This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.
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Notes -
The most charitable take is wanton negligence and being a useful idiot.
We literally just saw 1500 Israeli civilians killed. In the most brutal fashion possible.
This would be like being a member of the Oakland Raiders. You just saw Henry Ruggs get obliterated and drive 150 mph and kill someone. You then do the same action the next day. There are charitable takes and on Oct 5 it could be understood not to understand what they mean. But when you do the same behavior the next day that led to loss of life well you don’t have an excuse to be that dumb anymore.
There is a point where both sidism fails and at the motte we don’t need to take every viewpoint as being rational. You should update your beliefs when you watch concert goers machined gun and mothers babies cut out if their stomache and beheaded.
If you are going to back genocide of the Jews then defend genocide of the Jews.
I think negligence and useful idiocy is the correct interpretation in this case, not just the charitable one. I don’t think it’s likely that anyone in that picture ‘backs the genocide of the Jews’ in the ordinary sense of those words. My argument isn’t in favor of their position, it’s that the octopus isn’t an antisemitic dog-whistle and the ‘Free Palestine’ sign is very unlikely (in this particular case) to be calling for genocide or even ethnic cleansing of Jews (though a one-state solution could very well end that way). There is a sense in which that could be said to be ‘calling’ for that outcome, but it’s a very odd way of saying that with a high potential for misunderstanding.
I’m honestly not 100% sure what sport the Oakland Raiders play (football?), and the metaphor went way over my head.
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