Thank you for understanding the times that we live in, and for standing up for Josh Shapiro and his family and the Jewish people. Pennsylvania is proud of Josh Shapiro and his achievements. We as Jews are never the ones to instigate violence in America, and are only a small percentage of people in the USA. I will admit that the dear leader of this country scares me and other Jews. I can only hope and pray that the majority of people in this country keep protesting against the cancer that pretends to be a leader. S.K.
Anti-semitism, and the simple fear of "the other" have been with us for a very long time, but the political rhetoric of hate seems rather new, and seems to support the behaviors that stem from it.
Patrick, this message encapsulates what many of us are feeling. Thanks for being an ally when we often feel we don't have one. Hope you and your family are well. Have a wonderful Easter.
On another happy MAGA note...Trump: "Home-growns are next". Foreign gulags for US citizens while Trump's lackeys JD Rubio etc laugh at Trump telling Bukele that Trump wants to send American citizens to Bukele's gulag. BTW Rubio's DOS has revoked the visas of Nobel Peace Prize winner & former President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias as well as Costa Rican parliamentarians for daring to establish trade relations with China.
[Timothy Snyder Substack 4/15/25] If citizens endorse the idea that people named by authorities as "criminals" or "terrorists" have no right to due process, then they are accepting that they themselves have no right to due process. It is due process, and due process alone, that allows you to demonstrate that you are a citizen. Without it, the masked men in the black vans can simply claim that you are a foreign terrorist and disappear you. https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/state-terror?r=aexlz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Yes, a lot that is happening is cause for concern. But current disappearing people is terrifying, not only because of the injustice and damage to current victims but also because it is clear if it holds, there will no end... anyone who incurs trumps anger will be vulnerable. We will be officially living in a 3rd world ruled by a despot.
As the native Pennsylvanian now living in Henrietta , New York, I am seriously concerned about well- being and welfare of Pennsylvania State Governor Shapiro and his family needing greater security in greater protection and rising antisemitism at alarming rate in USA.— Political violence is not an answer in solution but it’s human violence and human cruelty in humankind. No room of political violence !
Patrick you have always been a warrior against injustice. This could not be better articulated. And should not be a passing news headline. Thank you for continually stepping up and providing a role model of courage.
Thank you for your fact based article. Although a grim topic, it was refreshing to see someone use data, insight, and personal anecdotes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for writing this, sir. I knew I had to put something about the arson/Assassination attempt up on our Indivisible Bucks County Fb presence and other social media feeds... but I was dealing with so much anger over this situation, as a Jew who cannot help but see the anti-semitism inherent in the attack being perpetrated on Passover. I couldn't formulate my own thoughts on this that would be appropriately-toned, because all I wanted to do was rant about how this is the modern day equivalent of a pogrom. So thank you for putting these thoughts together in such an eloquent manner!
We're with you! We're fighting back! Although not Jewish, our Cleveland, Ohio community is filled with beloved Jewish activists! None of this can stand! We won't let it!!
His mother begged for help with his mental illness and his issues with medication. She was given no support or guidance. This lack of mental health care is a problem every day in America. Unstable people who are a danger to others (in a land of guns) with little or no access to services for treatment. We certainly don’t care until a person with a mental illness commits a crime.
This is a terrible crime but it’s just a symptom of a huge underfunded and ignored issue in America.
Menal health issues have been involved in many violent attacks of the last decade. Reg flag rules would help and should be implemented; shouldn't be a problem...
The Reichwing incessantly defends their 2A absolutism by saying "Guns are NOT the problem, mentally ill people are!".
Then they go and either obliterate the funding for Mental Health programs to make damn well SURE that those who need it the most have NO chance whatsoever of getting help to prevent the tragedies/atrocities they commit, BEFORE they commit them, or never allow those programs to exist in the first place.
Either way, they are COMPLICIT and have MUCH American blood on their hands.
Thank you for a cogent and eloquent response to this brazen assassination attempt on Governor Shapiro and his family. Thank you also for pointing out the wider implications for our society of indifference to political violence. I lived in the Keystone State in the 1970s, so I take this affront personally. It is sobering to watch the transformation of our society, orchestrated by Fox News disinformation services, owned and operated by a foreign national, Rupert Murdoch. He should not be overlooked when assigning blame for the disintegration of the US.
Bless me if I have a clue about how they do things in PA but, here in GA, we post guards on the Governor's personal home and all the State residences. We just assume crazy folks will attack their stuff. Security is way cheaper than restoration costs, most times.
Thank you for speaking out. How ironic that Trump is willing (eager) to cripple our finest universities and the research that powers our economy on the pretext of protecting Jewish students and rooting out campus antisemitism - yet is silent about an attack on the life of a Jewish governor. This exposes Trump’s real motivation - to silence voices of dissent and bury truth to normalize his alternative reality. We must fight this in every way possible.
Thank you for understanding the times that we live in, and for standing up for Josh Shapiro and his family and the Jewish people. Pennsylvania is proud of Josh Shapiro and his achievements. We as Jews are never the ones to instigate violence in America, and are only a small percentage of people in the USA. I will admit that the dear leader of this country scares me and other Jews. I can only hope and pray that the majority of people in this country keep protesting against the cancer that pretends to be a leader. S.K.
