Dear Swifties:

The radical theocratic terrorists that targeted the Taylor Swift concert are functionally the same people that want to destroy Israel.

The ideology is the same. The willingness to kill civilians is the same. The goal is the same.

When you support Hamas, you’re supporting the same people that wanted to assassinate Taylor Swift and her fans.

@briannawu

fuck #hamas (many #palestinians agree)

fuck #netanyahu (many #israelis agree)

the problem:

someone speaks against hamas, and someone else confuses that with speaking against palestinians and supporting netanyahu

or:

someone speaks against netanyahu, and someone else confuses that with speaking against israelis and supporting hamas

but:

some *do* speak against israelis or palestinians

*nobody* can attack palestinians, israelis, #muslims, or #jews

(1/3)

There’s an inconvenient truth and hole in the argument that Palestinians do not support Hamas @benroyce.

Anticipating some pushback, so saving some time here. If Palestinians cannot govern themselves, then they shouldn’t have a country. If they can, then they have to own their problems.

@briannawu is right here.

https://www.axios.com/2024/08/06/hamas-names-political-leader-yahya-sinwar

Hamas names architect of Oct. 7 attack as new leader

The move anchors Sinwar's status as the top — and perhaps even sole — decision maker in Hamas.

Axios

@rob @briannawu

a people should always govern themselves

period

that there exist parasitical entities like hamas who push mass murder on others as a dynamic for control, is an argument against hamas, *not* against palestinians

i mean, you could use your own logic against israelis with netanyahu

or americans with trump

or russians with putin

or venezuelans with maduro

etc

my point is:

do not confuse the parasite with the people

@benroyce @briannawu

The question is not what people *should* do. The question is, what *is* happening in Palestine? What *was* happening on October 6th in Palestine?

Were the Palestinians ruling themselves or not? And how does one explain these poll results and square it with the future?

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-opinion-poll-wartime-views-a0baade915619cd070b5393844bc4514

Palestinian poll shows a rise in Hamas support and close to 90%

A wartime opinion poll among Palestinians shows a rise in support for Hamas, which appears to have ticked up even in the devastated Gaza Strip. The survey published Wednesday also reflected an overwhelming rejection of Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas, with nearly 90% saying he must resign. The findings signal more difficulties ahead for the Biden administration’s postwar vision for Gaza. Washington has called for the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank-based autonomy government currently led by Abbas, to eventually assume control of Gaza and run both territories as a precursor to Palestinian statehood. The pollster said that with findings indicating a further erosion of the PA’s legitimacy, the default option for post-war Gaza is likely an open-ended Israeli occupation.

AP News

@rob @briannawu

I don't give a shit. A people rule themselves, period. The only way to peace is a two state solution. Hard stop

Whatever problems that exist preventing that must be overcome. And I will never buy the argument that the parasites that foment violence to remain in power are the same as the people. Whether putin, maduro, hamas, whomever. How much support these cancers have in their societies is besides the point. The people will figure out their parasites are their downfall

@benroyce @briannawu

90% of support sure doesn’t seem like a parasitical force.

But what I am seeing here is that you are saying that Palestine cannot govern itself. The parasites have taken over.

Is that really what you want to say here?

@rob @briannawu That parasites exist? Of course I'm saying that. That is true for every nation on Earth. Those who establish a dynamic for power that preys on the people's worst instinct. Demagogues. And how much the people buy into the lies from the grifters merely defines the parameters of their future suffering

@benroyce

I think the very definition of a state and self-governance is agency.

And I think you’re saying that the Palestinian people have no agency. (I don’t want to put words in your mouth.)

I can’t get behind that. I’m in the same boat as @briannawu.

@rob @briannawu

"And I think you’re saying that the Palestinian people have no agency"

Then you haven't listened to anything I said at all

@benroyce @briannawu
Well if they have agency, then they wanted the war and started the war and should therefore expect consequences.

It seems to me that well meaning people have stretched the suffering of the Palestinian people for a long time by excusing away bad behavior.

Have the Israelis been fair? No. But life isn’t fair.

@rob @briannawu

palestinians will indeed suffer as long as they grant any legitimacy to hamas. just as long as israelis will suffer as long as they grant any legitimacy to netanyahu

but none of this leads to denying the existence of palestinians as a people (or israelis as a people as others will say)

if you do that, you are not merely observing "life isn't fair," you're abandoning morality

you're not responsible for what is happening, but you are bound by morality to reject it

@benroyce @briannawu
You say my morality is compromised? I’d say that yes it is.

However, I also like to point out that 100% of American Palestinians live on stolen land. And so I have a hard time with their arguments. A really hard time.

People in America lecturing other nations about genocide is a little weird. It shows a lack of self reflection.

And here’s the problem. I’m not sure the world is worse off for it. And I don’t say that lightly.

Does that make sense?

@rob @briannawu

no it doesn't make any sense

you're saying bad things happened before, so we have to accept bad things now