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Billy_TParticipantI think we’re not too far away from AI being virtually undetectable. I’d give it 1-3 years, especially with all the money and corporate power behind it, racing for the crown. In five years, it will be the norm, a part of the woodwork. It’s a true threat to creatives, especially, and as a writer and artist, I’m worried. Actors/writers/directors feared it enough to go on strike.
Throw in the race for quantum computing, and we’re in for a true revolution/evolution that will bring some good, but, IMO, a lot of bad, primarily for the non-rich. Literally millions of jobs will be lost to AI. In short, this is looking more and more like a Gattaca/Metropolis scenario, but primarily virtual, rather than biological, though the latter will eventually break through as well.
AI is in its infancy. Too much profit out there for it to remain in that stage for long. If they can recreate a Hemingway short story right now, or make a short talk with Nietzsche possible, it won’t be long before students can input their own essay history, with grammar, style, and idiosyncrasies logged and processed, and then spin out whatever they want. But, again, it’s likely to start out along class lines, and go from there. Money will talk long before everyone can walk, etc.
Billy_TParticipantyou shouldn’t lose on a walk off punt return, but you can’t have delay of game penalty on your first possession in OT. BTW Any holding calls against the Raven’s OL today.? next week ..home game vs Commanders, Rams are in position of winning 4 of their last 5 games
Couldn’t they call holding on Donald pretty much every single snap he’s on the field?
It’s kinda ridiculous. I’m guessing he just gave up ( from 2014 on) trying to remind the refs that it’s not legal lasso him every down.
Billy_TParticipantIt was good to see the Rams “live.” Loved most of it, except, of course, for the ending. The Rams weren’t supposed to be in this game at all, and it’s a big old sign of progress that they were.
Hoecht surprised me, and played well overall. Puka, my favorite Ram at the moment, missed a key catch, but made up for it soon after. Kyren Williams, who’s 1B to Puka’s 1A, keeps getting better. I think if the Rams upgrade the line a bit, especially at center and LT, he’s a future All-Pro.
Jackson is just unworldly. The Rams had him sacked, time after time, but he played Houdini. Reminds me of Tarkenton, but with the added ability to take it to the house if he breaks free (4.3 speed out of college). Tarkenton was a scrambler, not a runner, per se. Jackson does both/and.
Davis Allen looks like a solid starter at TE, and came up big, but missed a key catch at the end. He’s not the fastest TE in the world, but has a freakish catch radius, and plays hard. Gotta gain some weight/strength. But he’s got a future with the Rams.
Basically, the Rams have the makings of a real contender next year, if they draft well, and sign some key free agents. I get to see them next week and the following Thursday, so I’m still psyched, as the young kids used to say in the 19th century.
Billy_TParticipantIt surprises me that the Deacon wasn’t at the top for most sacks per game, though he’s really close.
He did lead in several other categories:
Most 15+ sack seasons — all-time
Deacon Jones — 6Most 20+ sack seasons — all-time
Deacon Jones — 3Most times leading NFL in sacks in a season
Deacon Jones — 5
____Still my favorite Ram, evah.
Billy_TParticipantWilliams has no business being as good as he is. He tested pretty poorly, especially for his size, and while that’s never a guarantee of anything on Sundays, it should give you a rough guess at (relative) floors and ceilings.
He’s just one of those guys that plays way faster than he tested, and has somehow overcome his lack size, length, etc. Look at his 10-yard split, for instance, not just his 40. Not much explosion, either. Mediocre vert and broad. But he just keeps producing big time.
<caption>Pre-draft measurables</caption>
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump 5 ft 9+1⁄4 in
(1.76 m)194 lb
(88 kg)28+5⁄8 in
(0.73 m)9 in
(0.23 m)4.65 s 1.57 s 2.69 s 4.33 s 7.07 s 32.0 in
(0.81 m)9 ft 8 in
(2.95 m)All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<sup id=”cite_ref-13″ class=”reference”>[13]</sup><sup id=”cite_ref-14″ class=”reference”>[14]</sup> Billy_TParticipantWV,
You and I became Rams fans around the same time, in the 1966/67/68 range, if memory serves. Who did you see as our big nemesis back in the day?
