Reader’s Links for January 13th, 2026

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Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.

This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.

So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.

This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.

For those interested, please check out https://vladtepesblog.substack.com/ as an another avenue of expression. The Substack is a different project in a sense. It is older videos that in the light of subsequent events, look different or of increased importance, Check it out now and again if you like.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

17 Replies to “Reader’s Links for January 13th, 2026”

  4. The Prophetic Mussar of the Tohor midda of t’shuva

    The Torah Parashat Vayishlach ?????? ??-?? addresses time-oriented commandments wherein “time” refers to wisdom rather than literal time tick-tock past history narratives. This Torah portion navigates complex stories which includes genealogies that embody deeper moral and ethical rebukes which later generations need to explore as understood through the wisdom of Mussar; a Jewish ethical, educational rebuke: active pursuit of fair restitution/compensation to the victim—rather than mere emotional guilt or substitutionary atonement. The relationship dynamics between Jacob’s family and the people of Shechem illustrate the significance of respecting sexual boundaries and ensuring that interactions conducted with both respect & honor. This contrasts sharply with certain Christian theological models of repentance, where forgiveness is framed through vicarious sacrifice, often without direct address of the victim’s pain or ongoing accountability.

     T’shuva a key tohor middah. It fundamentally requires remembering the past through introspection, as exemplified through the month of Elul, Rosh HaShanna and Yom Kippur. This “wisdom” makes no attempt to justify past reactionary folly. But rather attempts to weigh the need to address the nature of damages inflicted upon others which requires some kind of mutually agreed upon fair compensation of damages. The Prince and people of Sh’Cem sought to profit from their crimes, they never considered the need to fairly compensate the Yaacov and his family for the rape of his daughter. Simeon and Levi massacre the males, rescue Dinah, and the other brothers plunder the city. Jacob rebukes them for endangering the family, but they retort: “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?” (p’suk 34:31)—highlights their raw demand for justice, even if their method exceeds Torah bounds. Jacob’s return to Bethel, Rachel’s death in childbirth, and Esau’s genealogy—highlighting continuity across generations

    The genealogies imply that this wisdom of remembering past sexual folly, in order to due t’shuva – meaning pay some agreed upon terms or amounts to achieve some fair compensation of damages, greatly differs from the alien and utterly foreign substitute theology of repentance which totally ignores the pain suffered by the victims. Mussar principles of self-examination, character refinement, and moral accountability. T’shuva, a tohor middah, centers on honest remembrance of harm—especially sexual violation or disgrace (avoda zara dishonor in broader terms)—coupled with active, victim-centered restitution rather than emotional guilt or vicarious substitution. Esau’s extensive genealogy, underscore generational continuity: moral failings (or rectifications) simply don’t just disappear after the criminal generation dies out. War-crimes against Humanity never erased but must be confronted by descendants. Fear of Heaven means that peoples’ pursue t’shuva consequent to their ruined Good Name reputations, which might never heal across the span of generations.

    Guilt theology, such as ‘this false messiah died for you’ not the same thing as remembering past personal, in this specific case sex disgrace or avoda zara dishonor. This significant distinction – a vital Mussar k’vanna throughout the T’NaCH, Talmud, and Midrashim. Which embodies the principles of accountability, respect, and reflection, absolutely symbolized through Torah judicial court-trials, which make fair restitution of damages inflicted – as exemplified by the 10 plagues and the splitting of the Sea of Reeds.

     True t’shuva requires an honest acknowledgment of one’s sexual missteps, facilitating a path towards genuine correction and healing that others have suffered. The narratives compel us to reflect on past actions rather than ignore them, emphasizing that growth comes from inevitable missteps and the commitment to make amends. This t’shuva simply crucial for both individuals and communities seeking to forge healthy relationships. The detailed lineages rebuke the generations that moral failings (or corrections) pass down. Each generation must reflect on predecessors’ actions, rectify where possible, and avoid repeating past folly. This collective responsibility rejects “be here now” spiritual hippie individualism. Instead it fosters an ongoing ethical growth in families and communities.

