Allen Jackson: January 14, 2025 | Allen Jackson Now

January 14, 2025 | S25:E114

Allen Jackson NOW is a lifeline for a struggling and anxious nation. A guiding hand for those who are not ready to give up, and for those who want to find a way past the negativity before things get worse. Americans still have hope, they are searching for the wisdom embedded in a Christian World View.

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Allen Jackson NOW | Allen Jackson: January 14, 2025 | Allen Jackson Now | January 14, 2025
  • Good evening, i'm alan jackson.
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  • Welcome to nashville.
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  • It's been more than a year since the brutal hamas
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  • Attack on the jews at the nobel music festival.
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  • A year of tears and mourning, but also a year of pushing back.
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  • Not just in gaza, but in lebanon and iran as well.
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  • In this country, it's also been an extremely challenging year
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  • Since the u.s.
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  • And israel have a strong relationship and a rich history.
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  • But from the college campuses
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  • To the streets to the businesses and even neighborhoods,
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  • Our jewish community in the states has been under attack.
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  • No one is giving up.
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  • And in some cases, it's made our jewish allies even stronger,
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  • More ready to fight back, it seems.
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  • Which brings us to our guest tonight,
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  • Joining us right here in nashville, e.j.
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  • Campbell, the director of the interfaith
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  • Outreach and engagement, and natalie sanandaji,
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  • Who survived the attack at the nova music festival
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  • And is now a public affairs officer.
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  • Both work for the combat anti-semitism movement.
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  • Welcome to our. show.
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  • Thank you.
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  • Natalie, i want to start i think, with the most obvious.
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  • We want to know how you're doing.
  • 00:01:06.591 --> 00:01:07.959
  • You've had over a year now since that horrific attack at nova.
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  • Tell us how you are.
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  • I feel very fortunate, especially,
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  • Since about a month after the attacks, i started
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  • Working for the combat anti-semitism movement
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  • And working with them and speaking out
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  • And speaking out on the news and interviewing
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  • Has given me the opportunity to take something horrible
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  • That happened to me and try to turn it into something good.
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  • A lot of the work we do is with interfaith relations,
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  • And i'm just trying to build a better future.
  • 00:01:36.555 --> 00:01:40.258
  • Well, i have been there.
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  • I mean, i've walked through that field
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  • And then i've walked through the
  • 00:01:43.461 --> 00:01:45.030
  • To the streets of those communities
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  • That were so traumatized by that horror.
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  • And i want you to just our
  • 00:01:49.968 --> 00:01:53.572
  • The compassion we have
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  • For what you've been required to overcome, i think is amazing.
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  • The courage you and the israeli community
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  • Has demonstrated for the whole global community
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  • To see the way you have overcome that is truly remarkable.
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  • Thank you. it's a gift to all of us.
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  • Thank you very much.
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  • I think more people in this country need to hear your story,
  • 00:02:09.854 --> 00:02:12.757
  • Because the support from
  • 00:02:12.757 --> 00:02:13.758
  • This country has been unfortunately, mixed.
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  • Something your prime minister
  • 00:02:17.028 --> 00:02:18.363
  • Was not hesitant about addressing.
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  • What's happening on america's college campuses is horrific.
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  • Antisemitic mobs have taken over leading
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  • Universities that call for the annihilation of israel.
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  • They attacked jewish students.
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  • They attacked jewish faculty.
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  • This is reminiscent of what happened
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  • In german universities in the 1930s.
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  • It's unconscionable.
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  • It has to be stopped.
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  • It has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally.
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  • But that's not what happened. the response
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  • Of several university presidents was shameful.
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  • I really want to hear from both of you on this.
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  • I was shocked at what happened
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  • Here in the states, on our university campuses.
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  • Did you expect that?
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  • Did you understand that was coming,
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  • Or was that as much of a shock the use it was to me.
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  • You tell us first, but i want you both to comment.
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  • I started interviewing, just about four days
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  • After the attacks.
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  • And the reason why, to me, it felt so necessary to do so
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  • Is because i completely expected this reaction from the world.
