The Sands are Shifting, But We Must Stand Firm

Dear Supporters, Matt Agorist here. You may have noticed a quieter Free Thought Project lately. We've been grappling with heavy censorship, hindering our reach and frequency but not our spirit. Despite these challenges, we stand firm in our mission. We're actively countering the silence, committed to illuminating truths that many wish to keep in the dark.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Forwarded this email? [Subscribe here]() for more [The Sands are Shifting, But We Must Stand Firm]( [Matt Agorist]( Nov 14   [READ IN APP](   Dear Supporters, Matt Agorist here. You may have noticed a quieter Free Thought Project lately. We've been grappling with heavy censorship, hindering our reach and frequency but not our spirit. Despite these challenges, we stand firm in our mission. We're actively countering the silence, committed to illuminating truths that many wish to keep in the dark. I felt compelled to write this substack today because of something we’ve predicted and observed since Oct 7: the alarming rate at which former antiwar voices have abandoned their stance, ensnared by the two-party paradigm that we’ve so fiercely opposed over the last decade. This flip-flop is a stark reminder of the importance of our mission—to cut through the noise and offer clarity. Our latest article delves into this phenomenon, highlighting the dangers of political tribalism and its cost to human life and dignity. It's what motivated me to send out this message. We're still here, still fighting, and your support is as crucial as ever. Thank you for standing with us. Let's continue to challenge the status quo together. In Liberty, Matt Agorist [Upgrade to paid]( How to Make Society Accept and Embrace Genocide 'With This One Simple Trick' In a glaring display of hypocrisy that has become all too common in the partisan theater, many on the right, who once proudly wore the badge of anti-war, have pivoted their stance amidst the bloody conflict in Gaza. Their anti-war voices, once loud against interventions and regime change wars, have muted, revealing a troubling inconsistency. The invasion of Gaza by Israel following the horrific attack on the Jewish state by Hamas has been met not with calls for peace and diplomacy but with a hawkish embrace of military aid, interventionist policies, and the wholesale embrace of genocide — a significant departure from their previous calls for non-intervention. This flip-flop is a stark illustration of the power of party lines to cloud judgment, to turn the rational into zealots for causes they once denounced. It's a phenomenon we at The Free Thought Project have documented [extensively over the years,]( highlighting the cognitive dissonance that grips individuals when party loyalty eclipses principle and rational thought. The abrupt shift from advocating fiscal responsibility and caution in foreign entanglements to endorsing further indebtedness and military support for Israel reflects the influence of partisan lines over these easily dismissed principles. It clearly indicates how easily the masses can be swayed by party loyalty, even when it contradicts their previously held values. Nowhere is this more evident than in the recent escalations in Gaza. The same individuals who once cried foul over foreign entanglements now stand idly by or, worse, cheer as Israeli forces launch devastating attacks on Gaza, claiming the lives of thousands. The death toll, a harrowing figure predominantly composed of civilians, women, and children, seems to be just another statistic to those who've traded their anti-war ethos for a seat at the partisan table. The Ministry of Health in Gaza has released chilling numbers that paint a picture of a population under siege: over 11,100 Palestinians have been killed, with a disproportionate number of the victims being children and women. [1 out of every 200 Palestinians is now dead]( — which is nothing short of genocide — and instead of decrying it, many are begging for more.  This about-face isn't limited to war either. For years, Republicans lambasted the left for its rabid intolerance toward opposing viewpoints, decrying the 'cancel culture' that silences dissent. Yet, in a disheartening twist, these cries for free speech seem to vanish into thin air when it comes to the defense of Israel's actions. Any criticism of Israeli policy is met not with debate but with attempts to silence and discredit—a tactic they once condemned. [( The power of divide and conquer, a strategy as old as empire itself, is blatantly at play, yet both sides of the political aisle are blind to their roles in this age-old game. They fail to see how they are being manipulated by the powers that be, the very ones who reap the profits of perpetual war. Just as the left flooded their social media profiles with Ukraine flag emojis in 2022, the right is following in their footsteps, but with Israel's flag instead.  In our reporting, we have seen time and again how the war machine capitalizes on such divisions. The manipulative power of these divisive strategies remains as potent as ever, and the masses are led into a spiral of selective morality that denounces war one day and champions genocide the next, depending on the narrative fed by party leaders. This is unsustainable and will ultimately lead to extremely tough times — and not just in these far-off lands. Governments have a history of manipulating nationalist sentiment to justify their own acts of internal suppression and violence. And the United States has a clear track record of it. Whether it's through the war on drugs, the war on terror, or the countless other 'wars' on abstract concepts, the same principles of division and fear-mongering are employed to gain public acceptance for state-sponsored violence. In America, this has often resulted in a militarized police force and a prison-industrial complex that disproportionately affects minority communities, perpetuating a cycle of violence and incarceration that echoes the desolation of war-torn regions. The path to avoiding the collapse of civilization is not through the barrel of a gun or the blast of a bomb. It is through the realization that these wars are [not mere accidents of history; they are deliberate actions,]( benefiting a select few at the expense of the many. The stark reality is that the Palestinian people, subjected to decades of displacement and slaughter, are not the ones who benefit from this bloodshed. One need only look at where the money flows to see the real benefactors. The solution to this madness is not easy, but it is clear: we must see beyond the divisive tactics that pit us against each other. We must recognize the true beneficiaries of war and refuse to be pawns in their game. Only by shedding the blinders of partisanship and embracing a collective call for peace can we hope to steer our global community away from the precipice of destruction. Until we unite against the warmongers, until we reject the division that weakens us, we remain vulnerable to the whims of those who profit from our discord. The time to awaken to this reality is now, before we are all irreparably divided and conquered — to death. Only when we recognize that the wars and conflicts waged in our names do not serve our interests, but those of a powerful few, can we begin to forge a path toward genuine peace. It is not through increased militarization or censorship that we will find salvation, but through a steadfast commitment to liberty, transparency, and the unyielding pursuit of justice for all peoples. Only then can we hope to break the cycle of war and division that threatens to consume us all. Invite your friends and earn rewards If you enjoy The Free Thought Project, share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe. [Invite Friends](   [Like]( [Comment]( [Restack](   © 2023 Matt Agorist 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104 [Unsubscribe]() [Get the app]( writing]()