A Note From Rhiannon

Hi, y'all.

It's Rhiannon.

As the gang said last week, there is no new episode this week.

We had already planned to take a break after Peter's wedding a while back.

So this is when there would have been an off week on the podcast feed.

I am at my parents' house in Dallas.

So I don't have my usual mic set up.

So this might sound a little bit different than I usually do.

I just wanted to come on for a couple of minutes with a call to action.

As I record this, more than 9,500 Palestinians in Gaza are dead.

More than 4,000 of them are children.

The Israeli bombardment is constant.

Doctors in Gaza are performing surgery without anesthesia, without electricity, and without water.

There have been multiple telecommunications blackouts so that Palestinians in Gaza are being bombed in an imposed and forced silence.

No ability to call for help, no ability to broadcast to the world what is happening.

5,000 pregnant women in Gaza are expected to give birth in the next month.

Israel is bombing hospitals.

If there is drinking water, much of it is contaminated.

People are reporting severe dehydration.

Some 60% of residential buildings in Gaza have been destroyed.

Over a million people have been displaced.

And international humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders, and so many others, have called this a humanitarian crisis that must end.

What I will never forget for the rest of my life is seeing people among the rubble of entire city blocks trying to dig people out of demolished buildings with their bare hands.

Sometimes they can hear that people are alive beneath the rubble and they cannot reach them.

But I'm not here to recite the crimes of settler colonialism and Zionism and U.S.

empire.

I'm here with a call to action.

You are a person with power.

Now is the time to use it.

First, I am asking you to call your representatives every day and demand a ceasefire.

Their phone numbers are easily accessible and scripts for what to say are all over the internet.

You can go to ceasefiretoday.com for more information.

You do not have to be an expert.

You just have to be a human being.

On November 9th, organizers and activists are calling for an international day of solidarity called Shut It Down for Palestine.

On November 9th, you can participate in a walkout from work or school.

You can join a sit-in.

You can picket Israeli embassies and consulates.

You can picket companies that profit from military occupation and apartheid.

You can host or participate in a speakout.

You should wear a kofiyya to show solidarity.

Kofiyah is the traditional Palestinian scarf, usually black and white, sometimes red and white.

Shut It Down for Palestine is being called for by many organizations, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, the People's Forum, International People's Assembly, and the Answer Coalition.

Many similar actions have already been happening and they will continue to be planned.

You do not have to be an expert.

You just have to be a human being.

You can find more information at shutitownforpalestine.org.

That's the number four.

Shut it downforpalestine.org.

If you are in Texas, there is a statewide protest being planned for Sunday, November 12th at 1 p.m.

at the Texas State Capitol in Austin.

Wherever you are, whatever major city you're near, there is a protest being planned.

You can get connected and show up.

For information about all of these actions and more, you can follow Palestinian Youth Movement on Instagram.

Again, that is Palestinian Youth Movement.

And finally, one of the things I have found most overwhelming over the past month is realizing how different everyone's news sources are from mine.

Every day it feels like I have another conversation with someone where I realize they're not seeing what I'm seeing.

And then I panic thinking so many people don't know what's actually happening in Palestine.

So I'm going to suggest here some people and organizations to follow, starting with three people on the ground in Gaza.

On Instagram, you can follow the incredible photographer Motaz Azeiza.

His at on Instagram is at Motaz, M-O-T-A-Z

underscore Azeza.

A-Z-A-I-Z-A.

Two other courageous journalists who are keeping us up to date on what is happening on the ground in Gaza every day.

Plestia El Akad.

Her Instagram is at by Plestia.

B-Y-P-L-E-S-T-I-A.

The other one is Bissan Auda at Wizard underscore Bisan, B-I-S-A-N, and the number one.

Again, at Wizard underscore, B-I-S-A-N,

and the number one.

For a mix of news, history, action, and political education on Palestine, you can follow the poet, speaker, and journalist Muhammad Al-Kurt.

He's the Palestine correspondent for the nation, actually.

On Instagram, he is at Mohammed M-O-H-A-M-M-E-D

El-Kurd.

E-L-K-U-R-D.

For solidarity, action, political education, and more, you can follow the organization I've already mentioned, Palestinian Youth Movement.

That's youth, Y-O-U-T-H.

For news and action about the ongoing repression of pro-Palestine speech in the media, in our workplaces, and on campuses across the country.

Follow Palestine Legal.

That is an organization that 5-4 listeners are already familiar with.

Palestine Legal on Instagram and Twitter is at PALPAL underscore legal.

There is action happening around you that you can join.

You have a voice.

You have power.

You do not have to be an expert.

You just have to be a human being.

Free Palestine.