← Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
8/4/25: Mike Johnson Bows To Israel, TikTok IDF Censor, Tim Dillon vs Bari Weiss, GHF Whistleblower Vindicated
01:19:49
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- [00:00]
Crystal Ball
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:06]
Sagar Enjeti
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- [01:05]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
We're breaking down SummerSlam, the biggest party of the summer on Wrestling with Freddy. From our bold picks to storyline breakdowns, we will discuss who walks out with gold, who shocks the night and which matches steal the show we call the winners, the upsets and the chaos to expect. Plus whatever swerves nobody saw coming. Listen to Wrestling with Freddie as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:32]
Crystal Ball
I'm Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, host of.
- [01:34]
Ryan Grim
The Therapy for Black Girls podcast. I know how overwhelming it can feel.
- [01:38]
Crystal Ball
If flying makes you anxious.
- [01:40]
Ryan Grim
In session 418 of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, Dr. Angela Neal Barnett.
- [01:45]
Crystal Ball
And I discuss flight anxiety.
- [01:47]
Ryan Grim
What is not normal is to allow it to prevent you from doing the things that you want to do, the things that you were meant to do.
- [01:56]
Sagar Enjeti
Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on.
- [01:57]
Ryan Grim
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey guys, Sagar and Krystal here.
- [02:03]
Crystal Ball
Independent media just played a truly massive role in this election and we are so excited about what that means for the future of this show.
- [02:10]
Ryan Grim
This is the only place where you can find honest perspectives from the left and the right that simply does not exist anywhere else.
- [02:16]
Crystal Ball
So if that is something that's important to you, Please go to BreakingPoints.com, become a member today and you'll get access to our full shows unedited ad free and all put for you every morning in your inbox.
- [02:27]
Ryan Grim
We need your help to build the future of independent news media and we hope to see you@breakingpoints.com.
- [02:36]
Crystal Ball
So in the wake of visits by Ambassador Mike Huckabee and Steve Witkoff to Israel, we now have speaker of the House Mike Johnson also making a visit. Let's take a listen to a little bit of what he had to say.
- [02:47]
Ryan Grim
Recognizing the destruction of the two temples and two times in history. But it is such a moving time for us to be here, to be here at the Wailing Wall. We've offered our prayers. We our notes into the wall as just traditional and we're so moved by the hospitality of the people and the great love of Israel. Our prayer is that America will always stand with Israel and that we will. We pray for the preservation and the peace of Jerusalem. That's what scripture tells us to do. It's a matter of faith for us and a commitment that we have. God bless you.
- [03:17]
Crystal Ball
That's what scripture tells us to do. Sager Mike Huckabee sharing those sorts of views that he is biblically commanded to back whatever genocidal acts the Israeli government commits apparently which a bizarre view for anyone, let alone a public official with a lot of power. We've also learned Sagra this morning that Mike Huckabee as part of his visit went to one of the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. So this is according to Barack Ravid. He tweets speaker of the U.S. house of Representatives Mike Johnson visited the aerial settlement in the occupied west bank today as part of a private visit to Israel organized by an American right wing organization. Wonder which right wing organization it was. He doesn't say why it matters. This is a highly unusual visit for a Speaker of the House to say the least. Johnson has become the most senior US official to ever visit the settlements again. Those settlements are illegal under international law. Previous administrations the sort of standard line both Republican and Democrat was to more or less condemn the settlements now. And we're going to talk to Jasper Nathaniel more about what's going on in the occupied West Bank. The policy de facto and explicitly is effectively an embrace of the complete annexation of the West Bank. And there has been an aggressive push by the Israelis to steal additional land for Palestinians and assert complete control over the West Bank.
- [04:38]
Ryan Grim
I mean literally just days ago a US citizen who was from Chicago died from smoke inhalation while trying to extinguish fires set by Israeli settlers. I'm talking about like a week ago before that there we had that US citizen, the 20 year old from Tampa who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the west bank. This was July 11th. So that's two who have died. Now, look, I'm against dual citizenship and all of that, but listen, during the Iran situation, what did we hear? A lot. Oh, a million Americans live in Israel. You know, we gotta protect them. I'm like, really? Do we? You know, during the hostages situation as well, they're like, oh, these are Americans. It's like, in many cases, they're dual nationals who in some cases were, like, serving in the Israeli military. So this is my point, is that citizenship is ignored on one hand and then weaponized on the other. For a United States, this is the third in line to the presidency, the speaker of the House of Representatives, who is visiting the west bank, basically a positive affirmation of these Israeli settlers who, look, let's put the national characteristic here of murdering US Citizens and all that, but by his own religion, as we hear most recently, our crazy evangelical ambassador, Mike Huckabee, not even a month ago was forced to condemn Israeli settlers for burning a Christian village and trying to murder the people in the vicinity. So where's his concern about that? Look, I'm not Christian. I'm not here to Christian police or talk about dispensationalism or any of that. I'm just, you know, it seems a little hypocr critical to me. At the risk of being one of those guys who's like, but Jesus says to love or whatever. It's just you profess, you know, to be guided by your faith and your fellow Christians and protecting all those people. This is a government which actively is trying to eradicate Christianity in the west bank and more recently did and armed the people doing so, refuses to bring any of those people to justice. And you don't care. Now, in my realm, in terms of citizenship, you clearly don't care about our citizens or whatever have been killed in the West. You issue like, some singular protest, but then basically endorse this policy on the back end. And so I don't even know what to say. It is so crazy, especially in the year 2025, for us to be, you know, the highest levels of government, the people in charge of funding, you know, many of these folks to be, not only, you know, by their own admission, saying Scripture commands us to support this place, but that commands billions of our tax dollars to continue flowing over here. It's nuts.
- [07:17]
Crystal Ball
Look, I will say it. If your religion tells you to support a genocide, you need to get a new religion, period. Sorry, that's how I see it. I mean, it's insane to think that any religion would command you to support any particular government of any particular arbitrarily created nation state anywhere in the world. Complete insanity. But that is a commonly held view among many of the leaders of our country right now and is deeply disturbing. As I mentioned before, US Envoy Steve Witkoff was also in the region to do. Him and Mike Huckabee did their little like propaganda theatrical show at the GHF to go and say, oh, look, see all of the aid we're distributing and there's no violence here. Everything's fine. We'll come back to that in a moment. But in any case, he told the captives families, he talked to some of the families of people still being held captive in the Gaza Strip, that the starvation in Gaza is quote, nonsense manufactured by Hamas. This was played on an Israeli television network. We can put this up on screen. The audio, because it was like leaked recording is kind of muffled, even though it is obviously in English. But he says in part, quote, Hamas has done a good job of getting people to believe some of the nonsense they spew. For instance, that some of the children are starving. Then there's some unintelligible part when in fact they suffer from other medical conditions. They do a good job of that. But that has to be dispelled, that has to be repudiated, that has to be done loudly. I find this so disgusting to deny that there is mass famine and starvation occurring in the Gaza Strip. Every day we get more numbers of people who have starved to death. And yes, children, infants in particular, are going to be most vulnerable. And yes, people who have some pre existing health condition are going to be the most vulnerable. Does that mean it's okay to starve them to death? I mean, this really is like a form of Holocaust denial at this point. To see these images, see these numbers, you can go and look. We've put them up on the screen before. They were not allowing food into the Gaza Strip for months. You can do the numbers even. And this is a point that Anthony Aguilar, our whistleblower makes. Do the math on even the GHF numbers that they're touting and you'll find out that they're starving. They've put out enough meals for every Palestinian to have like one meal every three days. And you think that's not something starvation, they announce it publicly. I mean, that's the other thing. Even right now, there are still Israelis out protesting with their families and their little kids to try to block the aid from coming in. Netanyahu had to make a deal with Ben GVIR and Smotrich to Allow any additional aid in. Like, this is not something we made up. This is an announced, explicit policy of the Israeli government, proclaimed loudly. And you're still gonna say that this is. Oh, this is a lie. This is a hoax. This is unreal. I mean, just how stupid do they think that we are?
- [10:15]
Ryan Grim
Well, see, I don't think it's about stupidity. I just think it's about arming the American vanguard with just enough talking points to get them further and further down the road. I mean, none of it is really about truth. If you do want some, by the way, here's some photos of what Gaza looks like right now. This is from a Jordanian airplane. Remember when Anthony was on our show, Aguilar, the former Green Beret, he talked about why he thought it was significant that the Jordanians. For the first time, you have planes over Gaza that are not controlled by the Israelis and can take pictures if you're watching. This is crazy. I mean, look at that one in particular where you have roundabouts being taken over as a camp settlement because every other place was getting bombed. And that's where the shelter was. If you look at that last one, there's nothing left. I mean, it basically, I was just recently going back to look at photos of Tokyo after the firebombing. It's very similar. Where any small structure is gone, the large concrete ones are the only ones that survive. That's basically what it calls back to. And this is the first time that we've ever even really seen, you know, what's going on here. I do want to linger on that starvation point. A key part of Holocaust denial in the 1980s was this talking point about how there were restaurants available in the Warsaw ghetto. Right. Because they were like, well, how could they be starving? There were restaurants. Yeah. Who do they serve? The filthy rich, the very rich, the people who had money. And that in many cases, the people who live there talked about this, is that you would have the filthy rich eating in restaurants, doing trade goods and stuff like that while people starve to get death outside of their door. And just yesterday, I saw some Israeli Hasbara person being like, here's all the restaurants currently operating in the Gaza Strip. And it's genuinely crazy. A lot of people pointed that out that that was a key tenant of, like, 1980s Holocaust denial. But, you know, in many cases, like, the stuff is exactly the same. Yeah. It's not a mystery to me why Mus. Muscular dystrophy, Small children, infants. Guillain Barre, which Dropsite is talking about right now. People who are vulnerable are going to be the ones who are most vulnerable in the beginning. But acute starvation. This is why even the whole debate around the term, it's like, okay, let's use the original terminology, the ones that we use here in America, like food insecurity, getting enough to eat. If you start doing that, it's like 100%, you know.
