'Hamas has intentionally engineered a massive national calamity'

'Hamas is getting not only what it wants, but is counting on'

Hussein Ibish in The New Republic

"Palestinians should never forgive Hamas for the calamity unfolding in Gaza," says Hussein Ibish in The New Republic. Acknowledging Hamas' "betrayal" of the Palestinian people "doesn't absolve Israel of responsibility" for its own "abuses." But Hamas knew slaughtering civilians in Israel on Oct. 7 would provoke "disproportionate and indiscriminate" attacks on Gaza. Hamas sacrificed "blameless Palestinians" in a cynical bid to dominate the rival Fatah faction in the fight for control over the Palestinian movement.

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'Home schooling is taking off'

David Strom at Hot Air

Parents are "waking up to how badly public schools are failing," says David Strom at Hot Air. The number of kids being home-schooled jumped 51% in the last six years. Enrollment rose 7% at private schools and fell 4% at public schools. It's clear what's driving the trend. "Public schools are an ideological and academic disaster in most places." Private schools are "veering far Left at a disturbing pace." Home-schooling puts parents in control.

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'What's really going on here besides ego and political theater?'

LZ Granderson in the Los Angeles Times

At this point, Colin Kaepernick's exile from the NFL "is beyond stupid," says LZ Granderson in the Los Angeles Times. Kaepernick, a gifted quarterback, was forced off the field for kneeling during the national anthem in a "protest against police brutality." But shunning Kaepernick was never about standing up for law and order. Conservatives' willingness to ignore Donald Trump's legal troubles proves it was all just "weaponized" patriotism. It's time to "let Kaepernick compete."

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'Wellness influencers pushing "natural" birth control are all over the place'

Jessica Grose in The New York Times

Some people are suddenly ditching highly effective hormonal birth control, says Jessica Grose in The New York Times. One reason: conservative social media influencers are "weaponizing" rare problems to help them push alternatives from "the rhythm method, also known as fertility awareness," to poultices. These ideas have gained traction partly because some medical professionals "downplay the side effects of hormonal birth control methods that many women experience." Avoiding open discussion opens the door to misinformation.

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