Again, 1966 was my first year paying serious attention — George Allen’s first as coach — with the next season beginning my diehard years. I remember seeing Green Bay and the Colts as our biggest foes, plus the Vikings, and then the Cowboys. At first, I didn’t really care about the rivalry with the 9ers, because they didn’t really pose a threat. Vikings, Packers, Colts, and Cowboys did.
Right now, it’s the 9ers. Maybe Seattle. I’ll never like the Cowboys or the Vikings, though. Couldn’t stand the Rogers-led Packers, but with him gone, I kinda don’t care about them anymore.
___
1967 Rams
NFL Coastal
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Los Angeles Rams 11 1 2 .917 4–1–1 8–1–1 398 196 W8
Baltimore Colts 11 1 2 .917 4–1–1 7–1–2 394 198 L1
San Francisco 49ers 7 7 0 .500 3–3 4–6 273 337 W2
Atlanta Falcons 1 12 1 .077 0–6 1–9 175 422 L7Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Billy_TParticipantWell…..I loved Brian Piccolo. And i wish you would love him too.
I love Piccolo too. It was horrible watching him get gunned down in his car by a competing Mafia family…
That was almost as tough as watching him recite Poe(try).
Billy_TParticipantInteresting take, ZN. And thanks for rescuing my post from purgatory. The software doesn’t seem to like replies using the quote button, if the original includes pics or links.
Anyway, you’re right about costs of seeing games at Sports Bars. I tip well too, having worked too many years as bartender and waiter back in the day, plus a stint as a bouncer in my youth centuries ago. I can’t help myself. I likely over-tip. So, yeah, it’s gonna cost 20-30 bucks or more, even going for “cheap eats.” But I almost always got Sunday Ticket for free, so that trade off didn’t really apply. I may return to it next year. We’ll see.
As far as paying attention to running backs on other teams: That habit started early for me. I don’t know why it all came together in 4th grade, but I chose my favorite sports teams that year: Rams, Lakers, SF Giants, and stuck with them. For colleges, I initially rooted for Notre Dame, but switched to my first Alma Mater, Maryland, when college loomed larger for me. But early on, I wanted to be a running back, so I watched all the best, focusing especially on their ability to juke and outrun the opposition. As a kid, I never saw myself as one day being big enough to run through them, so speed and agility and following blockers were focal points.
When it comes to following blockers, I think Edgerrin James tops the list. Though greats like Faulk and Sanders were excellent at that, too. But I think their main talents extended beyond their blockers, as maestros of the open field. James wasn’t as good there, but he did have speed to go the distance once he found that crease.
I would love to see the Rams find another great back or two. In my old age, my preference is for a Mr. Inside/Outside combo. A Bettis/Czonka/Riggins/Okoye paired with a Sanders/Faulk/Sayers/X scatback, etc.
As already discussed, sometimes you get both in the same guy. Jim Brown, Dickerson, Gurley, Bo and Steven Jackson (sans those ankle tackles). But that’s exceedingly rare. So I’m kewl with two.
Billy_TParticipantAlso, if we can go beyond the Rams for the best running backs we’ve ever seen . . . Gale Sayers was the first back that just stunned me as a fan of the game, and made me want to be a running back “when I grow up.”
.Well…..I loved Brian Piccolo. And i wish you would love him too.
____
Good pic of Pardee and Piccolo. But I don’t like the title. I don’t think “Watermark” captures the essence of the struggle for dominance . . . .
;>)
Off the top of my head, without checking online, the first trio of Rams linebackers I remember seeing: Maxie Baughan, Jack Pardee, and Myron Pottios (no spellcheck yet, either). That was a strong group, but it was the Fearsome Foursome that drew me to the Rams.
Much later in life, I got a call for tech support from Eddie Meador, one of the originals for me at DB. Also spoke with the inspiration for Good Morning, Vietnam! Adrian Cronauer. He was pretty cool. Very self-deprecating. As far as I know, he never played for the Rams.
Billy_TParticipantAlso, if we can go beyond the Rams for the best running backs we’ve ever seen . . . Gale Sayers was the first back that just stunned me as a fan of the game, and made me want to be a running back “when I grow up.” Good size for his day, legit track speed, and impossible zig-zag moves that just defied the laws of physics. He didn’t just break ankles. He broke team spirits. I liked Leroy Kelly, too, though I wish I could have seen his predecessor with the Browns, Jim Brown. Missed him by a year or so. A bit later, there was John Riggins. Grew up in the DC area and he was a lot of fun to watch on and off the field. Quite the character in those days.
