America's Brutal Ally in Afghanistan, Biden's Boarding School Apology, Election Week Prayer
Plus, CNN commentator jokes about IDF killing Mehdi Hasan
Hi all,
As we announced on Shake the Dust last week, we won’t have our regularly scheduled podcast episode next Friday. Instead, we’re doing a Substack live broadcast on the day after Election Day, Wednesday November 6, at 1 PM EST. To watch that, you’ll need the Substack app, which you can get here for iOS, and here for Android. Regardless of whether you have the app, you’ll be notified when we start, but you’ll need the app to watch. Come prepared with your questions to put in the chat. See you there!
Our highlights this week include:
- A CNN commentator jokes about IDF murdering Mehdi Hasan
- The tragic aftereffects of violence in Sudan
- Biden’s Apology about Native Boarding Schools
- The US military’s partnership with a brutal, corrupt police chief in Afghanistan
- Jonathan keeps us grounded with a Ta-Nehisi Coates interview
- Some thoughts on Election Day, and prayer sessions you can join next week
Jonathan’s Recommendations
CNN Commentator Jokes about Israel Murdering Mehdi Hasan
Israel killed over 30 people and injured thousands in Lebanon when they remotely detonated pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to members of Lebanon’s Hamas -aligned ruling party, Hezbollah. Recently during a CNN panel, Muslim journalist Mehdi Hassan said he was used to taking criticism for his defense of Palestinian rights. Conservative commentator Ryan James Girdusky replied, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.” The racism, xenophobia, and islamophobia that fills our feeds is a crucial pillar of the US-funded campaign of brutality in Palestine. As we noted two weeks ago, the cost of war in dollars and cents is enormous. But there are also those supporting the effort by diminishing the violence with their words and platforms. Jesus, help us to leverage the influence we have to protect vulnerable people, not to dismiss their suffering.
The Tragic Aftereffects of Violence in Sudan
(Content warning, sexual violence, suicide) A few weeks ago, we shared an in-depth interview about the war in Sudan. This week, the United Nations released a report documenting several hundred cases of sexual violence by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As a result, nine women have either died by suicide or are having suicidal thoughts. And those are just the cases journalists have been able to confirm in a war zone with spotty internet and phone connections, meaning there are almost certainly more. Though Sudan has probably the worst humanitarian crisis today, we talk about it very little. As an intercessor, seeker of justice, and follower of Jesus I lament the reality of these atrocities, the arduous task of documenting them, and the uphill battle of reporting on them. Please add the people of Sudan, along with those desperately trying to tell their stories, to your prayers this season.
Sy’s Recommendations
Biden’s Boarding School Apology
On Friday, Joe Biden officially apologized for the government-run boarding schools for Native Americans that stole indigenous children from their families, abused them, and stripped them of their cultures and languages. Reporting from Indian Country Today found Indigenous reactions to the apology were complex. There was a high degree of emotion and catharsis as, for the first time, the most powerful person in the federal government acknowledged the horrifying suffering of many people. But of course, words are insufficient recompense for what was done. And there are sharply differing opinions about whether the apology will lead to any significant progress toward truth, reconciliation, and reparations. Plus, as we’ve discussed on Shake the Dust, the government continues to disproportionately remove Indigenous children from their families via the foster care system. Moreover, the original plan was for the Department of the Interior report that led to Biden’s apology to come out in 2025. The publishing date moved up in time for Biden to hold an event on Gila River Indian land in Arizona, a state where the presidential race is very close and Native Americans make up 5% of the population. Let’s pray for continued momentum in the direction this apology points, even though there are many significant political hinderances down that path.
- Read the Indian Country Today Article
America’s Corrupt, Brutal Ally in Afghanistan
The New York Times recently investigated the US military’s relationship with Abdul Raziq, who was both a crime boss and later a police chief in Southern Afghanistan until the Taliban assassinated him in 2018. Raziq was brutal in his US-backed fight against the Taliban, ordering innumerable murders, disappearances, and other human rights violations. The Times uncovered that the US was well-aware of his actions, and continued to support him. The article raises important questions about the military working with someone like Raziq when its alleged mission was to win hearts and minds for democracy and the rule of law. It also asks whether America’s unflinching belief in its ability to wage modern warfare by means that are both effective and compliant with humanitarian law is a subtle and naïve form of exceptionalism.
Staying Grounded with Jonathan
This interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates on Sean Illing’s podcast The Gray Area reminds me that what I say and how I say it matters. Behind every name, face, and story I read online is a real person. And if I believe that every person is made in the image of God then I should do my best to be accurate and intentional when talking with, to, or about anyone. As a writer, I felt convicted about how flimsy and shallow so much of the content we consume is. Coates ranted (in a great way) about the care he puts into every sentence he writes. As he said he was going into “professor” mode, I found myself challenged and inspired. I am a writer and communicator; the truth is we all are. So how much more fruitful would our lives be if we were intentional about the way we talked to and about one another? Let us know in the comments what you think, and whether this conversation reorients you too.
A Note for Election Day, and Some Prayer
As we head into Election Day, please stay alert and aware of your surroundings as you vote. Make a plan, and go with others if possible. The possibility of intimidation or even violence is significant this year, particularly in swing states. And at the same time, while we should remain prepared, as we discussed on our last podcast (and the bonus recording of our subscriber chat coming out tomorrow), we must resist the invitation to anxiety and fear. Toward that end, you can register for three, half-hour-long prayer sessions Jonathan is running next week at noon EST on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Register to attend these free sessions below, and may God’s will be done over the next week.
- Register for any or all three prayer sessions
Thanks for reading, and see you next week, on the other side.
Jonathan and Sy