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heathersdesk · 9 months ago

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My grandfather was killed in a hit and run accident in 1978.

His mother and sister struggled with life after that. They decided to go on a trip across the United States together to get away from things for a while.

I discovered this trip when I was going through photo albums and suddenly saw a place I recognized.

The Salt Lake Temple.

They went to many places during that trip. But there was something truly special to me that, in one of the worst seasons of their lives, they ended up at the temple.

I served part of my mission at Temple Square. I was waiting for a visa to Brazil that I began to think was never coming. I had a truly horrendous time in the MTC babysitting a district of Elders who spent weeks on end bullying me and tearing down my self-esteem. I was told directly by someone, I forget who now, that I was being sent there to recover. And when I realized that the mission had no young Elders in it at all, that it was only Sisters and senior couples, I came to appreciate what that meant.

I had so many wild interactions there with so many people. Some of them were strange, like the guy who viewed the Book of Mormon as proof of alien interactions with humans. There were moments of heartbreak, like the woman who was in tears at the Christus statue who attacked us when we checked in on her. There were moments of pure delight, like when an LDS family with two young daughters came to that same Christus statue. The oldest girl, no older than 4 or 5, squealed "JESUS" and ran to the Savior's feet, little sister in tow. Whenever I hear someone mention the teaching to become as a little child, she is exactly who I think of.

There were also moments that were meant solely for me, like when I met the first Sister to ever be called to the Boston mission I had hoped to go to to wait for my visa. Boston has a large Brazilian population, many of whom are members of the Church. I had begged in prayer to be sent there and was told by other people it wouldn't happen because "Sisters don't go there." I had an entire conversation with the woman who was going to be that change. It seemed cruel to me at the time, dangling the carrot of something I wanted right in front of my face. In time, I've realized it was so I would remember that God does miracles and is aware of the desires of my heart, even if it means I don't get what I want. Someone needed to exercise enough faith to push that door open for women. I put my full weight behind it, and I can be just as proud that it opened for someone else.

But some of my favorite people I met there were people who just made me laugh. I met a Jewish convert from New York who told us his conversion story, how what drew him in was the Plan of Salvation. He summarized it in a New York accent in a voice I can still hear in my mind: "So you're a god, eventually. But can you pay RENT?!"

One of my favorite people I met was a Scottish convert named Agnes who was doing the Mormon trail across the US, beginning in New England and ending in Utah. She was a much older woman and told us all about her pilgrimage, and how she had cuddled with the oxen at the baptismal font in the Manhattan New York Temple. (I've been there. You enter into the baptistry on face level with them, or did the last time I was there.) She shared her testimony with us, and I'll never forget what she said.

She explained that the story of Joseph Smith was really hard to get her mind around. It truly is an insane set of asks: angels, gold plates, polygamy, and all the rest. She talked about how she came to accept it—not through any kind of empirical evidence or proof, but through faith and what that looked like.

For her, it was the recognition that being LDS was the best way she had ever encountered to live an excellent life. She said that the worst case scenario she could imagine is one where God would say to her, "You know that whole business with Joseph Smith was a load of crock, right? But you lived such a good life, I have to let you in anyway."

That has always stayed with me. Agnes was one of many people who came to the Square looking for something. I saw people come there looking for faith, or a fight, and truly everything in between. And it's only now that I'm older and wiser that I see something clearly now that I couldn't see then.

Agnes didn't need to come to Temple Square to find faith. She already had a tremendous amount of faith. She, and many others, were looking for conviction. I was at Temple Square long enough to learn you don't get that from a place. While a place like Temple Square can illuminate the possibilities for conviction through the lens of history, it doesn't bestow that conviction through contact or proximity alone. Conviction is made from the materials of your own life and your own choices. Your will, how firmly you place yourself into an immovable and unyielding position, is the measure of your convictions. It comes from within.

Faith is the decision to believe in what you cannot see, and what cannot be proven objectively. That never goes away. Nothing we experience in life, no place we ever visit, will create a shortcut under, over, or around that decision to believe, to trust in God. Faith, at its core, is a decision. The ability to continue making that decision over and over again, under all species of hardship and opposition, is conviction.

Where Jesus walked is nowhere near as important as how Jesus walked, and with whom. The same is true for all of us. Our walk with God might never take us anywhere near a temple because of where God has called us to go. But we are the holiest dwelling places of God on earth—not any of the buildings we've made.

Be a holy place of living faith wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be. Worship God, no matter what places you can or cannot enter. There is more than one way to access a temple. One way is to enter a place that people invite God to dwell. The other is to become that place. There can be no separation from God where communion never ceases. It is the refuge that is unassailable by others for as long as the person wills it so. The torch within will not go out.

The temple is not special because it has some holy essence that springs forth out of nothing, to passively be absorbed by others. The temple is special because it directs people to Jesus Christ, who is the giver of healing and peace. The temple is just a building. It's Jesus Christ that is the true power behind it all, whose objective is to make you, me, and every person you know the holiest creature you've ever beheld. You are the end goal.

#mormon #lds #mormonism #tumblrstake #the church of jesus christ of latter day saints #religion #faith #queerstake #christianity #lds temple #temple square #Alma 32

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mistresslynndramione · 1 month ago

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Antisemitism in the Dramione fandom

This is the first of two posts I’ve written on antisemitism.

Antisemitism in the Dramione fandom

How antisemitism manifests in a broad sense, including how to deconvolute Palestinian activism from Jew hate, and personal accounts of Antisemitism that me, my family and my community have experienced over the past year ranging from bomb threats to harassment and vandalism to people screaming from a car at my friend’s kids that they’re baby killers (still working on this one, it’ll appear soon)

And now onto fandom.

One of the nice surprises I found when entering the Dramione fandom, was being exposed to a wide variety of people with experiences I didn’t have, where I could understand hardships others faced which I had no exposure to. To name a few: fatphobia, ableism, transphobia, racism, struggles with mental health and being neurodivergent, and living with debilitating and chronic diseases.

I was able to learn because marginalized communities felt empowered to discuss their struggles online under relative anonymity and with the support of others. It was an opportunity for those willing to listen to be educated. And I’m thankful because since joining fandom, I’ve truly broadened my horizons.

Being able to access people and their very personal, intimate experiences in a way one wouldn’t be exposed to IRL reflects the very best of the internet and demonstrates its potential. The internet, like books, is an excellent tool for bridging differences, empathizing with and understanding others.

And that’s something we should all strive for.

However, there is one marginalized minority that is not empowered to discuss their struggles and experiences in fandom. Not only are we shut down, deplatformed, disempowered and ostracized, but those that support or associate with us are too.

The Jews.

You will hear how every single oppressed minority experiences bigotry in fandom and in their lives. How the LGTBQ+ community experiences homophobia and transphobia, how POCs experience racism, how women experience misogyny, how Muslims experience Islamophobia, how people with disabilities experience ableism, how heavier people experience fatphobia – but you won’t hear how Jews experience antisemitism.

Rather, Jews are told by everyone else what our experiences with bigotry are. Goysplaining, if you will. We are told what is and isn’t antisemitism, as if people that aren’t Jewish know better. We’re told that we’re weaponizing antisemitism for political gain. And fringe, minority Jewish opinions are elevated and Jews are tokenized to justify bigotry and shield those who spread it.

These tactics aren’t new. Feminists and other minority rights activists describe facing the same obstacles. It’s only Jews that are treated differently by those who claim they listen to minorities – and should know better.

The hypocrisy is that those who profess to be advocates of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion simply will not include Jews or listen to Jewish experiences when it’s not politically convenient. They silence and exclude us when we protest bigotry stemming from the progressive wing of politics. And that’s despite the skyrocketing antisemitism across the world (and in fandom) since Oct 7, 2023, precisely when listening to Jews should be of paramount importance.

Do a quick google search ‘antisemitism + your country/closest major city and/or university’ to get a taste of what we’re dealing with. The US, Canada, France, Sweden – no country is immune. It’s everywhere. Everywhere. And it’s been all over the news. We have been speaking up about antisemitism on the far left for years and are screaming about it now that it’s being mainstreamed. So, if you’re only aware of Jew hate when it stems from right wing politics (tiki torches, space lasers and the great replacement theory), that should tell you something about the media you consume.

