#I am just going to assume that you're a racist antisemite now

[hazel2468]

I keep seeing people bitching about "uwu when I say 'from the river to the sea' people say I'm calling for geeenocide! They say I'm antisemitic!" and like.

Maybe. instead of clinging to a phrase that a bunch of white leftists have co-opted because they think it sounds nice. And digging your little immature heels in. You should LISTEN when people tell you that yes. The phrase's FUCKING ORIGIN was a call for the eradication of Jews from the area known as Israel and Palestine. That NO, you cannot divorce it from those roots. YES, it IS still used to mean that TO THIS DAMN DAY.

And look. Maybe you DON'T think that Israelis should all be killed and/or exiled from Israel and Palestine. Maybe you DON'T think that the genocide of an entire people is the solution. Maybe you DON'T hate Jews and want all of us dead. And if that's the case? Great!

But how the FUCK are we supposed to tell the difference when you are using the EXACT same phrase as countless people who DO want those things. People who DO hate Jews, who ARE supportive of organizations that want to commit violence, people who SUPPORT what happened on October 7th?

When people tell you "hey, this phrase means something else, it has ALWAYS come from those roots, and using it is NOT OKAY because it is STILL used as a rallying cry for violence against Israelis and Jews worldwide", the way to react? Is NOT to fucking double down and use it.

Because that? DOES make you an antisemite. And if I see you using that phrase? Then I MUST assume that at best, you do not know what it means and have SOMEHOW avoided the countless Jews and non-Jews I have seen talking about it, or at WORST you actively hate me and want me and every single one of my people dead.

And frankly? You are not worth that risk to interact with.

Stop saying it. There are SO many ways to support Palestine, the Palestinian people, and their fight for rights, that do not involve spouting genocidal, antisemitic rhetoric. it is NOT HARD.

But apparently, some of y'all are insistent on being racist.

#antisemitism #i/p #the phrase cannot be divorced from its roots #and if I see anyone complaining about it #I am just going to assume that you're a racist antisemite now #it's been long enough #saw someone bitching about not being allowed to have it up at work #and people railing the OTW for not allowing it and im like #ah so if I showed up with a 1488 patch and I got told I couldn't wear that #like #that's actually a GREAT comparison #because a LOT of people have no idea was 1488 means and think it's just a number #but the people who know what it stands for will take you using it as support for them #and btw it's a white supremacist and Nazi symbol #so when someone says hey you know that number isn't JUST a number #it has a lot of racist and violent connotations #the response is not to INSIST that you be allowed to use that damn number #it should be to go oh shit and ditch it #because YOU DON'T WANT FUCKING WHITE SUPREMACISTS THINKING YOU AGREE WITH THEM

[communistkenobi]

if you don't feel like taking the time to explain this to a random person I totally understand lol I will continue to look elsewhere to form an opinion. but I'm torn on not voting for biden, because I do understand the motive. he's terrible, teaching the democratic party a hard lesson is overdue. they need to be taught once and for all that they need to actually fucking deliver on their lofty virtuous promises or they will lose all support. on the other hand if you're following closely the shit trump's people are spewing right now he just keeps getting worse and worse and overtly fascist and ambitious, it's incredibly frightening atp, it's obvious that he will only make everything that's bad now in the usa and in palestine and everywhere else 10000x worse for a long time to come, I just don't know if the damage from another trump presidency is a worthy price to pay to stick it to joe

I’m going to be blunt, but I genuinely do not mean this in a rude or condescending way, I invite you to think about this deeply: do you legitimately think that if the democrats get re-elected they’re going to stop any of the horrific shit the republicans want to implement, either domestically or overseas? Has their track record given you any hope that that will happen? If you vote for them as they gleefully, openly carry out a genocide, literally what incentive do they have to stop Republicans at all? If their voter base is that secure, that loyal, what incentive do they have to protect their constituents or address their needs when in power? Protecting Roe v Wade was what made voting for Biden an existential necessity in 2020 and that still got trashed! People are still in cages at the US-Mexico border! Cop city is being built in Atlanta! Police brutality against Black people continues unabated! Pipelines are still being built on indigenous land (DAPL happened under Obama)! The threat against minority populations, the truly disadvantaged and oppressed people inside the US, are already living with this violence on a daily basis and have lived with it regardless of who is in office. To assume the threat of fascist violence has not yet arrived, has not yet been developing for decades, is to ignore these things.

