#not about leftist

[iwieldthesword]

I need to talk about this because it's making me feel insane.

Last week, my white leftist goyisch friends sat me, a wholeass antizionist Jew, down for a "talk" because they "needed to check in about Palestine" and make sure "our values aligned before we hung out again". They apparently needed to "suss out" where I stood on Palestinian rights, despite having had several conversations about Palestine and them being some of my closest friends. They needed to check, to search for and uncover my true values, because I had said some "disturbing things" that had made them "suspicious".

Disturbing things included:

Supporting IfNotNow which is a "liberal zionist organization" because it normalizes Jewish heritage in the Levant

Not bringing Palestine up enough, despite them also not bringing it up (this was apparently a test)

Mentioning that the Houthi's flag talks about cursing all Jews

Saying Stalin was antisemitic because of the "all the paw-grihms"

...and apparently other things they wouldn't specify, but had been tracking for months.

To clarify, I am an antizionist Jew from three generations of antizionist Jews. I have been vocal in my support of Palestinian liberation and in my condemnation both of Israel's actions and its violent founding as a state, and of zionism in many of its forms. I am a regular donor to Palestinian and Jewish NGOs and advocate for Jewish antizionism in person, at temple, and online. I have been talking about Palestinian liberation before they could point to Gaza on a map. But they needed to make sure, they needed to "suss out", they needed to check. And it's notable that the majority of moments that made them suspicious of me were times where I talked about antisemitism: not about Palestinian liberation, not about Israeli decolonization, not about anything actually relevant to Palestine. It was talking about antisemitism that made them check to see if I was a cryptozionist.

One of the most pervasive and insidious forms of antisemitism is the idea that Jews are inherently untrustworthy and suspicious. You have to constantly be on guard, track what they say and do, "suss out" the real truth. You have to keep them in line and and watch them carefully because they're liars and sneaks, and if you're not looking closely they'll return to their real values (and drag you down with them). This is where the idea of "cryptozionist" comes from and what it's directly building off of: the inherent untrustworthiness of Jews and the need to check. Because no matter how close you become you can't actually trust them, and any upstanding gentile should make sure to avoid associating with Jews before "sussing out" their real allegiances and intentions. You have to make them turn out their pockets, just in case.

I'm the first and only Jew they actually were friends with; I know because they've told me (strangely proud of it in the way white Americans are proud of that kind of thing). They've asked me questions about Judaism and fawned over how beautiful and unique it was for me to be connected to my community and culture. Pre-October 7th, one of them had even mentioned being interested in coming to services at my temple. She still has my copy of our siddur. But now she needed to "check" before she could be seen with me in public. Which is what it was: it wasn't a "you're my friend and I need to give you some feedback because you're fucking up" kind of intervention (which is normal and important to have), it was a trial. It was a last chance for me to prove to them that I'm clean-enough that they could afford to risk being seen with me in public, just in case someone noticed them fraternizing with a hypothetical Enemy and their leftism was compromised. It was a test to make sure that I behave properly when required to, that I'd play along and do what I'm told and turn out my pockets if asked (because any refusal would validate the notion of having something to hide). And above all it was an opportunity for them to reaffirm their own cleanliness by putting my imagined immorality in its place.

I did what I needed to do: I smiled. I apologized. I "didn't know that". I "appreciated the feedback". I turned out my pockets because what else could I do? They'd decided who I was and what I believed, regardless of what I said or did, so there was no point in explaining that they were wrong about me. If I had told them they were being antisemitic, it would just have been proof that they were right. Caring about antisemitism is a dogwhistle in the spaces they've chosen: it's not a real form of oppression, it's a tactic for sneaky, lying Jews to weasel out of admitting their true alliances. There was nothing I could say.

Nothing's really changed for me. I'm going to continue my activism for Palestinian liberation rooted in my culture and my faith. Antizionism is still not antisemitism. But I got a reminder that many white goyisch leftists fundamentally just don't trust Jews, and that the activist spaces they're in not only exacerbate their antisemitism in an increasingly insular echo chamber, but also allow them to finally vent their internalized bigotry in a socially-acceptable way. In my former friends' eyes, what they did was activism—disavowing a Jew (and making me feel humiliated, scared, and unclean in the process) as a cathartic stand-in for doing fucking anything for actual Palestinian liberation—but for me it was a grief that I'll be feeling for a long time: not only over losing friends I loved and trusted, but also over my sense of belonging and security in leftist spaces.