- [12:31]
Crystal Ball
Oh, it is 100%.
- [12:32]
Ryan Grim
That's what I mean. It literally is 100%. Including in the Gaza Strip.
- [12:35]
Crystal Ball
Doctors and medical professionals, everybody.
- [12:37]
Ryan Grim
It's a crisis created by the Israel. They shut them down. They created four of their own. For what purpose? This is a more recent development. It just happened in the last couple of months. All of a sudden, of course, you get the starvation news. So why can't you just go back to the original status quo? Why? But. Right, what did you say? It's a policy by design. It is all because they refuse to reach an actual ceasefire. The Hamas demand of a ceasefire is at the end of this. You do need to leave. And they're saying, no, we're never leaving. That's what it's about. So when you put it that way, it's all a little bit different, isn't it?
- [13:11]
Crystal Ball
Yeah.
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Ryan Grim
And if they want to stay forever, which at this point is basically the demand, you know, that they're making, it will be because of a blank check written by the United States of America.
- [13:20]
Crystal Ball
Yeah. Oh, not just a blank check. I mean, Trump plan that he announced was ethnic cleansing. And so everybody needs to understand. I mean, this was one of the things that bothered me in the Alyssa Slotkin interview, as she was like, this is a bad tactic for the military. And I was like, no, actually, their strategy is enforced starvation because this was engineered over many months. It was accelerated starting in March, but there's been a restriction and an intentional policy of starvation, really, from the beginning. I mean, you couldn't even go back before October 7th and the way they controlled what was allowed to come into the Gaza Strip. But. So you have an intentional policy of starvation. Why? To immiserate people. So they're desperate to leave, just to be able to live. And then they talk about, quote, unquote, voluntary migration. How voluntary is it when you're being shot at and starved to death? And, you know, your option is you can live and leave your home forever, or you can stay and die like a torturous long, slow, or perhaps a, you know, a quick death with a sniper shot to the head. Those are the choices that are being offered. That is the strategy, that is the policy. And they are implementing it very effectively. It is not easy to starve 100% of a population. And yet that is exactly, exactly what they're doing. Just go and look at the pictures of these children and tell me there's no starvation. I mean, it is utterly disgusting to go back to those images of Gaza from overhead. The reason those images are so significant is because they've been banned. I mean, those are the pictures the Israeli government does not want you to see. The reporters that were on these, you know, airdrop ride alongs, they were told, you can't.
- [15:03]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, you can't do it.
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Crystal Ball
You can't take these pictures or else we will discontinue the airdrops. So even the meager little bit of aid, which we all know this is like a dangerous, wildly inefficient way to get aid on the ground. We talked about this during the Biden administration, too. Even this meager bit of aid we will cut off. So the Washington Post tagged along on one of the Jordanian aid drops, and that's where those pictures came from. And they apparently did not get the explicit instructions to not take the photos. But these are photos that the Israeli government very much does not want you to see. And, you know, you can tell why, because you look at that and you're like, you know, remember all this bill of goods we were sold about, oh, precision targeting, and we leaflet and make sure the civilians are moved out of harm's way. And it's because we have to bomb this hospital because there's a tunnel underneath and we've got to be able to get to it. You're like, really? The entire Gaza Strip was Hamas. Every single building, every home, every school, every mosque, every church. It was all Hamas. And people went in and analyzed those pictures and would show you, like, this used to be a mosque and now it's completely collapsed. And all of these tent cities, that's all that's left. I mean, there is no one in Gaza who has not been displaced. Probably all of them, multiple times. Virtually everyone is living in a tent at this point. It's just, you know, the horrors of it. And back to your point about Anthony Aguilar, the former Green Beret, who's blowing the whistle on all of this, he told MSNBC over the weekend, he said, when we start to go into northern Gaza, we are going to see things that are going to bring the world to their knees. Mark my words. We're going to see human suffering like the world has not seen in a long time. It's going to bring us to our knees. And we have an opportunity right now to stop this and do the right thing. And if we don't, we're complicit in that. We're already complicit in that. And the world is going to see it. And that day is coming. He's called it a reckoning. That day is coming. And that's why those photos are important to show, because they are the beginning of that reckoning, of the horrors that have been committed here in our name with our tax dollars and with the continued explicit support of our top officials and leaders. Getting back to the. The starvation conversation. So there is one person that the Israelis believe is actually starving, and that is. We can put this up on the screen. Hamas released this. This video of one of the captives here who is being forced. I mean, this is disgusting. It's horrific. It's horrific.
- [17:26]
Ryan Grim
It's horrific.
- [17:27]
Crystal Ball
Being forced to dig his own grave. And you can see how incredibly emaciated he is. And the Israelis have shared, you know, images of him before, when, of course, he's, like, healthy and robust. And so they do believe this one particular individual is starving, as he clearly is. But guess what, guys? What's being done to the Palestinians in Gaza is being done to the hostages as well. We know they've been shot and killed by the Israelis. We know they've been bombed and killed by the Israelis. Yes, they're starving, too, because there's no food. There's no food for, you know, for anyone in the Gaza Strip. So it's like. And by the way, I mean, the captive families, like many of them understand this as well. That's why they're desperate for the war to end and for the hostages to come home. We had at least one hostage who came out and who said, my greatest terror was I was going to be bombed and killed by my own. By the Israelis. Like, I thought that's how I was going to die. And again, some of them did. So, yes, of course. Of course the hostages are starving at this point because everyone in the Gaza Strip is going without food, many of them, for days at a time.
- [18:34]
Ryan Grim
And, you know, okay, Hamas, it's like, it's starving them. No one's saying that they should. Right? No, I actually can't think of a single person who's critical of the Israeli military operation in the west who is like, yes, Hamas should starve the hostages, too. Who's not immediately like, yeah, they should be released unconditionally. They should obviously not be held like this. Nobody should have to dig their grave on camera and be emaciated and held for 700 days in a tunnel. It's horrible. No one's saying that that's a good thing. Right? And then it's all a question of like, how do you get them out? Let's just take it back from the beginning. The theory of their from the beginning was we're gonna go in and we're gonna, this is how we're gonna get the hostages. And at that point, it all became a justification for all of the war, is this is the way that we will fundamentally be able to release them. Well, at every turn. The way that they've been able to release those hostages has been some sort of ceasefire agreement. But they don't care about a ceasefire. There's only been one rescue mission. Right. You know, and it actually didn't end up so well. And remember also those previous instances of hostages being shot while waving a white flag of surrender, just in case anybody's forgotten about that one. But my point is just if you care about this guy and you want him to live, which I do, I want all of these people to live, then how do we do it? Let's get it done. But that's not what they want. They just don't want it at the.
- [19:53]
Crystal Ball
End of the day. Yeah, well, and they obviously never talk about the thousands of Palestinian hostages being held by the Israelis. And there are actually documented instances of Palestinians starving to death in Israeli care when there is plenty of food that they could make available to them.
- [20:09]
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- [21:09]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
It's the biggest party of the summer, WWE SummerSlam is here and wrestling with Freddie is all over it. We're talking wild matches, big surprises, and our boldest predictions yet. From celebrity showdowns to the chaos inside a steel cage, we're breaking down every match and calling who we think walks out on top. This card is loaded. From Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley and Tiffy, just to name a few. This lineup is ready to tear down the house. We'll give you our unfiltered takes, honest debates, and, you already know, a ton of laughs along the way. We're covering the upsets, the wild returns, and the championship moments. Nobody expects we'll get into the matches that steal the show, the storylines that explode, and those, oh my God, did that just happen? Moments that make SummerSlam legendary. Don't miss it. Listen to Wrestling with Freddie as part of the Michael Tura Podcast Network. Find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [22:01]
Mark Lombardo
What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on Earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.
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Ryan Grim
He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you.
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Mark Lombardo
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Ryan Grim
The first night was overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you and we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything.
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Mark Lombardo
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- [23:02]
Crystal Ball
Let's go ahead and go to this next piece because this speaks to that propaganda visit that Huckabee and Witkoff made to one of the GHF locations. So apparently they couldn't hold off on murdering Palestinians even for just this one short visit. This is according to Al Jazeera. Apparently Israeli soldiers, they wanted to continue their murder, but they didn't want to create, you know, a bad impression for Huckabee and Wyckoff. So they just decided they would use silencers on their weapons when they're shooting at starving Palestinians seeking aid. An Al Jazeera correspondent in northern Gaza reported he spoke to multiple witnesses who confirmed the use of silencers deployed by the Israeli army when targeting people around an aid site. He said this means Israeli soldiers were trying to inflict casualties, but without drawing too much attention to themselves. They have to be discreet. We have to have some decorum here as we're murdering starving Palestinians. The development comes as US Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Gaza for several hours to see how food distribution works at a site run by internationally criticized ghf. And I mean, just. It's beyond disgusting. What can you even say about it at this point? That they. Every day. We talked to Sagar. I don't know if you saw this. We talked to a doctor on Friday who had just come back from the Gaza Strip, and she was fantastic. I really, really recommend that you guys go and watch that interview we did with her. And she was at Nassar Hospital, which is. And Tony Aguilar told us this as well. That's where two of the aid sites were closest to. And so they would get the bulk of the wounds from people who were shot at, who were going to these aid distribution sites. And she said it was like clockwork. Every day you knew when the distribution happened because, you know, a short time later you would have hundred people come in with gunshot wounds. And she confirmed what I saw another doctor say as well, that they treated it. It appeared that the Israelis treated it like target practice, because one day all of the wounds would be torso wounds or the vast majority. The next day it would be legs. The next day it would be genitals. I mean, that is the type of barbarism, using human beings, starving human beings, luring them into these death traps for a little bit of meager rations, and then using them as literal target practice. It's not just doctors, it's not just Anthony Aguilar who is talking about the horrors and the atrocities committed routinely by the idf. You have an Israeli soldier who came forward to talk to the BBC about what he saw, the level of indiscriminate killing that he saw from his unit while he was in the Gaza Strip. Let's take a listen to that. Kay fought with the IDF in Gaza in early 2024. He described several incidents in which his unit killed unarmed people, including two boys he described as young teenagers.
