Lion Jet Down, The Synagogue Dead

Jet Down: A Lion Air jet carrying 189 people went down today in the ocean shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. It was headed to an island off Sumatra.

Rescuers have found debris but expect there will be no survivors. The Boeing-737 MAX went into service just months ago. Minutes after takeoff the pilot told controllers he was returning to the airport, but the plane soon disappeared from radar.

Kaddish: The victims of Saturday’s Pittsburgh synagogue shooting included a husband and wife, a pair of brothers, and a 97-year-old woman. The youngest was 54 and three were in their 80s. Authorities identified all 11 of the dead.

It is believed to be the most deadly attack on Jews in American history.

Ninety-year-old E. Joseph Charny told the The Washington Post he was sitting in the pews Saturday morning waiting for services to start when a man appeared in the doorway  and suddenly there were gunshots. “I looked up and there were all these dead bodies,” Charny said. He ran and hid in a third floor storage rom. “I wasn’t in the mood to stay there,” he said.

Police say that when the accused shooter, 46-year-old Robert Bowers, was captured, he told a SWAT officer, “They’re committing genocide to my people. I just want to kill Jews.”

Bowers was found in possession of an AR-15 rifle and three handguns. He had 21 guns registered to his name. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto called the attack the “darkest day of Pittsburgh’s history.” He said, “The approach we need to be looking at is how we take the guns — the common denominator of every mass shooting in America — out of the hands of those looking to express hatred through murder.”

Words and Actions: The synagogue shooting and the string of pipe bombs sent to liberal critics of President Trump have spurred debate about whether the President’s political fear-mongering has sparked political violence. Trump has both condemned violence and admired it, most recently saying how much he liked a politician who body-slammed a reporter.

Yesterday he tweeted insults about Tom Steyer, the California billionaire running a campaign to have Trump impeached. The President wrote, “Just watched Wacky Tom Steyer, who I have not seen in action before, be interviewed by @jaketapper. He comes off as a crazed & stumbling lunatic who should be running out of money pretty soon.”

Steyer had accused House Majority leader Kevin McCarthy of posting an anti-Semitic tweet that was later taken down.

Later, Trump tweeted, “The Fake News is doing everything in their power to blame Republicans, Conservatives and me for the division and hatred that has been going on for so long in our Country.”

Conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt says in The Washington Post, “Don’t blame political figures for violence they don’t specifically encourage and intend, and don’t confuse rally rhetoric with criminal behavior because you don’t like the speaker or the message. Prosecute criminals, not speech.”

Also in the Post,  Julia Ioffe writes that, “Culpability is a tricky thing, and politicians, especially of the demagogic variety, know this very well. Unless they go as far as organized, documented, state-implemented slaughter, they don’t give specific directions. They don’t have to. They simply set the tone. In the end, someone else does the dirty work, and they never have to lift a finger — let alone stain it with blood.”

Champions: The once-cursed Boston Red Sox won their fourth World Series in 15 years last night in Los Angeles, beating the Dodgers 5-1, and taking the Series 4-1.

With 119 wins in the regular season and playoffs, the Sox are being described as one of the best teams in the history of baseball. Red Sox owner John Henry said “They were just relentless throughout the season. It was their unity and sense of purpose. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

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It's Been Said

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