The holiday soundtrack by Sue Robin

If you are ever in Los Angeles treat yourself to Joan’s on Third. Try the most tender and perfectly cooked omelet, crispy hash browns and fresh fruit, always served with a little edible flower on top. The covered patio has heaters so that even on this drizzly morning we could enjoy breakfast outside.

There is always music in the background: typically, a wide variety of oldies. Today, the Christmas soundtrack is playing. I do love many of the carols, but it is more difficult to hear this year when every day the news is filled with yet another antisemitic incident. The spirit of Christmas gets lost in the hatred.

This morning I saw that Ye was kicked off Twitter for posting a swastika. That is the same Twitter whose new owner has no trouble posting antisemitic garbage and who has welcomed back thousands of tweeters who have in the past posted hate-filled speech and deceptive information. I wonder how soon Ye will be reinstated.

Ye is also known for dining with a former president and an infamously well-known white nationalist, Nick Fuentes, who wishes all the Jews and Blacks be gone from this earth. The Ex-President says he did not invite the white nationalist, that Ye just brought him along. As though Ye, who wishes to decimate all the Jews and tweets swastikas, is an acceptable dinner partner. I wonder what his beloved daughter’s Jewish family thinks of his courting either hate-filled monster.

This Ex needs to keep his dwindling supporters happy. He and the Republican party have either sold their souls for the support of a wide variety of haters or, perhaps, they share these views, which means, of course, they have no soul.

Number 45 wants to be number 47 in 2024 and he sees his path to accomplish this not just by supporting the antisemites and the racists, but by courting those who participated in the violent attempt to overthrow our democracy. He is willing to win at any cost, including the destruction of our democracy through violence and hate.

The midterm elections gave some modicum of hope that more voters are no longer willing to support this amoral man, though, sadly, in some communities he still holds sway. How does one fight against hatred?

We can only hope that the soundtrack of this holiday season and the deeply rooted messages of the religions of the world — peace, love and light — will be what triumphs.