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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody
@samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
5.9K followers 2.6K following 4.8K posts
religious studies professor in Kansas. modern Jewish thought. book: https://tinyurl.com/4tncyj76 new yorker by birth, father of two kansan children by the grace of god. אֱהֹב אֶת הַמְּלָאכָה, וּשְׂנָא אֶת הָרַבָּנוּת, וְאַל תִּתְוַדַּע לָרָשׁוּת
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · Nov 11
Hi, new followers! I wrote a book back in 2018 about Jewish anarcho-theocracy. You might like it if you are interested in the idea of God’s direct rule without a human intermediary, as devised in Weimar Germany and with application to colonial Palestine. Also if you only know Buber from “I and Thou”
The cover of “Martin Buber’s Theopolitics” by Samuel Hayim Brody. An image of a field of crosses, at the base of which are a mass of raised fists.
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 6h
:::me, reading the sad news:::

“…you know who ELSE is 79 years old”
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
proof that I myself am not making this up to get mad at it:
Why the pro-Palestinian left is wrong to reject Trump's Gaza peace plan
U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point Plan to End Israel's War in Gaza Shouldn't Be Misconstrued as an All-encompassing Peace Plan, Because It's Not. It's a Cease-fire Deal, and the Only Other Option...
www.haaretz.com
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
seems like an emerging line on the center that the "left" is rejecting the ceasefire. they are mainly citing francesca albanese and a couple of posters. is this real or are they making up guys to get mad at?

(most people i know are like: "this is good if it saves lives; it will not Free Palestine")
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
play long enough and you can unlock the hitherto-unknown ninth path
jfruh.bsky.social
Josh Fruhlinger @jfruh.bsky.social · 1d
”im addicted to this Buddhism game” —things someone who is good at buddhism would say???
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
Do I actually think MIT is a paradise where merit alone is rewarded? No.

But is this a good tack to take in response to an administration that is pretending that “merit” is the reason to oppose “DEI” while making the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment the Secretary of Education? Yes
kathleenclark.bsky.social
Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 1d
A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.
Dear Madam Secretary, I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters. I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education. As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples: • MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions. • MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%. source: https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/regarding-compact • We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree. These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law. The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone. In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education. As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation. Sincerely, Sally Kornbluth
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Reposted by Sam Brody
kathleenclark.bsky.social
Kathleen Clark @kathleenclark.bsky.social · 1d
A master class from MIT in responding to authoritarian overreach:

Your “premise … is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.
… America’s leadership in science & innovation depends on independent thinking & open competition for excellence.
Dear Madam Secretary, I write in response to your letter of October 1, inviting MIT to review a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." I acknowledge the vital importance of these matters. I appreciated the chance to meet with you earlier this year to discuss the priorities we share for American higher education. As we discussed, the Institute's mission of service to the nation directs us to advance knowledge, educate students and bring knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. We do that in line with a clear set of values, with excellence above all. Some practical examples: • MIT prides itself on rewarding merit. Students, faculty and staff succeed here based on the strength of their talent, ideas and hard work. For instance, the Institute was the first to reinstate the SAT/ACT requirement after the pandemic. And MIT has never had legacy preferences in admissions. • MIT opens its doors to the most talented students regardless of their family's finances. Admissions are need-blind. Incoming undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000 a year pay no tuition. Nearly 88% of our last graduating class left MIT with no debt for their education. We make a wealth of free courses and low-cost certificates available to any American with an internet connection. Of the undergraduate degrees we award, 94% are in STEM fields. And in service to the nation, we cap enrollment of international undergraduates at roughly 10%. source: https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/regarding-compact • We value free expression, as clearly described in the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. We must hear facts and opinions we don't like - and engage respectfully with those with whom we disagree. These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they're right, and we live by them because they support our mission - work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law. The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone. In our view, America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education. As you know, MIT's record of service to the nation is long and enduring. Eight decades ago, MIT leaders helped invent a scientific partnership between America's research universities and the U.S. government that has delivered extraordinary benefits for the American people. We continue to believe in the power of this partnership to serve the nation. Sincerely, Sally Kornbluth
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
That game explicitly imagined the Klan as collaborators with Nazi occupiers of America, too
samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
I’m old enough to remember when they put Klan in Wolfenstein and no one batted an eye
marklemley.bsky.social
Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 1d
Assassin's Creed pulls planned game about the Civil War, apparently because having a black protagonist fighting the KKK would offend too many Americans

www.polygon.com/assassins-cr...
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 1d
I’m old enough to remember when they put Klan in Wolfenstein and no one batted an eye
marklemley.bsky.social
Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 1d
Assassin's Creed pulls planned game about the Civil War, apparently because having a black protagonist fighting the KKK would offend too many Americans