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  • Unfortunately, i, i knew that very soon,
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  • Right after the attacks,
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  • There was a little bit of
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  • Silence. and then i knew very soon
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  • The world will start attacking us.
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  • And that's why i wanted to interview.
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  • I wanted to put a face to the statistics,
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  • And i hoped that through interviewing,
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  • People would see me and think to themselves,
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  • You know, this could have been my daughter.
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  • This could have been my friend.
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  • I feel that it's harder to see a face
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  • And then to flat out say these attacks were justified.
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  • The rape was justified. the killing was justified.
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  • So i did expect it.
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  • And that's why
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  • It was so important for me to start interviewing right away.
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  • You know, e.j.,
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  • I've lived in israel.
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  • I studied at the university there.
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  • So i have some awareness.
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  • But i wasn't prepared for what boiled up on these campuses.
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  • Were you surprised by that?
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  • Unfortunately, i was not.
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  • As as an organization, we were started in february
  • 00:04:15.980 --> 00:04:20.785
  • 2019, and we were started because we saw that
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  • There were areas in fighting anti-semitism
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  • That weren't getting the
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  • Attention they needed in a major area was on college campuses.
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  • This issue was there for years.
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  • It's been cultivated for generations
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  • On these college campuses, and it was masked under the guise
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  • Of free speech when they would shut down
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  • Speakers who had viewpoints that they didn't agree with,
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  • Whether it was conservative voices, whether it was idf
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  • Or former idf soldiers coming to campus to talk.
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  • So when october 7th happened, and 24 hours
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  • Later, you've got protests starting on college campuses.
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  • Sadly, it wasn't a shock to me, but to you and to many people,
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  • It was a complete shock that this was happening.
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  • But october 7th
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  • Was not
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  • The cause for the protests on college campuses.
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  • October 7th was the excuse
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  • To launch this movement on college campuses
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  • Because they are they are siding with a terrorist organization,
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  • Not standing up for the rights of the palestinian people.
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  • They were standing up for a terrorist organization
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  • Aiming to commit genocide against the jewish people.
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  • Well, what was shocking was these high profile universities.
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  • I won't call him a lead any longer
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  • With these high profile schools had clearly
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  • Been creating propaganda in their students.
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  • They weren't informed.
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  • They didn't even understand what they were chanting.
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  • They've just been mobilized along an ideology of hate,
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  • And they're paying enormous amounts of money
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  • To be programed in a very disgusting way.
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  • So do you think we can change the nature of these campuses?
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  • What do we have to do to turn that around?
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  • Yeah, i think the biggest thing
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  • To turn this around is leadership.
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  • We saw that certain universities where college presidents
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  • Would come out and say, this is not okay on our campus.
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  • We are going to stand up and protect
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  • The rights of jewish students and not just jewish students,
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  • But those that are supporting israel.
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  • Right.
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  • Versus these, you know, former, elite universities
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  • Where their college presidents were afraid to speak the truth,
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  • Which is that activity, those actions are reprehensible
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  • And should be violating their codes of conduct
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  • And should be called out immediately and shut down.
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  • Those those were creating a hostile environment
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  • For jewish students and would not have been tolerated against,
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  • Any other minority group on their campus.
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  • That's absolutely true.
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  • It's an issue of leadership, and it's something that
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  • We've seen as a major failure at a lot of these universities.
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  • And when we allow it in the universities
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  • That it infects the broader culture,
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  • Because the students absorb that propaganda and go out
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  • Into the marketplace with that hate planted in their soul.
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  • I think a recent example of that that was so clear.
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  • While the idf was mapping out a strategy to respond to iran,
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  • Their plans were leaked from the pentagon.
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  • I mean,
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  • That is anti semitism on display.
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  • But no doubt those seeds planted in some elite university.
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  • How does that feel
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  • To the jewish community when the pentagon is leaking
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  • Israel's battle plans?
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  • Yeah, it's, it's very dangerous.
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  • And one of the biggest challenges from that leak
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  • Was the trust between the united states and israel.
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  • I mean, the the united states and israel are,
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  • You know, israel is one of the united states, its closest
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  • Ally and certainly the closest ally in the region.