Anyway, back to the Rams: I think I have to put Dickerson at the top of the heap. Faulk next. Then Bettis, Jackson, Gurley, and McCutcheon. A healthy Gurley, however, rises to #2 for me. But he wasn’t healthy long enough. Honorable mention goes to Elvis Peacock, Cullen Bryant, and Madison Hedgehog. Cuz, well, names matter.
Billy_TParticipantCant quibble with any of that. Though If i were to quibble, I’m not sure I’d have W.Tyler that high on the list. But I’m older than BT, and i saw John Cappelletti, and he brought great blocking and instincts and leadership. Plus, I saw the indomitable Les Josephson.
w v
WV, I might be wrong, but I think you may be mixing my comment in with ZN’s list, which is a good one. That quote from moi ended with “He wasn’t as powerful as Jackson, but he was faster, and less likely to be tripped up.” That was about Gurley. ZN takes it from there . . .
Anyway . . .
I became a Rams’ fan, starting with the 1966/67 season. Went full diehard that next year, 1967/68. My earliest memories of Ram backs include Dick Bass, Josephson, Willie Ellison, Larry Smith, and Cappelletti too. Bass was a bit past his prime by then, but he was still good. Josephson was a favorite of mine as well, but he got banged up too soon to make his mark long-term. Same thing happened to Ellison and Smith. Ellison had rare speed for a back in those days, decent size, and I remember choosing him for Stratomatic Football. He helped me win more than a few games against family.
:>)
Also, if memory serves, we’re about the same age, but not sure about that, either.
Billy_TParticipantI wonder if the Rams ever tried to get him to adjust. He played most of his career before the NFL really took advantage of new tech, analytics,
Interesting discussion. When Stephen Davis was a Ram in 2006 after a long career playing in both Washington and Carolina, he openly talked about trying to teach SJ how to run lower, under his pads. Jackson did that for a bit in 2006 (one of his best years–in the last 6 games of that season, he had 151 carries for 725 yards and 8 TDs). But then Davis was gone after 2006 (and the OL fell apart due to injuries). After that Jackson never seemed to re-acquire the art of running lower and more under his pads. He remained the upright runner we all remember. Plus unlike practically every back the Rams have now, SJ did not have superior contact balance. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t superior. That seems to be the common trait of every current Rams RB, from Wms to Henderson and so on. Not elusiveness, not power, not speed–contact balance.
Did not know that, ZN. Davis was good too, and his advice sounds spot on. Who knows how much more effective Jackson may have been if he had heeded that advice long-term . . . but I suspect it would have been significant.
Seems logical that taller backs are especially prone to contact balance issues, especially if they don’t run lower, lean in, etc. Physics would seem to favor shorter backs when it comes to that . . .
Rams generally show a preference for shorter backs, in the 5’8″ range. But Gurley was kind of in the “sweet spot” for them. A tad over 6′, 220, with legit track-speed. Until he got all banged up, I remember his “contact balance” being pretty damn good. He wasn’t as powerful as Jackson, but he was faster, and less likely to be tripped up.
Billy_TParticipantAgree about Jackson and Manning. Always thought the latter was one of the most talented QBs ever. The Saints were just pathetic in those days. On a better team, he likely wins all kinds of championships. Barry Sanders too.
Jackson was a size/speed/power freak. Though he did have an Achilles’ heel, down around his Achilles’ heel. He seemed to get tripped up a lot via last ditch ankle tackles. It was kinda weird to watch, really. Someone that big, fast, and powerful, going down cuz of a last gasp/grasp effort.
I wonder if the Rams ever tried to get him to adjust. He played most of his career before the NFL really took advantage of new tech, analytics, Next Gen stats, etc. But they had film, obviously.
Jackson also makes me think of more What Ifs. What if Dickerson had spent as much time building up his body as Jackson? He was slightly taller at 6’3″, and had the frame to carry another 20 pounds or so. And while Dickerson did run hard, and wasn’t afraid to run through guys, he didn’t seem to like weight-training all that much. He kinda went with what he already had, sans special training. He needed an Aaron Donald on his team as an example.