- [25:48]
Ryan Grim
Anyone you see off the humanitarian road, shoot, shoot to kill. That's what we were told. Our commander qualified that, of course, if it's a woman or a child, don't shoot, try to detain them. Don't be stupid.
- [26:01]
Crystal Ball
Do you think there's a lack of accountability?
- [26:03]
Ryan Grim
I would Definitely say there's a lack of accountability. When we lost some people in a firefight, it was just, destroy everything, kill everyone you see.
- [26:14]
Crystal Ball
When we lost some people in a firefight, it was just, fuck it, destroy everything, kill everyone you see. And the BBC has sort of, they're part of this, I guess, global shift towards a little more scrutiny, a little more condemnation of what Israel is up to as we see these horrific images of starvation. They've done a number of investigations. They investigated over 160 cases of kids shot in Gaza between October 2023 and July 2025. At least 95 were shot in the head or chest. In all but two cases where eyewitnesses were available, Israeli soldiers were identified as the shooters. So if you're shooting kids in the head or chest, that's not an accident, that's an intentional murder of a child?
- [26:52]
Ryan Grim
Well, yeah, I mean, there's no denying it at this point. Let's get to those demands here because this actually just gives away the end game as well. Let's put the next one, please, on the screen. C7 from Dropsite. Israel rejects key Hamas demands. Ynet reports Israel's latest response to the Hamas ceasefire sent tonight. Rejects several of the core demands, including, quote, dismantling the U. S backed Gaza humanitarian foundation, reopening the Rafah crossing, full withdrawal from the Philadelphia corridor, and control over prison release sequencing. But I think really important within that is what the Israelis themselves are doing in some sort of grand counter proposal where they're like, if you don't surrender, then we're just gonna take over the whole Gaza Strip. Part of the reason why that's so crazy though is that that's what they're already doing. They're already is the plan. They said they're gonna annex it and have a, quote, indefinite presence. Like what? More, it's just the entire demand is basically a pretext for what they've always wanted to do from the beginning. I'm not defending Hamas, of course the hostages should be released. What they do to these. That guy is horrific. It looks horrible, you know, on camera or any of that. And at this point, you know, what Ryan was telling me is that even inside of Gaza is that the population is so beaten down that they're begging them to surrender because they're like, I can't take it anymore. Which I understand, absolutely. I probably would be in a similar position. So they themselves, though, at a political level, are just refusing to sign on to something which they believe is going to be, you know, basically an annexation of Gaza anyways. And so. But it is going to happen now. At this point, it's more a question about military force and about the US Presence, because that's the scariest part is that it would require some sort of U. S. Led administration, you know, over the Gaza Strip, which we should have nothing to. We don't want our hands on any more of this than we already do, actually ruling over, you know, and having some sort of political responsibility for IDF soldiers underneath that body, you know, going and murdering anybody that they want to. That is just like so horrific and disgusting. And that really seems like the path that we're on right now.
- [28:53]
Crystal Ball
Oh, yeah, no doubt about it. No doubt about it. And lastly, you know, we can put this up on the screen so every living former.
- [29:04]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, this is crazy.
- [29:05]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, this is for people who don't know. Yeah. So the number of former Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet head of military intelligence, all of these people have now come out and signed this letter saying the war needs to end. So a rare event the likes of which we have not seen heads of the defense establishment throughout the generations, Almost all the people who were at the helm of security tonight call to stop the war and return the hostages in a public call to the Israeli public and demanding from the Israeli government, stop the feudal war, bring the hostages home in one phase. So you've also had this former deputy head of Mossad who came out and said, yeah, it's a genocide. It is in fact a genocide. That was crazy. And this is from an American political context, another really significant development, which is the head of J Street, which J Street is like the liberal, quote, unquote, liberal Zionist organization, sort of counter to aipac. And a lot of Democrats, like Slotkin, for example, gets money from J Street. A lot of Democrats who aren't the, like John Fetterman, just hard hardcore AIPAC types, they get their talking points from J Street. And so the guy who is the head of that, Jeremy Ben Ami, he came out and said, you know what? It is a genocide. Until now, he says, I've tried to deflect, but Israel is committing genocide. He said he was persuaded rationally by legal and scholarly arguments that international courts will one day find Israel has broken the International Genocide Convention. Until now, I've tried to deflect and defend when challenged to call this genocide, but I cannot and will argue anymore against those using the term. I simply won't defend the indefensible. And as recently as last week, I watched him debate Mehdi Hassan on this very point and refuse But I think basically because his argument he reflected on was so shallow that it just was untenable. I mean, basically his argument was, and I'm obviously paraphrasing here, was like, it hurts my feelings and other people's feelings to call it a genocide.
- [31:04]
Ryan Grim
I need to watch it. Yeah. I mean, within the debate.
- [31:06]
Crystal Ball
I mean, you know, Mehdi's good at. Mehdi's good at.
- [31:08]
Ryan Grim
Well, I put Mehdi out of it. I mean, if you're one of these people who is obsessed with, like, never. I mean, if you've ever been to a Holocaust museum or Yad Vashem or the US Holocaust museum, never again. And you've bought into all of the precepts, then, like, what are we doing here in terms of the rhetoric? You know, by the way, you know, which is ironic to me, is a significant number of people who are, quote, genocide deniers. Were the people saying that Russia wants to commit a genocide in Ukraine? Just so people remember, remember Bucha, the massacre where like, look, I'm not. No one's defending it, okay? It's a massacre. Like, it's a massacre. I just said it. But my point is that they were like, this is a genocidal action by the Russian state. People know my feelings on the word. But my point, and this kind of gets to it, is, oh, it's genocide when Russia does it, but now it's not here. It's always usually used to justify US dollars in intervention every time this thing comes about. But I'm just giving an example of how within the liberal internationalist framework, if you're still doing the denial and all of that, I just think you're a joke.
- [32:06]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, well, and here's the thing with this guy. He wrote a substack post, I think about this, and he said he's still not gonna use it because it still hurts his feelings, but he's no longer going to deny that that is what's occurring. And I'm telling you, I think it's really significant. I think a lot of Democrats take their cues from J Street. And so you're right, it may represent a really significant political shift because they are like the. They are the. They have decent amount of funding behind them. They are the liberal Zionist organization for people who thought. For, like, Democrats who think Netanyahu is yucky but wanna still support the state of Israel.
- [32:45]
Ryan Grim
That's a great way of putting it.
- [32:47]
Crystal Ball
This is the organization for them. And so they do have a lot of sway and influence.
- [32:50]
Ryan Grim
So I went to GW, which is like 35% Jewish. So, you know, it's massive J Street presence, right? And the classic liberal Zionist J Street supporter is like, well, you know, I'm Jewish, I support Israel, but of course I don't support the settlements or of course I don't. I don't know what it's like now, but this was, you know, 10, 15 years ago. And so at that time, like, J Street was one of the biggest political organizations on the campus, more so than AIPAC or any of these other places, in terms of, you know, supporting like dialogue or peace or any of that. It's kind of crazy to think about how that was the mainstream kind of democratic Jewish position in America, at least politically, whenever it came to Israel there at the time. So, yeah, for them to say that like that is a sea change because this whole Netanyahu support Israel, all of, you know, birthright out in the open and all that stuff like that. I don't think that's flying anymore. I'd have to go back and check. I should ask the people currently going.
- [33:41]
Crystal Ball
Liberal Zionism is not a tenable position. It is not a tenable position. I mean, not remotely anymore. I mean, it really never was. But now the contradictions have been heightened quite a bit.
- [33:51]
Ryan Grim
Post Iran deal 2015 Bibi speech before it basically killed it. But yeah, from that point forward, especially now.
- [33:58]
Crystal Ball
But now forget about it. Like, forget about it. And Democratic politicians haven't realized that yet. Maybe you and Ryan. I'm out tomorrow, but Ryan's in for me. Maybe you and Ryan will cover that Isaac Dovier piece. You didn't see it about how Democrats are realizing.
- [34:11]
Ryan Grim
Oh, yeah, yeah, I did see.
- [34:13]
Crystal Ball
We gotta shift a little bit on this. But they have no idea how far gone they are. And last thing on this, and we'll get to the free speech stuff, which dovetails very, very much with the conversation we're having here. But you know, this position that AOC was espousing about, like, often defensive weapons, and that's like Slotkin tried to pull that with us as well. And she did say that she would have voted against the offensive weapons if she hadn't been on Colbert that night. But anyway, that line came from J Street. That's the position that they had retreated to as well. And so when I say they're influential, that's what I mean. Like, you can see the way that Democratic politicians are picking up their talking points and running with it, which is why I think that this is influential. But yeah, they have no idea how far off. 8% of the Democratic base supports what Israel is doing. And no, they don't think it's just Netanyahu and if you just get him out of here it'll be fine. They don't think that, oh well, we could still send some weapons but not these weapons and I don't really want to call it agenda. The base is so in New York City a plurality of Jewish voters are supporting Zoran Mohamdani. Like Zoran is an avowed anti Zionist, an avowed like BDS supporter and he is winning Jewish voters in New York City. That's how far the Democratic base is. You have a large a super majority of Democratic voters in New York City saying yes, Bibi Netanyahu should be arrested if he comes here and 80% saying it's a genocide. So Democratic politicians are so far behind the curve it is just unbelievable how out of step they are. But we'll continue that conversation for sure on another day.