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  • And when israel cannot trust
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  • That these conversations at high levels
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  • Will be kept secret,
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  • It disturbs that trust.
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  • And it's not just a threat for israel in the region.
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  • But imagine now,
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  • If israel is carrying out these actions against iran,
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  • And the united states is partially in the dark about
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  • What's going to happen and when it's going to happen.
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  • And the risk
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  • That that could potentially pose to our troops in the region.
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  • So it's it's a very dangerous situation.
  • 00:08:51.489 --> 00:08:54.492
  • And you're right.
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  • What's started on the college campuses,
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  • All those people there, they go out and have jobs
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  • And it
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  • Permeates into their their daily lives.
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  • Well, you're both very gracious.
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  • It doesn't just disturb trust.
  • 00:09:08.406 --> 00:09:09.974
  • It's a breach of trust.
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  • And that has to be identified, rooted out.
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  • We can't tolerate it and accept that this.
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  • It's just not okay.
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  • When we come back, we'd like to hear what it was like for you.
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  • Natalie. on october the 7th.
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  • We'll be back in just a moment.
  • 00:09:22.887 --> 00:09:29.009
  • We'll be back in just a moment.
  • 00:09:29.009 --> 00:09:31.696
  • Well, we're back now with e.j.
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  • Kimball, the director of interfaith
  • 00:09:33.631 --> 00:09:35.099
  • Outreach and engagement
  • 00:09:35.099 --> 00:09:36.834
  • And the public affairs officer, natalie sanandaji.
  • 00:09:36.834 --> 00:09:40.104
  • They both now work to combat anti-semitism.
  • 00:09:40.104 --> 00:09:43.374
  • Natalie, can you take just a few minutes
  • 00:09:44.208 --> 00:09:46.344
  • And tell us about your experiences on october 7th?
  • 00:09:46.344 --> 00:09:49.047
  • We've seen the news clips, but i'm sure
  • 00:09:49.047 --> 00:09:51.416
  • What your experiences were dramatically different.
  • 00:09:51.416 --> 00:09:54.218
  • So me and my friends arrived at the festival at around 1 a.m..
  • 00:09:54.218 --> 00:09:58.156
  • And typically with festivals like these,
  • 00:09:58.156 --> 00:10:00.024
  • They go anywhere from 24 hours to three days.
  • 00:10:00.024 --> 00:10:02.794
  • So you bring camping gear with you.
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  • You bring sleeping bags and tents.
  • 00:10:04.495 --> 00:10:06.664
  • And after a few hours of dancing, me
  • 00:10:06.664 --> 00:10:08.900
  • And my friends
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  • Decided to rest for a few hours and wake up for the sunrise
  • 00:10:10.134 --> 00:10:12.537
  • Set of the festival, which is supposed
  • 00:10:12.537 --> 00:10:14.439
  • To be the most exciting part.
  • 00:10:14.439 --> 00:10:16.641
  • And instead of waking up to the sound of the sunrise set music,
  • 00:10:16.641 --> 00:10:20.111
  • We woke up to the sound of rockets.
  • 00:10:20.111 --> 00:10:21.846
  • And for me, when i started interviewing,
  • 00:10:22.647 --> 00:10:24.582
  • One of the most important things for me to point out
  • 00:10:24.582 --> 00:10:26.818
  • To american audiences is the way we were woken up.
  • 00:10:26.818 --> 00:10:29.987
  • So one of our friends was on the dance floor
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  • When the first rockets were intercepted,
  • 00:10:32.023 --> 00:10:33.624
  • And she knew that we were sleeping,
  • 00:10:33.624 --> 00:10:35.426
  • And she wants to come wake us up
  • 00:10:35.426 --> 00:10:36.627
  • And make sure we were alert to the situation.
  • 00:10:36.627 --> 00:10:39.163
  • So she came and she was smiling, and she kind of nudged us away
  • 00:10:39.163 --> 00:10:42.266
  • Because she's like, good morning, guys.
  • 00:10:42.266 --> 00:10:44.135
  • I just wanted you to know a few rockets were intercepted
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  • Overhead, but it's fine.
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  • It's normal for the area that we're in.
  • 00:10:48.673 --> 00:10:50.274
  • And, you know, it's the holidays.