It’s a problem which has worsened over the years because progressives – the very people who claim to be anti-bigotry – only oppose antisemitism when it comes from the right wing and refuse to listen when Jews speak about it on the left.

The result is that most self-identifying liberals, Democrats, progressives, etc. are only able to identify anti-Jew bias when it comes from white supremacists. A common sentiment I’ve heard is “I’m not antisemitic, I learned about the Holocaust.” Which is akin to saying the US isn’t racist because they emancipated the slaves.

Just like racism, sexism, etc, antisemitism is the sea you swim in. It wasn’t solved with school field trips to Holocaust Museums because it’s much subtler than that. If you want to be anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-Islamophobic, anti-transphobic/homophobic, then you need to work hard to understand how those forms of bigotry are expressed and examine your subconscious biases. Most people simply don’t know how latent antisemitism lingers in their prejudices because society has never addressed them in the way they’ve (tried to) addressed latent sexism and racism.

The bigotry was always there, waiting to be harnessed. And those underlying prejudices fed the mass explosion of Jew hate across the world.

What does that have to do with antisemitism in the Dramione fandom?

Before the unprecedented increase in Jew hate, I’d seen the occasional bigoted comment and avoided the people that made them, preferring to stay apolitical in fandom anyway. But after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct 7, 2023, a loud portion of fandom started spreading hate speech and advocating for violence against Jews. It got worse as the war continued, and still continues even though it’s been over a year.

As conflicts elsewhere often do, this war has exposed the bigotry we have in our privileged society. Hate crimes against Jews (and Muslims) have since skyrocketed around the world. Most people are unable to separate their Palestinian activism from Jew hate due to lack of knowledge about the conflict and how antisemitism manifests. Some purposely muddy the waters, intentionally leveraging societal prejudice.

Like many Jews in fandom, I didn’t want to be exposed to hate speech and curated like hell. The rhetoric that describes Jews in progressive spaces is dishonest, demonizing and used to threaten, harass, ostracize, and call for violence.

Fandom, being loudly progressive in its politics, is no different. And because no one in fandom listens to Jews when we speak up, we are dehumanized and ostracized in fandom spaces, while violence against us is glorified. Fandom twitter and Bluesky quickly became cesspits. I’ve left chats, Facebook groups, and discord servers where antisemitic views were shared and allowed to stand uncontested despite those very spaces claiming to be against bigotry.

Fandom will pride itself on being against antisemitism, despite having no idea what it is. I’ve seen righteous indignation over depictions of hooked-nosed goblins and piles of gold in the recent Harry Potter game but posts demonizing Jews and glorifying violence against us are enthusiastically supported. The former is virtue signaling with no impact on our lives. The latter directly impacts our safety and how we interact with society.

I understand that a lot of this is ignorance. Most people have good intentions. They by and large don’t think about the accuracy of their words, the consequences of their actions, and don’t know that they’re hurting their local Jewish communities. However, many do understand and are intentionally hurting their Jewish communities, leveraging the platform and legitimacy Progressives give them.

Until the recent antisemitic cybermob (I’ll get to the cybermob in a bit), I hadn’t seen anyone in fandom stand up to Jew hatred on the left. Not a single person. Not a peep from those professing that black lives matter and trans rights are human rights.

Posts glorifying resistance are glorifying Hamas and legitimizing the rape, torture and murder of Jews. When hundreds of people like and share those posts, they’re supporting the rape, torture and murder of Jews. Ironically, they’re also supporting the rape, torture and murder of Palestinians as well, because Hamas doesn’t just terrorize Jews.

Posts condemning the existence of Israel are calling for the erasure of an entire country, calling for the persecution and oppression of Jews and non-Jews alike. People cry “Free Palestine!” in one sentence and call for the destruction of Israel in the next. As if wanting two free, independent countries isn’t advocating for freedom? People can’t claim to be against oppression if they want to take away the freedom and independence of Israelis. And why would anyone want to do that? Israel is a free, multi-ethnic secular democracy home to 10 million people: Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze and Bahai.

You said something about a cybermob?

Last year, I was inspired by a group of several hundred Jewish students at Columbia University which has been something of an epicenter for Jew hate. They wrote and signed an open letter entitled: “We would like to speak in our name.” Those brave souls stood up, described the threats, harassment and ostracization they’d been subjected to at a place which was supposed to safe and inclusive for all, and declared themselves proud Zionists. They stood tall and corrected the misinformation spread about Jewish identity both by those who hate us, and those who are thoughtless and don’t know any better. My friend’s kid was one of them. And I’m proud of him for speaking up. That is bravery.

(If you want to know what the Jewish experience has been like after Hamas invaded Israel, their letter is an excellent read. My experience in fandom has been the same, just virtually.)

So, taking inspiration from those students who would face real life consequences instead of merely virtual ones in a fandom of wizard porn, I stood up for myself, my children and my people, and joined those courageous kids by posting on my Instagram bio: “Proud Zionist: two states for two peoples.”

I knew most people have no idea what ‘Zionist’ means. I know it’s currently used as a slur to threaten, harass, bully, boycott, ostracize and call for violence against Jews. And I know that since the war started, the Wikipedia entry for Zionism has been modified by those that hate us, in a way few Zionists would agree with, no longer reflecting what Zionism is. So I clarified my declaration in a way that would leave no room for argument by writing directly afterwards “two states for two peoples.”

“Two states for two peoples” is a statement that advocates for an independent, safe and secure Palestinian state where Palestinians have self-determination. It is also a statement advocating for an independent, safe and secure Israel - where Jews have the right of self-determination. The right of Jews to self-determine in our ancestral homeland (Israel) is the most basic definition of Zionism and from which all versions of Zionism derive, no matter how they differ in implementation and belief.

Two separate states: Israel and Palestine; for two peoples: Israelis and Palestinians.

A bit of history: The two-state solution has been the cornerstone of peace talks supported by both left and right political leaders in Israel and across the world for 30 years to bring peace, coexistence and end the Palestinian portion of the larger Israeli-Arab conflict. Starting with the staged progression outlined in the Oslo Accords back in 1993, two states was the goal that spanned Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Binyamin Netanyahu (yup, he was the PM back then, too) and finally Ehud Barak with Yasser Arafat serving as leader of the PLO and Bill Clinton mediating. Two states were the goal of the Camp David Summit in 2000 with Clinton, Arafat and Barak. It was the goal of the Taba talks in 2001. It was the goal of the Road Map – constructed between Ariel Sharon, Mahmoud Abbas, Russia, the UN, the EU and George Bush Jr. It was the goal of the direct peace talks catalyzed by the Arab League between Ehud Olmert and Abbas in 2007-2008. A two-state solution was central to the Obama administration’s Middle East policy with the still current leaders Netanyahu and Abbas. It was the goal of the Trump administration; it is the goal of the Biden administration. Kamala Harris declared it as her goal in the recent presidential debate.

In short: regardless of who is in charge of Israel and what their goals are, being a Zionist and advocating for peace alongside a Palestinian state are not mutually exclusive.

If you are an advocate of the two-state solution, for the right and freedom of both Jews and Palestinians to self-determine in their homelands, if you think both Israel and Palestine have a right to exist, you are de-facto, a Zionist. Just like if you think men and women deserve social, legal and economic equality, you are de-facto, a feminist.

I know many people who would balk at being called a feminist because they have negative associations with the label, despite holding feminist beliefs. Similar to how some might balk at being called a Zionist because of the negative associations created by those that hate and/or don’t understand Jewish culture and history.

And yet, everyone should be a feminist – it’s a human rights movement.

Everyone should be a Zionist – it’s an indigenous people’s rights movement. It’s the Jewish liberation movement.

I’m proud to call myself both.

I didn’t expect anyone to know the history, but I did assume most people knew what ‘two states for two peoples’ meant. Naively, I thought that for those who didn’t know the definition of Zionism – stating ‘two states for two peoples’ would provide critical context.

One would think that if someone didn’t understand because they’re uninformed on Jewish culture, identity and Middle East history, that they’d take a moment to question their assumptions, do some research or (here’s a wild suggestion) ask me for clarification on words and phrases they don’t know the definition of before diving headfirst into a bigoted cybermob hellbent on hurting people.