- [35:58]
Sagar Enjeti
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- [36:56]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
It's the biggest party of the summer. WWE SummerSlam is here and wrestling with Freddy is all over it. We're talking wild matches, big surprises and our boldest predictions yet. From celebrity showdowns to the chaos inside a steel cage, we're breaking down every match and calling who we think walks out on top. This card is loaded from Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley and Tiffany, just to name a few. This lineup is ready to tear down the house. We'll give you our unfiltered takes, honest debates and you already know a ton of laughs along the way. We're covering the upsets, the wild returns and the championship moments. Nobody expects we'll get into the matches that steal the show, the storylines that explode and those oh my God, did that just happen? Moments that make SummerSlam legendary. Don't miss it. Listen to Wrestling with Freddy as part of the Mikeultura Podcast network. Find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [37:49]
Mark Lombardo
What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.
- [38:02]
Ryan Grim
He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you.
- [38:07]
Mark Lombardo
Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short term, highly regimented correctional program that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months.
- [38:33]
Ryan Grim
The first night was overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you and we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything.
- [38:41]
Mark Lombardo
Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [38:50]
Crystal Ball
Let's go ahead and get to TikTok deciding that they're going to install an IDF sensor in their organization to make sure that there isn't, you know, anti Semitism quote unquote on the the platform. Let's put this up on the screen. This is so incredibly wild. So the headline here is TikTok hires, quote, proud American Jew to tackle antisemitism on the platform. Appointment of Erica Mindel comes amid growing concerns over online Jew hate. They go on to say that her role will include developing and driving the company's positions on hate speech, ensuring alignment with global regulations. So like that bullshit anti Semitism definition that was codified here in the US Industry standards and best practices spier had long term policy strategies that position the company as an industry leader in combating online hate speech and analyzing hate speech trends, focusing on anti Semitic content. And what doesn't get mentioned in this particular headline is the fact that she is a former IDF reservist. She made Aaliyah after college join the idf.
- [39:54]
Ryan Grim
Wait, she made Alia?
- [39:55]
Crystal Ball
Yeah.
- [39:56]
Ryan Grim
Oh my God. All right, shall we all explain to people what that is? That's when you're an American Jew and you go home to Israel. That's what the right to return is for any Jew in the world. Listen, be my guest, all right, but maybe you should lose your citizenship. Just saying. If you're willing to do that and go serve in the id. If you feel so called by your religion to go and live in a foreign country, I wish you the best, but you should give up your passport and forever. And you know, just my personal opinion, I would hope that everybody. But I mean, look, let's all be honest, dude, those are the most dedicated. Like pro Islamists.
- [40:30]
Crystal Ball
Yeah. Just like the converts.
- [40:31]
Ryan Grim
If you were born in this country and you say, I feel compelled because of my religion to go and be a citizen of a foreign nation and to go serve in that other country. How, in what world are you ever loyal to the. You literally gave up your. You know, theoretically, you gave up your citizenship. You feel called to go somewhere else, then go, you know, why are you involved with us at all? Apparently that's a controversial position. So, Crystal, can you now support my effort to ban TikTok now that you have? Huh? Let's Libs you got. Let's be honest, you were all wrong.
- [41:05]
Crystal Ball
No, honestly, I was gonna make a joke about it. Like, yeah, maybe they were all on.
- [41:09]
Ryan Grim
My side whenever we were talking about this pre Israel. All right, Liberals, everybody was. Because it was never about free speech. It's about Chinese control and large foreign control, not just Chinese. Of our powerful technology platforms, which would be liable to US law and should have at least some transparency, which, yes, I understand Meta Google and all those others, but we could regulate them if we want. We can't do the same with TikTok. So now that they have their pro IDF censor, join me. All right, I've been over here for a long time, since 2019. Let's kill it. Let's get it done. I don't think Trump will do this, especially now. Now it's pro Israel and it was supposedly pro Trump. Although I wonder what the Vibe is on TikTok these days. What the political vibe is.
- [41:51]
Crystal Ball
Oh, it's not pro Trump.
- [41:53]
Ryan Grim
But then why was it so. Why was it so pro Trump?
- [41:55]
Crystal Ball
Well, I mean, just look at the way that young people have shifted.
- [41:57]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, true.
- [41:58]
Crystal Ball
Like, I mean, young men in particular. He's had the biggest fall from grace with young men as literally any demographic. So no, I TikTok fuss. I always remember back to Nikki Haley citing on the debate stage, like, 10 minutes on TikTok makes you 50% more anti Semitic. I'm butchering the numbers here, but it was something ridiculous. Ridiculous like that. And there are still Israelis and Israeli hasbarists who believe that their only problem is like a messaging problem and their only problem is like a social media problem. And, oh, I mean, Netanyahu said something like this in the Milk Board interview. Something like, oh, you know, the lie gets around the world before the truth can possibly catch up. And it's like, no, actually the problem that you have is that people can see the truth. And TikTok has been an important part of that. It's not anti Semitic, but that has been an important part of the rapidly shifting consciousness with regard to Israel. I mean, Israel has lost young people across the board, regardless of political affiliation. Like, it is done, it is over. The only group that still backs Israel are Boomer Republicans and they're not on TikTok. So. But it's not just TikTok. I mean, I'm not really on TikTok and it's obviously all over Twitter. It's all over, you know, Instagram. I mean, this is. You can pick your social media platform and people are able to watch video, YouTube, wherever you are. So, you know, I think they continue to believe that they can like censor and shut down criticism of Israel. And that ship, that ship has sailed. Still, it's over.
- [43:32]
Ryan Grim
I hate to say, though, I still think that their strategy is correct because at this point, what else are they gonna do? And what I mean by that is at this point, the long term political support for Israel, that's dead. Don't we all agree? Right, it's done. So if that's true, then what should you do? You should use the moment when your political system is the most captured and accelerate the Greater Israel project.
- [43:51]
Crystal Ball
That's what they're doing.
- [43:52]
Ryan Grim
And that's genuinely what's happening.
- [43:54]
Crystal Ball
That's right.
- [43:55]
Ryan Grim
We're gonna annex Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, as much of it as possible. Kill as many Palestinians as we can get. Yeah. Bomb Iran. Let's settle. It's literally like a final solution. I'm choosing my words carefully, but like, it's a final projection of the Greater Israel Project. The patch, by the way, worn by the idf. And means what? It means that at that point, what U.S. president is going to roll it back after this, no matter what. It's not gonna happen. So they know that. And so in a certain way, like, they're doing it.
- [44:25]
Crystal Ball
No, they realize their time is limited.
- [44:27]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, exactly.
- [44:27]
Crystal Ball
And they're going for it. They are going for it. And so far no one with any power has done anything to stop him.
- [44:33]
Ryan Grim
And I don't think they will. I mean, again, even if there is an anti Zionist future president, like, what are we gonna do? Invader Syria to roll back the idf? Like, it's not going to happen. Okay, like, that's my point. And broadly, the Arab powers seem okay with it. I don't know what's going on over there, but they're like.
- [44:47]
Crystal Ball
Well, I mean, because they're all bought off by us as well. Egypt gets so much aid from us, Jordan. Like, these are, you know, these are just client states as well. Like, they're paid to accept the Israeli state and whatever Israel wants to do. That's their whole role in the region. You know, after the Camp David Accords with Egypt, that basically, like cut off that sort of like international resistance.
- [45:08]
Ryan Grim
Right? 3.3 billion a year. You know, it's an impoverish country. They need the money, they need the military aid. I don't know. The whole situation is crazy.
- [45:15]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, no, it is. All right, so there was an incident that unfolded at Florida State University. This was in the gym. Apparently there was some dude wearing an IDF T shirt, which is wild. And another student was not too impressed with his choice of attire. Let's go ahead and take a look at how this played out. Fuck Israel. Free Palestine. Put it on fucking barstool, fsu.
- [45:39]
Ryan Grim
I really don't give a fuck. You're an ignorant fucking son of a bitch. That's the incident.
- [45:45]
Crystal Ball
There you go.
- [45:46]
Ryan Grim
All right, so why. Why are we even talking about this? All right, why are we talking about this? This reminds me of the 2014 era, right? 2014, 2015. I found a noose in my dorm room. National news story. Oh, my God. Racism, blah, blah. We're gonna start a commission. Oh, my God. Some sexual assault allegation. Kangaroo court, mattress girl. Everybody remember that. National story. Well, why are we litigating this now? Nobody's defending the behavior of this young lady.
- [46:12]
Crystal Ball
Okay, look, okay, some people are defending it, but fine.
- [46:16]
Ryan Grim
I don't think reasonable people think that that's generally how people should act in a gym or whatever. Although I will say, as you said, wearing an IDF T shirt in a gym, that's a statement at the gym that I go to people. There's a guy who wears a Ukrainian shirt with the T from the Azov battalion. I mean, would it be unreasonable for somebody to be like, hey, man, it's a Nazi T shirt. You know, just so you know.
- [46:37]
Crystal Ball
Let me just state my position to be clear. Cause I don't support violence.