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  • They like to do this on the holidays.
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  • I'm sure it's just going to be a few.
  • 00:10:53.244 --> 00:10:54.746
  • It'll pass and the party will continue.
  • 00:10:54.746 --> 00:10:56.347
  • So like, nothing to worry about.
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  • Just wanted you guys to be awake.
  • 00:10:57.815 --> 00:11:00.051
  • And i tried to tell people, you know,
  • 00:11:00.051 --> 00:11:02.019
  • Imagine a festival happening in california, imagine coachella
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  • Festival and imagine people are dancing and suddenly
  • 00:11:05.723 --> 00:11:08.559
  • Rockets are intercepted over their heads.
  • 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.829
  • There's no way that they would react in such a calm manner.
  • 00:11:11.829 --> 00:11:14.932
  • But for israelis, unfortunately, this is their reality.
  • 00:11:14.932 --> 00:11:17.635
  • This is something they deal with on a semi-regular basis.
  • 00:11:17.635 --> 00:11:21.506
  • But i started counting the rockets, and eventually
  • 00:11:21.506 --> 00:11:24.475
  • We start to realize
  • 00:11:24.475 --> 00:11:25.443
  • This is a way more serious situation
  • 00:11:25.443 --> 00:11:27.712
  • Than what we originally thought.
  • 00:11:27.712 --> 00:11:29.714
  • The security tells us to evacuate.
  • 00:11:30.481 --> 00:11:32.150
  • We start heading to our cars.
  • 00:11:32.150 --> 00:11:34.485
  • After a few minutes of trying to drive out,
  • 00:11:34.485 --> 00:11:36.454
  • It's thousands of people trying to drive at the same time.
  • 00:11:36.454 --> 00:11:39.290
  • We're driving very slowly,
  • 00:11:39.290 --> 00:11:40.458
  • And security starts yelling at us
  • 00:11:40.458 --> 00:11:41.826
  • To get out of our cars and start running.
  • 00:11:41.826 --> 00:11:44.395
  • And we couldn't understand why
  • 00:11:44.395 --> 00:11:45.363
  • They would tell us to run from rockets.
  • 00:11:45.363 --> 00:11:46.798
  • But we figured, you know, we should listen to them.
  • 00:11:46.798 --> 00:11:48.366
  • So we pull our car over.
  • 00:11:48.366 --> 00:11:50.268
  • And right after we pull our car over,
  • 00:11:50.268 --> 00:11:52.770
  • That's when we hear the first gunshots.
  • 00:11:52.770 --> 00:11:54.939
  • And from there, we ran for about four hours
  • 00:11:54.939 --> 00:11:58.409
  • Running from hamas terrorists running from gunshots.
  • 00:11:58.409 --> 00:12:02.647
  • And one of the main questions i got asked was how i knew
  • 00:12:02.647 --> 00:12:06.117
  • What direction to run to.
  • 00:12:06.117 --> 00:12:07.251
  • How i knew what decisions to make to save my life.
  • 00:12:07.251 --> 00:12:09.387
  • And the answer is that nobody knew.
  • 00:12:09.387 --> 00:12:11.656
  • And,
  • 00:12:11.656 --> 00:12:14.058
  • There's
  • 00:12:14.292 --> 00:12:15.193
  • A phrase that holocaust survivors coined
  • 00:12:15.193 --> 00:12:17.662
  • When it came to life and death situations
  • 00:12:17.662 --> 00:12:19.497
  • And how they knew what decisions to make. and it's,
  • 00:12:19.497 --> 00:12:22.166
  • They coined the phrase called the choiceless choice.
  • 00:12:22.166 --> 00:12:24.602
  • And basically,
  • 00:12:24.602 --> 00:12:25.770
  • The meaning is that in these life and death situations,
  • 00:12:25.770 --> 00:12:27.738
  • You don't have much time to try to assess
  • 00:12:27.738 --> 00:12:29.674
  • What decisions
  • 00:12:29.674 --> 00:12:30.508
  • Are going to be the better decision,
  • 00:12:30.508 --> 00:12:31.742
  • Which one will save your life as opposed to getting you killed.