Billy_TParticipantBTW, has anyone ever done any studies per position? Just eye-balling it, wide-receivers seem to hit their heads on the turf any time they extend themselves for a catch. Oftentimes, on regular catches too. Running backs probably take the most initial shots to the head. And linemen knock heads play after play. So, just not sure. DBs probably tackle head first more than any other spot on the team, etc. Anyway, they pretty much all end up making contact with the ground (and each other) in bad ways. I wish there were a way to solve this, without bubble-wrapping the game . . .
And it’s knees and soft tissue getting roughed up just from playing on that surface, ie. planting on it and exerting…it’s basically playing on concrete.
Agreed. Horrible on the knees, ankles, and everywhere you mentioned. Shoulders, etc. Everything.
Wasn’t OBJ’s injury in the Super Bowl turf-dependent? If memory serves, it likely wouldn’t have happened on grass.
Billy_TParticipantWentz: “…”And so I just didn’t feel like God had closed that door, so I’ve been kind of just patiently waiting and staying ready…” I was always told, when God closes one door….you should listen to your handlers, and market yourself as a new-improved, team-player. w v
Good one, WV.
I think sometimes it’s legit, though. Of course, we’re on the outside looking in, so we don’t really know.
Ramsey, for instance, was considered a bit of a coach-killer and poor locker-room guy before the Rams traded for him. From publicly available reports, he became a great locker-room presence, a real team-leader, and as important off the field as on it.
OBJ was kinda in that range too.
Billy_TParticipantBTW, has anyone ever done any studies per position? Just eye-balling it, wide-receivers seem to hit their heads on the turf any time they extend themselves for a catch. Oftentimes, on regular catches too. Running backs probably take the most initial shots to the head. And linemen knock heads play after play. So, just not sure. DBs probably tackle head first more than any other spot on the team, etc.
Anyway, they pretty much all end up making contact with the ground (and each other) in bad ways. I wish there were a way to solve this, without bubble-wrapping the game . . .
Billy_TParticipantTo me, it’s close to a life or death thing. Keep the turf, kill the players. Yeah, it’s over time. It’s not immediate. But ball-carriers, especially, take two hits at least: from other players and then the turf. I cringe each time I see them hit the concrete.
Grass should be mandatory across the league, on every field. No exceptions.
Billy_TParticipantOh, and am I all alone in despising the 17 game schedule?
Professional football, as we know it, ceased to exist when John Facenda died. Anybody who lives to be 50-years old automatically joins the Get Off My Lawn (GOML) club. There should be 14 games, grass stains, and mud. The Colts, Browns, and Steelers should be in the NFC, and at least a dozen QBs should be wearing ankle boots. The Falcons helmet should be red, the Cardinals should be in the NFC East, and Howard Cosell should narrate the only highlights anyone can ever watch. Also, the Vikings should be obliterated.
Well, I agree with pretty much all of that. Facenda was amazing. He made the game seem beyond important. Sundays were holy for an entirely new reason when you heard his narrations. I also think Pat Summerall and Frank Gifford (before he joined MNF) had that same ability to make the game essential, necessary. Which leads to another pet peeve. I really dislike the NFL Network’s morning show. They want everything to be a joke, basically, and they obviously drink too much coffee. They play silly games about a deadly serious game, countering the Facenda, Summerall, Gifford School of Hard Knocks.
Of course, one could argue that silly games about a game might sync up better than arch seriousness about a game . . . but I don’t want to think that way, and I’m too old to change at this point.
The NFL should mandate real grass fields, play on Sundays only, have just 14 games, realign the divisions to make sense geographically, and stop all the ticky-tacky calls. Let the players play. But I do rejoin “modernity” when it comes to their health. I actually don’t want them to be “old school” in the sense that they get to spear each other to death. I’m against the use of the helmet as a weapon, regardless of when and where, etc.
Anyway, as a charter member of the GOML club, I fully approve your post.
Billy_TParticipantI think the Rams will take at least three of those games: Cards, Commanders, and Giants. They might surprise the Niners, or Saints, or the Browns. Perhaps the Seahawks too. Maybe four. But I’d say at least three more wins.
Agree with Invader about hoping to see a lot more development from the rooks. McVay needs to play ’em. Might as well open the floodgates and start anyone with any chance to stick, and sit the players they don’t plan to keep. See what they have for 2024.
