WEDNESDAY ROUNDUP: Happy Hanukkah
2023 is drawing to a close
Earlier this week the Chabad Jewish Center celebrated Hanukkah at the Idaho State Capitol. The holiday dates back to around 167 BC when Judas Maccabeus led a revolt against the King Antiochus IV of the Seleucid Empire, one of the successor states to Alexander the Great’s world-spanning empire.
Antiochus had attempted to impose a Hellenistic culture on Israel, outlawing Jewish customs and setting up an altar to Zeus in the Temple. The Jews needed to rededicate the Temple after they defeated the Seleucids and regained their independence, but had just enough lamp oil to last for one day. However, it miraculously lasted all eight days that the ritual required.
The Gospel of John records Jesus being present at a Hanukkah celebration:
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
John 10:22-24 ESV
In any case, Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate.
Henry Kissinger passed away last week. Some consider him a monster for his role in the “little wars” that took place in the context of the Cold War, but I don’t think that is a fair representation of his legacy. Kissinger was one of the great diplomats of history, earning his place beside John Quincy Adams, Klemens von Metternich, and Otto von Bismarck. That’s not to say he was an angel, but his influence on history cannot be denied.
To truly evaluate a man like Kissinger we need to understand the context of his time and the potential ramifications of every option that he and the presidents he served made. This conversation between Auron MacIntyre and The Prudentialist is a good start for understanding Kissinger’s complicated legacy:
Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld wrote an interesting post on her Substack last week asking if the idea of civility has been weaponized to attack political opponents. Obviously the answer is “yes”. I’ve noticed a lot of political figures lately who can dish out harsh criticism but start crying about “civility” when they get a taste of their own medicine.
On a slightly lighter note, the lads at the Lotus Eaters podcast asked if the popularity of Taylor Swift is a psyop against the American people. Connor Tomlinson has a slightly different take than you might expect:
If you’re looking for a one-stop source for conservative news and commentary in Idaho, make sure to bookmark Idaho.one. It’s a news aggregator, like the Drudge Report, but for Idaho news sources like this platform and many others.
Also make sure to follow AssembleX Idaho on Twitter for regular discussions with the movers and shakers of local politics. Tonight they will be talking about ranked choice voting, so don’t miss out!
Finally, just for fun, here’s an amusing video about the way William Shatner pronounces the word “sabotage” that came to mind as I was writing an earlier essay:
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