  • 00:12:31.742 --> 00:12:34.445
  • But you have to make a decision in that moment.
  • 00:12:34.445 --> 00:12:36.647
  • And all the decisions we made while running for the hamas
  • 00:12:36.647 --> 00:12:39.217
  • Terrorists were choiceless choices.
  • 00:12:39.217 --> 00:12:41.219
  • And i'll just end with an example of the main
  • 00:12:41.219 --> 00:12:44.121
  • Choiceless choice that will always stick with me.
  • 00:12:44.121 --> 00:12:47.024
  • About three hours into running, we passed by a group of friends
  • 00:12:47.024 --> 00:12:50.428
  • That were hiding in a ditch,
  • 00:12:50.428 --> 00:12:52.463
  • And they called us over
  • 00:12:52.463 --> 00:12:53.831
  • And they told us to come hide with them
  • 00:12:53.831 --> 00:12:55.166
  • And we start crawling into this ditch.
  • 00:12:55.166 --> 00:12:56.500
  • And there's maybe
  • 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:57.468
  • Ten of them in this giant ditch in the ground.
  • 00:12:57.468 --> 00:13:00.705
  • And one of the three friends i came with, he was standing on
  • 00:13:00.705 --> 00:13:03.608
  • Top of the ditch, crawling with us.
  • 00:13:03.608 --> 00:13:05.610
  • And he looks down at all of us in this ditch,
  • 00:13:05.610 --> 00:13:07.845
  • Laying in this stitch, and he starts freaking out.
  • 00:13:07.845 --> 00:13:10.047
  • He starts yelling at us
  • 00:13:10.047 --> 00:13:11.482
  • That this is a horrible idea,
  • 00:13:11.482 --> 00:13:12.817
  • And that if the hamas terrorist find us, we're sitting ducks.
  • 00:13:12.817 --> 00:13:15.386
  • They're going to come from above us and kill us all.
  • 00:13:15.386 --> 00:13:17.922
  • And he said our only option
  • 00:13:17.922 --> 00:13:19.123
  • For survival is to continue running.
  • 00:13:19.123 --> 00:13:21.559
  • So we got out. we continued to run.
  • 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:23.995
  • And unfortunately
  • 00:13:24.428 --> 00:13:26.597
  • For the 10 or 15 friends that we left behind
  • 00:13:26.597 --> 00:13:28.699
  • In that ditch,
  • 00:13:28.699 --> 00:13:29.400
  • We found out a day or two later
  • 00:13:29.400 --> 00:13:31.269
  • That none of them had made it out alive.
  • 00:13:31.269 --> 00:13:33.738
  • And that's just one of the many examples of choices, choices
  • 00:13:33.738 --> 00:13:36.274
  • We made, whether it was turning left or right,
  • 00:13:36.274 --> 00:13:38.676
  • Whether it was choosing to hide or continue to run.
  • 00:13:38.676 --> 00:13:41.712
  • And i consider myself very lucky to be here
  • 00:13:41.712 --> 00:13:45.349
  • And to be able to speak to you, but i'm speaking out on behalf
  • 00:13:45.349 --> 00:13:49.420
  • Not just of my story, but i'm speaking
  • 00:13:49.420 --> 00:13:51.155
  • On behalf of all of those who didn't make it
  • 00:13:51.155 --> 00:13:52.723
  • And all those who no longer have a voice.
  • 00:13:52.723 --> 00:13:54.258
  • So i want to say thank you
  • 00:13:54.258 --> 00:13:55.826
  • For having me, allowing me to speak on their behalf.
  • 00:13:55.826 --> 00:13:59.463
  • Well, we're honored to have you.
  • 00:13:59.463 --> 00:14:00.564
  • I have many friends, or i have had many friends
  • 00:14:00.564 --> 00:14:03.267
  • Who were holocaust survivors,
  • 00:14:03.267 --> 00:14:05.403
  • And their voices have been so important to help
  • 00:14:05.403 --> 00:14:08.906
  • With a number of decisions from that day until this.
  • 00:14:08.906 --> 00:14:11.475
  • And your voice is important.