[daddario]

it took the internet exactly 2.3 seconds to fully erase the Jew and Romani hatred from modern day Nazi ideology and make it about hating liberals and queer people and honestly anyone who is engaging in that kind of revisionist bullshit can fuck right off and unfollow me.

The Nazis told people that disability and homosexuality were products of Jewish people existing and part of our plan to undermine their little Aryan nation and once they got rid of all the Jews, gays and disabled people would be no more. LGBTQ people were never the primary target, and Jews were blamed for all of it regardless. You cannot separate Nazism from Jew hatred and pretending otherwise is disgusting.

[phantominzie]

EVERYONE.

DONT FORGET TO LOOK UP #cutewinterboots ON TIKTOK! THERE'LL BE SOME BIG BITS OF ICE ON THE ROADS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO BE SURE TO INVEST IN SOME CUTE WINTER BOOTS.

That is all, y'all have a good one and stay safe during all this ICE!

edit: fascists, racists, nazi's, homophobe/transphobes, and trump dick riders can politely fuck off on this post. I'm tired of dealing with y'all, stop trying to be edgy in the comments of this post, I will just block you so piss off.

[gingerswagfreckles]

It's weird how in the past 5 or so years the left's understanding of decolonization devolved into some kind of weird Nazi era eugenicist thing about how people's "true places" are something encoded in their DNA and no one in the history of the world should have moved anywhere and anyone decendent from people who moved at some point should be shot.

[bixels]

I watched Starship Troopers tonight.

[uncanny-tranny]

The leftism/anticapitalism leaving people's bodies the zeptosecond you imply that disabled people who aren't "productive" still matter in society and need to be treated like intrinsic equals who have a place in this world:

[hilacopter]

conflating diaspora jews with the actions of the israeli government is not okay, yes, but have you considered it's not okay to conflate israeli jews with them either

[aventingjew]

Yeah, really based. Say, tell me what country is right next to Israel? You know, the one you're trying to free? Is this what you meant by freeing them cause that sounds like terrorism to me.

But yes do go on how you are voices for peace.

[heydrangeas]

I am trying soooo hard not to be annoyed with american leftists. like we get it, you are ideologically perfect and won’t compromise with anyone or take any action or donate your time or money to any material cause—but at least you post the Exact Right Things and hate everyone!! Phew!

[iliveinprocrasti-nationn]

i don’t think there’s a better example of leftist antisemitism than the time i was explaining antisemitism i had personally experienced and was told “i’m sorry that upset you but also it makes sense to say that. you should read theory”

[is-the-fire-real]

Non-Jews of Tumblr: Reminder that you need to check in on whether or not you still have Jewish friends

[valcaira]

People who used to be vocal about Ukraine now being exclusively vocal about Palestine while calling the Ukrainian genocide "low priority" or "attention seeking" are a special kind of evil.

Treating global conflicts like fandom has rotted your brains.

[thealogie]

Not an endorsement of Biden but the number of leftists I’ve seen who are sincerely like “wow Trump is better for Palestine after all! He’s gonna end the war and turns out he’s pretty genius at this foreign policy thing!” Man are you guys falling for an orchestrated piece of theatre whereby Netanyahu hands his buddy a win to make you have that exact reaction

[gingerswagfreckles]

Btw if you blatantly lie about Israel or the war in Gaza and someone calls you out for lying they are not in fact "defending Israel" they are calling you out for spreading mis or disinformation. In case that wasn't clear.

[starlight-bread-blog]

Leftists: Everyone is a little bigoted. Bigotry is deeply integrated into our society. Everyone picks up on it. You have to actively unlearn it. Check your bias. Your intentions might be good, but you're not immune to bigotry learnt since childhood. Even if you're an activist already. Even if you have friends from the minority. Listen to marginalized voices. Take the critisism. This is the only way to overcome our internalized prejudices.

Jews: Hey so–

Leftists: ZIONIST!!

[charleezard]

why would you be unsafe at pride

I'm going to assume this question is asked in good faith and with a genuine interest in my safety. I'm also going to be very direct and blunt.

Jewish people are being targeted and attacked worldwide. Not just in right-wing spaces, but also leftist spaces. And yes that includes Pride and queer related events. If I want to attend pride wearing my kippah and my magen david, there is a good chance I will have some unpleasant words thrown at me, at the very least. There is a chance I will be physically attacked and/or kicked out of the march.

I would recommend spending more time listening to Jewish people on their struggle with antisemitism in the present. I don't mean that as a snarky comment, I just think listening to minorities about their struggles is a crucial part of activism. Hope this answered your question! If you'd like to ask more questions, feel free to reach out again, either in my ask box or my DMs