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The Brew: Cease-Fires, Self-Immolations and Ice Cream – The Stream

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Happy Wednesday!

We have an international flavored Brew today.

We start with a possible break in the Middle East … or at least that’s what the president is saying.

Israel and Hamas Closer to Cease-Fire Deal in Time for Ramadan?

Could we see a cease-fire in Gaza in time for Ramadan? Joe Biden, between ice cream licks, seems to think so. (A new proposal put forth by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar would see a six-week cease-fire, the freeing of 40 Israeli hostages and release of 400 Palestinian prisoners.)

Biden told NBC late night host Seth Meyer, “Ramadan is coming up, and there’s been an agreement by the Israelis that they would not engage in activities during Ramadan, as well, in order to give us time to get all the hostages out.” Hamas responded that Biden’s comments were premature, while Israel is rejecting Hamas’ demands for a permanent cease-fire and withdrawal from Gaza.

“We are working to get another framework for the release of our hostages, as well as the completion of the elimination of the Hamas battalions in Rafah,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday. “Only a combination of military pressure and tough negotiations will lead to the release of our hostages, the elimination of Hamas and the achievement of all the war’s objectives.”

Two Views on Radical Air Force Serviceman’s Self-Immolation at Israeli Embassy

A U.S. Air Force service member named Aaron Bushnell deranged over Israel’s offensive against Hamas set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington Sunday. Bushnell, in uniform, repeatedly yelled “Free Palestine,” and “I will no longer be complicit in genocide” before dousing himself in gasoline and igniting. Secret Service rushed to put out the flames, but it was too late. Bushnell died Monday.

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West is among the many who thinks Bushnell — who was also a member of a “Queer revolutionary organization” in Akron — is some sort of heroic martyr.

Ben Shapiro takes an opposing view, and has little regard for those encouraging immolation.

A Jerusalem Post editorial has a more sobering take: “Extremists are threatening to set the mentally vulnerable alight and normalize political violence in America.” Writer Michael Starr argues “Praise of Bushnell’s self-immolation puts U.S. closer to suicide bombings.”

Meanwhile, on the topic of political violence …

White Powder Sent to Don, Jr.’s House, as Video Surfaces of “Confession” in Plot to Kill Tucker Carlson in Russia. Is It Real?

Hazmat teams raced to Don Jr.’s Florida mansion Monday after he opened an envelope containing a death threat and white powder. Fox 13 reported, “A person familiar with the matter said that results on the substance were inconclusive, but officials do not believe it was deadly.”

Also, there’s a disturbing unconfirmed report of a plot to assassinate Tucker Carlson when he was in Russia. A viral video posted by journalist Simon Ateba shows a Russia native identified as Vasiliev Pyotr Alexeieovich claiming he was paid $4000 by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence to place an explosive under a vehicle at Moscow’s Four Seasons hotel. He later learned the target was Carlson. Alexeieovich says he was stopped by the first ring of security at the hotel.

Is this real or scripted Russia propaganda? Or for that matter, a sick prank? We await Tucker’s response.

Meanwhile, an explosive device did explode outside the office of Alabama’s Attorney General a few nights back, just days after Alabama’s Supreme Court made its controversial ruling on In Vitro embryos. Fortunately, no one was injured in the Saturday night blast, nor was there any damage.

A lighter, but no less vexing, story:

U.K. Changings Rating for Mary Poppins Over Use of Word Nobody Knows or Uses

Dear Mary Poppins has been entrapped in the snare of the woke police, the cultural army that’s declared an unholy war on anything family friendly or enjoyed by all.

The U.K. has jacked up the rating for Mary Poppins from the British equivalent of a G rating to PG. Why? Seems the Disney classic contains “discriminatory language.” Really? Seems the daft elderly Admiral Boom twice uttered an obsolete word for nomadic peoples in southern Africa, which is now considered derogatory, when referencing the soot-covered chimney sweeps. The word? “Hottentots.” Sounds like a microwavable after-school treat for kids.

As Not-the-Bee says:

Literally no one has repeated this word from the film in the last 60 years because kids don’t like emulating salty old British sailors, but I guess we have to put bubble wrap on everything to protect the youth from archaic language from the 19th and early 20th century.

So Disney’s films can now include gay and trans themes, no problem. But “hottentots” is a danger?

Speaking of Disney, Production President Sean Bailey is stepping down effective immediately. Bailey has run Disney’s live-action division for 15 years, bringing to life films such as Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. However, he’s also responsible for recent duds, including Haunted Mansion and Little Mermaid. And the upcoming live version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is so troubled, its release was delayed a year in a desperate effort to save it from woke disaster.

And speaking of woke disasters …

Google Loses $70 Billion in Value in One Day After Racist and Woke Google Gemini AI Debacle

It’s no real skin off Google’s back, but it’s something. Google’s parent company Alphabet dropped $70 billion in value Monday in the wake of last week’s hubbub when its Gemini AI was revealed to be programmed to produce woke, racist and genocidal results. What else do you call an AI program that turns the Founding Fathers into a Benneton ad and said it was wrong to misgender Caitlyn Jenner, even if it would stop a nuclear holocaust?

The stock dropped 4.4% Monday, closing at $138.75 a share.

Tennessee House Bans Display of LGBTQ Flags in Classrooms, Except for Strict Circumstances

Do you think LGBTQ flags belong in public schools? The Tennessee House doesn’t. It passed a bill that will largely ban flags from classrooms. There is an exception. The bill codifies that certain flags are allowed, such as the American flag, state flag, POW-MIA flags and those of Native American tribes. According to Fox News, other flags, such as the LBGTQ flag “could be temporarily displayed as part of a ‘bona fide’ course curriculum. Certain groups allowed to use school buildings may also show their flags while using the grounds under the bill.”

Along The Stream

We offer the latest Resolute: “Michigan Votes, Haley Nixes 3rd Party Run, While Hunter Ties Sobriety to ‘Saving Democracy’.”

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, co-author, with John Zmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and co-author of the counter-terrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.

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