Thursday, December 26, 2019

Current Events Discussion Topics

An on-line "Zoom" discussion is conducted every Monday morning at 9:30am Chicago time through the North Shore Senior Center hosted by Ron Mantegna. You can enroll in this discussion session at   https://www.nssc.org/

Ron conducts a Northbrook Library zoom discussion every 1st and 3rd and 5th Thursday, 10-11:30am. Open free to all who enroll.  Contact the Northbrook Library to connect with Ron Mantegna.                                                                                         

Did the Supreme Court make the correct move in stopping judges from making universal injunctions—prohibit rulings that affect all states?

 

What now? The issue of Birthright Citizenship is unresolved.

 

Should we deport all Undocumented Immigrants, or just criminals? How do you feel about “Alligator Alcatraz” being built to temporarily hold 10,000?

 

What value is there in investigating Biden? Does his record defend cognition?

 

How much does NY Mayoral Nominee Mamdani hurt the Democratic Party?

 

Were the Nuclear sites “Obliterated”? Is there no need now for any deal?

 

Did the Media disrespect our Military by reporting the extent of damage?

 

How can anyone ever be sure that Iran doesn’t acquire The Bomb?

 

What’s the likelihood regime change can happen in Iran?

 

Does the Iran Cease Fire help or hurt Israel? What should Israel do?

 

Does it matter that most Americans hate Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill?

 

Putin continues to bomb Ukraine and ignore Trump, who isn’t pushing back. What now? How wise is “purposeful strategic ambiguity”?

 

Is Trump for or against NATO? Trump questioned a core tenant of the alliance and refused to commit to Article 5—the agreement of collective defense among NATO nations. However, has Trump helped America by forcing Europe to take care of its own defenses, especially against Putin? Shouldn’t Europe invest more?

 

The Supreme Court said parents can withdraw their children from classes on days that stories with gay and transgender themes are discussed.

 

How much is our health at risk with RJK jr. in charge?

 

Sen. Tom Tillis of NC and US Rep Don Bacon from Omaha NE both will not run for reelection. Both seats are in “swing” areas available to Democrats. Could this be the start of the Midterm change?

 

Your thoughts about the “Diddy Trial”.

Your thoughts about Tapper’s Book? How important is it for the country?

 

Your thoughts about Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Venice wedding.

 

How do you feel about the closing of two nearby Mariano’s?

 

Is our Education System failing?

 

Brain Drain? In 2025, several U.S. scholars have moved to Canada, concerned about the assault on universities, the threat to academic freedom and the attack on rights more generally.

 

Does the Minnesota assassination give us a clue why we are suffering political violence? Sen. Lee’s post was condemned by all: “This is what happens When Marxists don’t get their way.”

 

Presidents have the right to Pardon anyone. Should this be changed? Does it matter that Trump is willing to pardon felons that support him? Do we want our Presidents to have this kind of power?

 

How vulnerable is our personal security due to high tech advances? Not just A.I. How much are we being persuaded by fake stories, texts, images, videos, sound bites?  How do we know that post just received isn’t fake?

 

In today’s high-tech world, are Newspapers and TV Media now irrelevant?  Conservatives dominate the internet, especially with younger people.

 

How will Tariffs help working-class people? Is T.A.C.O. criticism valid?

 

Canada: “We are not for sale”. Does Trump see us as a “Colonial Power”?  He talks seriously about acquiring lands or parts of lands from other nations, even by force. Greenland. Gaza. Canada. Ukraine. Panama. Problem for Republicans?

 

Is it OK to defund Education, Science, Medical & Tech Research? Are savings worth the risks? Is banning foreign students from Harvard a greater problem than the antisemitism universities appear to tolerate? Consider how much Jews have led the world in most important areas of Medical and Scientific advancement.

 

Trump wants prescription drug companies to provide Americans with the same low prices other countries enjoy, or Trump will impose…what?

 

Trump pulls funding of PBS and NPR as “bias”. Are they? Does he have that right? Trump says outlets "receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news.”  Does Congress need to weigh in on this?

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Israeli History/Israeli Current Events


Upcoming Discussion

Mark Gelfeld leads a Zoom discussion at the Northbrook Library 10am to 11:30am every 2nd and 4th Thursday. Signup is free at this link. A library card is not needed. 
https://visit.northbrook.info/event/4628524

Israeli Current Events will be discussed for the first portion of our session.
Then...we'll continue reviewing events related to the First Lebanon War
Links below allow you to review slides we show and discuss at each session.

