I don't think most people -- Jews especially -- who are involved in the demonstrations against genocide are unconcerned about threats of violence against Jews.
My primary motivation is serving justice. But trying to preserve for my son the social empathy for Jews that I was blessed to grow up in is also a big part of my motivation.
It's never too late to join us, my brother. If you want safety us, build safety for all. That's all that has ever worked. #freegaza #bringthemhomenow
@andrewrgross @waldoj @migurski To call warfare "genocide" is to be racist. Warfare is tragic. Death is tragic. Not all tragedy is genocide. Calling it such is accepting a racist lie whose purpose it is to delegitimize and dehumanize Jews. It is legitimate to defend the nation from an enemy who makes no secret of their desire to commit ACTUAL genocide.
You are entitled to hold those racist opinions. But I do not accept them, nor do I forgive them. There is one just path here, and it has been available to Palestine this entire time: the return of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas.
@andrewrgross @waldoj @migurski If the jews who are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people saying "river to the sea" and spraypainting slogans equating the star of david to the swastika cannot see what they are supporting, I pity them too. But I don't forgive them — they are adults and they could condemn the tide of lies and racism from their peers.
Demonstrations for peace are a legitimate thing. The mob violence is not within the same area code as a demonstration for peace. They are literally calling for more violence. And they normalize others to join in. It does not take very much critical thinking to observe this. And it does not require sacrificing a measure of my empathy for Gazans or my humanity to state it.
I'm going to repeat what I said:
If we want to combat antisemtism, we can only do so from the starting principle that all humans have worth.
I grew up in perhaps the best era to be Jewish of any I know of, and I don't want my son to lose out on that. Jews who call out hatred, Jews who reject the us-versus-them myth... we're not fools, we're trying to rouse the rest of you from your slumber:
Calling all criticism of Israel antisemitism is dulling our sharpest weapon when we need it most, and defending unspeakable crimes against humanity is throwing away our shield when we need it most.
To repeat:
It is never too late to join us. If you want safety for Jews: build safety for EVERYONE. That is all that has ever worked. #freegaza #bringthemhomenow
@MisuseCase @andrewrgross @waldoj @migurski for.*whom* (my grammarian surfaces)
Hard truths for you, and your racist ostriching.