opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
'We were treated like animals', deported Gaza flotilla activists say
Following their detention by Israeli authorities, activists from the Gaza flotilla claimed that they were "treated like animals" during their capture and deportation. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which was made up of activists from all over the world, was sailing toward Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid when it was stopped by Israeli naval forces in what the participants claim to be international waters. Before Israel began deporting people, over 400 people, including citizens of multiple nations, were held in detention. After being expelled, many of the deported activists arrived in Istanbul and shared stories of humiliation, intimidation, and violence. They alleged that Israeli forces used excessive force during the raid, deploying armed troops and water cannons to stop the flotilla. They claimed that while they were detained, they were subjected to verbal and physical abuse, were kept in harsh conditions, and were deprived of sleep, food, and water. Some activists claimed they were forced to kneel for hours, faced insults, and were struck when they tried to move. Others said that at detention centers, lights were kept on throughout the night and guards would enter rooms shouting and banging on doors to prevent rest.
By GLOBAL NEWS3 months ago in The Swamp
World Reacts to Hamas’s Response to Trump’s Gaza Plan
# World Reacts to Hamas’s Response to Trump’s Gaza Plan The international community has been closely watching the unfolding dynamics in the Middle East following Hamas’s sharp response to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly outlined plan for Gaza. The idea, presented as part of a larger plan to bring stability to the region, has sparked strong reactions on multiple fronts, including condemnation, cautious support, and a lot of discussion about its viability and how it will affect relations between Israel and Palestine in the future. Trump’s Gaza plan, unveiled with significant fanfare, centers on a blend of reconstruction, demilitarization, and strict oversight. It calls for major international investment in rebuilding Gaza’s war-torn infrastructure, promises humanitarian aid, and proposes security guarantees for Israel. In exchange, Hamas would be required to disarm, renounce violence, and allow a transitional governing body under international supervision to administer the territory until elections could be held. The plan, according to Trump, offers Palestinians “a pathway to peace and prosperity” while ensuring Israel’s security interests remain paramount.
By GLOBAL NEWS3 months ago in The Swamp
When Hatred Becomes Headlines: How We Fail Each Other When We Don’t Intervene.
Yesterday, headlines carried another painful story. The Jewish community was targeted simply because of who they are. The details are upsetting, but the lesson is urgent. Each time hatred breaks into public view, we face the same questions. How will we respond? Will we look away, assuming it is someone else’s problem? Or will we stand with those who are most vulnerable, even in small, everyday ways?
By Cathy (Christine Acheini) Ben-Ameh.3 months ago in The Swamp
Alaskan hub for extraterrestrial operations inside Mt Hayes
The first part of this investigation into Mysteries Straight Out Of Langley concluded with the death of remote viewer Pat Price in July 1975, allegedly from a fatal heart attack suffered in his Las Vegas hotel room just two years after his “remote viewing” talents had unexpectedly revealed the existence of an extraterrestrial base deep inside Mt Hayes, Alaska.
By Steve Harrison3 months ago in The Swamp
CIA tangents that straddle the States from LA to Alaska
Despite the best intentions, sometimes no matter how I approach a topic I just can’t find the inspiration to do the research required to tackle it, then suddenly out of the blue an angle appears from nowhere – like a comet shooting through the cosmos – and the writer’s block evaporates.
By Steve Harrison3 months ago in The Swamp
Beyond Ukraine: Four Shocking Ways Europe's Security Crisis Just Hit Home
For many, the war in Ukraine has remained a brutal but distant conflict—a crisis contained within its borders. But in recent weeks, that perception has been shattered. The sudden appearance of mysterious drones over Denmark, forcing civilian airports to shut down and grounding tens of thousands of travellers, brought a chilling new reality into sharp focus. The front line is no longer somewhere else; it is here.
By The INFORMER3 months ago in The Swamp
Ledger of the Seventy-Four Percent. Content Warning.
My rent goes up every year in December just in time for Christmas! This is not just about me. It is about all of us boomers that are not wealthy. Every month I pay 74 % of my check of 1216 to rent, now it went up $20. Every month there are thousands of seniors in the same situation. I am overdrawn at the bank now. Payday loans turn into four every month to survive. At the third of the month the ritual repeats like clockwork. The stress is too much at times. I have healthcare and mental health care here in California. How long will this last under the Rumpty Dumpty and Satan Miller adminstration? What will we do? I live this way every month. My art, videos, and music are survival tools. I was never wealthy! There are millions of other folks living paycheck to paycheck, old and young. I live one day at a time in this dystopian nightmare of corporate greed, bigotry, and billionaires who do not care. They will throw us to lions, but wait, we have been living with beasts in time and space 2025.
By Vicki Lawana Trusselli 4 months ago in The Swamp
On the Brink:
A convergence of large-scale campaigns, risky military probes, growing authoritarian brinkmanship and eroding diplomatic backstops has created a volatile global landscape — and several flashpoints could cascade into a far larger war.
By The Blacksheepkid Collective by: El Pablo 1x4 months ago in The Swamp
If Charlie Kirk was Black Republican
Ever since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, things have gone haywire. Half were saddened by this god awful tragedy, half were stunned, and the other half celebrated his death. After the assassination, Trump ordered that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff at the White House, on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions, as a mark of respect for Kirk. The order remained in effect until sunset on September 14.
By Gladys W. Muturi4 months ago in The Swamp
Autism is NOT Caused by Vaccines or Tylenol
My name is Anne Marie, and I taught high school English in special education and regular ed classes for nine years. During that time, I taught many students on the spectrum, each of whom I loved so dearly for being exactly who they were. I quit teaching during COVID because I could not manage the extra stress it was causing me, which ultimately led to my own late diagnosis of ADHD and autism. I struggled my whole life, not realizing that the struggles I was facing weren’t the “norm” and that I was overworking myself to burnout in a lot of areas in my life. That being said, I also know ADHD and autism to be biological and heritable traits, unique aspects of our personalities and things that make us unique human beings with beautiful visions and ways of seeing the world. That being said, I can’t think that vaccines or Tylenol are the source of something so beautiful if while it has its own unique struggles and drawbacks, it is also a beautiful gift and welcomed condition that only shows how unique human beings on this Earth are, which absolutely should be celebrated, not looked on as a terrible thing.
By Slgtlyscatt3red4 months ago in The Swamp
When a Permit Becomes a Pretext: Schenectady's Inspector, Profiling, and the Cost of Complacency
This article was created with the assistance of AI tools for drafting and editing. All facts and opinions were carefully verified and are the responsibility of the author.
By DJ for Change4 months ago in The Swamp
The Future of Free Speech in a Post-Charlie Kirk World
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the future of free speech in America just got harder. The assassination of Charlie Kirk during a campus event in Orem, Utah, didn’t only take a life—it detonated a debate we’ve been dancing around for years: how far we go to protect speech when the speech is polarizing, and how quickly we abandon those principles when the speaker is someone we can’t stand. In the days since, Congress passed a bipartisan resolution honoring Kirk and condemning political violence, while leaders across the spectrum issued statements about civil discourse and campus safety. Those gestures matter—but what comes next will matter more.
By Lawrence Lease4 months ago in The Swamp