     The actions of Shechem and his father highlight a critical ethical breach: the attempt to profit from wrongdoing without appropriate restitution. In contrast, the expectation of justice in Jewish law mandates compensatory measures for harm done. This underscores the significance of fairness and moral responsibility in interactions. The judicial trials and structures presented serve as models for community accountability. They reinforce the idea that restitution: not simply limited to mere transactional affair, but an ethical obligation that reflects respect for the victim and for communal harmony. The 1939 British White Paper triggered the Shoah as did American pride which now viewed refugee populations as inferior scum on par with Christ-Killer slanders.

    American attitudes in the 1930s–1940s reflected restrictive immigration quotas, intensified by the Great Depression, isolationism, and widespread antisemitism—including lingering “Christ-killer” slanders that portrayed Jews as collectively responsible for Jesus’ death, fueling prejudice. The 1938 Évian Conference (convened by FDR) exposed global reluctance: most nations (including the U.S.) refused to expand quotas for Jewish refugees, even post-Kristallnacht. Polls showed strong American opposition (e.g., ~72% against more Jewish immigrants in late 1938), sometimes viewing refugees as undesirable or inferior—echoing demeaning stereotypes. This collective failure to act, prioritizing national interests over humanitarian rescue, parallels the Shechemites’ self-serving avoidance of true restitution.

     The genealogical refrains in these chapters further embody the continuity of responsibility across generations. They remind us that recognizing and rectifying past wrongs not limited to an individual personal journey. But rather a collective one, where each generation – called to learn from and address the failings of those before them. The ‘born again Xtian’ represents a total negation that limits faith to “be here now”. The narratives of this Torah prophetic mussar therefore serves as a powerful Aggadic/Midrashic story in the T’NaCH tradition which punctuates the importance of accountability, respect, and fair restitution.

     Through introspection and a commitment to t’shuva, individuals and communities strive to navigate their moral landscapes, with the common goal of achieving integrity in communal relationships and actions. This wisdom encourages a richly nuanced understanding of justice which emphasizes and prioritizes the transformative power of genuine reflection and ethical responsibilities, promoting healing and mutual respect among and between Jewish marriages and families. This prophetic call in Vayishlach urges ethical integrity, respect for boundaries (sexual and otherwise), and ongoing responsibility, vital for Jewish continuity and mutual honor in relationships.

  5. Ron Ben-Yishai (he’s good):
    Iran’s regime takes harsh measures and sends a signal to Washington

    Analysis: Iranian security forces obedience of shoot to kill order sows fear among protesters, but appeal to US to return to negotiations signals there is a chance of lifting the sanctions and improving the economic situation that brought them to the streets in the first place

    The Iranian regime has given a clear directive to security forces – the police, the Revolutionary Guards, and the Basij militia – to shoot to kill. The result has been hundreds of deaths.

    Unlike in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries during the Arab Spring, where the security forces ultimately refused to fire on civilians, the regime’s security forces have remained loyal.

    This loyalty stems in large part from the regime’s religious-jihadist character. The Arab regimes that fell during the Arab Spring were all secular.

    Iran’s regime is a jihadist theocracy whose loyalists are driven by extreme Islamist ideology – making them willing to do what their counterparts in other countries would not.

    https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/syk4tamsze#autoplay

    • Israel adopts cautious tone amid Iran’s internal crisis – analysis

      According to political sources, the security establishment asked ministers to curb their remarks on the protests crackdown, out of concern that every word could within minutes become propaganda.

      There is no working assumption in Jerusalem that the Iranian regime is about to fall.

      The prevailing assessment is that Tehran’s rulers know how to buy time, survive pressure, and maintain control.

      Israel’s security establishment has asked ministers to curb public comments on the protests in Iran and the crackdown, out of concern that every word could support the claim that Israel is behind the protests.