Oh, and am I all alone in despising the 17 game schedule? I can deal with 16, but would rather have 14. But there’s something about an odd number of games (9/8, away/home) that really burns me. It ranks up there with truly obnoxious things like shaky cams and shrinkflation. On the latter, I wish corporations would just get it over with. If they want us to believe we’re buying a half gallon of ice cream, in a much smaller container, just go for it. Make it a pint and call it a half gallon. People are likely too exhausted to care these days. Or, they’ll march on Washington. Either way, stop the slow gaslighting, please!
Billy_TParticipantField Yates@FieldYatesCarson Wentz’s 1-year deal with the Rams includes a $150,000 signing bonus and the prorated amount of a $1.165M base salary. He’s due $732,500 for the remainder of this season as the Rams’ new back-up QB.That sounds like a pretty good deal for the Rams. Good use of the cap too.
Any word on a potential for a comp pick, if they lose him to free agency this off-season? I need more coffee if I’m gonna force my weary mind to remember the rules. Something something Veterans something something Years Played something something. If memory serves, they didn’t get anything for Miller, Mayfield, or Wagner cuz of their veteran status, but I may be wrong.
Anyway, that’s a side issue. To me, it’s a good pickup, regardless.
Billy_TParticipantI like the signing.
Wentz is an up and mostly down starting QB. One could call him “failed,” but I think most of that is due to when he was drafted, not relative to every other starter in the league.
The Rams tend to go with up and down backups for their backups (at least in recent years), with the exception of Baker Mayfield.
I think the Rams are going to have to keep at least two starting QBs on the roster at all times. If it’s not Wentz, it should be someone else who can play and win on Sundays, not just a temp for Stafford.
I also like the idea of keeping younger starting caliber backups on the roster, giving them a chance to shine, and trading them if offers are too good to refuse. That can be a shortcut to routinely maximizing the next draft, etc.
Billy_TParticipantOff the top of me head: Von Miller was 33 when the Rams traded for him. Freakish athlete who played up to his athleticism and beyond. Game changer, to say the least. Chase Young? Bigger, better athlete than Miller, but injuries have suppressed his career. His upside is greater than Miller’s, even if we don’t include his age (24). I hate to say it, but the 49ers got a very likely “steal” of major proportions. A healthy Young, matched up with Bosa? Sheesh.
Seattle got better, too, with Leonard Williams.
Rams can’t rely on superior coaching — which I think they have. They just can’t compete athletically via so many late rounders and UDFAs. They’re gonna have to find another way.
Billy_TParticipantDefense truly needs to get bigger and stronger at the nose and DT opposite Donald.
Turner was playing nose a large percentage of the time. He was replacing Brown III, who’s on IR. from
At 324 pounds, Bobby Brown III was the only defensive lineman over 300 pounds to start the season and in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, their starting nose tackle went down with a knee injury. Brown is expected to miss 5-7 weeks with an MCL sprain, leaving the Rams without their space-eating defensive lineman.
Brown also has the frame to carry even more than 324, it appears. But, yeah, they miss him. I think teams need to have diversity of size and skill sets, and complement key players that way. To me, any team with an AD needs hogmollies at the nose and the other side to protect him, etc. And there should at least be big ol’ tree stump backups who can come in on short yardage and goal line situations to stuff the run. Small, quick, penetrating DTs lose most of their advantages when things are tight.
That would be my philosophy across the board, too. Running backs, big, small, fast, powerful, inside, outside, etc. Defensive backs to handle the speedsters/quicksters, and the monsters. Cuz, it’s pretty rare that you find players who can do it all. Offensive line, same thing. Everywhere, on both sides of the ball.
In general, I think the Rams lack that kind of diversity, and stick with their “types” instead. Exceptions, of course. I also wish they could bring in a seriously good running QB for goal line and short yardage too. Wanted the Rams to draft Dorian Thompson-Robinson for that option, and more . . . .
Just my two cents, etc.
Billy_TParticipantNittany,
Sorry to hear about your father. That’s gotta be tough to deal with. Heart-breaking, really.
As for the media, not saying anything new: but . . . the American MSM has always been center-right, and it’s controlled by conservative multinationals and conservative billionaires. It’s never, ever been remotely “liberal,” and it avoids leftists like the plague. Whenever I hear or read right-wingers whining ab0ut its supposed (completely non-existent) “bias” toward them, it brings to mind a vision of something that must have happened from time to time in the past:
Scientists, philosophers, and ship captains, shaking their heads at the “authorities” who tell them the earth is flat.
Billy_TParticipantNice to be able to watch a full game, live.