- [46:40]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, exactly.
- [46:41]
Crystal Ball
So everything she said, no problem. The shove. Okay, I wouldn't do that. Keep your, you know, you keep your hands to yourself.
- [46:47]
Ryan Grim
Keep your hands to yourself.
- [46:48]
Crystal Ball
Don't make. Don't go violent.
- [46:49]
Ryan Grim
That's right.
- [46:50]
Crystal Ball
I think that people wearing IDF T shirts, you know, which are, you know, which is celebrating a genocide, I think they should be shamed. I think they should feel that there's going to be social, societal consequences for wearing that shirt in public.
- [47:03]
Ryan Grim
I do support that reasonable position. Free country. Can we all agree with that? All right. You know, we should take a poll. Should I say something to the Azov Battalion guy? I did. I have not said anything. I've remarked on it. I go, hey, am I the only person who sees this? I was like, this is great.
- [47:17]
Crystal Ball
Who literally has an Aesop.
- [47:18]
Ryan Grim
Azop. Italian. Aesop Italian shirt. It's nuts. Anyway.
- [47:22]
Crystal Ball
Wow, that's a choice. That is a choice.
- [47:25]
Ryan Grim
I agree. It's. I'm like, yo, this is a Nazi battalion.
- [47:29]
Crystal Ball
It's one thing a Ukraine T shirt. Yeah, okay, Right, okay. Azov Battalion. Azov Battalion, you know, wearing an Israeli shirt I also don't think is acceptable. But id, you're wearing an IDF T shirt. Again, that is a trick.
- [47:44]
Ryan Grim
It's a statement. It's a statement. All right, let's get to this. So why does anybody care about this at all? So Florida State put out a statement. Here's what they said. I'm gonna read it from you. Florida State University is actively addressing the altercation. The FSU police department interviewed the two students. The matter is being reviewed for potential criminal charges, for charges under the FSU student code of conduct, and it looks like it's leading towards an expulsion. Fine. Nobody should care about this anymore. Well, the Attorney General of the United States says, thank you, President McCullough of the university, for your leadership and prompt action. Anti Semitism will not be tolerated in Florida or anywhere else. She tags a bunch of people who are working at the doj, including in this civil rights division, and says, my US Attorney are now investigating this. So they are investigating this as some sort of federal hate crime. Now, once again, I want to reiterate, this is just as nuts as during the racial panic of the 2010s, whenever the federal government and other were coming in and we're like, oh, we're gonna preempt this? Well, I wouldn't go that far. Things got pretty cool crazy for a while. But my point is just that this is just like the Department of Anti Racism and all this other stuff, you know, all fantasized by Ibrahim Kendi. I mean, just recently, there's a coffee shop in California. Look, I'm not gonna defend it. They've had some drink which celebrated October 7th, and like actually did. They, like, named it after October 7th, after the leader of Hamas. Okay, I mean, fine, you know, boycott it, whatever. There was two guys in there who got harassed. I don't support that. People who were Jewish. But they're being investigated and targeted by the DOJ Civil Rights Division for. This is a local matter in California. All right? Let's leave it to the justice system. It's a state local. This does not need to be a national story. It's just like going after that Baker for not, you know, for refusing to bake K's cakes for the gays, who, by the way, sought him out and sought that legal battle in the courts. Just so everybody is aware. But that's my point, is that they're trying to weaponize the federal government to come in and like, preempt and use like the highest federal statute levels, which were designed. I mean, let's think about it. These, you know, these hate crime laws and all this, these were designed for, like, lynchings. These were designed for, like, completely out of control, like a Jim Crow Source Society or the KKK or something like high level prosecution. Not some altercation in a student gym in Florida. And of course, I'm sure. Oh, what are you saying? You defend it? No, it's a state matter, local matter. Leave it alone.
- [50:22]
Crystal Ball
Here's the thing, okay? Just to lodge my disagreement on the gay baker situation. I don't think you should be able to discriminate against people based on their sexuality.
- [50:31]
Ryan Grim
What? These guys had to drive 60 miles out of their way to get their case.
- [50:36]
Crystal Ball
It's about the principle. But I do think it's different, because here's the thing, they're trying to claim this is anti Semitic. I don't even know if this guy wearing the IDF T shirt was Jewish. They don't say he said he was Jewish. I have no idea. And there's no indication this person knew his religion. You can object to the actions of the IDF without being anti Semitic. So that's number one. Number two, even with regard to the expulsion, I wanna know if Florida State really expels every single person who ever shoves anyone on their campus.
- [51:02]
Ryan Grim
Fair enough.
- [51:03]
Crystal Ball
Is that a consistent standard? Because I really kind of doubt it. I really kind of doubt it. So consistent standards should be applied. But the reason I say this is more insane than anything we've seen in the past is because obviously it's not just about Florida State University. And by the way, Randy Fine tweeted that this lady who said the Fuck Israel, Free Palestine thing, that she was A Muslim terrorist. You have a member of Congress who is calling this girl on a college campus a Muslim terrorist because she objects to what the IDF is doing here. But this is a nationwide witch hunt for fake anti Semitism. And we can go ahead and put D5 up on the screen. Some of the things, some of the quote unquote, antisemitism training. You guys gotta read this article because I am not gonna do it justice. It is insane. The things that freshmen coming in are being forced, like this propaganda struggle session bullshit that they're being forced to endure. So they focus in particular on Northwestern, which is under multiple federal investigations for alleged anti Semitism. They said that they are implementing a training that will adhere to federal policy. And so again, all those people said this codification of the anti Semitism definition wasn't going to be a big deal. Wrong. Completely wrong. Because that's what they're talking about when they're using that codified definition of anti Semitism for this completely, completely insane training. So one of the things they do, they lay out 10 hypothetical anti Semitic and anti Israel situations. Why the ADL views them as a problem and advises students on how to respond. So again, this was all developed by the adl. One scenario explains why someone spray painting swastikas on a Jewish fraternity home is a problem. Yeah, that's a problem. That is anti Semitic. That is a problem. I don't know that you needed a training to know that, but okay.
- [52:56]
Ryan Grim
I will say also, though, half the time, by the way, again, gw, the original home of one of these scares. One of the OG fake fakeries was this girl in one of our dorms saying, somebody keeps drawing the swastika on my whiteboard and I'm discriminated against. So they installed a camera. Oh, she was actually doing it the whole time. All right, I'm just saying, wasn't there.
- [53:16]
Crystal Ball
Some Barry Weiss anti Semitic graffiti incident? I'm not bringing that up correctly. I'm not.
- [53:21]
Ryan Grim
I'm not aware.
- [53:22]
Crystal Ball
Anyway, I'm just saying, a lot of times, okay, let's just say if it's legit. Okay, yeah, that is anti fake. That is a problem. Don't draw swastikas. Don't do that. Okay, here's the next example they give, which they equate to being the same as drawing swastikas on a Jewish fraternity house. Another example examines why fliers criticizing the Israeli government for demolishing Palestinian homes in is similarly an issue. So they're equating swastikas with criticizing the Israeli Government policy of destroying Palestinian homes and stealing their land. They want you to believe that those two things are equivalent. A third raises concerns over a hypothetical charge that a sponsored Israel trip is pro apartheid propaganda. They want you to believe all of those things are anti Semitism. So this is Northwestern, but this is schools across the country are implementing this type of insane struggle session, quote unquote anti Semitism propaganda that they're force feeding to their students and their incoming freshmen in particular. And it's not only that the number of schools, it's like 60 plus schools across the country that are being targeted right now by the Trump administration. And you know, they've already extracted these multimillion dollar effectively like bribes from these colleges to get them to leave them al work too, by the way. I mean, Columbia paid them off and it still didn't work. They didn't leave them alone. You have them taking over the Middle Eastern Studies department, the federal government basically taking over an entire department of study. Let's put D6 up on the screen. Brown University, another one here. They struck a $50 million deal with the Trump administration over allegations of campus antisemitism. And Glenn Greenwald has been going to war with Stephen Miller over this all out assault on free speech, specifically on college campuses. Let's go ahead and take a listen. This is D4, guys. Let's go ahead and take a listen to a little bit of what Glenn had to say.
- [55:28]
Ryan Grim
Here's what he said above my tweet. Quote, this is just patently false. We have officials working continuously to identify, revoke or deny foreigners visas or espouse.
- [55:37]
Tim Dillon
Hatred for America or its people. This is a top priority.
- [55:41]
Ryan Grim
College students who witness such contact can.
- [55:43]
Tim Dillon
Use the ICE tip line.
- [55:45]
Ryan Grim
So that's about whether they're deporting students who criticize Israel. And I'll get to that.
- [55:50]
Tim Dillon
But that's the thing I'm leaving aside.
- [55:53]
Ryan Grim
As for the issue about restricting the speech of American students and professors on campuses, he says also there is no, quote, speech code of any kind in the Columbia deal. There's an ironclad requirement with enforcement mechanisms to admit students based on actual merit and not illegal racial quotas set aside or preferences.
- [56:13]
Tim Dillon
Yes, that is in the deal.
- [56:16]
Ryan Grim
But the Trump administration also cajoled and.
- [56:18]
Tim Dillon
Coerced Columbia to.
- [56:22]
Ryan Grim
Adopt the IHRA definition which severely attacks the free speech rights.
- [56:26]
Tim Dillon
Of American students at Columbia and professors by outline that long list of views I just showed you.
- [56:32]
Crystal Ball
Sagra. I think it's interesting that Stephen Miller felt a need to respond to him on this stuff.