The change in my bio was noticed on Instagram and had some negative reactions, but it didn’t spiral. And that’s pretty much what I expected the fallout to be because I’m not very active on social media – by choice. If people want to block/unfollow/mute me, they’re welcome to do so. I’m a big fan of curating and have no desire to interact with people contributing towards the skyrocketing Jew hate that my kids are growing up with.

The twitter fallout.

The contents of the tweet that started the cyber mob was a glib:

“hi hello, MistressLynn is, apparently, a proud zionist.”

Accompanied by a picture of my Instagram bio (where you can clearly see ‘two states for two peoples’) alongside a picture of the AO3 profile for a fest I was co-hosting with others at the time.

My bio had been changed for a few weeks, why wait until the fest reveals to incite a twitter mob? My guess (and this is purely speculation) about the timing, is that waiting for the fest reveals would maximize the drama, inflict the most harm and cause the most hurt because what happened on Instagram didn’t go anywhere.

I don’t really participate in social media, so I rarely know or care what’s happening in fandom. No feelings would be hurt, no tears would be shed, it would be a waste of a good dumpster fire if it were only me that was targeted. But the fest reveals would broaden the targets of the cybermob, via association.

Multiple targets. Maximum drama. And that’s exactly how it played out. You can see the tweet had 87.1K views. If you’re a fandom creator and like attention – bullying people is a surefire way to get it. Instigating drama almost always results in more interaction than fic and art creation. And those that latch onto it often seek the same.

Twitter exploded into a foaming-at-the-mouth frenzy over several days and spread to other platforms demonizing me, demonizing Jews and anyone who dared associate with me. Lots of dopamine for those that enjoy being cruel to others, or watching people get bullied by cybermobs.

Schadenfreude.

I’m not on Twitter. I had no idea anything was happening until a friend told me. Some of the fest participants joined the mob, turning on those they’d not too long ago been joking around with.

So many lurkers were justifiably shocked and horrified at what ensued on twitter, Instagram, the Dramione Writing Society discord and other servers, and tumblr, including the usually nuanced Dramione-Asks/Dramione-Discussions tumblr accounts.

To sum up the fallout:

Me: I’m a Proud Zionist who advocates for peace and coexistence in the form of a Palestinian state alongside an Israeli state.

Fandom: Lynn is a white colonialist oppressor of brown people, a Jewish supremacist, a white supremacist, a racist Islamophobic imperialist, an apartheid supporter, a baby killer, a child killer, and of course, pro-genocide. Ergo, Lynn should be run out of fandom, cancelled, boycotted, ostracized – the worst that any of us can to a person in cyberspace. And anyone who participates in her fest should immediately withdraw their participation because if they don’t, that means they are also pro-genocide, pro-Apartheid, pro-Colonialism, pro-Imperialism, pro-white supremacy, pro-baby killing and should similarly be boycotted and ostracized.

It's cartoonish. Many dystopian novels were written about this kind of rabid, hateful, mob behavior.

To be sure, the only political position the fest had was that Draco wanted to get reamed by Hermione.

And as if that wasn’t enough…

Also fandom: Everyone who associates with Lynn should immediately STOP associating with her because if they don’t, then they are pro-genocide, pro-Apartheid, pro-Colonialism, pro-Imperialism, pro-white supremacy, pro-baby killing and should be boycotted and ostracized, too. All Dramione spaces should stop promoting her work. All readers should stop reading and promoting her work. If they don’t, that means they are pro-genocide, pro-Apartheid, pro-Colonialism, pro-Imperialism, pro-white supremacy, pro-baby killing and should be boycotted and ostracized.

Do you see how this works? It’s not very subtle.

The mob went after everyone and didn’t ask questions. Participants were attacked out of nowhere as were those that associated with me.

Maybe I missed something, I only saw a few screen shots, but I’m very familiar with how hatred of Jews is expressed by progressives. It’s predictable.

The @dramioneasks/@dramionediscussion tumblr did the same thing, albeit more politely. But polite antisemitism is still antisemitism. I didn’t see how the Facebook groups handled it. Dramione reddit, to their credit, had enough of a moral compass not to allow the cybermob spread to their platform.

Many of my friends are still reeling and want nothing to do with fandom anymore. Even though I’d talked with them about my experiences with antisemitism IRL, until they’d experienced it directly in a community they frequent, with mutuals, I don’t think they really understood how bad it’s been.

To be clear: I don’t hold the instigators any more responsible than those who participated or just silently shun. In my eyes, they are all equally responsible, with some being more vicious than others. A mob is not one person, it is many. If it wasn’t this tweet by this person, it would have been someone else. Unfortunately, the Dramione fandom has a culture of inciting cybermobs. Because it’s the internet, and sane, educated, rational voices are not the ones that prevail.

Despite it being over a year later, I have friends who will only interact with me privately for fear of being bullied via association. A valid fear considering how crazy fandom is. We told fest artists and writers who didn’t know what to do yet had the strength of character not to engage in a bigoted cybermob, that they should prioritize their mental health, no hard feelings.

You probably figured it out, but this is exactly what bigotry towards Jews looks like. A misinformed, ignorant mob full of people that don’t know anything about Jewish religion, culture or history – who refuse to ask and learn – viciously stripping Jews of an integral part of our identity and redefining us by the most heinous, most appalling things society is capable of, and using their power to attempt to drive us out of the places they frequent.

Do you claim to be anti-bigotry? To speak up and fight it where you see it? Well, this was it. This was your opportunity. Antisemitism in a space you frequent. With people you interact with. It might be worth thinking about what you said and how you acted during that cybermob. Because that cybermob was an example of the language and tactics currently being used to silence Jews, ostracize us, threaten us, and incite violence against us everywhere around the world.

It takes a lot of courage to stand up to people caught in a mob frenzy. Some people supported me privately. And some did so publicly. Those who spoke out were shouted down with heinous accusations. Brave souls, I appreciate every single one of you.

It’s important to stand up to Jew hate, as it is important to stand up to all forms of bigotry. We’re forever indebted to those who stand beside us against those that wish to cause us harm.

At some point I was shown a tweet, one of the few sane, informed comments amongst fandom’s hysteria:

“I know jack about this community, but what’s wrong with her bio. She wants two states, that’s the most milquetoast, safe, non-offensive take one could have on the conflict”

Yup.

Sadly, only 44 views. Cybermobs aren't interested in rational analysis.

At any time during the weeks my bio had changed, anyone could have reached out and asked: What do you mean when you say you’re a proud Zionist? (I wrongly assumed that ‘two states for two peoples’ answered that question). Those who were that unfamiliar with the conflict could’ve asked: What do you mean by “two states for two peoples”?

I’m friendly, I’m open. I don’t engage with fandom drama and actively avoid those that cause it. Unlike many other popular writers, artists and their groupies, I’ve never participated in cybermobs or used my platform to bully. On contentious issues in fandom, my approach has always been civil, polite discussion. While the cyber mob was still going, I explicitly stated that people could reach out and DM me, that I’m happy to answer questions. Anyone could have asked for clarification, at any time.

A few people did. It’s not hard.

But that’s not how mob mentality works. Folks caught up in hysteria don’t want to educate themselves.

Does this story sound crazy? It was crazy. I wish I could say the Jew hate was limited to on-line fandom spaces, but it’s not. And that’s why I’m speaking up.

For those of you whose knowledge of antisemitism is limited to media coverage of white supremacists, you now have an example of antisemitism from progressives in the community you frequent, among the people you associate with. If you followed fandom twitter, bluesky or the @dramioneasks/@dramionediscussion tumblr or were a member of the Dramione Writers Society and other Dramione spaces at the time fandom went batshit, you now have firsthand experience observing an ignorant, antisemitic cybermob in action.

How people behave during times of conflict tells you a lot about their character. And I’m happy to say my friends are wonderful, kind, ethical people who have good heads on their shoulders. I knew all that before this happened, but it’s still amazing that I was lucky enough to meet them.

Not only that, but during the cybermob frenzy, dozens of people reached out to tell me they were shocked at the fallout and didn’t agree with what was going on. Some who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. Others reached out who I’d never really spoken to before. Several Jews told me they still can’t believe how we’re vilified in fandom and that it’s become acceptable to glorify violence against us.

All this to say, the circle of those I can trust is a lot larger than I previously thought. I’ve found the absolute best of fandom and I’m thrilled.

