Caitlin, I agree, as always. What I hope is that in the winners’ group, there will be at least one person with the guts of George Galloway, Norman Finkelstein, Max Blumenthal, Glenn Greenwald, Katie Halper, or Aaron Mate to call out Israel’s genocide for what it is. You'll notice that these people are all Jews (except George) who have defied upbringing, but, then, they weren't raised in Israel.
As for your saying this genocide is not about Jewishness but about settler-colonialism, I would make one disagreement. It's the knowledge of the leadership Jews in Israel that they are absolutely superior to all others. And most of the people there deeply believe this, as well. They really believe that the Palestinians are nothing and worthless. When I was there, the arrogance and obvious sense of superiority was thick in the air. Hard to explain unless you've witnessed it in person. The Torah is taken seriously... these are God's "chosen," and when a kid is indoctrinated to believe that from birth, it's almost unshakable. That's how the IDF can deliberately sniper little kids in the head without any sense they are doing wrong whatsoever....and laugh about it later, with no guilt. It's amazing. I had to go "outside" to Gaza or the West Bank to find warmth, genuine kindness and welcoming…and finding it was like coming out of cold and walking into sunshine.
I lived in a Jewish community for 8 years. The sense of superiority was also thick in the air, and this was not in Israel. Support for Israel was 100% however. This was a very democrat or liberal leaning community. We were treated well mostly by the older generation, but for some it felt almost obligatory, like we were some kind of social experiment. They loved my Christmas lights, as it was the only house with it during December. Did they love it though? The younger families actively avoided us and especially kept their kids away from mine. Maybe they worried I’d infect them with my Jesusness? One time however the neighbors teenage girl asked me why I cut my own grass, as if I was breaking some cultural rule. I told her it was therapeutic for me. She asked, ‘why don’t you just let Miguel do it’, Miguel? I thought, who’s he?’ Then realized she was describing the landscapers, generally. So what’s this all mean? Are Jewish people all fascist racists posing as humanitarians to prove their liberal virtue to each other? Nah, I tend to think they are victims of the same American propaganda machine we all are afflicted with. I now live in a moderately Christian community, conservative leaning, but not Jesus freaks either. I’m lucky to get flipped off, let alone engaged in virtue boosting conversations with these neighbors. I miss my Jewish neighbors to be honest. At least they had a sense of humor.
Michael, Thank you for your interesting comment. Gideon Levy who writes for Haaretz in Israel says the Jews are three things: Superior to all others (God's chosen children), the eternal victims (no one else can be in that category... they kept out an Armenian Holocaust room from being included in the Holocaust Museum in D.C.), and think of the Palestinians (and I say other groups) as bugs beneath their feet, to be crushed underfoot since they are nothing. But you're are right, they have a sense of humor. However, those in the leadership of Israel today are exceptions to that, having no humor at all; humor implies some kind of sensitivity. They were thrilled that Hamas attacked. That gave them leave to exterminate the Palestinians.
Caitlin, I agree, as always. What I hope is that in the winners’ group, there will be at least one person with the guts of George Galloway, Norman Finkelstein, Max Blumenthal, Glenn Greenwald, Katie Halper, or Aaron Mate to call out Israel’s genocide for what it is. You'll notice that these people are all Jews (except George) who have defied upbringing, but, then, they weren't raised in Israel.
As for your saying this genocide is not about Jewishness but about settler-colonialism, I would make one disagreement. It's the knowledge of the leadership Jews in Israel that they are absolutely superior to all others. And most of the people there deeply believe this, as well. They really believe that the Palestinians are nothing and worthless. When I was there, the arrogance and obvious sense of superiority was thick in the air. Hard to explain unless you've witnessed it in person. The Torah is taken seriously... these are God's "chosen," and when a kid is indoctrinated to believe that from birth, it's almost unshakable. That's how the IDF can deliberately sniper little kids in the head without any sense they are doing wrong whatsoever....and laugh about it later, with no guilt. It's amazing. I had to go "outside" to Gaza or the West Bank to find warmth, genuine kindness and welcoming…and finding it was like coming out of cold and walking into sunshine.
Vanessa Redgrave did speak out at the Oscars years ago. She was never forgiven, but apparently she was forgotten.
Not forgotten by myself or others and this was in 1978!! https://x.com/Emy4freedom/status/1721041518155223369?s=20
She was vilified and didn't work much after.
I lived in a Jewish community for 8 years. The sense of superiority was also thick in the air, and this was not in Israel. Support for Israel was 100% however. This was a very democrat or liberal leaning community. We were treated well mostly by the older generation, but for some it felt almost obligatory, like we were some kind of social experiment. They loved my Christmas lights, as it was the only house with it during December. Did they love it though? The younger families actively avoided us and especially kept their kids away from mine. Maybe they worried I’d infect them with my Jesusness? One time however the neighbors teenage girl asked me why I cut my own grass, as if I was breaking some cultural rule. I told her it was therapeutic for me. She asked, ‘why don’t you just let Miguel do it’, Miguel? I thought, who’s he?’ Then realized she was describing the landscapers, generally. So what’s this all mean? Are Jewish people all fascist racists posing as humanitarians to prove their liberal virtue to each other? Nah, I tend to think they are victims of the same American propaganda machine we all are afflicted with. I now live in a moderately Christian community, conservative leaning, but not Jesus freaks either. I’m lucky to get flipped off, let alone engaged in virtue boosting conversations with these neighbors. I miss my Jewish neighbors to be honest. At least they had a sense of humor.
Michael, Thank you for your interesting comment. Gideon Levy who writes for Haaretz in Israel says the Jews are three things: Superior to all others (God's chosen children), the eternal victims (no one else can be in that category... they kept out an Armenian Holocaust room from being included in the Holocaust Museum in D.C.), and think of the Palestinians (and I say other groups) as bugs beneath their feet, to be crushed underfoot since they are nothing. But you're are right, they have a sense of humor. However, those in the leadership of Israel today are exceptions to that, having no humor at all; humor implies some kind of sensitivity. They were thrilled that Hamas attacked. That gave them leave to exterminate the Palestinians.