but he would have won hearts and shown that he is consistent with the other stated positions he claims to hold. This association with Zionism for him negates his talk about being against the war machine, as Chris Hedges notes, the Israel-Palestine issue is not one issue amongst many issues, but " is the central issue facing any politician who claims to speak on behalf of the vulnerable and the marginalized...if you do stand up, it singles you out as someone who puts principles before expediency, who is willing to fight for the wretched of the earth and, if necessary, sacrifice your political future to retain your integrity. Kennedy fails this crucial test of political and moral courage." [https://consortiumnews.com/2023/08/15/chris-hedges-the-israel-lobbys-useful-idiot/]

I know you know this, and as your brother in heart, I know you must have grappled with this for some broader reason of bringing good. But from where I am, I can't see it my brother, I think RFK.Jr has revealed who he really is with this, and I hope and pray you will be liberated from this association soon, so your voice can shine with the luminosity it has.

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Michael Riches's avatar

I read these pieces from you and I can't help but wonder if you're having any of the hoped-for influence on RFK. As a part of his campaign, are you having regular conversations on the topic? I like RFK for so many other reasons, so I hope you are having some effect. But in some ways, I wonder how you can continue working for him if he remains deaf and blind to these horrors.

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