Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
. . .a woman living in the city of Lyon. . .shared the reality of living with immigrants. According to the English translation shared by a self-described independent reporter. . . the woman and her friends were constantly harassed by foreigners.
I am 26 years old, blonde, with light eyes, and I have always lived in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon, which is thought of as the poshest area in Lyon, and my daily life has become unbearable," the woman wrote in a lengthy post sent to Rieu. "I write this because, ten years ago, I could go out with my friends in the evening, at any hour, without being bothered, insulted, followed, or stabbed. . .
The woman goes on to say that a "white man" has never behaved toward her in the manner that male foreigners have. "Is it racist to call out what my daily life has become as a woman, because of immigration? Is my reality, my daily life, racist?" she asked. "Am I not as legitimate as any other person to call out traumatising acts of violence, just because they are done by foreigners or immigrants?"
Second news item
No more money to Democrats until Biden steps down:
Abigail Disney, an heiress to the Disney fortune and donor to the Democratic Party, announced on Thursday that she would withhold donations to the party until President Joe Biden drops out of the race.
“I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket,” Disney told CNBC on Thursday, joining other Democratic donors who have also pulled support for Biden since his disastrous performance in last week’s CNN presidential debate.
She continued, “This is realism, not disrespect. Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high,” before concluding, “If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”
Jay Nordlinger asks:
So, should Biden, DeSantis-style, punish Disney, somehow? Especially now that he has all that immunity?
Third news item
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded defeat to the center-left Labour Party early Friday, which was projected to win by a landslide in the country’s general election — delivering a huge blow to the ruling Conservative Party after 14 years in power.
. . .
The British networks’ exit poll indicated Labour won 410 seats in Parliament, a majority of 170.
Keir Starmer becomes the new prime minister.
Fourth news item
President Zelensky challenges Donald Trump’s boast:
“If Trump how to finish this war, he should tell us today,” Zelensky said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Wednesday. “If there are risks to Ukrainian independence, if we lose statehood — we want to be ready for this, we want to know.”
This from Trump last week:
During the presidential debate last week, Trump criticized the amount of funding the U.S. has sent to Ukraine, adding that the country is “not winning the war.”
“I’m only saying, the money that we’re spending on this war, and we shouldn’t be spending, it should have never happened. I will have that war settled between Putin and Zelensky as president-elect before I take office on January 20th. I’ll have that war settled,” Trump said.
Put up or shut-up.
Fifth news item
This is how to do it:
I have given this job my all. But you have sent a clear message, and yours is the only judgement that matters.
This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been Prime Minister of the best country in the world.https://t.co/EhNsfIaGWM
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2024
Have a great weekend.
—Dana
