Israel is escalating its bombardment of Lebanon, leveling numerous buildings, including the offices of Lebanese news station Al Mayadeen. The Israeli military has also attacked the ancient city of Tyre, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, and killed three Lebanese soldiers in a strike in southern Lebanon, all while continuing to defy international calls for a ceasefire. “What we’re seeing is a complete degeneration into a war that has no rules, that respects no international conventions. There’s one side in this war that has complete impunity,” says Lebanese sociologist Rima Majed in Beirut. “Israel is targeting civilians in most cases. … This is just terrorism.”
And absolutely gaslighting anyone who calls anyone out for it.
I’m really sick of the whole “criticism of Israel is antisemitism” rhetoric. NO IT ISN’T. And pushing this rhetoric harder isn’t going to make me support them either. If anything, I’m going to see it as an increasing threat to my First Amendment right to free speech.
My criticism of the Chinese government is not hateful towards the Chinese Americans in my community. It’s also not hateful towards the Chinese people living in China or anywhere else in the world. It’s a criticism of the leadership, which is fair game. Ditto for criticism of Iran, Russia, or any other nation I can think of.
But criticize the Israeli government and suddenly it’s a problem. There’s less pushback for criticizing the U.S. government!
And absolutely gaslighting anyone who calls anyone out for it.
I’m really sick of the whole “criticism of Israel is antisemitism” rhetoric. NO IT ISN’T. And pushing this rhetoric harder isn’t going to make me support them either. If anything, I’m going to see it as an increasing threat to my First Amendment right to free speech.
My criticism of the Chinese government is not hateful towards the Chinese Americans in my community. It’s also not hateful towards the Chinese people living in China or anywhere else in the world. It’s a criticism of the leadership, which is fair game. Ditto for criticism of Iran, Russia, or any other nation I can think of.
But criticize the Israeli government and suddenly it’s a problem. There’s less pushback for criticizing the U.S. government!