- [56:35]
Ryan Grim
Yeah, I wonder. Look, I don't know, I have no idea why. I mean, it probably is getting to him because Stephen previously led a large legal fund from during the Biden administration that would challenge similar like DEI codes. And look, I mean, that's why, I mean, I'm coming from a place, I think of principle. Like I genuinely oppose all of this dei, racial training. A lot of the reason why that we are where we are. I would say a huge reason why Trump is president today is because of the backlash. Especially if you wanna talk about the demographic that I think about a lot, which is like young men becoming right wing. This is a huge part of it. Dudes having to sit through this bullshit in college and in HR trainings and they're like, you know what, fuck this, I'm done. And so this is just an extension of that. Now one reason why I would say this is worse is I can't listen to people who have criticized the latter and then accept the former. So If I spend 10 years in a political project talking about we need equality above the law with no more affirmative action, no more special treatment, no more dei, no more special group in group, you know, hatred, and then we flip it around and use it. Now I just can't deal with it. Like from Ben Shapiro and all these.
- [57:44]
Crystal Ball
Other folks, you have to admit this is worse though. I mean, you see, I just can't go there. But Sagar, hold on, let me just make my Kidnapping a student off the street for an op ed criticizing.
- [57:53]
Ryan Grim
I agree.
- [57:54]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, I mean, that's why there is a use of the government here that goes beyond anything we've seen before. I mean the number of investigations, the outright bribes, the taking over of departments, the deporting people based on wrong think for a particular nation, the implementation of these like, you know, DEI policies just for their chosen groups at schools. I mean, when you put it all together, it is like you said, it is maybe what Ibram x Kendi would have implemented, but he didn't. There was no anti racism department. Like it is the fever dream of that, but realized in this incredibly authoritarian manner across the board. You have the fucking HHS with an anti Semitism task force. You have to acknowledge this goes beyond anything we saw.
- [58:39]
Ryan Grim
It's complicated because I would say at a cultural level like me too, BLM.
- [58:44]
Crystal Ball
And all that, but in terms of government action.
- [58:46]
Ryan Grim
So it's complicated because it felt actually more oppressive at the time because it was in private employment and it was backed up at various levels by the Obama and the Biden administration, but it was not fully enshrined to law. So I will absolutely grant you that this time it's almost the reverse where at a cultural level like anti Zionism or an anti Israel position is like widespread and basically 70, 80% popular, but the government is the one cracking. I'm not sure which is worse. They're both horrible.
- [59:13]
Crystal Ball
But I mean, I think you're right that culturally they have tried to achieve full on cancel culture and because it's just been such a backlash against it that they haven't been able to achieve. But I think back to the sponsoring of those trucks with the names of students who were protesters trying to cancel and make sure they could never be employed, all of that. And certainly in Hollywood there's been a big push price to pay if you were willing to speak out, especially early on against Israeli actions. So in any case. But that's why I think if we focus on specific government actions, I think this goes far beyond. And Glenn I believe agrees with that.
- [59:50]
Ryan Grim
He's right. Yes, it's true. No anti BLM activist was ever deported by the Obama Biden administration. Okay, like, no, I don't know. The guy who raped mattress girl. Yeah, go ahead and choke into that story. He did not even. I think he was a German national.
- [60:07]
Crystal Ball
He was never kicked out of school.
- [60:08]
Ryan Grim
He was. Well, no, I think he suffered.
- [60:10]
Crystal Ball
I don't think so.
- [60:10]
Ryan Grim
He got his med school acceptance revoked. It's. Look again, that's a cultural thing. Right. And by the way, he's 100% innocent if everybody wants.
- [60:17]
Crystal Ball
And that was at Columbia, by the way.
- [60:19]
Ryan Grim
That was at Columbia. Yes, exactly. Where Mismatch girl hauled her mattress. I don't know. I don't know why I'm still so upset about this.
- [60:24]
Crystal Ball
But the reason, the reason she was continuing to be upset is because there wasn't action taken against him on campus.
- [60:30]
Ryan Grim
Okay, sure. But my point is just even 10 years later, it still scars me because that was like a widespread national story or whatever at the time. But you're right, there was never an effort by the Obama administration to come in and rewrite the kangaroo codes. I mean, there was some, at least at a Title IX level.
- [60:48]
Crystal Ball
They didn't take over any Columbia University.
- [60:50]
Ryan Grim
Nobody was getting fined, no one was.
- [60:51]
Crystal Ball
Deported, no one was kicked down.
- [60:54]
Ryan Grim
Or I could go on forever Rolling Stone or any of these other hoaxes that all happened in the past. But yes, it's complicated because at a cultural level it achieved massive dominance, but it was never backed up at a government level. In fact, though, I think the reason why it's being backed here at a government level is because they don't have the cultural power. If things were allowed to go in a private institution way, it would be very, very different. But anyway.
- [61:18]
Sagar Enjeti
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- [62:15]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
Restrictions may apply it's the biggest party of the summer. WWE SummerSlam is here and wrestling with Freddie is all over it. We're talking wild matches, big surprises and our boldest predictions yet. From celebrity showdowns to the chaos inside a steel cage, we're breaking down every match and calling who we think walks out on top. This card is loaded from Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Rhea Ripley and Tiffy, just to name a a few, this lineup is ready to tear down the house. We'll give you our unfiltered takes, honest debates and, you already know, a ton of laughs along the way. We're covering the upsets, the wild returns and the championship moments. Nobody expects we'll get into the matches that steal the show, the storylines that explode, and those oh my God, did that just happen moments that make SummerSlam legendary. Don't miss it. Listen to Wrestling with Freddy as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network. Find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or we're wherever you get your podcasts.
- [63:09]
Mark Lombardo
What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on Earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.
- [63:22]
Ryan Grim
He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you.
- [63:27]
Mark Lombardo
Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months.
- [63:54]
Ryan Grim
The first night was overwhelming, and you don't know who's next to you, and we didn't know what to expect.
- [63:59]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
In the morning.
- [64:00]
Ryan Grim
Nobody tells you anything.
- [64:01]
Mark Lombardo
Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [64:10]
Ryan Grim
Let's get to Tim Dillon now. We can always look at him for some relieving content here. One of the most tapped in and accurate podcasters of our generation. And here's what he has to say about the current political moment and about Bari Weiss's Free Press potentially being valued at a quarter of billion. Let's take a listen.
- [64:28]
Tim Dillon
The political fallout from this scandal would be monumental, and it would affect some of the wealthiest people in the world and our relationships with different countries, namely Israel. I don't care how many you know, Barry Weiss, whose company is, you know, sold now, is going to sell to CBS for $3 trillion or something. Larry Ellison's son's buying the Free Press. You know, the very. The very important Free Press blog that on substack is worth $250 million. And I like Barry, but the Free, you know, the one that gets like 7,500 views on YouTube, that powerhouse conglomerate media company is worth $250 million, by the way. So the Tim Dillon Show's apparently worth a billion. Hello, Miriam. Where's my fucking money? $300 million. A quarter billion dollars for Bari Weiss's blog, in which she interviewed megastar Ross Douthit from the New York Times about why conspiracies have taken the hold of the American mind.
- [65:35]
Ryan Grim
And Ross goes, well, you know, the.
- [65:38]
Tim Dillon
Thing about conspiracies is there is an element of truth. Not in this one. There's not an element of truth. It's that it's all truth. Like, I was like, oh, the grift is to go against Israel. It's like, clearly not. The grift is a quarter million dollars for the block for your blog, by the way. God bless. Nice woman, sweet, charming woman, her and her wife, lovely people. No issue with them directly at all. They don't like me anymore. Which is fine, because again, you're on the team or you're not on the team. You criticize one thing. I mean, you're off the team, but apparently the brand equity. And by brand equity means, I'm willing to Argue for shooting Palestinian toddlers in the face. Brand in a. In a. That's the brand equity of 250 sticks. Shoot toddler in his face.
- [66:33]
Ryan Grim
Thank you.
- [66:34]
Tim Dillon
303. Thank you very much. That's very good. And 300 million for you.
- [66:42]
Ryan Grim
I mean, when he's right, he's right.
- [66:43]
Crystal Ball
That's so good.
- [66:44]
Ryan Grim
When he's right, he's right. Let's put this up there on the screen. This is from Lachlan Cartwright. It's from his newsletter. I just thought he did a phenomenal job here. So I'm going to read here. Quote it is not worth. He's talking about the Free Press. Anywhere near the valuation Weissel Berman have been claiming. According to two people familiar with the matter. There are a number of factors that should give any potential suitor pause. The former New York Times journalist is known for overspending. She has splashed cash on spacious office overpaid to lure marquee names. The publication pays freelance writers $2 a word. They currently have 50 people on staff. Big name hires. Many of others have departed. Meanwhile, the Free Press signature podcast honestly lingers at number 31 in society and culture. 31. I shouldn't chart shame, but you know, when we're trying to sell for a.
- [67:28]
Crystal Ball
Quarter million, but not even over.
- [67:29]
Ryan Grim
Maybe I should.
- [67:29]
Crystal Ball
31St in society and culture.
- [67:32]
Ryan Grim
Quote drawing marginal revenue. The Free Press events such as monthly book clubs and debate series have failed to generate meaningful profits that only leave subscription part of Barry Weiss's business that is subject to churn. Then there is the reputational risk. And he continues. So that's just at a pure business.
- [67:46]
Crystal Ball
Level now it's an open question to me whether they even.
- [67:49]
Ryan Grim
Whether those sub numbers are even real.
- [67:50]
Crystal Ball
Well and also, I mean what did they say the sub numbers are?
- [67:53]
Ryan Grim
It was like 155,000.