www.polygon.com/assassins-cr...
The canceled Assassin's Creed Civil War game was a powder keg waiting to explode
Ubisoft was reportedly working on a game set after the Civil War era, but canceled it due to politics and Assassins Creed Shadows backlash.
www.polygon.com
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
the thing about “minarchist,” “anarcho-capitalist,” “Austrian economics” is you eventually run out of other people’s money
washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 2d
The Trump administration confirmed that the U.S. bailed out Argentina.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had directly bought Argentine pesos in global currency markets in a bid to relieve pressure on the nation’s embattled President Javier Milei, a supporter of President Trump.
The U.S. just bailed out Argentina, Treasury Secretary confirms
The US Treasury has finalized a $20 billion financial rescue of Argentina, including a currency swap arrangement with the country's central bank.
www.washingtonpost.com
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
more “no one asked for this, Sam” predictions of problems we would love to have in four years:

The Trump regime will fail. all this will pass away like a nightmare. BUT the oligarchs will still control the media and if the D president expands the Court they will suddenly remember what “tyranny” is
whstancil.bsky.social
Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 2d
They are going to lose control of the country. They have the debased billionaire class, they have a small army of violent bigots. But they don’t have most Americans. They absolutely don’t have enough guys and they know it
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
look, it’s just unrelated that they think the left per se is 33% Jewish. this has nothing to do with that. this… is SCIENCE
justinbaragona.bsky.social
Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 2d
Besides linking Tylenol in pregnant women to autism, RFK Jr. now says circumcision is part of the reason why kids are autistic.

"Children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it's highly likely because they're given Tylenol. None of this is positive..."
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
look, just stick to ibuprofen and you can do as many circumcisions as you want
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
They're going after big mainstream Democratic campaign and fundraiser groups like Indivisible and ActBlue. They're going after Soros. And they're going after INN and JVP?

The left is 33% Jewish to these people
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
"Other groups on the list include two Jewish nonprofits that oppose Israel's war in Gaza - IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace."

Of the nine groups named, two are Jewish pro-Palestinian groups. (They didn't even bother to name any NON-Jewish pro-Palestinian groups.)
www.reuters.com
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
if all this turns out to be is that the Qataris paid Trump a lot of money to care about them more than Israel, I will be fine with that

what I will not do is “give credit where credit is due” to the guy who got bribed the most
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
the Dr. Pepper of ultra-rich Ivies
pardoguerra.bsky.social
This skeet will self destruct @pardoguerra.bsky.social · 2d
Kudos to Princeton for being completely invisible.
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
the girlfriend of one of the founders of antifa”
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
“Popes are in lockstep on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist”
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
“First shalt thou wear togas. Then shalt thou wear one of those olive branch wreath things. It has to be one of those olive branch wreath things, and none other. A fedora shalt thou not wear, neither wear thou a baseball cap. Samurai masks are right out!”
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
“the point of the Bible is that the time and place in which the Bible was written is the best time and place, I am very smart”
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
The New Testament was written in a slave empire. It didn’t call for abolishing slavery in the same way that it didn’t call for abolishing Roman imperialism.

It’s so funny to me to be like “this is how it is in the Bible” as if the Bible was recommending that everyone live in first-century Rome
joolia.bsky.social
Julia Carrie Wong @joolia.bsky.social · 2d
Doug Wilson co-authored a (plagiarized) book that defended the institution of slavery *as it was practiced in the antebellum South*. This is how Douthat introduced the subject while providing him with the NYT's platform:
Douthat: So, just to take a related example, one of the controversies of many that you’ve been mixed up in has to do with slavery, and whether slavery is absolutely forbidden by the Bible, absolutely forbidden to Christians, or whether it is critiqued, but allowed for. Wilson: Right. Douthat: And you think it is critiqued, but allowed for. Wilson: Right. Douthat: On this, on a straightforward reading of the New Testament, I would agree with you. I would say, pretty clearly, there is a pretty clear path from the message of the Bible to the abolition of slavery. But there is no moment in the New Testament when Jesus insists on the manumission of slaves. Wilson: Right.
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
“larger plan” could also just be a face-saving line though
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
really, nothing? I know it’s not Gulf money but I didn’t think it was nothing
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
So that makes sense to me about why *they* want it. But now they need Trump to do what they want, and it means he has to do something he’s never done before, which I’m not sure he knows how to do. It’s like if they demanded he pay his workers on time
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samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social
Sam Brody @samuelhayimbrody.bsky.social · 2d
I have seen rational, interest-based accounts of what Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt get out of this that led them to pressure Hamas.

I haven’t seen a single one that accounts for why Netanyahu would need to change his approach now. “Trump made him?” Why? He wants a Nobel? The emir gave him a plane?
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