  • 00:14:11.475 --> 00:14:13.644
  • We can't afford to forget.
  • 00:14:13.644 --> 00:14:15.212
  • And i thank you for your courage.
  • 00:14:15.212 --> 00:14:16.480
  • Because i know this isn't easy. thank you.
  • 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.549
  • But it really leads me to my next question.
  • 00:14:18.549 --> 00:14:20.651
  • It's been reported that hamas influence
  • 00:14:20.651 --> 00:14:22.853
  • Has been building in the us for a long time,
  • 00:14:22.853 --> 00:14:26.657
  • And it's out of the public eye for the most part.
  • 00:14:26.657 --> 00:14:28.559
  • Americans aren't aware we don't live
  • 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.127
  • With the awareness of rockets,
  • 00:14:30.127 --> 00:14:32.096
  • But that it surfaced when these organized campus
  • 00:14:32.096 --> 00:14:34.298
  • Groups and others began appearing
  • 00:14:34.298 --> 00:14:35.733
  • So quickly all over our country following that october attack.
  • 00:14:35.733 --> 00:14:39.603
  • Well, the fbi
  • 00:14:39.603 --> 00:14:40.604
  • Director, christopher wray, has spoken openly
  • 00:14:40.604 --> 00:14:43.441
  • About the potential for real trouble,
  • 00:14:43.441 --> 00:14:45.409
  • Not in israel now, but in the united states.
  • 00:14:45.409 --> 00:14:48.779
  • There was already a heightened risk of violence
  • 00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:51.415
  • In the united states before october 7th.
  • 00:14:51.415 --> 00:14:54.819
  • Since then, we've seen a rogue's
  • 00:14:54.819 --> 00:14:57.922
  • Gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks
  • 00:14:57.922 --> 00:15:02.059
  • Against americans and our allies.
  • 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:05.429
  • And given those calls for action,
  • 00:15:05.429 --> 00:15:08.632
  • Our most immediate concern has been that individuals
  • 00:15:08.632 --> 00:15:12.003
  • Or small groups will draw some kind of twisted inspiration
  • 00:15:12.003 --> 00:15:15.539
  • From the events in the middle east.
  • 00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:17.875
  • Or the reports show that this campus chaos
  • 00:15:18.743 --> 00:15:21.045
  • Was created by a group called american muslims for palestine,
  • 00:15:21.045 --> 00:15:24.815
  • Incubated, funded
  • 00:15:25.249 --> 00:15:26.484
  • And directed by the students for justice in palestine. e.j.
  • 00:15:26.484 --> 00:15:29.987
  • What more can you tell us about that?
  • 00:15:29.987 --> 00:15:32.023
  • Is it a real threat here? it is a real threat here.
  • 00:15:32.023 --> 00:15:34.792
  • And the american muslims for palestine is
  • 00:15:34.792 --> 00:15:39.130
  • Is actually currently, being sued in virginia
  • 00:15:39.130 --> 00:15:43.434
  • Specifically because of their connection
  • 00:15:43.434 --> 00:15:46.003
  • To previous organizations that were documented
  • 00:15:46.003 --> 00:15:49.373
  • To be part of the hamas support network in the united states.
  • 00:15:49.373 --> 00:15:53.010
  • And we're talking about groups in the united states in the 90s
  • 00:15:53.010 --> 00:15:56.580
  • And in the 80s.
  • 00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:58.315
  • And this movement really started in the united states.
  • 00:15:58.315 --> 00:16:01.719
  • You could even go back into the early 1960s
  • 00:16:01.719 --> 00:16:04.722
  • When the muslim brotherhood group, which started in egypt,
  • 00:16:04.722 --> 00:16:07.858
  • Came to the united states and,
  • 00:16:07.858 --> 00:16:11.328
  • You know, the the hamas organization
  • 00:16:11.328 --> 00:16:14.465
  • Is considered the muslim brotherhood group in palestine.
  • 00:16:14.465 --> 00:16:18.135
  • That's so they are part of this muslim brotherhood movement.
  • 00:16:18.135 --> 00:16:21.839
  • So this is something
  • 00:16:21.839 --> 00:16:22.973
  • That's been happening in the united states for years.