So, what happens next? What was the purpose of this screed?

A good rule for fandom drama (and the internet in general) is: if I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist. However, as a Jew and a parent, it’s not good enough to curate. Just because I’ve isolated myself from fandom’s anti-Jewish prejudice, doesn’t mean there aren’t real life consequences for others. Online anti-Jewish rhetoric is a major cause of the hate crimes we’re suffering from right now. It’s impossible to decouple online behavior from real life consequences when it’s this pervasive. My daughters are growing up in a world which is increasingly hostile towards Jews, and they’ve already experienced bigotry in our (progressive) schools and community. Both from their peers and from those responsible for educating them. It’ll get worse when they go to college.

And so, I feel a responsibility to speak up for what is right and educate in the places I frequent. That means speaking up in fandom. I think most people who parrot antisemitic hate speech don’t quite understand what they’re doing and need to see the effects of their rhetoric on the people they have othered – whether intentional or not.

I’ve seen some people observing the hysteria around my declaration that I’m a Proud Zionist saying that they want to ‘do the right thing.’ But they don’t have the knowledge or the experience to know that the person that screams the loudest isn’t necessarily the arbiter of what is ethnical. And certainly, our leaders failed to provide moral clarity on the rising Jew hatred, which was and is still a huge failing.

But as I stated earlier – fandom, like most progressive spaces – isn’t a place where Jews are empowered to discuss the bigotry they face. So how will people learn if we’re shut down by whoever screams the loudest?

Do you consider yourself to be anti-racist? Anti-bigotry? I would hope so. But it that’s true, then you need to listen to our experiences with bigotry and – unlike our leaders - speak up when you see it. Even if it’s uncomfortable. Even if and especially when it comes from people on your side of the political aisle because that’s precisely where it will make a difference.

Silence in the face of such bigoted rhetoric allows violent forms of antisemitism to grow and spread. And we’ve been seeing that violence in my community, reflecting what Jews across the world are similarly experiencing. If people don’t speak up, it gets worse.

Is this the kind of world you want to live in?

If anyone is interested in learning, I’m happy to help. I don’t care what you did in the cybermob. Forgiven, forgotten, I probably didn’t see it anyway. Participating in the cybermob can be a good thing if it’s used to learn and make yourself a better person.

Socmed platforms are not good places for nuanced discourse. It’s common to exaggerate, remove context, lie by omission or outright lie when discussing this topic. The simplistic sloganeering, tik tok videos and memes prevalent in fandom are not a substitute for the informed discourse necessary to cover such a complex topic. So, I’m not going to publicly discuss the content of my posts.

However, if you’re approaching this topic in good faith, I’m willing to DM you for as long as you want. These are worthy discussions to have, and I’ll do it for my children. In fact, these posts are a work of love for my daughters, so they’ll have the strength to be proud of who they are, and the knowledge to defend themselves when they’re attacked for their identity, as I was. Because in this world that is increasingly dangerous for Jews, they will be.

Thank you for listening.

#dramione #fandom #cyberbullying #antisemitism #anti zionisim #leftist antisemitism #fandom drama #dramione fandom

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vintagetvstars · 9 months ago

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Bea Arthur Vs. Lily Tomlin

Propaganda

Bea Arthur - (Golden Girls, Maude) - Okay okay where do I even start!! Bea Arthur is incredibly attractive. She has a SUPER deep voice (stunning), a sort of regal, statuesque way of moving and talking, and she can kill you with a single piercing look. Like seriously. Her Looks have become a thing in both shows she plays a lead character in. Did I mention: TWO characters were *written for her*!! When she did Maude in 1972, she'd appeared on All in the Family as a side character and the people there loved her so much they went "this woman needs her own TV show". SO THEY WROTE IT. And made 6 seasons of it. That's how good she is. When the pilot for The Golden Girls was written, creator Susan Harris described the part that Bea would end up playing as a "Bea Arthur type" before they'd even cast her in the role. She was Jewish, she served as a typist and truck driver in the marines during WWII, she had a whole career off and on Broadway behind her by the time she started her career in television, and she was an ally to the gay community — there's even a shelter for homeless queer youth named after her. And did I mention her voice?? Because she can sing too!

Lily Tomlin - (Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Saturday Night Live, Murphy Brown) - “Lily Tomlin is, I believe, a great artist. I find that her work succeeds on every level: She is a great actress; she is a brilliant comedienne; she is a coruscating commentator on our times and on her place in the world; she is frighteningly clear in her ability to see and to share what entered her mind and her heart; she is amazingly generous with her material. The final point is one that you will not understand until you begin to create your own work, and you will know the brutal difference between those who give a great deal and those who give according to fashion and whim. Trust me when I tell you this is a brutal point.” — Tennessee Williams

Master Poll List of the Hot Vintage TV Ladies Bracket

Additional propaganda below the cut

Bea Arthur:

She was just so funny and compelling onscreen. She had great timing. And she was beautiful no matter what age and she was an incredibly LGBT+ ally.

I think it's a very common experience to start watching The Golden Girls and immediately develop a crush on Dorothy Zbornak - and it's not a coincidence. Between her statuesque figure, her regal poise, her sharp wit and her wonderful, deep voice, Bea Arthur brings so much to the table that it's impossible not to be head-over-heels in love with her from the very first moment she appears on screen. Career-wise, she's a legend of the small screen; she received the third most Emmy nominations for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (an incredible 9!). Her guest appearance as Maude in All in the Family impressed both the public and the executives so much that they made a spin-off series *especially for her*. She led Maude - the sitcom - for six incredible seasons to critical and public acclaim, and this would already be enough to nominate her among the greats, but then - as the true queen she was - she went on to star into *another* legendary show, The Golden Girls, as *another* legendary character, Dorothy, and won another Emmy (as well as several nominations) for it, just because she could. As for her private life, she was known as a private, introverted person, who loved the simple things in life; all her fellow TV stars (including Angela Lansbury, who was a dear friend of hers) recall her as a kind, decent person and a wonderful professional, with impeccable work ethic and truly immaculate comedic timing. We do not support the military complex here, but we do support girlbosses winning, so let me just mention that she was one of the first women (ever!) to join the US marines; she was also a licensed medical technician. All in all - a legendary lady who definitely deserves your vote!

how many people can dress up as the Statue of Liberty and look this good?

have you ever seen a woman so beautiful you started crying

MOTHER

soft butch queen. Who else could rock a papillon like that?!?

1982 Bea Arthur - Fifty Percent.avi

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Beatrice Arthur, Down in the Depths, 1980 TV

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Lily Tomlin:

She's beautiful and hilarious! Her smile is so bright! photo of her and her partner Jane Wagner:

#vintage tv stars poll #tv ladies 3 #bea arthur #lily tomlin #Youtube

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shalom-iamcominghome · 7 months ago

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So I've wanted to start the process of conversion for the longest time now, but what stops me is just being afraid of not having the right answers if that makes sense, when meeting with a rabbi to discuss conversion for example. How did you prepare for meeting your rabbi and what kind of things did they ask you? I have really bad social anxiety and I struggle with public speaking so thinking about this scares me so much. I love everything I've learned about Judaism and I'm positive I want to convert but this is the one thing holding me back :( and additionally how was your experience when first going to services at your synagogue and is there anything you needed to do to prepare for it? I struggle with new environments even though I'd love to start going so any advice helps, thank you so much if you do decide to answer <3

First of all, good shabbos!

On Questions:

Most of the questions I have found rabbis to ask on a first meeting are generally categorized under, "what are your goals?," "what is your background?," and "what are you currently doing in your everyday life?"

I have talked to a few rabbis now, and upon the first few meetings, they truly just want to understand where you're coming from, what's brought you to this point, and how your relationship with Judaism may work out.

I would encourage you to potentially write your story out - where did you grow up? Were there any influential Jewish figures or moments where you thought, "man, I want that!" or perhaps any awakenings in your previous religion which troubled you if that's applicable? I like to think of this period as though you're meeting a match-maker - they want to figure out who you are before matching you with something they know you'll fall in love with. In the beginning stages, they really won't ask the hard-hitting questions, especially because you are also supposed to see if you think that rabbi would fit in with your Judaism goals. The rabbis I met before settling on the one I am sponsored by currently were all incredibly kind, even if they had to reject me outright (because they were busy with other students they are working with, not because they were trying to be mean!). All of them, essentially, were ecstatic alongside me about Judaism, and they gave the impression like they want people to join am yisrael.

