Thank you, Norman Finkelstein.

When Norman Finkelstein speaks, I attentively listen. This has been true for nearly 2 decades now. He’s one of a handful of speakers I closely pay attention to, watching him as he speaks without my usual side distractions and attempts at “multitasking.” Meaning I don’t listen to him while I go about my day working or driving — I stop and watch and listen to what he has to say. The man has always struck me as important in this manner, having first come across his material back around 2008 during or shortly prior to my involvement in volunteering within a local peace community organization.

Candace Owens, however, I’ve always had reservations about. She struck me as a grifter when she came out claiming to be on the political right after having failed at promoting a left-leaning doxing site several years ago. Over time I listen to her occasionally, though typically I avoid her content. Looking on as an agnostic nonpartisan, she’s not really my cup of tea, nor was Charlie Kirk whom she was closely affiliated with. But here I’m glad to hear her say that she’s come to recognize the Political Right is really no better than the Political Left. Good for anyone to come to terms with the fact of life that money rules in politics and that many therein prove to be sellouts over time.

Unfortunate to hear from Norman how he was treated by professors Glenn Loury and John McWhorter – two academics I’ve listened to quite a bit in the past.

Also, OF COURSE it shouldn’t be the least bit surprising that none other than Alan Dershowitz was responsible for standing in the way of Norman Finkelstein being granted tenure at DePaul University. Because of course that asshole would.

Anyway, so much to take in from this conversation between two people from different ends of the political spectrum, far apart in age and experiences, on the topic of Gaza and Israel’s openly genocidal policies. I’m grateful a conversation between Norman and Candace did occur, for all of our sake. Political divisiveness these days is so rampant, reducing so much discourse down to mind-numbing talking points and useless sound bites. I very much welcome lengthy conversations and interviews where people are given time to get their points across and to lay out ideas and explore areas of agreement and disagreement.

Norman Finkelstein is one of those special people the world won’t be able to recreate once he’s gone. Times are rapidly changing and his old-school ways of being are deemed obsolete (much to my chagrin). But his nearly encyclopedic recollection of historical facts and names and his explanations on what has unfolded over the last century is deeply impressive, and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to learn from his unique perspective and educational background. That single-minded obsessiveness directed toward educating oneself, not simply for the sake of earning money and status but rather out of genuine curiosity and a tortured need to make sense out of the world — it’s amazing and very necessary and sadly too rare. I’m thankful that Norman continues to speak up and to care. He’s right that it can feel so futile caring about what others broadly keep on dismissing and trivializing. But I, for one, am very grateful he’s in the world and continues shining his own light in what feels like such dark and troubling times.