It’s already been mentioned . . . but, are the Rams the only team in the league with a home field disadvantage?
This loss is mostly on Maher, with an incredibly rare assist from Kupp, a player who has come up big for them countless times. As in, they probably don’t get to or win the Super Bowl without him. Kinda shocking, those two drops. They likely score a TD without them.
Liked what I saw from Freeman and Henderson. Have always thought it was a good idea to have at least one back heavier than 220.
Puca is incredible, but he scares me. He won’t quit, he won’t go down, and that’s going to get him into concussion protocol frequently. Regardless, he’s a hidden gem and a half.
Have forgotten the sequencing already, but what happens if Yeast doesn’t try to tip the pass again? Another DB — can’t remember who — was poised to make the interception.
Why no jet sweeps? Tutu seems like the logical guy for that. Sub 4.4 speed, and he’s gaining confidence by the week.
Defense truly needs to get bigger and stronger at the nose and DT opposite Donald.
Frustrating game. Thought they had it in the bag.
Billy_TParticipantZN,
I can see that take, and it has merits. It also has “it’s a done deal!” to give it weight.
But I’m stubborn, so there’s that, too.
:>)
Gabriel was the OG for me as a fan. He’ll always be the best in my mind. The Rams just didn’t have enough team speed or electricity on offense during his tenure. No real match-up nightmares on the o-side for other teams to deal with. If we can play what if games, Roman Gabriel wins two or more Super Bowls if he had weapons like Holt, Bruce, Faulk, and Hakim. With that defense and offensive line, he likely doesn’t need all of them.
Bulger doesn’t get enough credit. He was talented, and seemed pretty humble about that too.
Everett’s another one who lacked weapons. With Dickerson on the field, it may have taken just one more guy, one speedy wideout to tip the team over into juggernaut status.
Oh, well, c’est la vie.
Billy_TParticipantputting the superbowl aside. i wonder how the rams with goff and all those first round picks would be doing right now. i still like stafford a lot. but i like goff too. maybe it was just mcvay and goff not being compatible. or maybe mcvay and snead we’re just a little too impulsive. maybe an older mcvay and snead don’t make that trade. but they were also desperate to win the big one.
To me, the question needs to be looked at prior to the trade, not in hindsight. It’s too easy to say it was a great trade because the Rams won it all the next season. As in, what was the context at the time? Stafford, as good as he’s always been, had never won a playoff game, much less the Super Bowl. Goff had already helped take the Rams to the Super Bowl just two years prior, and the Rams were still a contender with or without him. He’s also nearly seven years younger, with far less tread on his tires (due to injuries, etc).
Personally, I think the Rams would have been better off keeping Goff, and those draft picks, and working their butts off to help Goff play up to his potential. Two firsts and a third could have yielded a premier edge, LT, corner, etc. In my view, they could have had a sustained run at the Big Dance, instead of a one-off. That was my view going into the trade, and it still holds for me.
Obviously, I love that they won it all, and that can never be taken away from McVay, Snead, Stafford, or anyone else on the Rams. Stafford has proven himself over and over again, and few QBs have ever been tougher. There’s no quit in him. But I’m a greedy fan. I want both/and. Wins and more wins. The whole enchilada plus sustained access to fine dining.
Billy_TParticipantAlso, I don’t know if any of the folks who signed this on the 18th recanted yet, but we’ve heard some high profile celebs do so, with their respective open letters.
Another was published in artforum dot com, with the headline:
AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE ART COMMUNITY TO CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
By the undersignedOctober 19, 2023 5:29 pm
They published a response which “condemns” this. Again, not seeing why.
Billy_TParticipantI’ve recently read a couple of open letters from Arts organizations on this conflict, and I can’t for the life of me see how any of them should be condemned, or silenced, or “cancelled,” or why any of the signees would choose to recant. But that’s the current “PC” zeitgeist in the West. Slam, condemn, silence, block from employment, or worse, anyone who dares speak out against violence on all sides.
Here’s the London Review of Books open letter. Since the filter keeps blocking me when I add links, please do that duckduckgo thingy for sourcing:
(basic guideline: www . lrb . co . uk/ blog/ 2023/ october/ an-open-letter-on-the-situation-in-palestine)
LRB Blog
18 OCTOBER 2023
An Open Letter on the Situation in PalestineWe, the undersigned artists and writers based in the EU, the UK and North America, are speaking out to demand an end to the violence and destruction in Palestine.
