Mac

Tar Heel born and bred. UNC alum. NE Revolution season ticket holder. US Soccer, Patriots, Celtics. Believe an engaged USA can be a force for good in the world.

[Dr. Sheila Nazarian @sheilanazarian]

I want to ask the students screaming “Death to America”, do you have any idea what happens when American values die?

Because I do.

My family fled Iran, a country where freedom died. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.

You think America is oppressive because you have never experienced real oppression.

You think silence is violence because you’ve never been silenced.

You think words are dangerous because you have never watched a government drag someone away for speaking them.

You think capitalism is evil because you have never stood in a bread line.

You think borders are immoral because you have never had to flee across one.

You think revolution is romantic because you have never had a revolution take everything from you.

I have.

And that’s why I refuse to be quiet.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 😂😂😂

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@PunterNavarre @fi_virginia2 @malenadavidson True

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Not sure it will happen in my lifetime to be honest. Vested interests too powerful.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Carlo is spot on. We aren’t “bad” but we aren’t in the top tier. I firmly believe the root cause is US Soccer and how the system is set up in the US vs the rest of the world.

[Amjad Taha أمجد طه @amjadt25]

They told us it was never antisemitism. They said it was about Israel's war, aggression, and innocent lives. So now Iran strikes seven Muslim Arab countries. Children die. Women bleed. Hospitals are targeted. And behold, the streets are silent. No tents on campuses. No roaring crowds. No Parliament in endless mourning. No theatrical recognition of a state. Not even the usual prophets of outrage.

And so we ask, with sorrow rather than surprise: was it ever truly about the dead?

Or have you become prisoners of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic regime in Iran, their proxies whispering in the West?

If you are still there, blink twice.

We may yet come to rescue you.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Referring to my earlier comment about common sense. I never know if guys like this really are just stupid or if they’re just playing to an audience.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 There must be some sort of middle ground. Income inequality is much greater than historically. And the minimum wage hasn’t been adjusted for inflation so it’s also a LOT lower in real dollars than it used to be. There are common sense solutions but no one has much common sense.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 The women generally don’t do this… only the men.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 No… they don’t.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Some of my friends who are teachers hate the idea of kids having to come to school in the dark. I read that we tried this in 1974 but ended the experiment. I don’t remember that. Personally I like more sunlight at the end of the day but let’s see how this goes.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 So good…

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Not very nice 😊

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 Haha

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@stephenrhymer @fi_virginia2 I coached youth players who definitely did not understand it.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 @malenadavidson @PunterNavarre I like the technology they have now that shows whether or not a player is in an offsides position. To me, it’s difficult to gauge by the naked eye.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 LOL… it’s not confusing if you know the game. That said i don’t understand offside in hockey.

[Mac @MacBlythe]

@fi_virginia2 😂

[Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter @yechielleiter]

Let's not lose our grip on the facts - instead of recriminations and accusations - just the facts.

1) Congressman @RoKhanna was offered to coordinate his visit with the State of Israel - this goes beyond notifying of his presence in the country. He was offered in-depth coordination of his schedule to avoid misunderstandings, and he chose to ignore that offer.
He also chose not to coordinate his visit with the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.

2) He chose to conduct his visit accompanied by Palestinian activists, and, for some reason, @nytimes journalists with cameras at the ready. With him was also a person affiliated with @jstreet, an organization that actively lobbies against the government of Israel on Capitol Hill.

3) Mr. Khanna and his entourage entered what was believed to be a closed military zone without permission. The military had no prior knowledge of him going there, due to his refusal to coordinate with them. The vehicle they stopped was unknown to them and therefore provoked suspicion. The moment details of the Congressman's identity were cleared, he was free to go. At no point was the congressman, or any member of his party, threatened by the soldiers, or civilians bearing arms.

4) To add insult to injury - the Congressman used this instance as an opportunity to tout "genocide" and "apartheid" libels to the press, propelling himself to the center of yet another anti-Israel media frenzy.
The facts don't lie - this was a cheap, anticipated provocation, that could, and should have been avoided.

5) Calling me a liar won’t change the facts. I’d be happy to host Congressman Khanna at our embassy for an in-depth conversation on his grievances regarding Israel.