Zionism/Israeli History through 1967  

Below is a list of books mentioned during our sessions:

· "The Arab-Israeli Wars" by Chaim Herzog
· "Kissinger and the Yom Kippur War" by David Morse
· "The Making of Modern Israel 1948-1967" by Leslie Stein
· "Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict" by Charles D. Smith
· “The Iron Wall: Israel & The Arab World” by Avi Shlaim
· “Transformative Justice: Israeli Identity on Trial” by Leora Bilsky
· "Six Days of War : June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East" by Michael Oren
· “The Secret War Against The Jews: How Western Espionage Betrayed the Jewish People” by John Loftus and Mark Aarons
· “A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel” by Allis Radosh and Ronald Rados
· "Truman" by David McCullough
· “Louis D. Brandeis: A Life” by Melvin Urofsky
· “The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership” by Yehuda Avner
· “George C. Marshall” by Forest Pogue (a 4 volume work- the most definitive biography)
· “1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War” by Benny Morris
· “Woodrow Wilson: A Biography” by John Milton Cooper, Jr
· “A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East” by David Fromkin
· "Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews": A History by James Carroll
· “In the Garden of the Beasts” by Erik Larson
· “My Promised Land - The Triumph & Tragedy of Israel” by Ari Shavit
· "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide" by Samantha Power
· "The Physician" by Noah Gordon
· "Start-up Nation: the Story of Israel's Economic Miracle" by Dan Senor and Saul Singer
· "Eichmann in Jerusalem: a Report on the Banality of Evil" by Hannah Arendt
· "The Eichmann Trial" by Deborah Lipstadt
· "The House on Garibaldi Street" by Isser Harrel
· "Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices" by Mosab Hassan Yousef
· “Eichmann Before Jerusalem: The Unexamined Life of A Mass Murder” by Bettina Stangneth
· "Jaffa Beach" by Fedora Horowitz
· "Operation Thunderbolt:  Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, the most Audacious Hostage Rescue in History", by Saul David
· "Abba Eban", A Biography by Asaf Siniver
· "Jerusalem: The Biography" by Simon Sebag Montefiore
· "The Way to the Spring: Life and Death in Palestine" by Ben Ehrenreich
· "Jabotinsky" by Hillel Halkin
· "Doomed to Succeed: The U.S. Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama" by Dennis Ross 
· "The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel" by Uri-Bar Joseph
· "FDR and the Jews" by Richard Breitman
· "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin
· "Remember the Liberty!:Almost Sunk by Treason on the High Seas" by Phillip F Nelson, Ronald G. Kukal, Ernest A. Gallo 
· "Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn" by Daniel Gordis
· "Every Spy a Prince" The Complete History of Israel's Intelligence Community by Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman
· "FDR and the Holocaust: A Breach of Faith" by Rafael Medoff
· "Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations" by Ronen Bergman
· "Then They Came for Me - Martin Niemoller, the Pastor Who Defied the Nazis" - Matthew Hockenos
· "We Stand Divided - The Rift Between American Jews and Israel" - Daniel Gordis
· "BiBi" - Anshel Pfeffer
· "Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the 40-year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East" - Kim Ghattas


















Thursday, March 6, 2014

WELCOME TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION



“Current Events” Code of Conduct

We respect each other and conduct our discussions with civility.

This includes:

      Never using loud, abusive, threatening or insulting language.
      Never offending, threatening, or insulting groups or individuals based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or any disability.
      Never being under the influence of anything but our best behavior.
      Never harming anyone, including fighting or challenging anyone to fight.
      Understanding every aspect of Sexual Harassment - This includes: • making inappropriate personal comments or sexual advances • using obscene or lewd language or gestures • staring at, or following anyone in a manner that reasonably can be expected to disturb him or her • exposing others to sexual Internet content.

Ron's Rules:

1. Civility means treating each other with respect. Hate the comment. Love the commenter. When you make it personal, I will stop you. Talk to the issue. Respond like this: “I disagree. Strawberry is not better than butter pecan. Here’s why. ….”  Responses like this are out of line: “You’re an F-ing idiot if you think strawberry is better than butter pecan!”   Our goal is to shed light more than heat.

2. If someone else makes your point, you don’t need to make it again.

3. I try to seek different views. In doing so, I will call on some folks more than others so there’s a chance to hear different sides. But I may not get to everyone for some topics.

4. If you’re seeking a “support group” to vent heart-felt rants, go elsewhere. Attend with an open mind. You don’t need to agree with what you hear—just do try to understand the other side. I’m preaching to myself here as well.

5. Finally, It’s perfectly OK to push back against my questions you feel are too slanted or flat out incorrect. That’s going to happen.  Just don’t be picky in the interest of time.