viva palestina

hundreds, possibly thousands, at the long island rally for palestine in mineola today, organized by the muslim community of nassau county. as one of the imams said, the US, with its own problems of settler colonialism and systemic racism, should recuse itself from any form of arbitration/ participation and withdraw all its arms, military personnel, and money. end the bombing. end genocide now.

viva palestina!

first real time genocide in human history

what’s happening in gaza is the first real-time, live, in full-view-of-the-world genocide in human history. if u are praying for israel, the settler colony perpetrating this genocide, and harping on hamas attacks, then u are not human (as one of my palestinian friends wrote). it’s physically painful for us (the non-white/non-western people of the world) to see your callous posts and inane bothsidism. u don’t know that much about palestine? that’s not an excuse. if u are an adult, educate yourself. i see social media as a place to create community, not to butt heads with people. the real world is ugly enough. i will say goodbye to any form of colonialism or racism i encounter.

Stop the genocide in Gaza

CNN: At least 1,799 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza from Israeli strikes, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. The death toll includes 583 children and 351 women. An additional 7,388 people have been injured, including 1,901 children and 1,185 women.

Ali Harb: Israel has informed the UN that 1.1 million people have 24 hours to leave the northern Gaza strip. You know how you read about ethnic cleansing and genocide in history books and wonder, how could it happen? That’s how: Drumming up anger to achieve full dehumanization.

The United Nations reports that 423,000 Palestinians have already been internally displaced within Gaza, and “considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences.”

What can Americans do to stop this ethnic cleansing and genocide?

Pls see comments: a list by JVP, a tool/script by uscpr.org, also pls support the Palestinian Red Crescent Society:

“Despite the occupation’s threats to shell; the decision has been made. We did and will not leave. Our medics will carry on their humanitarian duties. We won’t leave people to face death alone.”

Devastating earthquake in Afghanistan

On October 7 2023 at around 11:00 local time, a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 25 miles west of Herat City in Herat Province, western Afghanistan. Following the initial quake, several aftershocks rippled through the region, affecting neighboring provinces of Badghis and Farah as well.
Four days after the initial earthquake, a second 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Herat, Afghanistan.

The latest official reports paint a grim picture: over 1,200 lives lost and 1,663 people injured across eleven villages of Zindajan district, Herat Province. More than 12,000 people have been affected.

Entire communities have been razed to the ground, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair. In the immediate aftermath, many families fled their homes, leading to a significant displacement towards Herat city center.

A dire situation unfolded within the first 24 hours since the earthquake struck. Hundreds of homes and critical infrastructure were obliterated. Now, thousands of people find themselves grappling with the harsh reality of their circumstances.

Nights are bitterly cold, with temperatures plummeting to around 50 degrees fahrenheit. Families are forced to sleep under the open skies, battling freezing conditions, lack of essential supplies, and looming threats to their safety.

Adding to this crisis is the pre-existing vulnerability of the region. Afghanistan was already reeling from the aftermath of recent floods and political instability even before this earthquake. A staggering 29 million people were in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

Please help as much as you can.

A propaganda war is going on

Maureen Murphy: ‘Biden lied about seeing images of beheaded children. LIED ABOUT SEEING IMAGES OF BEHEADED CHILDREN. This is all about manufacturing consent for genocide in Gaza. I cannot wrap my head around the profound implications of this.’

The White House staff is scrambling to explain and justify. The man straight up lied. Not voting for this racist again. Never.

As the bombs rain on Gaza

As the bombs and white phosphorus (illegal near civilians) rain down on Gaza, I am reminded of the bombs that lit up the night sky over Baghdad. How land and resources are stolen.

First batch of US military aid making its way to Israel

Two million people are imprisoned in Gaza, half of them children. They cannot leave, run or hide.

Israel Announces ‘Complete Siege’ of Gaza: No Electricity, Food, Water. Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Monday that he has ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza strip, according to the Times of Israel.

“There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” he was reported as telling commanders at the Israel Defense Forces’ Southern Command.

“We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly,” he added, per the paper’s translation of his remarks.

The fact that Israel can do this to another people says it all. Their absolute control over a concentration camp, their complete dehumanization of indigenous Palestinians. This is what Hamas is trying to fight with limited resources and opportunities. There is no Palestinian air force or army. They don’t have the luxury to drop bombs on their colonizers.

And then the constant censoring of language, the non-stop need to reassure colonizers and not trigger pre-existing trauma. The deeply condescending advice from American liberals (whose democratically elected government actively funds Palestinian oppression) on how Palestinians living under siege should defy death and everyday colonial dispossession.

Israelis expressing their bloodlust openly on social media without much thought for those who have been abducted:

Nagasaki 2 and Hiroshima 2 in Gaza right now.

The war is not against Hamas, but against the people of Gaza. They came in and abducted children. We must eliminate all Gaza residents, and especially the mothers who raised them that way, otherwise they will slaughter us all.


Rather than pray for peace (a peaceful return to Palestinian subjugation), there is a way to move forward and put an end to the violence. Settler colonialism and apartheid must end. Injustice and barbarity towards indigenous Palestinians must stop. Ethnic cleansing, murder, and blockades must cease.

The Algerian War of Independence went on for 8 years, killing 1.5 million Algerians and tens of thousands of French people. But it was successful ultimately. It’s not about who has the biggest army, the most toxic weapons, or the best produced propaganda. It’s about what is just and how balance will be restored in the end.

screening of ‘a thin wall’ on oct 13th at westbury arts

pls join us for a screening of ‘a thin wall,’ a film about stories from the partition of india under british colonial rule.

on friday oct 13 at 7pm at Westbury Arts. i will be there to take questions at the end of the film.

the violence we are seeing in the middle east and elsewhere should be located within the context of european colonialism and the mutilation of land. on indigenous peoples’ day, it’s more important than ever to pledge our solidarity with all those under occupation and fight for land back.

decolonize now

decolonization is not just a theory or an academic conceit. it’s real, flesh and blood, human. it’s resistance to colonialism, oppression, and apartheid with whatever methods and resources one can access and procure. it’s an attempt to remove the boot on one’s neck, break out of one’s prison, and be able to breathe (as frantz fanon said). complete solidarity with the palestinian struggle for freedom. free free palestine!

artwork by @shirien.creates

film premiere at cinema arts

return to sender: women of color in colonial postcards & the politics of representation – film premiere at Cinema Arts Centre:

what a day yesterday! sharing a film with the world for the first time after months (sometimes years) of work, collaborations, and non-stop revisions, is something remarkable, a high that’s hard to describe. and then being surrounded by family, friends and community, to feel that love and engagement, is beyond thrilling. there are many many thanks, as always, but i want to start with the young people who attended the film screening and added so much color and depth to the conversation that went on for 1 1/2 hours. i am constantly impressed by the knowledge, thoughtfulness, and bold imagination of our young people. it’s something electric to be in their company and think together. here are some of the beautiful young folx in the audience yesterday. thank u!

film premiere and exhibition opening on oct 1st

tomorrow is the big day my friends! come to the premiere of a brand new film about colonial postcards and representation at cinema arts centre in huntington, 2-4pm. the screening will be followed by a discussion with nia adams, farhana huda islam and madeline del toro cherney. earlier, 12-1pm, join us for the opening of an art exhibition at huntington’s history & decorative arts museum. i will give an artist talk there. the huntington art walk will be on tomorrow and it will be a sunny day. get out of the house and join us!