  • 00:16:22.973 --> 00:16:26.610
  • There have been ebbs and flows with the influence of it,
  • 00:16:26.610 --> 00:16:29.580
  • But this is 100% part of that support network.
  • 00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:33.584
  • And we're seeing not just what's happening today,
  • 00:16:33.584 --> 00:16:37.254
  • But we're seeing the years
  • 00:16:37.254 --> 00:16:39.256
  • Of of activity that's led to what we're seeing today.
  • 00:16:39.256 --> 00:16:43.994
  • Natalie, there's a quote i want to ask you about.
  • 00:16:44.962 --> 00:16:47.498
  • When i read it, it really touched my heart.
  • 00:16:47.498 --> 00:16:49.333
  • You said that
  • 00:16:49.333 --> 00:16:50.434
  • Your mother taught you that holding a grudge and hating
  • 00:16:50.434 --> 00:16:52.903
  • Someone is like drinking poison,
  • 00:16:52.903 --> 00:16:54.605
  • And then expecting the other person to get hurt.
  • 00:16:54.605 --> 00:16:57.541
  • Well, hamas and hezbollah need to be stopped.
  • 00:16:57.541 --> 00:17:00.244
  • Hating the whole group of people
  • 00:17:00.244 --> 00:17:01.479
  • Isn't going to solve the problem.
  • 00:17:01.479 --> 00:17:03.514
  • Can you tell us what you're doing?
  • 00:17:03.514 --> 00:17:05.549
  • Explain that quote and how you're living that out.
  • 00:17:05.549 --> 00:17:09.286
  • So as i said before, i feel very fortunate
  • 00:17:09.286 --> 00:17:11.989
  • That since the attacks, i've had the opportunity
  • 00:17:11.989 --> 00:17:14.925
  • To start working for the combat anti-semitism movement
  • 00:17:14.925 --> 00:17:17.928
  • And take something horrible that happened to me
  • 00:17:17.928 --> 00:17:20.364
  • And try to turn it into something good.
  • 00:17:20.364 --> 00:17:21.799
  • And doing that good is building bridges and building
  • 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:25.769
  • Bridges between our community and the muslim community.
  • 00:17:25.769 --> 00:17:28.606
  • Because going in and hating
  • 00:17:28.606 --> 00:17:31.909
  • It's not going to fix what happened.
  • 00:17:31.909 --> 00:17:33.244
  • It's not going to change what happened.
  • 00:17:33.244 --> 00:17:34.478
  • You can't change the past.
  • 00:17:34.478 --> 00:17:35.946
  • You can only change the future.
  • 00:17:35.946 --> 00:17:37.715
  • And that's my goal is, to change the future.
  • 00:17:37.715 --> 00:17:40.184
  • And, i, i really have my mom to thank for that,
  • 00:17:40.184 --> 00:17:44.188
  • For that type of point of view that she's given me,
  • 00:17:44.188 --> 00:17:46.490
  • That i've been able to carry with me and,
  • 00:17:46.490 --> 00:17:49.960
  • Go on through my life,
  • 00:17:50.427 --> 00:17:51.662
  • You know, not hating because it's it's easy to hate.
  • 00:17:51.662 --> 00:17:55.633
  • You can easily hate someone
  • 00:17:55.633 --> 00:17:56.834
  • That did something like that to you.
  • 00:17:56.834 --> 00:17:57.935
  • But you have to understand that a whole group of people
  • 00:17:57.935 --> 00:18:00.938
  • Is not hamas.
  • 00:18:00.938 --> 00:18:02.406
  • They're not all hamas.
  • 00:18:02.406 --> 00:18:03.307
  • They don't have the same ideologies.
  • 00:18:03.307 --> 00:18:05.543
  • And even when it comes to the the people of gaza,
  • 00:18:05.543 --> 00:18:09.713
  • I don't hate all of them.
  • 00:18:09.713 --> 00:18:10.781
  • I don't blame all of them.
  • 00:18:10.781 --> 00:18:12.383
  • I try to put myself in their shoes.
  • 00:18:12.383 --> 00:18:13.784
  • I try to imagine
  • 00:18:13.784 --> 00:18:15.619
  • If i was born into that culture, into that society.
