Is Cruelty The Answer To Excess Wokeness?

A Friendly Message To Mamdani

I’m an orthodox, Jewish, Israel-American who does not believe that Zohran Mamdani is an antisemite, unlike many in my demographic. I reject the idea that people who have issues with Zionism are automatically labeled as antisemites. I do have some constructive criticism for Mamdani where I try to convey how the term “globalize the Intifada” sounds and feels to many, especially in NYC. Get full access to Michael Scott - Thinking Out Loud at mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Is Cruelty The Answer To Excess Wokeness?

Fundamentally, wokeness is a good thing. However, like all good things you can have too much. Excesses can create a new set of problems. It seems, unfortunately, that cruelty has become the overwhelming response to the excesses of wokeness. I discuss what wokeness is, how it became excessive and give examples of how anti-wokeness has become cruel. I draw on an episode of the original Star Trek series to explore a path forward. Article [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/massachusetts-student-arrested-by-ice-on-his-way-to-volleyball-practice-has-been-released] - Massachusetts teen arrested by ICE https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/massachusetts-student-arrested-by-ice-on-his-way-to-volleyball-practice-has-been-released Article [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/massachusetts-student-arrested-by-ice-on-his-way-to-volleyball-practice-has-been-released] - USNS Harvey Milk renaming https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/massachusetts-student-arrested-by-ice-on-his-way-to-volleyball-practice-has-been-released Article [https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/education-ncaa-transgender-athletes-records-reversal-rcna191742] - Trans athletes in NCAA https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/education-ncaa-transgender-athletes-records-reversal-rcna191742 Article [https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/nichelle-nichols-remembers-dr-king] - Nichelle Nichols and MLK Jr. https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/nichelle-nichols-remembers-dr-king Article [https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Enemy_Within_(episode)] - Star Trek “The Enemy Within” https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Enemy_Within_(episode) Video [https://youtu.be/_AYsdW1RbWw?si=56EzCFxVvPfbrNDy] - “The Enemy Within” trailer https://youtu.be/_AYsdW1RbWw?si=56EzCFxVvPfbrNDy Video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXQQNUeb4Sw] - California’s Governor Newsome speaks in response to Trump takeover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXQQNUeb4Sw Video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiWkWcR86I]- Leonard Nimoy tells the story of the Vulcan salute that goes with the phrase “live long and prosper”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyiWkWcR86I Get full access to Michael Scott - Thinking Out Loud at mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Does America Still Want "Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free"?

In this episode I discuss my thoughts about how the U.S. is currently dealing with immigration and immigrants. As an immigrant to Israel I lean on my experience to compare Israel to the U.S. I also reserve some particularly sharp critique for Trump’s current Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller. Emma Lazarus’s sonnet [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46550/the-new-colossus] “The New Colossus” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46550/the-new-colossus Denver Mayor Mike Johnston [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz6U5vwCcak&t=299s] on his city’s handling of immigrants www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz6U5vwCcak&t=299s Ronald Reagan’s farewell address [https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/farewell-address-nation] https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/farewell-address-nation Stephen Miller’s early life [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/us/politics/stephen-miller-trump-white-house.html] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/us/politics/stephen-miller-trump-white-house.html Op-ed [https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/13/stephen-miller-is-an-immigration-hypocrite-i-know-because-im-his-uncle-219351/] by David Glosser, Miller’s uncle https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/13/stephen-miller-is-an-immigration-hypocrite-i-know-because-im-his-uncle-219351/ Kristi Noem’s photo op [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKYW5gKeOWc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKYW5gKeOWc Article [https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/debunking_the_myth_of_immigrants_and_crime.pdf] on immigrants and crime https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/debunking_the_myth_of_immigrants_and_crime.pdf Article [https://meirbrooks.wordpress.com/2025/05/18/racism-of-the-unadulterated-kind/]- “The Afrikaner Exception” by Meir Brooks https://meirbrooks.wordpress.com/2025/05/18/racism-of-the-unadulterated-kind Get full access to Michael Scott - Thinking Out Loud at mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Should Citizens Worry About Returning To The US?

I was an early adopter of social media, especially Facebook. It was a natural progression for me from writing letters to the editor, calling talk radio, and creating my own family website. I discuss some virtues and vices of social media and then how it might be skewing my perception of the behavior of the current US administration as it regards entry of citizens to the US in a very fraught environment where basic rights have been called into question. The Lipkin Family website [https://www.lipkinfamily.com/] https://www.lipkinfamily.com/ Ezra Klein explains [https://youtu.be/JN1oBfg0fwI?si=142FhSo_YytscylB] the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN1oBfg0fwI Article [https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/26/american-travelers-us-borders/82641005007/] about US Citizens stopped on entry https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2025/03/26/american-travelers-us-borders/82641005007/ Article [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/trump-rumeysa-ozturk-tufts-detention] about Tufts Student sent to detention center for writing an op-ed https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/trump-rumeysa-ozturk-tufts-detention Article [https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-wants-deport-some-us-citizens-el-salvador-2025-04-14/] about Trump’s statement regarding deportation of US citizens https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-wants-deport-some-us-citizens-el-salvador-2025-04-14/ Get full access to Michael Scott - Thinking Out Loud at mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

What If We Could 'Cure' Down Syndrome?

I have a 17 year old son with Down syndrome whom I adore. I discuss his birth, development, education and more. I then get into some philosophical issues regarding the growing trend to abort fetuses when Down syndrome is detected and a discussion of a hypothetical future where it would be possible to “cure” Down syndrome. My blog post [https://www.lipkinfamily.com/blog/adventure.htm] about Yisrael’s birth https://www.lipkinfamily.com/blog/adventure.htm Yisrael’s Bar Mitzvah highlight video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnzK5WLUUIM] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnzK5WLUUIM World Down Syndrome Day video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biex1XR_mpo] https://youtube.com/watch?v=Biex1XR_mpo My Substack article [https://mslipkin.substack.com/p/when-nurturing-goes-haywire-raising] “When Nurturing Goes Haywire - Raising A Child With Special Needs” https://mslipkin.substack.com/p/when-nurturing-goes-haywire-raising Instagram video [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEuxWlgRjZo/?igsh=OXM3aTRpd3ZlcTFx] by a woman with Down syndrome discussing some of these issues https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEuxWlgRjZo/?igsh=OXM3aTRpd3ZlcTFx Get full access to Michael Scott - Thinking Out Loud at mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe [https://mslipkin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]