Timnit Gebru (she/her).Nov 1, 2023

CNN talks about Palestinian deaths like its a natural disaster.

"Palestinian American family mourns 42 relatives killed in a single day in Gaza"

How exactly were they killed CNN? Was it an earthquake? A flood? Some sort of natural disaster? The number of videos I've seen of Palestinians who have lost entire generations of their families because they were bombed in their homes, facing western journalists with absolutely no empathy for them, is sickening.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/31/world/palestinian-american-family-relatives-killed-gaza/index.html

Show threadTimnit Gebru (she/her).Nov 1, 2023
A computer science professor was talking about his family member who was shot by IDF in the West Bank, and he had to preface that by saying "Hamas is not in the West Bank." The only thing another one of my fellow computer scientists had to say was "That's not true, there are many Hamas supporters in the West Bank." The dehumanization is so deep.
Show threadTom Bellin Nov 1, 2023
@timnitGebru Seeing the IDF murdering innocent people without repercussions might have something to do with the radicalization of the population. Just thinking out loud.
Show threadRichardNov 2, 2023
@tob @timnitGebru I don't really like that excuse. It can be claimed by any side in a conflict and is a justification for continually escalating, eye-for-eye vengeance.
Show threadTom Bellin Nov 2, 2023

@richard_merren @timnitGebru It's not an excuse. No one should support Hamas.

It's an explanation. One that accepts that people who support our enemies may have reasons that aren't evil.

If we refuse to accept any possibility that regular people might see Hamas as the "good guys" in this fight, then we will never be able to find a way through to peace.

Show threadRichardNov 2, 2023
@tob @timnitGebru That is an entirely different statement than the one above, kind of an opposite statement. I agree with this one entirely, and I hope you are giving this benefit of the doubt to everyone. involved.
Show threadTom Bellin Nov 2, 2023

@richard_merren @timnitGebru It's interesting that from my perspective both statements are entirely consistent.

In fact, the only reason I made the first statement is because I am so confident in the second statement.

But I can see that without the further context from my second post, how what I said could sound like I'm rooting for the radicalized elements.

Show threadRichard
@tob @timnitGebru I am not accusing you of rooting for any radicalized elements, and start from the assumption that you are a decent human who wishes harm to nobody. I think this type of short statement medium, while satisfying for expressing ourselves, rachets towards miscommunication too easily and we are just talking past each other.
Nov 2, 2023 at 5:21pmPachli
Show threadRichardNov 2, 2023
@tob @timnitGebru I think your initial post raised my hackles as just a little pithy and insensitive, but I am certain you are not rooting for anything horrible and don't want to continue a conversation where anyone feels they are being accused of that.
Show threadTom Bellin Nov 2, 2023
@richard_merren @timnitGebru I didn't feel accused. I think the pithiness comes from a general feeling of exasperation and helplessness.
Show threadRichardNov 2, 2023
@tob @timnitGebru Same.