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.

How protected are we?  Vaccine recommendations were updated February 28 to recommend Seniors 65+ years receive an additional updated COVID-19 vaccine dose if it’s been more than 4 months since your last dose. COVID is on the rise because too many are not vaccinated.

What should we make of the Justin Fields trade? Are Bears on the right track?

Your thoughts about the judge’s decision to allow Fanni to stay on the case…conditionally?

How much does Israel back Netanyahu?  Sen. Schumer rebuked him, calling for a new election and warning that Israel risks becoming a “pariah”. Does Schumer speak for the Administration? In Israel, how much is Netanyahu viewed as more of a Right-Wing autocrat?

How numb are voters to Trump’s controversial comments? “Bloodbath in America if I lose”? “End of Democracy”? “Some migrants animals, not people”?  “J6 Committee should be jailed”? How much do Americans share Trump’s view of a dystopian country? Mostly acceptable campaign rhetoric?

How smart is this Democratic political strategy? Ohio Democrats are “pushing” MAGA Senate Primary candidate Moreno as easier to beat.  Democrats have done this often. Does integrity matter?

VP Pence says he won’t support Trump because of “policy differences”.  How might this change the race? Other key Republicans, except Haley, are supporting Trump.

Are you satisfied with the way the two Parties select their Presidential Nominees? Is this a year where a significant 3rd Party challenge could actually win and not just be a spoiler?

Who does Kennedy hurt the most in states where he is on the ticket?

How ready is America to support a 4-day workweek?

How much do we care that Congress may force Tik-Tok to be sold or be banned in the U.S.? Biden says he will sign the bipartisan House bill if the Senate approves it.

Should marijuana be legalized?  Kamala Harris: “Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair.”

How do you see the RNC makeover into a total Trump organization affecting Republicans?

Do most Americans support the kind of censorship that is putting Libraries under fire?

Is Pritzker’s eliminating sales tax on food just a gimmick if costs still fall on the consumer? Food tax goes to municipalities, who will the need to raise lost funds another way.

How might Supreme Court issues affect the race? They ruled that Trump can remain on ballots saying no State can decide who can be President. They didn’t address the issue of Insurrection. They are looking at the issue of Presidential Immunity on April 25.

Are Trump’s criminal charges more a result of his wrong-doing, or of Biden’s bias actions?

Do House Republicans have anything significant against Joe? Is “Impeachment” dead?

How much is the Ukraine War an issue of our own security if Putin wins?  How much are we willing to risk Ukraine losing its country to Putin by limiting our military support? 

A majority of Republicans believe America should be designated a Christian Nation. How serious a threat is Christian Nationalism?  Their philosophy: “politics are a part of religion” in America, “and Christians must do their duty to their country as a part of their duty to God.” Are they truly morally upright people who actually mean all that talk about chastity, charity, and Christian values? Or are they more interested in right-wing politics than feeding the poor and healing the sick?

Krysten Sinema will not run in Arizona.  What does it mean for the race?

How diminished is NRA’s political influence? The National Rifle Association and its longtime former leader have been found liable in a lawsuit centered on the organization’s lavish spending.

How much of a detriment to Joe Biden is VP Kamala Harris? Can he do anything about it?

Is the Death Penalty on the way out?Gallup poll found that more people believe that the death penalty is administered unfairly (50%) than fairly (47%). Support for the death penalty, at 53%, is the lowest since 1972, the poll showed.

Mail-In Voting more open to voter fraud? Should Democrats embrace Voter I.D.? In 2022, 46 percent of Democrats reported voting by mail, compared with 27 percent of Republicans.

Does it matter that most Trump Cabinet members warn America about a Trump Presidency?

How quickly would it take for any Biden or Trump replacement to resonate?

How accepting are voters of lies spewed forth by Candidates?

 

 

 

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



¨  Please silence your cell phone during our discussion

¨  Respect the person speaking—please no side conversations

¨  If you’re not called upon by name, tell us your first name


¨  “Current Events” meets the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday of each month  

¨  “Israeli History/Israeli Current Events” meets 2nd and 4th Thursday 

¨   Pick up a Handout with our web address

¨  Visit our website for more information about discussions:¡   Current Events topics updated regularly

¡   suggested readings for Israeli History 

¡   current Israeli History discussion topic

¡   copies of the Israeli History slides – pdf format 

¡   Other locations and times Ron and Mark lead discussions

"Current Events" and "Great Ideas" meet at the Northbrook Library

We meet in Pollak Rooms A & B--with a capacity of 90-100 people.  You can bring in covered cups, mugs, etc. with coffee. Food is not allowed. There are vending machines in the lobby area right outside the Pollak Room if you wish to purchase a beverage. The library will not be providing coffee.


“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.
      Handouts cannot be distributed. All material must be reviewed by the Library and when approved will be placed on our table for you to pick up after our discussion.


A comprehensive Northbrook Library Code of Conduct is posted on their website.


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. Look at me and 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 won’t get to everyone for most topics.

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

5. About our Diversity: be cautious. Ron does not speak for all Italian Americans.  I represent only Ron. Boris speaks only for Boris, not all Eastern Europeans. Charles just for Charles—not all Blacks. Richard speaks for Richard--not all Conservatives. (However, Mark probably does speak for most Jews. Just one man's opinion.)

6. 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.