  • 00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:18.489
  • If i was brainwashed
  • 00:18:18.489 --> 00:18:19.523
  • From such a young age, would i think differently?
  • 00:18:19.523 --> 00:18:23.260
  • Would i break out of it or would i follow suit?
  • 00:18:23.260 --> 00:18:26.130
  • And the answer is you. you can't know.
  • 00:18:26.130 --> 00:18:30.134
  • Well,
  • 00:18:30.367 --> 00:18:31.569
  • I appreciate your courage and both of you for your voice.
  • 00:18:31.569 --> 00:18:33.537
  • It's important that only remember
  • 00:18:33.537 --> 00:18:34.672
  • What our friends in israel.
  • 00:18:34.672 --> 00:18:35.539
  • But remember what we have to do
  • 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:37.274
  • In the united states to keep us all safe.
  • 00:18:37.274 --> 00:18:39.910
  • Thank you both for joining us today.
  • 00:18:39.910 --> 00:18:41.512
  • We want to stay in touch in the years ahead.
  • 00:18:41.512 --> 00:18:44.248
  • And in a moment, i'm going to share some of my own thoughts.
  • 00:18:44.248 --> 00:18:52.000
  • And in a moment, i'm going to share some of my own thoughts.
  • 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.722
  • In the book of romans, chapter 12, we're given some life advice
  • 00:18:54.890 --> 00:18:58.393
  • Not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good.
  • 00:18:58.393 --> 00:19:02.397
  • When we hear a story as horrific as what happened
  • 00:19:02.397 --> 00:19:04.800
  • In israel on october the 7th,
  • 00:19:04.800 --> 00:19:06.635
  • I think it's easier to be focused on the evil.
  • 00:19:06.635 --> 00:19:09.071
  • But i want to bring you back to the assignment that we have
  • 00:19:09.071 --> 00:19:11.640
  • To overcome evil with the good in us.
  • 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:14.643
  • In that way, we can pray for the peace
  • 00:19:14.643 --> 00:19:16.278
  • Of jerusalem, stand with our friends in israel.
  • 00:19:16.278 --> 00:19:18.947
  • We don't want to deny that evil exist.
  • 00:19:18.947 --> 00:19:21.216
  • We just have to be determined
  • 00:19:21.216 --> 00:19:22.384
  • Not to let hatred grow in our heart.
  • 00:19:22.384 --> 00:19:24.453
  • That we can't respond to evil with more evil.
  • 00:19:24.453 --> 00:19:26.521
  • That we have to realize that there is good
  • 00:19:26.521 --> 00:19:28.724
  • Goodness comes from god and the people of faith.
  • 00:19:28.724 --> 00:19:31.293
  • We can overcome that evil by expressing god's goodness
  • 00:19:31.293 --> 00:19:34.896
  • In our world.
  • 00:19:34.896 --> 00:19:36.031
  • With that, i assure you there's more reasons for hope
  • 00:19:36.031 --> 00:19:38.934
  • Than despair.
  • 00:19:38.934 --> 00:19:40.569
  • I'll be back in just a moment.
  • 00:19:40.569 --> 00:19:47.005
  • I'll be back in just a moment.
  • 00:19:47.005 --> 00:19:49.353
  • Thank
  • 00:19:49.587 --> 00:19:50.755
  • You for joining us tonight for this most important story.
  • 00:19:50.755 --> 00:19:52.990
  • We didn't have a chance to read your emails,
  • 00:19:52.990 --> 00:19:55.126
  • But please remember, if you haven't yet,
  • 00:19:55.126 --> 00:19:57.028
  • Take a moment to send us your thoughts.
  • 00:19:57.028 --> 00:19:58.963
  • You can do that at comments at alan jackson now.com.
  • 00:19:58.963 --> 00:20:02.300
  • Your feedback and questions.
  • 00:20:02.300 --> 00:20:03.834
  • They do a lot to shape our show.
  • 00:20:03.834 --> 00:20:05.636
  • I'm alan jackson. you have a wonderful evening.
  • 00:20:05.636 --> 00:20:05.636