      Israeli officials understand that the moment their government is seen as leading the Iranian street, the regime receives a gift: a clean narrative that allows it to shift from repression to “national defense.”

      https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-883060

    • How the Iranian regime plans to survive its own collapse

      The Revolutionary Guard aims to hold on to power while shedding its most discredited skin. The people fighting for freedom can’t let that happen

      When the Islamic Republic begins to crack, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will move, according to plans already rehearsed, to ensure that the regime does not truly end but merely changes costume.

      The IRGC was built to protect the architecture of power. It was designed as the regime’s guarantor: an armed ideology with its own intelligence organs, its own patronage and procurement networks, and its own commercial empire. It has spent decades perfecting its survival doctrine.

      The IRGC will present itself as the sole barrier between Iran and chaos. It understands that anxious populations can be stampeded into accepting the familiar jailer as the price of avoiding an unknown disorder. Iranians must reject the seductive lie that stability requires the continued dominance of the very apparatus that destroyed civic life. Stability is not the continuation of fear. Stability is the restoration of law.

      https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-irgcs-exit-strategy-how-the-regime-plans-to-survive-its-own-collapse/

  6. “…Lenin is famously quoted (or paraphrased) as saying, “There is no subtler, no surer means of overturning the existing basis of society than to debauch the currency,” highlighting how inflation and currency debasement destroy wealth, impoverish the middle class, and destabilize capitalism by making money worthless, a tactic he saw as vital for revolution. He described how governments use inflation to confiscate wealth secretly and arbitrarily, turning wealth into a lottery and destroying faith in money…”.

  9. Help is on the way,’ Donald Trump says as he urges Iranians to ‘keep protesting’ | BBC News – 24 minutes ago

  11. President Trump is Bringing World Peace One Way or Another – the Mexican Cartels May Be Next

    President Trump is bringing world peace one way or another.

    Agreements were established last year with countries that were willing to come to a peace agreement.

    Thailand and Cambodia,

    Israel and Iran,

    Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

    India and Pakistan,

    Egypt and Ethiopia,

    along with the historic peace agreements from his first term — including with Serbia and Kosovo and the Abraham Accords.
    This year, the strategy is a little different. This year, the President is working for peace through strength.

    Coming into 2026, Hamas and Hezbollah had been destroyed by Israel. US bombers destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities at President Trump’s direction in 2025. Iran’s Army was targeted in strategic attacks by Israel in 2025.

    That led to days after the New Year when President Trump captured and jailed Venezuela’s terrorist leader, Maduro.

    This week, President Trump also told the leadership in Cuba that their services were no longer needed in Venezuela and that the US was going to protect the Venezuelan leadership going forward. Now it is being reported that trains carrying tons of military equipment are heading towards the Mexican border.

    President Trump has been training special ops for war with the cartels for months.

    Reports are also emerging that Mexico is deploying troops to the front. Mexico will either be with us or against us.

    https://joehoft.com/president-trump-is-bringing-world-peace-one-way-or-another-the-mexican-cartels-may-be-next/

  12. At a glance, Russians commenting are entertained by the Maduro Affair. As for Iran, they just don’t want a lotta shitte refugees. China’s the big loser, as far as they’re concerned. (And NO boo-hoos for “dog-eaters”.)

    Yesterday they were going on and on trying to figure out the “sonic weapon”.
    booorrring

    Today:
    A donkey loaded with gold will take any fortress.
    The principle “A donkey loaded with gold will take any fortress,” attributed to Philip II of Macedon, has long been used by the US, so what’s the point of changing the manual if it’s already working perfectly? It worked in Chile, Panama, Nicaragua, Iraq, Libya, and many other places.

    “It worked in Venezuela too. But why all the admiration? Yes, the operation was planned and executed with great skill; the corrupted army command watched silently as US special forces valiantly fought Maduro’s Cuban guards (and here’s the million-dollar question:
    WHY?

    “Why Cubans and not locals?) and the president was evacuated by helicopter.…”