On First-Time Services:

My shul requires that people email first if they have never gone to services, and I have noticed this is a semi-common practice. Frankly, though, that was all I needed to do in order to start attending. I think all you would need to do is to show up in your best clothing, and depending on the movement you go to, you may need to be mindful of different practices. I already have a kippah, and my shul has a big box full of kippot you can borrow (which is common). If kippah-wearing is a goal you want to achieve in your Judaism, certainly feel free to wear one, but it may not be something you need to bring with you. Additionally, be mindful of where people sit - in my shul, we do mixed, informal seating (though we naturally have men and women sitting on "their" sides, which I didn't even notice at first), but some shuls may have more explicit expectations of men's and women's seating - it truly depends.

I also made it clear with everyone that I will not be going up to read from the Torah, since they call upon people semi-randomly (actually, we rely on a particular family in which all of the children make up all the shul's child demographic). I have read haftarah portions upon their request, and have read from portions of the Torah if we don't have a minyan (semi often occurrence), but they have never called upon me to go up officially.

Most of my experiences being a newcomer were of people asking a lot of questions. Many shuls don't have newcomers, especially in small towns or places with a limited number of Jewish presence. They've been very nice, inclusive, and genuine - in fact, I feel I am treated as a fellow Jew by them (in the sense that they hold me to the same expectations, want me to learn, and have always let me participate to the fullest extent that I am able to). I find that if they see how genuine you are, they are incredibly willing to help you, to support you, or to even turn potential mistakes into learning opportunities. This is the norm for everyone - we made the mistake once of saying the Shema at the wrong time, and we just turned it into an opportunity to do better. Judaism is a collaborative effort, and that's a hard lesson to learn sometimes, but I have found that once you're used to it, you truly start to get comfortable. This shul is my home, and so I want to put that effort in to making it beautiful. I enjoy cleaning up after our communal lunch because it's the most I can do without a kosher kitchen and being a student, and I love to learn from everyone, so I attend the classes they've created. You don't have to do anything big! Just do it with all your heart and might, and people will see the effort you make, and you'll go a long way

#ask #jumblr #jew by choice #jewish conversion #convert FAQs #personal thoughts tag #i'm going to compile these asks under one tag #the tag (convert FAQs) will be this tag by the way #because y'all have so many questions it seems (i'm grateful you guys come to /me/ of all people) and i want to make it easy on us all #i'll retroactively add this tag to other asks as well <3 #y'all keep forcing me to log onto my laptop so i can spend upwards of half an hour typing all my thoughts out #this is a good thing by the way (genuine)#long post

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stardust-swan · 1 month ago

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Lalla Maria: The Jewish Princess Djinn 🕎💎💗

"Lady Ghazali—oh Maria, you are the Sultan! Oh Maria, Lady Maria, the Jewess, Maria the Zohawania (one associated with festivity or joy), the owner of elegance, the mistress of hearts."

In Moroccan folklore, Lalla Maria is the daughter of King David (or in some traditions his sister). She appears with him in dreams, and is stunningly beautiful.

She embodies beauty, elegance, charm, wealth, arrogance, luxurious perfumes, gold, and expensive jewellery. She is incredibly wealthy and is invoked for success in business, and her presence brings with it prosperity. She owns a dark brown horse and plays a reed-coloured lute. She is associated with coffee, cards, and fortune telling. Whoever draws a card from her deck is promised great fortune, for her cards never lie. Though she is kind to those who respect her, she is also known for being vengeful and merciless to those who cross her.

Ritual: Her gatherings are luxurious, fragrant, and illuminated only by candles on candelabras.

Ritual summoning of her takes place on Friday nights. Candles are lit, offerings are made, and the rituals continue until dawn, then everyone who attended the gathering that night ascends to a cave where candles and incense are lit again. Then the attendees gather at what is called the “Jewish table” where they eat, drink, and indulge in smoking and drinking alcohol. When the session reaches its climax to the rhythm of Gnawa music, they begin to communicate with “the fairy queen Maria” in order to benefit from her services.

Names: Some of her titles include "Lalla Ghazali," ""Maria Sabtiah," Princess of Princesses," "Maria Al-Hawawiya," "Lady of the Girls," "Maria Al-Yahudiya," and "Beloved of David."

Followers: The key information is that she does not impose servitude on anyone as other jnun do, nor will she mingle with just anyone. For example, if you live in a modest house or own a cheap car, you can’t claim to have Maria with you. Her presence shines among the noble and distinguished figures, state leaders, and influential people. Those who truly have Maria wouldn’t wear anything less than diamonds. People with Maria have luxury cars, lavish homes, and the best of everything. They love colors like pink, white, and light blue—nothing ordinary. If you have Maria, your finances and lifestyle should be extraordinary—not average or barely sufficient. A description I read of her female devotees says:

"Imagine someone going to the bathhouse in luxurious loungewear and expensive slippers. Their accessories alone would be worth a fortune, let alone their jewelry.

When these women go out, they always look flawless. If they wear jewelry, it’s extravagant, and their outfits might be worth half a million.

These people are simple yet refined. For example, they might wear a delicate gold necklace that costs as much as a car."

Followers of Lalla Maria don’t waste time with idle chatter. When they meet with someone, it’s about business. Everything they do, even attending events or outings, has a purpose tied to their success. They don’t talk much—they’re concise, say a few convincing words, and get to the point.

They live in luxury and often travel, hopping on and off planes for business or pleasure. Even their relationships are strategic, as they don’t waste time with unimportant people.

Maria comes to her devotees through inheritance, so even if you’re not wealthy right now, you’d likely come from a family that has financial stability or prestige. She’s not tied to mere appearances or materialism but rather a certain level of class and influence.

Some people attempt to summon her or practice her rituals, but it only works if you are truly connected to her. Otherwise, she might simply appear, laugh at your efforts, and give you a bit of what you ask for before leaving. Her true presence and influence are passed down through inheritance, and some people have Maria without even realizing it.

Even if people don't realise they have Maria working with them, she’s present and helping them in her own way. To work with Maria, you don’t always need to follow specific rituals or use stones unless she specifically requests it.

Some people have dreams about Maria, seeing her appear to them in various forms. However, it’s not always necessary to have a direct connection with her to feel her presence or influence in your life. Having her in your dreams doesn't necessarily mean she's your spiritual Queen - it could mean she's a spiritual companion, either a lover or adversary. Once she's there, she's difficult to get rid of.

Relationships: Her father is David, who she accompanies on Saturdays, which are filled with indulgence, spoiling and pampering. She has an older sister known as Lalla Diana. Rituals are sometimes held for both Maria and Diana at the same time. She is cherished by the Kings of the Djinn, especially the Jewish kings.

Personality: She is kind, delicate, and generous when she wants to be. She can make a woman radiant in the eyes of those who see her and can turn a man into the king of hearts. However, she is strict and does not tolerate betrayal. People who attempt to summon her often seek her for money or personal gain. However, they should stop entertaining illusions because her influence isn’t something easily manipulated.

Manifestation: She often wears royal silky garments in either golden or straw-colored hues. Some say they resemble the colour of banana peels. On her head, there’s either a spirit thread or a crown of flowers. She also likes to wear pure, bright white - white gowns, white crowns, and dazzling diamonds. Unlike most Princess and Queen jnun, she doesn't wear yellow gold, preferring white gold and diamonds.

She is radiant and extremely beautiful. Her skin is very fair and her hair is long, sometimes black and sometimes light. She appears to be about 30 years old, but sometimes she is perceived to be about 15. She often appears looking petite and pampered in the Jewish quarter. If she speaks to you, it will be in the Jewish dialect (I also read that she speaks English). She might offer you money—euros, dollars, or other types of paper currency—or give you something valuable like a diamond, silver, or even a key. Each person experiences her differently.

All her messages to mortals come through dreams. She might enter through Jewish magic, mirrors, or other means. If she appears to you, consider yourself fortunate. She is a queen that comes to people through inheritance or lineage.

