The story of the National SJP encampment at Swarthmore College continues to evolve.
We know that there were nine arrests of SJPers, and only two of them were connected with Swarthmore. Having heard the story from KYW, I walked up from the train station and found the “tent city” in front of Trotter Hall. It turns out that if I had tried to enter by the Visitor’s Parking Lot, I might have been turned away as an “outside agitator”. The two persons from SJP who spoke to me handed out flyers, one from Writers Against The War On Gaza and another listing their demands, primarily against Swarthmore College’s collaboration with Cisco.
By inviting outsiders to join the protest, the SJP, who have their right to protest, stirred up, as Don Imus used to say “a big bowl of stupid”. This gave the College Administration the right to do what they did. It should also be noted that the College intermittently blocked outside access to the Phoenix College Newspaper or that the Swarthmore Public Library had a strange malfunction.
Note; There are 18 pages to the most recent article from the Phoenix.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that this action actually began on April 30. A SJP spokesperson, Ash, said “We want divestment from Cisco because this is a tech company that is used to surveil Palestinians,” .
This is the Instagram Swarthmore SJP with it’s most recent updates.
Val Smith, president of Swarthmore College says that SJP inviting people from “outside the Campus Community to join them” led her to take action.
The actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu are being used as justification for both legitimate protest actions and increasing anti-semitism. That’s the current situation.
Answer to yesterday’s puzzle: Money is only useful when you get rid of it. It is like the odd card in ‘Old Maid’; the player who is finally left with it has lost.
Evelyn Waugh
Clean Skies In Springfield, Pa. — We just walked our highly connected Luna, looked up at the Springfield (Delco, Pa) sky and noticed something missing.
Yes, there were no long-lasting “contrails” anywhere.
Has Bobby done something? The Donald?
Here’s what the sky looked like in February 2024 albeit in Bucks County.
Faith cannot be proved William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 5-8-25
Bdctn xh dcan jhtuja lwtc ndj vti gxs du xi. Xi xh axzt iwt dss rpgs xc ‘Das Bpxs’; iwt eapntg lwd xh uxcpaan atui lxiw xi wph adhi.
Tktanc Lpjvw
Answer to yesterday’s puzzle: Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.
Blaise Pascal
Wild Night At The Phoenix Grill — Josh Prince’s meet and greet, May 1, at the Phoenix Bar and Grill in Aston was wild.
Not because of Prince, of course.
Prince is the unendorsed Republican candidate for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in the May 20 Primary.
He was the scheduled speaker along with Lou Perti, a candidate for Upper Chichester commissioner.
According to our source, Lou brought with him Chichester School Board candidate Tim Crawford; and Tessalieni Kelley, who heads Chester’s GOP.
Also attending was Charlie Alexander. Charlie is running a write-in campaign for Delco Council after being removed from the ballot in a rather cheap trick.. He did get 1,500 signatures, after all.
Charlie, as he is running a campaign and has a strong following, was invited to take the mic as a courtesy to make some short comments.
His attendance, by the way, had not been announced much less that he’d be a speaker.
Well Charlie, as per our source, saw Crawford and Kelley, who he blames for some of his problems. He called them out and the comments became a rant.
After returning the mic, Charlie left the room and touched Crawford on the way out. Some say it was a brush. Some say it was a slap. Regardless, nobody was knocked down or hurt.
The confrontation continued in the parking lot.
We understand a police report was filed later that night but no charges have resulted.
Regarding Prince, the crowd was apparently pleased with what he said.
Advice for Charlie, who actually sometimes has good ideas and articulates them well:
Grow thick skin.
My way or the highway means you end up on the highway.