Thank you for speaking truth to power !!!
Anti-semitism, and the simple fear of "the other" have been with us for a very long time, but the political rhetoric of hate seems rather new, and seems to support the behaviors that stem from it.
Patrick, this message encapsulates what many of us are feeling. Thanks for being an ally when we often feel we don't have one. Hope you and your family are well. Have a wonderful Easter.
On another happy MAGA note...Trump: "Home-growns are next". Foreign gulags for US citizens while Trump's lackeys JD Rubio etc laugh at Trump telling Bukele that Trump wants to send American citizens to Bukele's gulag. BTW Rubio's DOS has revoked the visas of Nobel Peace Prize winner & former President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias as well as Costa Rican parliamentarians for daring to establish trade relations with China.
[Timothy Snyder Substack 4/15/25] If citizens endorse the idea that people named by authorities as "criminals" or "terrorists" have no right to due process, then they are accepting that they themselves have no right to due process. It is due process, and due process alone, that allows you to demonstrate that you are a citizen. Without it, the masked men in the black vans can simply claim that you are a foreign terrorist and disappear you. https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/state-terror?r=aexlz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Yes, a lot that is happening is cause for concern. But current disappearing people is terrifying, not only because of the injustice and damage to current victims but also because it is clear if it holds, there will no end... anyone who incurs trumps anger will be vulnerable. We will be officially living in a 3rd world ruled by a despot.
As the native Pennsylvanian now living in Henrietta , New York, I am seriously concerned about well- being and welfare of Pennsylvania State Governor Shapiro and his family needing greater security in greater protection and rising antisemitism at alarming rate in USA.— Political violence is not an answer in solution but it’s human violence and human cruelty in humankind. No room of political violence !
Patrick you have always been a warrior against injustice. This could not be better articulated. And should not be a passing news headline. Thank you for continually stepping up and providing a role model of courage.
Thank you for your fact based article. Although a grim topic, it was refreshing to see someone use data, insight, and personal anecdotes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
And Trump is silent!
Thank you for writing this, sir. I knew I had to put something about the arson/Assassination attempt up on our Indivisible Bucks County Fb presence and other social media feeds... but I was dealing with so much anger over this situation, as a Jew who cannot help but see the anti-semitism inherent in the attack being perpetrated on Passover. I couldn't formulate my own thoughts on this that would be appropriately-toned, because all I wanted to do was rant about how this is the modern day equivalent of a pogrom. So thank you for putting these thoughts together in such an eloquent manner!
Thank YOU Kierstyn for all of the work that you do for democracy and justice!!
(I'm Dave from the original Fridays Without Fitzpatrick group.)
Hi Dave! You are very welcome, and the thanks goes right back at you for all you rally attendance and support over the years!
We're with you! We're fighting back! Although not Jewish, our Cleveland, Ohio community is filled with beloved Jewish activists! None of this can stand! We won't let it!!
His mother begged for help with his mental illness and his issues with medication. She was given no support or guidance. This lack of mental health care is a problem every day in America. Unstable people who are a danger to others (in a land of guns) with little or no access to services for treatment. We certainly don’t care until a person with a mental illness commits a crime.
This is a terrible crime but it’s just a symptom of a huge underfunded and ignored issue in America.
Menal health issues have been involved in many violent attacks of the last decade. Reg flag rules would help and should be implemented; shouldn't be a problem...
The Reichwing incessantly defends their 2A absolutism by saying "Guns are NOT the problem, mentally ill people are!".
Then they go and either obliterate the funding for Mental Health programs to make damn well SURE that those who need it the most have NO chance whatsoever of getting help to prevent the tragedies/atrocities they commit, BEFORE they commit them, or never allow those programs to exist in the first place.
Either way, they are COMPLICIT and have MUCH American blood on their hands.
You CANNOT have it BOTH ways, MAGA!!
Thank you for a cogent and eloquent response to this brazen assassination attempt on Governor Shapiro and his family. Thank you also for pointing out the wider implications for our society of indifference to political violence. I lived in the Keystone State in the 1970s, so I take this affront personally. It is sobering to watch the transformation of our society, orchestrated by Fox News disinformation services, owned and operated by a foreign national, Rupert Murdoch. He should not be overlooked when assigning blame for the disintegration of the US.
Bless me if I have a clue about how they do things in PA but, here in GA, we post guards on the Governor's personal home and all the State residences. We just assume crazy folks will attack their stuff. Security is way cheaper than restoration costs, most times.
Thank you for speaking out. How ironic that Trump is willing (eager) to cripple our finest universities and the research that powers our economy on the pretext of protecting Jewish students and rooting out campus antisemitism - yet is silent about an attack on the life of a Jewish governor. This exposes Trump’s real motivation - to silence voices of dissent and bury truth to normalize his alternative reality. We must fight this in every way possible.
Guess we will be getting Elon AI death panels