Maria may not always appear as her true self, but rather as lesser entities, like a servant. For these lesser forms, you might light candles or offer her things, but she doesn’t bring significant benefits. She’s just a guest. This isn’t the same as having Maria in her full power.

Days: From Friday afternoon until Saturday afternoon (the Sabbath), her presence is particularly strong. She is the Queen of the Sephardic Jews, beloved by Moroccan Jewry. She is also present on Mondays. On Monday mornings, if you’re working on a project, you might find yourself guided by her energy. It’s essential to work with her influence only on specific days and times—especially Monday mornings.

Offerings: Acceptable offerings include: sweets, nuts, high quality drinks, shisha, Caro (a brand of coffee), and candles (typically blue or gray). Depending on the tradition you may light seven or eleven candles for her. Her preferred incense is original and pure frankincense, serghina, oud, premium musk, and a small amount of fragrant gum resin. She doesn’t like too much incense, just enough to create the right atmosphere. She also likes rosewater, but not orange blossom water. Her fabrics must be white and of high quality, preferably from expensive, premium brands - nothing messy or casual.

Some people like to sacrifice chickens for her, but one shawafa I follow, Meryem Bant Chrifa, who is a devotee of her (and whose altar is in the picture at the top) recommends buying a dove and releasing it instead.

Generally her offerings are similar to Lalla Malika's, a fellow genie Princess who presides over prosperity. If you know about Lalla Malika and her preferred offerings, then there's no need to explain: you already know only the best will do. Lalla Maria requires the finest drinks, the best cigars, the most luxurious cigarettes, and the best shisha. The food on her table should be of the highest quality and prepared perfectly. Her makeup should always be the finest, luxurious brands only.

Colours: Pinkish-red, bright white, white with a touch of grey. If you want to set up a table of offerings or prepare something important, it’s essential to wear white. Wearing white ensures her approval.

Shrine: She has a shrine in the town of Ouazzane.

Why Invoke Her: When Maria is with you, your business will thrive. Anything you get involved in will succeed, and you’ll never leave empty-handed. Every decision you make and every word you say carries weight because of her influence. In major business deals involving diamonds, gemstones, or even international trade between countries, Maria is invoked as a symbol of prosperity. She is the essence of success and luxury.

A folk song about her: Lalla Ghazali Ya Maria.

#lalla maria #witchblr

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atopcat · 19 days ago

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A look into Zionist denialism and how ingrained the brainwashing is, based on a discussion I had with a Zionist who tried to convince me Natalie Portman is a woman of colour.

Before I begin I must stress two irrefutable facts:

Israel is located in the West Asian subcontinent, which is part of Asia as a whole.

If you are indigenous to this region then you are automatically ethnically Asian and a person of colour.

With this in mind, we start with their original comment to @twitterexile's post:

It is shocking how many people will declare hand on heart that these two women are ethnically Asian:

I asked them just that, do they truly believe the above two are women of colour?

Which clearly triggered them:

They most likely realised how ridiculous this Zionist fallacy sounds once I asked a logical question which is they threw a tantrum, nevertheless they still doubled down.

This is the new Zionist tactic, now claiming European settlers are the true natives of West Asia.

This wasn’t always the case, before terms such as “settler colonialism”, “colonisation”, “displacement” etc. were rightfully labelled as racist the Zionist movement was more than happy to describe their actions as just that.

However times have changed, in a postcolonial era where countries are now distancing themselves from their colonial past Israel stands alone as the last of its kind. Moreover when indigenous people across the globe are showing solidarity with the Palestinian people it’s hard to justify the continuation of apartheid South Africa.

So with this change in political attitudes, and worldwide solidarity for the Palestinian cause Zionists were forced to change tactics now claiming they are the real natives.

Problem is it doesn’t pass the smell test, not by a mile.

Gal Gadot: her mother's roots are Czech and Polish, while her father's are Austrian, Russian, and German.

Natalie Portman: born to Jewish parents with roots in Poland, Russia, Austria, and Romania.

Are their Levant origins in the room with us?

But hey, once you’ve gone this far there’s no point backing down now 👍🏽

Science time: ethnicities do in fact “expire”. By seven generations back, less than 1% of your DNA is likely to have come from any given ancestor.

Only one of these women is indigenous to West Asia, only one of these women has a Levantine ethnicity, and has roots to the land that goes back centuries. Guess which one?

Hint: it’s not the one whose family is solely Polish.

But what can I say, if you’re this desperate to claim Shira is a woman of colour and is of Asian descent to justify her government’s colonial subjugation of an indigenous population.

Then I guess this whole family is actually black:

After all their ancestors were 13th-century ruler Afonso Ill and his Moorish lover Madragana.

#palestine #free palestine #settler colonialism #gaza genocide #gaza #support palestine #end the occupation #end the apartheid #apartheid #israel #racism #natalie portman #gal gadot #shira haas #queen rania of jordan #🍉#british royal family #brf

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biblioflyer · 9 months ago

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Genosha allegories: constructive reads and hot takes.

Anger is an appropriate response to Genosha, not hopelessness.

This is Part 2 in a 5 part essay on the implicit pessimism of X-Men as a setting.

Part 1 lays out the core assumptions of the setting.

I think X-Men ‘97 is the smartest Marvel offering since Captain America: Civil War brought us the debates over the Sokovia Accords. There are a lot of crappy discussions about the ethics of Magneto’s Blackout and the broader question of whether Xavier is as corrupt, infantile, and naive as he’s accused of both by other characters and the audience.

However, people really do need to be mindful of the hard wired setting conceits that ensure that the X-Men’s world is one in which there is an unhappy median that wobbles back and forth from slightly better to a lot worse and this itself is not (I hope) the actual message of the setting.

There are some real life parallels that I see that may validate a pessimistic reading, but other metrics like the number and acceptability of interracial, interreligious, and same sex marriages in the United States have improved by staggering degrees. We have not achieved true equality or safety for people who have traditionally struggled for full acceptance, but if we don’t allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, we can see that positive change is possible.

Whether positive change is truly lasting and able to be expanded upon is a more nebulous question, I’m not one to buy into “end of history” narratives so I would never say that we cannot go backwards, I often worry we’re on the cusp of doing just that, history is often, to borrow a Dan Carlinism, like a stock ticker, but we’ve had a pretty good run of adding more freedoms for more people.

Although obviously different groups of people are at different places in their struggle to achieve safety, acceptance, and equity and thus their gains are less entrenched and more subject to backsliding.

Sprinkled in amongst the narrative of progress are setbacks and atrocities: Genosha could stand in for the likes of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, the Stonewall raid, the anti-Jewish pogroms of the 1880s in the Russian Empire, or the brutal suppression of Arab nationalists by European empires under the mandate system.

Magneto surely would not want us to forget these things when he says the first priority of Mutants should be to look after their own and trust of Humans should come slowly, but probably never.

There again, I do think it is possible to hold multiple thoughts: that progress is often not uninterrupted or linear but it is possible and, at least in the United States context, significant progress has been made given how bleak conditions were for women, non-Europeans, queer people, and even the wrong kind of European at various points in history.

Right or wrong, I think this is the history that Xavier is temperamentally oriented towards, but then it is easier for him as a child of privilege and someone who is not visibly a Mutant.

The next part will go into greater detail about the allegories behind X-Men and why the X-Men setting is hardwired for doom by intent.

#Genosha #magneto #erik lehnsherr #charles xavier #x men 97 #x men the animated series #x men #Mutants #allegory #Marvel #civil rights

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obislittleone · 1 year ago

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Tw: suicidal thoughts (don't be alarmed I'm just venting)

I am so tired. I am so worn out. It doesn't matter what I say. It doesn't matter what I do. I have been financially and physically giving to Palestinians and Israelis who have been injured and were innocent victims through this war. The organization my family and I are working with has done so much to try and save lives. I have done all I can possibly do, but it's not enough. Those of you who drop in my dms or my asks to call me a 'genocidal colonizer' are so truly lost. I hope you all get help, because the amount of hate I've seen against not only myself but against literally every Jew I know is absolutely abominable. Don't say 'from the river from the sea' unless you know what it means, and if you say it, don't say it to a jew. You may hate Israel, and you may even think that all the people there deserve to die, but have you ever taken into consideration that the innocent Jews of either Israel or the rest of the world have nothing to do with their government or the mistreatment of Palestinians? Did you ever once think before you commented on a Jews post to 'wipe Israel off the face of the earth'? Chances are you did not. Chances are also that if you did, you probably just hate jews. Don't comment any bullshit on this post, I'll just remove it. I'm not here to fight anymore, I'm just here to say a few words, and give a perspective to those who think I'm some devil worshipping satanist just because I'm jewish.

