Harry's Place

OK, obviously it’s not the only one associated with that remarkable blog, but nevertheless: when I log in there with the sound on, after a few seconds I hear a recording of what sounds like a politician (Gordon Brown?) greeting a roomful of supporters.
Perhaps conditioned by the opening of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” [...]

Occasionally magazines can publish very memorable columns. This was the case with Matt Coward’s article on the use of abusive language published just over twenty years ago in the New Statesman and Society. With some thought towards copyright and manners, it is inappropriate for me for to reproduce the full article. This is a shame [...]

by Joseph W
Ben White – who understands why some people are anti-Semites - has found a new home to spout his anti-Zionism on the quite nutty website Mondoweiss.
Here, you can read a typical Ben White conspiracy piece on Mondoweiss.
White imagines a Zionist conspiracy, which explains why there are two new academic posts at SOAS for teaching [...]

This is a guest post by Max Shachtman.
They’re not even trying anymore, are they?
The pro-Hamas organ Middle East Monitor Online has published another paranoid essay that does us the favour of summarising its main points at the end.
In conclusion:
The project of the Jewish state has similar beginnings to colonialism and colonised states.
The project [...]

Check out Ben Cohen’s smashing review of the BAD’s politically-charged reunion concert in New York in the Arts section. Here’s an extract:
While Jones was never a vacuous celebrity type, he was also the one member of The Clash who despised the posturing of ultraleft groups like the Socialist Workers Party and never apologized [...]

The Washington Post reports on the winners of the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prizes, awarded annually to grass-roots environmental activists from different parts of the world.
The winner for North America is Hilton Kelley, who has organized his community in Port Arthur, Texas, to reduce some of the worst pollution in the US.

Kelley is an accidental environmentalist. [...]

US officials have reported that the regime in Iran is trying to help the Syrian government suppress the uprising there– so far, fortunately, without success.
Perhaps the Iranians foolishly failed to equip the Syrian security forces with the camouflage suits worn by some Iranian soldiers in a military parade on Army Day in Tehran on Monday.
[...]

After President Obama renewed his call for an increases in tax rates for the 2 percent of Americans earning more than $250,000 annually, Republicans predictably accused him of engaging in “class warfare.”
Erick Erickson of The Red State blog wrote:
Barack Obama spoke yesterday in a speech filled with lies, half-truths, and enough class warfare rhetoric to [...]

The East London Mosque is absolutely great at putting out statements against “extremism”:
The director of the East London Mosque has condemned “any actions” that incite hatred as police investigate threats made against a woman working in Whitechapel by Muslim extremists. The woman was approached by people telling her “to cover up” at the pharmacy [...]

Cross-posted from Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi at Hudson New York
What should be U.S. policy towards an Iranian opposition group known as the MEK, or, correctly, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq?
The issue has become relevant in light of recent developments: a raid by Iraqi security forces on the MEK’s headquarters in Camp Ashraf, Iraq, has led to widespread concern that [...]