- [67:54]
Crystal Ball
I don't believe that. I don't believe it. But anyway, yeah, I mean, okay, so you go to their. Now they do have their blog. They have other things going on. You go to their YouTube page. 331,000 subscribers. So we have roughly five times their number of subscribers at this point. Roughly five times that aforementioned from Tim Dillon interview with Ross Doubtfat. Which Ross really catching some strays there, by the way.
- [68:19]
Ryan Grim
Ross is great. All right. Leave Ross alone.
- [68:21]
Crystal Ball
We love Ross. I wanna have Ross back on the show actually. Obviously I have disagreements. I love Ross. That's awful guy. Anyway, okay, here's the headline here. Jeffrey Epstein and conspiracy America Epstein hot topic online. Right. Surely gonna do some numbers. 17,000. 17,000. Views. The debate that they just put out between Eli Lake and Josh hammer on Russiagate. 5,000 views.
- [68:46]
Ryan Grim
Wow.
- [68:47]
Crystal Ball
Okay. These are the metrics for a company that apparently is getting a valuation of 200. I mean it's just absolutely insane. So I mean you were making the point before. Maybe we should celebrate this because it doesn't mean that we're worth.
- [69:02]
Ryan Grim
I was gonna say, in some ways I want this to happen cuz it means I'm a centimillionaire on paper. Okay, but no, look, it's all bullshit.
- [69:10]
Crystal Ball
Totally insane.
- [69:11]
Ryan Grim
And I'm not sitting here claiming to be number one. You know there are a lot of big you political YouTube channels out there that are way bigger. But I'm not sitting around trying to get quarter billion dollars out of Larry Ellison's son either. Okay? So that's my point.
- [69:23]
Crystal Ball
The reason Tim Dillon's sketch hit so hard is because he's right. The whole value comes from her willingness to put it in intellectual sheen. It's in writing on absolute monstrosities. That's what it is.
- [69:35]
Ryan Grim
It's in writing that Dylan Byers, who's again, I know this may seem tedious, but this is important for all you guys to understand that there are people like us. Listen, Tim Pool's not out there asking for quarter billion dollars. All right? And he gets 15 times the number of views. He has more views than we do. Pbd, any of these other folks. None of these folks are out there. You can think whatever you want about them, but they're running their own businesses. And they're not out there trying to be bought for billions and billions or whatever. And the point though in the Barry Weiss case is that is entirely an intellectual sheen on pro Israel and pro zionism. If you read about it. David Ellison and others are genuinely only want to buy the free press to support Israel. That's it. They want to support and put what's her name, Barry, on the CBS like news board as an ombudsman.
- [70:27]
Crystal Ball
Yeah. So she's gonna fill the role as the TikTok IDF lady. Yes, censor for the same thing, but for.
- [70:34]
Ryan Grim
Do you know why? Do you know why this is crazy. Do you know why this is crazy? This is a network television like granted license from the government. CBS this News morning. Like when you don't even have cable. This is network TV. CBS, 60 Minutes, all of these legacy brands. And all this will fall under her. That's why it's nuts.
- [70:52]
Crystal Ball
And CBS has already bent the knee in a number of really significant ways. They trimmed the sales of 60 Minutes, because 60 Minutes was doing good reporting on Trump, but also 60, specifically on Israel, Palestine, that they didn't like. You had their longtime executive producer leave under duress. There's the Stephen Colbert situation, which I do think that that was a stop to the Trump administration. And I mean, it's both. I think it's both. It's the shitty show, like, it's all of that. But I do think that was a stop to the Trump administration. You had CBS also settle a lawsuit, basically paying a bribe to the Trump administration. They want their fricking merger to go through. And this is why I think the Colbert thing was in part political, because right after that happens, then, lo and behold, they're getting approval for their big merger, whatever. So the government has said they're going to install, like, a bias monitor at cbs, and I guess Barry can be part of that team. So congratulations to her. It's just absolutely extraordinary. It does go back to what you're saying about how Israel realizes this is their moment, that they have lost. Anybody under 40 in America, they have lost, and they have completely outside of America, they've completely isolated themselves globally. Now is their moment, and so they are going for it. And part of going for it is this sort of like, pushing of bias monitors at TikTok and at major network news with Bari Weiss being a significant part of that. And it is wild to see.
- [72:18]
Ryan Grim
Yep, that's right. All right, we got Jasper standing by. Let's get to it.
- [72:21]
Crystal Ball
So wanted to update you guys on an important development with regard to the veracity of the story of the Gaza Humanitarian foundation whistleblower Anthony Aguilar, former Green Beret, who spoke with us last week. So a key part of his testimony was about a child named Amir who he saw at one of the aid distribution sites. And Amir really struck a chord with him because he approached him after having scrounged some meager rations off of the grass, and he wanted to say thank you to him in English. Aguilar said that he, you know, grabbed his face and kissed his hands in gratitude for these meager rations that he was able to literally scrounge off the ground. And then shortly thereafter, the IDF fired, as they typically do on Palestinians who were leaving the aid site. And Aguilar saw Amir dead on the ground, having been killed by the idf. So the GHF has put out a number of statements trying to call into question Anthony's testimony and specifically about Amir. They put on a photo of what appeared to be a completely different child on A different day and said, oh, here is Amir. He was fine. Here he is being happy. Well, we now have an update from Middle East Eye who were able to actually track down the family of Amir and to try to discover, okay, well, is he fine? Is he there in your career or what happened to him? We can put this up on the screen. They were able to identify the family and the family says that he is missing. They have searched for him extensively. They've looked in all the hospitals, they've looked in all the morgues, they've gone to humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross. They have found absolutely no trace of him. The last time anyone has seen him alive is as pictured in those photos that Anthony Aguilar took. So really lending credibility to his story here. And you know, obviously in absolute horror that this child was in all likelihood murdered and then God even knows what has happened to his body. So in addition to that update, we wanted to bring in Jasper Nathaniel, who's a fantastic journalist. He writes over at Infinite Jazz on Substack and he's been tracking really closely a lot of developments with regard to Israel, Gaza and specifically the west bank, which we want to get to in a moment. But first of all, just welcome, Jasper. Great to see you.
- [74:40]
Ryan Grim
Good to see you, man.
- [74:42]
Jasper Nathaniel
Thanks for having me.
- [74:42]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, you have a piece up at Dropsite which really fits hand in glove with the story about Amir and what's happening at these GHF sites. We can put this up on the screen where you dig into the way that this is really an information warfare and pr. This has really nothing to do with aid distribution at all, which, you know, anyone who watches this show probably already knows that these are death traps where Palestinians starving Palestinians are lured in and then indiscriminately shot on the way in and on the way out. But what specifically did you discover about the way that GHF operates?
- [75:21]
Jasper Nathaniel
Yeah, I think that the big picture thing to keep in mind is that humanitarian work is a technical discipline. People go to school for a long time to study it. Obviously there's a science to famine and famine relief and people who run humanitarian organizations have a set of guidelines based on this and ethical guidelines as well that are meant to prioritize the people who need the aid and the relief. The Gaza Humanitarian foundation, simply put, but does not have any experts in humanitarian aid as part of it. It is run by basically mercenaries, intelligence operatives, ex CIA people. And the most generous reading, I would say, if we assume that it was not actually meant to be killing hundreds and hundreds of people every week and starving the entire Gaza Strip. The most generous reading would be the. That it's an intelligence gathering operation, but it's just simply not there to feed the people. Because if it was, if it was, they would have experts in humanitarian relief working for it, but they just don't. So that's the sort of high level, I would say.
- [76:39]
Ryan Grim
So the furthermore that we want to get with you, Jasper, just kind of going down this road is what's going on in the West bank. Can we put F3, please, up on the screen? This is something that you've been writing about for now quite some time. Quote, the annexation of the west bank is complete with eyes on Gaza. Israel has quietly annexed the West Bank. We have covered the vote in the Israeli Knesset about this. But give us some of the concrete stuff that you point to that shows the actual annexation at a political and law enforcement level.
- [77:10]
Jasper Nathaniel
So the military occupation of the west bank is. It's an actual legal designation that is aligned with international law based on the Geneva Convention and Hague. And there are laws that the military occupation nominally has to adhere to. And the laws effectively say everything that's done as part of the military occupation has to be in the best interest of the occupied people. And nothing can be designed to put roots in the ground by the occupiers. Now, I don't want to give off the impression that the military occupation is benevolent or is anything other than just cruel and barbaric. Said that it did, in a weird way, provide sort of insulation between the occupied people and the settler movement, which is ideological and messianic and wants nothing more than to just take over the territory. So what I mean by that is take somebody like Smotrich, the Finance minister. Smotrich grew up in a settlement. He lives in a settlement today. He was, not that long ago one of the people that you see running around the hills in a mask, throwing rocks, sending fires to Palestinian villages. And now he is the finance Minister. So when he came into power in February 20th, at the end of the OR, in the beginning of 2023, he made a deal with the Defense Secretary, Yoav Gallant. And what that deal did was he installed himself inside the Defense Department. Smotrich did. And then he built what is effectively a shadow government inside the Defense Department made up entirely of people with his same ideology with settlers. And they basically rerouted every decision that the military occupation made made to this new civilian chain of command. And in doing that, they've been able to get rid of every single potential obstacle or hurdle on building settlements on demolishing Palestinian villages. And again, it's not to say that the military had the best interests of the Palestinian people in mind, but they were, on an ideological level, more concerned with keeping order and brutalizing the people, I would say, as opposed to the settlers, who have just a sort of pure messianic vision of claiming Judea and Samaria on its own. So all that said already, well before October 7th, there was a fundamental change in the way the west bank is governed that allowed settlement building to just run wild. And then October 7th happens, and Smotrich, I think it's fair to say, immediately recognizes an opportunity, opportunity to frame everything that they're doing as security. So he starts conflating the Palestinian Authority with Hamas. He starts really doubling down on this idea that settlers have been pushing for a long time, that the west bank or the settlers in the west bank are Israel's bulletproof vest, who are protecting Israel proper from all the supposed barbarians east of the Green Line. Settlers love to say, oh, October 7th never could have happened from here because we would have stopped it. And so it goes from just being. They cleared all the bureaucratic hurdles to be able to build settlements. Now they have this idea of security on their side. Part of that also is actually telling the police and the IDF to stop enforcing laws on settlers. So settlers are now allowed to build illegal outposts anywhere they want. They are virtually never arrested when they do these pogroms and terrorize people, literally. Today there is video of Yinon Levy, the settler who shot a Palestinian activist, dead one week ago. He's back in the village today. He's in Umar Kayer today, continuing to build the settlement, continuing to terrorize the people. I'm not so sure that would have happened two years ago.