These are the asks in my inbox on the daily:

Do you have any idea how this mentally affects a person? Do you even know how horrifying it is to know that so many people want you dead? I've had run ins with depression and suicidal attempts and thoughts my entire life, but never have I been this influenced by outer forces into thinking that I should be dead. Never once has anyone encouraged me to pull a trigger or off myself. Not until this has happened.

The comments and reblogs on posts about my best friend who lived in Israel, and her mother (who is arab, btw) that was killed in the October 7th attack are beyond wild. I can't even imagine how crazy it must be to live in the middle east as a jew. This is only a fraction of the hate that I experience in my day to day life, now.

The middle fingers I get from pissed off passersby at Walmart because I wear a star of david, or the slurs I get called because I told someone I had to leave an event early for Shabbat. It's all hatred, and it all sucks.

The violence, and the aggression that innocent jews are getting from random people who hate them. The little old man who stood on a street corner and held a sign in protest of Jewish hate that was killed today by a pro-hamas protestor. Its all too overwhelming. Why? Because even if you choose not to see it, or even if you condone it and think its 'not that bad', Jewish hate is getting dangerously close to what it was during the time of the holocaust. What's worse? It's being praised. Not just accepted, but encouraged. I posted on my instagram asking for prayers over my friend who's having to hide in a bomb shelter because of the war. The amount of comments saying 'just let her die' were astounding.

I have to ask you, where is your humanity? When jews can not only feel compassion but openly support Palestinians and try and give their services to save their innocent women and children from dying in the war, where is your compassion for innocent jews? Where is your willingness to feel an ounce of sadness for the loss of a life? Are you so hateful that you will condemn a teenage girl to die because of the violence her government commits? And if it happens, will you be so heartless that you will praise the notion that she is dead?

A common phrase used when I ask pro-hamas bloggers what their stance is on the beheading of children or the raping of women is, it usually comes out as: "well what do you think declonization looked like?"

I am always shocked. Every. Single. Time... why? Because I hope with every shred of naivete i have in me that people who have lost so much will understand the pain of those who are also losing so much. When you condemn one government for killing your children, and bringing a genocide upon Palestinians, why do you not also condemn the murdering of children and innocent Jews? Is it because 'that's not your team?' Is it because you want to win so badly that you don't care what the cost is? Do you think that turning into the thing that killed your people will make you a hero? The only thing I can possibly think of that would make a person respond that way is bloodlust. When you condemn an entire nation (including the innocent people) of killing your own, then turn around and do the same thing to their innocents, do you think you've proved something?

Whenever I address these things I'm usually met with the same stuff about how I'm a Jew so I'm biased and I don't get to have an opinion... but I don't think it's fair to say that to someone who's literally living with the repercussions that your hate is causing. Don't tell me to be quiet if you're spreading nazi rhetoric about jews and telling people to kill us.

Again, don't bring any bullshit on here. It will be deleted, and you will be blocked. I've spoken my piece. If anyone is interested in learning more about the organization I work with and donating to help Palestinian and Israeli families getting caught in the crossfire, please drop me a message, I'd be glad to give you more information.

#israel #palestine #fuck hamas #antisemitism #stop jewish hate

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matan4il · 1 year ago

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Ive long believed that this recent extremist hatred of “colonists” was more about the perceived value of the people being colonized than about the actual harm to human life that colonization causes. (And I do not think of Israelis as colonizers, btw) The past hours have proven this to me. It’s not about whether they think Israel is truly guilty of colonization; it’s that Israelis would dare go against a group they have decided has fundamentally different and more valuable level of humanity. The same exact people who claim they’d support indigenous Americans taking back the land hate Jews for doing exactly that. And my God, the amount of people who spend most of their time discussing sexism and violence against women now saying that the innocent women being killed and kidnapped en masse is “the price to pay” is making my blood boil. I feel like I’ve witnessed so many people just toss all decency and morality out the window just so they can pat themselves on the back for being “anti-colonialists”. Anti-semetism has so rotted peoples brains. I’m praying for you and for every life caught up in this atrocity.

Hi Nonnie! Thank you for the ask.

Let me just say you're of course right that Israeli Jews are not colonizers of the Jewish ancestral homeland. But I haven't been touching this point, because the truth is... even if they were, would it justify such barbarity? Or do we as human beings believe in the sanctity of life, and understand that violence, rape, torture, mutilation and cold blooded murder, let alone mass murder, should NEVER be accepted as the solution to any problem?

Did people take the Nazis, those who committed the worst crimes in human history, and tried to use them to justify the massacre of all Germans, or to de-legitimize the very existence of a German state?

I actually sadly don't think the world does value the lives of Palestinians. I'm friends with so many. Mainly, as a gay woman, I have gay Palestinian friends. I have friends whose families found out they're gay, threatened to kill them, they applied for refugee status in so many western countries, but none would take them. I'm aware that Palestinians are being discriminated against BY LAW in so many places (for example in Lebanon, where Palestinians are barred from no less than 39 professions). If this were about their well being, then pro-Palestinian activists and demonstrations would be speaking up about the mistreatment of Palestinians everywhere! But they don't. If they can't blame the Jewish state for a perceived wrong, they don't care what happens to Palestinians.

Not everyone, obviously. Many accept the info as handed to them and they think they're being pro-Palestinian, when really they're just being fed, and then end up passing on, anti-Israel propaganda.

So, sadly I think this is a new form of antisemitism, expressed by singling out the Jewish state. It isn't the push for human rights it pretends to be, or the movement would care about the human rights of Palestinians in places like Lebanon and Jordan, too.

I think a good way to sum up what's wrong with people justifying the massacre that we experienced here is found in this image:

Thank you, I really appreciate the care and the prayers! Sending you endless hugs and love! xoxox

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

#ask #anon ask #israeli #israel news #israel #antisemitism #kindness #fandom love #thank you!#<33333 #jumblr #frumblr #jewish #jew #jews #judaism

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aussielight · 1 year ago

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The Israel & Palestine War

First of all I want to say:

I support the Palestinians who want peace.

I support the Israelians who want peace, and speak out against or towards their government to stop their oppression and find a compromise to achieve peaceful resolutions for both sides.

However -

The amount of people defending the kidnapping, hostage taking, the slaughter of innocents & children - especially if they're Jewish, along with the RAPE of the women kidnapped & pulled from their cars, homes, vehicles, birthday parties, raves and other places is disgusting.

Out of the tourists and relatives of those, deaths aside – All those who speak of the extreme hostage situations or utmost vile acts imposed upon them (rape, murder of their family, being hunted etc) only speak of the Hamas terrorists taking them & doing such ... Which is a very, very dumb play to make from a strategic point of view ... Like, did they not consider - To stop and think, how countries are gonna retaliate when they see their citizens taken hostage or terrorised by a foreign armed force?

Jews are slaughtered, raped and tormented.

Queers are slaughtered, raped and tormented.

Innocents who just want to live their lives are slaughtered, raped and tormented.

This isn't opinion, or propaganda - This is fact. There's mountains of evidence at this point in time to demonstrate such, along with even admitted or outright posted by the terrorisers themselves via media outlets who're cheering and bragging about it.

The extremists of the war & the Hamas supporters can bang their chest and say “Who cares? We are the best!” or some other self-justifying BS excuses – but when they have half the world raining down on them to take vengeance in the name of their kin, they’re going to quickly realise just how large the world actually is – and how truly small they are.

“The silent killer of great countries and civilisations of high achievement – is hubris.”

“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people are so full of doubts.”

#Israel #Palestine #Free Palestine #Support Israel #Hamas #Social Justice #Jewish #Anti Semitism #Israel VS Palestine #Queer #War #Peace #Israel-Palestine Conflict

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mythica-ithaca · 6 months ago

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I've decided to stop typing out the same responses to the same braindead US Liberal questions so I'm making this post in order to save time.