The deliberate killing of civilians is always an atrocity. It is a violation of international law and an outrage against the sanctity of human life. Neither Israel, the occupying power, nor the armed groups of the people under occupation, the Palestinians, can ever be justified in targeting defenceless people. We can only express our grief and heartbreak for the victims of these most recent tragedies, and for their families, both Palestinians and Israelis.
Nothing can retrieve what has already been lost. But the unprecedented and indiscriminate violence that is still escalating against the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, with the financial and political support of Western powers, can and must be brought to an end. By cutting off vital electricity, food and water supplies; by attempting to displace by force over one million Palestinians from their homes, with no guarantee of return; and by carrying out continual airstrikes against civilians, including those who are attempting to evacuate, the state of Israel is committing grave crimes against humanity. Its allies, our own governments, are complicit in these crimes.
Human rights groups have long condemned Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the inhumane treatment of – and system of racial domination over – Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state. But we are now witnessing a new and even more drastic emergency. The UN expert Francesca Albanese has warned that Israel’s current actions in Gaza constitute a form of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli historian Raz Segal has described the situation in Gaza as a ‘textbook case of genocide’.
We call on our governments to demand an immediate ceasefire and the unimpeded admission of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We also demand an end to all arms shipments and military funding, supplies that can only exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe at hand. Although these measures will not be enough to secure true justice, liberation and equality, they represent an urgent and indispensable first step. We plead for an end to all violence, an end to all oppression and denial of human rights, and a path towards a just and sustainable peace for all.
Sally Rooney, Naomi Klein, Gillian Slovo, Kamila Shamsie, Kathleen Alcott, Kevin Barry, Sara Baume, Claire-Louise Bennett, Ronan Bennett, Fatima Bhutto, David Butler, June Caldwell, Seamus Cashman, Rachel Connolly, Selma Dabbagh, Margaretta D’Arcy, Edwidge Danticat, Natalie Diaz, Reni Eddo-Lodge, Yara El-Ghadban, Anne Enright, Caleb Femi, Esther Freud, Mia Gallagher, Francisco Goldman, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Isabella Hammad, Honor Heffernan, Rita Ann Higgins, Louise Kennedy, Trevor Knight, Laila Lalami, Ben Lerner, Jonathan Lethem, Patricia Lockwood, Andrea Long Chu, Rosa Lyster, Carmen Maria Machado, Sophie Mackintosh, Niall MacMonagle, Lisa McInerney, Maaza Mengiste, China Miéville, Pankaj Mishra, Sepideh Moafi, Noor Naga, Viet Nguyen, Megan Nolan, Iman Qureshi, Youssef Rakha, Yara Rodrigues Fowler, James Schamus, Olivia Sudjic, Susan Tomaselli, Eley Williams, Gary Younge …
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Billy_TParticipantWV, Have you read Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson? I’m about a third of the way through, and it’s stunning, heart-breaking, at times jaw-dropping, in its historical look at the way caste structures form. She concentrates primarily on the US, Nazi Germany, and India, but not just those places. It’s a truly important book, and I wish it were required reading for our “leaders,” corporate America, police, and in our schools. https://www.isabelwilkerson.com/
I have not read it, BT, but the fact that Oprah liked it, makes me wary of it 🙂 w v
Well, I’ve never looked to Oprah for my reading lists, or anything else. But I don’t think her stamp of approval should deter you. She’s just one of dozens of reviewers who praised Caste, and the author previously won the National Book Critics Circle award for The Warmth of Other Suns.
Your comment did give me pause, though, so I duckduckgoed Oprah’s favorites. It’s not that bad. In fact, she has some true classics on her list: Cormac McCarthy, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, William Faulkner, Tolstoy, Toni Morrison, to name just a few.
Anyway . . . I’m learning a ton from the book. Didn’t know, for instance, that the Nazis patterned their Nuremberg racial laws so closely on ours, and in a meeting of top Nazis in 1934, a few actually thought America had gone too far, especially with our one drop rule and the severity of our miscegenation laws. When Nazis think a nation has gone too far on matters of “race,” that should be the mother of all red flags. Lots of other heartbreaking facts, and she makes it easy for the reader to connect the dots. Readers don’t necessarily have to agree with her overall premise about caste to learn a hell of a lot of important historical things.
Anyway, I recommend it.
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