- [81:16]
Ryan Grim
And.
- [81:16]
Jasper Nathaniel
And again, I can't emphasize enough, like, things were not good two years ago, but now just all the rules are gone.
- [81:26]
Crystal Ball
Let me read a little bit from your piece because I think it's extraordinary. You say annexation is, for all intents and purposes, complete. Since Trump's reelection, reportedly bankrolled in part by a $100 million donation from Miriam Adelson in exchange for backing annexation, SMO Church has grown more confident, calling 2025 the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, he's built a close relationship with U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee, who once said there was no such thing as a Palestinian. And Smotrich has declared they are now raising the flag of building and settling rather than hiding and apologizing. So when you say annexation is for all intents and purposes complete. What specifically do you mean by that?
- [82:08]
Jasper Nathaniel
So the, the Green Line that ostensibly separates Israel from the occupied west bank, that separation, there's a wall, of course, but also the separation is that there are laws in Israel that apply to Israel that legally cannot apply to the west bank because it's not part of Israel proper. There have been a series of policy initiatives that have flown right through the Knesset that have taken the laws in Israel and applied them to the West Bank. And so in doing that, if you take all the laws of Israel and apply them to the occupied territory, if you take all the restrictions off of settlers from being able to build wherever they want, from being able to demolish wherever they want at a certain point, what exactly is not Israel about this place? Nothing. And so I think that Smotrich, he doesn't use the word annexation, I've noticed. I think that he is aware that he doesn't need to say officially, we've annexed the west bank to get everything he wants, which is full control over the west bank and an increasingly effective effort to basically ethnically cleanse the parts of the land that the settlers are encroaching on.
- [83:28]
Ryan Grim
Why does this matter in terms of what's happening in Gaza, you think?
- [83:32]
Jasper Nathaniel
Well, I think that it matters on a moral and ethical level, of course. But also I think it's worth saying that this idea of a Palestinian state or a two state solution is really built on the notion that there's a state in the west bank for the Palestinians. And I think that the idea that that is the sort of practical thinking man's solution to the conflict. It's just as Palestinians lose any sovereignty or power that they have in the west bank and Israel takes over more and more of it, and Palestinians are confined into smaller and smaller Bantustans, it is just so obvious that there is no physical state that could be possible for the Palestinians to have there. I think it matters on the, that sort of legal and diplomatic level, but it also, on a rhetorical level, let's say it just completely wipes away the idea that what Israel is doing in Gaza is about eradicating Hamas, because Hamas is not in the West Bank. There may be a handful of operatives, but the west bank, to the extent that it has militant groups, they are underground, they're not associated with the Palestinian Authority or with the government in any way. Most of the towns that the settlers are taking over, that soldiers are encroaching on, don't even have armed resistance. And so when they're bombing Schools and hospitals and homes in Gaza and they're saying, oh, there was a Hamas operative there. They don't have that same excuse in the West Bank. And it brings into stark clarity this is about ethnic cleansing. There's simply no other justification for what they're doing there.
- [85:15]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, I mean, and quite the opposite, that the PA have been, are basically collaborators. So, you know, they're supposed to be the moderates and they have basically done whatever the Israelis want them to do. And even that then they get conflated as Hamas.
- [85:27]
Ryan Grim
Right.
- [85:28]
Crystal Ball
So the idea, you know, that's often offered of like, well, if the Palestinians just lay down their arms and try to negotiate, I mean, I think that is fundamentally disproven also by what is unfolding right now in the West Bank. I'd love your reflections on that. But also I wanted to get your reaction to we covered earlier in the show. And I don't know you, if, if you've seen this yet. US speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who is in Israel, became the highest ranking US official, I believe, ever to visit one of these illegal settlements. What do you see as the significance of that?
- [85:56]
Jasper Nathaniel
Yeah, I saw that just before I came on. He's at the Ariel Settlement, which is in the north, what the settlers call Samaria. Well, the significance is that the, the Trump government, as they did in the first term too, are just fully on board with annexing the West Bank. I mean, you said in the excerpt that you read that there was $100 million donation that allegedly was in support of annexation. Mike Johnson said something in his speech literally minutes or hours ago that I read where he said Judea and Samaria legally belongs to Israel. And I just want to say that it doesn't. Literally it doesn't. There is no law in the world that would suggest what they call Judea and Samaria, which is the land of the west bank, belongs to Israel. I mean, quite literally it belongs to the Palestinians and Israel is just occupying it. So they have just taken the mask off that they even care about a rules based order and they're just fully supportive of annexing the West Bank. I think for somebody like Mike Johnson or Mike Huckabee, these are evangelical Zionists who have their own messianic vision and prophecy for why they need all the Jews to return to Israel. It has nothing to do with actually caring about Jewish people. Certainly they don't care about Palestinian people. So it's just totally cynical. But frankly, the settlers will take any allies they can get, especially those who are high up in The US Government.
- [87:34]
Ryan Grim
Well said, Jasper.
- [87:35]
Crystal Ball
Yeah. One last question for you, Jasper. There's a bit of a liberal fantasy here that if we just got this bad Netanyahu government out of here, then things could return to quote, unquote, normal, whatever that was in Israel. And with regard to the Israeli American relationship, what are your reflections on that?
- [87:53]
Jasper Nathaniel
Well, just again, focusing on the west bank because I think it's a good example of where the October 7th can't be used as an excuse. I just wrote a piece on my substack yesterday called the Violent Settlers are Just Doing Their Job. And what I mean by that is every single part of Israel's institutions, from the federal government to the courts, to the sort of various political entities, to the just general support or apathy from the population, is the supporting the settlers in what they're doing in their ethnic cleansing, in their violence, in their killing. And so if you want to say that it is just Netanyahu, then you would have to also acknowledge, well, then Netanyahu's ideology has completely swept through every single institution that matters in Israel. But of course, it's not just Netanyahu. I mean, this is much more deeply ingrained in people who just have utterly dehumanized Palestine Palestinians.
- [88:55]
Ryan Grim
And.
- [88:59]
Jasper Nathaniel
It'S alarming that anybody would even suggest that the settlement movement is fringe anymore because the settlement movement is actually central to Israel. It's central to the Zionist project. And the proof is in the pudding. I mean, it's not very hard to see how that movement, that violent movement, has support across the board.
- [89:18]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, I totally agree with you, Jasper. Tell people where they can find your work and where they can support you.
- [89:24]
Jasper Nathaniel
Yeah, thank you. My substack is just Infinite Jazz. Just one Z Jaz and then I see you smiling. I can.
- [89:32]
Ryan Grim
I get the reference. Yeah, it's a good.
- [89:35]
Jasper Nathaniel
My Twitter is also infinite jazz with two underscores and I think on Instagram infinitejazz1 also you can just search Jasmine Nathaniel and you should be able to find my work.
- [89:44]
Crystal Ball
But we'll put the links in the description as well for people.
- [89:47]
Jasper Nathaniel
Okay, great. Thank you so much for bringing attention to the west bank. Because it's just. It's criminally undercovered in the mainstream media and it's so important to talk about what's happening there.
- [89:55]
Crystal Ball
Yeah, I think it really does create the full picture, even under these questions of genocide, when you see, you know, oh, it's not just what's going on in the Gaza Strip where you've got the. But Hamas excuse. This isn't across the board. So thank you for helping us to connect those dots. Jasper, great to see you.
- [90:10]
Ryan Grim
Good to see you man.
- [90:10]
Jasper Nathaniel
Yeah, thanks for having me. Take care.
- [90:12]
Ryan Grim
Thank you guys so much for watching. We appreciate you. Ryan and I will be on tomorrow. See you then.
- [90:29]
Sagar Enjeti
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- [91:28]
Freddy Prinze Jr.
We're breaking down SummerSlam the biggest party of the summer on Wrestling with Freddie. From our bold picks to storyline breakdowns, we will discuss who walks out with gold, who shocks the night and which matches steal the show we call the winners, the upsets and the chaos to expect. Plus whatever swerves nobody saw coming. Listen to Wrestling with Freddie as part of the Michael Tura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [91:55]
Crystal Ball
I'm Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, host of.
- [91:57]
Ryan Grim
The Therapy for Black Girls podcast. I know how overwhelming it can feel.
- [92:01]
Crystal Ball
If flying makes you anxious.
- [92:03]
Ryan Grim
In session 418 of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, Dr. Angela Neil Barnett.
- [92:08]
Crystal Ball
And I discuss flight anxiety.
- [92:10]
Ryan Grim
What is not normal is to allow it to prevent you from doing the things that you want to do. The things things that you were meant to do.
- [92:19]
Sagar Enjeti
Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on.
- [92:20]
Ryan Grim
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.