•"But Kamala has called for a ceasefire!"

She has called for a temporary humanitarian pause, which she and Biden have worked tirelessly for months to completely rebrand into a call for "ceasefire". If they truly wanted a permanent ceasefire they wouldn't have just sent Israel $20+ billion in financial aid and weapons. Use your brains. That is not something that someone who opposes more violence would do. Empty words mean nothing. She has not taken any actions so far that actually demonstrate a work towards a permanent ceasefire, in fact all her actions have been in complete opposite to her calls for one. She is lying to you and telling you what you want to hear in order to get elected. And you are letting her by falling it and not demanding any sort of results. And just because she wont spell it out for you like Trump will, her "ironclad support" for Israel translates to her allowing them to "finish the job" should it come down to it as well. There is no other way to interpret that.

•Trump can't be reasoned with but Kamala can be convinced/pushed left after we vote her in!

You people said this about Biden as well and look how well that worked out. Around 200k Palestinians are dead, and so is Roe v Wade, which they had the opportunity to codify and they didn't. His own staff were protesting in front of the white house and he didn't budge an inch. Neither will Kamala. You are deluding yourselves into believing that after you give these people all the power in the world that you have any sway over them whatsoever. Our votes are our leverage, and you are throwing yours away by voting for words over actions. You get exactly what you vote for, there is no putting in the work afterwards. And a vote for Kamala at this point is a vote for Genocide.

•"Why are you protesting Kamala and not Trump?!"

First of all. Do you people think he can be reasoned with or not? What is the point of going to his rallies with his violent supporters if you think he can't be swayed anyways? Cause if he's not going to change his position and he's not going to drop out, what exactly do you think it would accomplish?

Second of all, Trump isn't the one committing genocide right now. The democrats are in power. They are the ones responsible for this and the ones with the power to stop it. They deserve to be protested.

Third of all, we aren't voting for Trump regardless. Kamala is the one who needs to change her position and show actual results in order to earn our votes. If you think you can "push them left" then prove it and stop bitching when people actually start pushing instead of sitting around in complacency just because the dems are in charge. Supporting a genocide hurts her prospects way more than having anti genocide protestors at her rallies does. She wants to be president of the united states, she deserves constant pressure and criticism.

•"Trump will be even worse for Palestine! Vote for the lesser evil!"

This is incredibly callous, cruel and dismissive of what is happening to Palestine under the democrats right now. Gaza is completely destroyed already. Families are torn apart. Thousands of babies and children and men and women are literally being torn apart every. single. day. And every single day Kamala and Biden wake up and decide not to stop it. To not even condemn it. Their administration actively lies about it. We are far past the point of it getting worse. There is nothing worse than hell on earth. Would you ever tell a jewish person that the holocaust "could have been worse", simply because not every single jew was wiped out? By saying it can always get worse, you are ignoring and tolerating how catastrophic things are right now.

This is what voting for the "lesser" evil and voting blue no matter who has come to. There is no option that doesn't result in continued genocide. There is no lesser evil anymore. Only one that you will personally benefit from more than the other. You cannot look at what is happening in Palestine and Sudan and Congo and begin to tell me that the democrats are in any way "less" evil. You are downplaying the severity and suffering of these conflicts by implying that, and it's disgusting.

You need to realize that this line of thinking is enabling you to tolerate and excuse certain levels of depravity and that is unacceptable. In no world is the a "less evil" form of genocide.

•"What you expect Kamala to do about it right now? Shes not even president yet!"

This is probably the most pathetic attempt to absolve her of any responsibility. She is the fucking Vice President. She is not just there for show, she has power and influence. She is 100% able to disagree with and speak out against policy. She could have even resigned in protest if she was truly disgusted by Bidens actions. She acts his advisor and is currently not giving any push back to Biden on his policies. Biden can't just fire her and she's already the nominee.

•"We need to save ourselves first in order to help others!"

We are in a sinking ship and you are pushing peoples heads underwater and drowning them in order to get yourselves to a lifeboat, all while promising that once you're safe you'll help pull others up. But by the time you save yourselves everyone else is already dead and you're stranded all alone.

Nobody wants your fucking help. They want you to stop giving power to people fundamentally indifferent to human life so you can live just a bit more comfortably at the expense of everyone else's suffering. Stop trying to play the saviors of the world. They know that you will always have an excuse as to why it's not the right time for you to help anyways. They know you will never put anyone or anything before yourselves. And you all know it too.

•"There's never going to be a perfect candidate! Get over it!"

In what world is demanding someone be against genocide equal to demanding a perfect candidate? I'm aware that I am not going to ever agree with a politician, or anyone really, on every single issue. I'm absolutely willing to make sacrifices in certain areas. Genocide is a red line. Just like I wouldn't vote for anyone who was against abortion or lgbt rights, I'm not voting for anyone who is fundamentally indifferent to human rights.

•"So you want to just sacrifice (insert any vulnerable group in America)?"

No. It is a myth that you can sacrifice one group to liberate another. You can't sacrifice Palestinians in order to save your own rights. Ask yourselves why you should even have to. There are better ways to secure rights like abortion and healthcare than voting blue no matter who. Stop letting the democrats dangle abortion right over your heads in order to scare you into silence. Our rights and Palestinian live are not mutually exclusive, you are allowed to demand both. You are not allowed to act like our lives are somehow more important than theirs. What are you going to do when it's abortion, lgbt, disabled, or bipoc rights that have to be sacrificed to save democracy? Because it will eventually come to that if we let this "lesser evil" shit continue and refuse to fight for our rights and just keep giving more of them up in order to preserve others just a little longer.

•"You want a revolution and yet you haven't firebombed a Walmart??"

I mean. Considering that you all insist you can just sit back vote your way out of fascism by backing whatever candidate they decide to throw at you without making a single demand. Yeah, you're right, it's starting to look more likely that violence will be the only solution to this problem. But we aren't there yet. Because far too many of you are too comfortable living the way we do at the expense of people suffering all over the world. Until a significant amount of you become actually uncomfortable with the way things are, instead of just saying that you are and then continuing to reap the benefits of living in the empire, there won't be a revolution. Violent or otherwise. Because you're all content to play this rigged game. You are just comfortable enough with the way things are to be more scared of losing what little you have than fighting for what we deserve. A better world is still too inconvenient for you to do more than cast a vote every four years.

RIP to Aaron Bushnell btw. He lit himself on fire in order to protest Americas role in all this. I'd say that's braver than firebombing a walmart.

•"So you want us to just not vote at all then!?"

I want you to stop voting for empty words and demand action before throwing away your leverage. There is no pushing them left after you give them all the power in the world. You get exactly what you vote for. You say that voting third party is throwing your vote away, but what the hell do you call voting for empty promises over and over again? Bullshitting harm reduction? Because I don't think constant school shootings and police brutality is harm reduction.

The democrats have been promising $15 minimum wage for so long that it isn't even sufficient anymore. Promised to codify Roe. Didn't deliver. Promised assault rifle bans. Didn't deliver. Haven't abolished ICE. Haven't defunded or reformed the police. Haven't guaranteed parental leave or child care. Students are still drowning in debt. Kamala has stated that she will not push for medicare for all. How is it that they've been incapable of any of these things for years after having majority multiple times, and yet somehow the republicans are supposed to be able to pass project 2025 with ease?

I am telling you to demand that these people start earning your votes. Because you have made them entirely too comfortable by telling them to their faces that you will vote for them no matter what their policies are by chanting, 'vote blue no matter who'. Every single time you do that, you sacrifice something else instead of gaining anything for the vulnerable people you say you care about.

•"Democracy is on the ballot! We have to save democracy!"

You mean the democracy in which we have two choices, except one choice will be the end of democracy, so we really only have one choice, and that choice was chosen for us because the current president refused to step down until after the primaries, where his party made sure he had no real opponent in the first place, so they just went with his right hand man as a replacement? The democracy currently forcing you choose the annihilation of an entire people in order to maybe secure some of your own rights for just a little longer? That democracy? Does that sound like a system worth saving anymore in the first place?

You will not save democracy by committing genocide in front of the entire fucking world. And if you could, it wouldn't be worth saving.

#politics #us politics #kamala harris #free palestine #fuck israel #vote blue no matter who #long post #mythica

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