I do not think the democrats need to be ‘taught a lesson’ or that you need to ‘stick it to Joe.’ The Democrats are not failing to deliver on their promises - these are their promises. Even on a purely self-interested level, ignoring the genocide currently happening, you are not going to be protected from fascists domestically by voting blue no matter who. Certainly there are local elections and movements were there is genuine progressive potential (Ohio just voted to legalise weed and support abortion, a legit good thing that was absolutely worth going out and voting for), but that is not the reality of the national party. The primary language available to voters as voters is to stop voting for them.

The fascist right in the US (both ‘populist’ groups like qanon and the proud boys, as well as institutional groups like the federalist society, the heritage foundation, etc, the list is endless, not to mention evangelical churches) is organised and developed enough that they will continue to hold power and influence regardless of who is in office. The genocide happening in Palestine right now, carried out by a democrat, is not a neatly contained far-away thing that can be separated from domestic politics (I am not claiming you’re making that argument, only trying to articulate my own point) - it is already having a profound and measurable impact on the US population in the form of increased racist, islamophobic and antisemitic violence, mass police brutality, institutional silencing and firing of anyone who even says the word genocide, etc. I think it’s productive to view those actions as developing fascist actions, actions which are being stoked by a democrat. And if they are not outright fascist, they are certainly a precursor to it. In the last couple years there have been a lot of stupid, incompetent demonstrations by the far right in the US - Unite the Right rally, the storming of the capitol, Qanon-motivated assaults and murders like the attempted plot to kidnap the Michigan governor, that one mob guy who was murdered by a Qanon follower in New York I think, Alex Jones being a national figurehead for the conspiratorial and openly fascist right (although he’s probably not going to continue to be that now that he lost a billion dollars in his court cases lol), the “stop the steal” legal attempt to contest the results of the 2020 election - these are ridiculous and on-the-surface ineffective attempts to express a fascistic will onto USAmerican institutions (“inchoate fascism,” a fascism not yet fully formed, a fascism in an experimental phase). But I think the genocide in Palestine is allowing for the effective version of those things to be done in the US. The hysteria, the rage, the violence that this genocide is producing “at home” is not going to dissipate if a democrat continues to hold office, and the Palestinian genocide is both an organising force for the current fascist right and an inciting force for it to further develop and grow. This larger debate about voting or not voting seems to be operating on the (correct) assumption that foreign policy is not a meaningful realm of difference between democrats and republicans, that the only space to battle over is domestic affairs. But absent from this debate is that these two things can’t be neatly partitioned, they are not separate, not just because you should view all human life as equally worth preserving but because we are seeing the mass domestic response within the US about Palestine - the popular resistance to it on the one hand and the institutional support for it on the other. The early 2000s US culture (“post-9/11”) is widely regarded as incredibly right-wing, and that was because of the war in Iraq! Foreign policy produces and shapes US culture, and the genocide in Palestine a colonial and fascist project.

This is not an argument for despair, or to do nothing. Fascism is not defeated by voting regardless of who you’re voting for, and so we can dispense with that idea. If you want to exercise your civic responsibilities, there are many other avenues - labour unions, community work, protests, boycott organising, and yes even voting in local elections when there is a strategic advantage to do so - things that are meaningful and do legitimately help people. But I do not see any strategic calculus in voting for democrats. Biden already told everyone this - “nothing will fundamentally change.” There should be no surprise, no expectation that they will do anything except what they’re already doing, which is business as usual

#asks #turning off reblogs bc I don’t feel like getting screamed at lol #anyway hope this was helpful. I’m also Canadian so my perspective is a bit more removed #although I feel largely the same about my own country. I’m not voting for genocide Justin!

[sereniv]

Dude, neturei karta is a holocaust-denying, antisemitic, misogynist, homophobic, racist cult that all other Jews disavow for being generally horrible. They don't support the Palestinian people, they're just religious fanatics who think Israel is too secular and needs to wait for their cult's fucked up idea of a messiah to come genocide the Palestinians instead. You can't tokenise neturei karta and claim you're supporting Jews or Palestinians.

Ah ok i read up the whole wikipedia and reddit and I see now that their hate of zionism doesnt come from their love of palestinians, and that they have rubbed shoulders with holocaust deniers like going to a conference where fucking David Duke attended

Thank you so much for letting me know, i had NO idea. Its one of those things that sounds good on the surface (i assume this is about the pinned video?) but that with context totally changes what what is being said.

I had no idea there were factions like this, but now ill make sure to be more aware and look the people up who are talking to make sure im not unknowingly supporting people like that

and if it ever happens again please let me know

I am of the stance that hating zionism should be for the love of jews and palestinians, not for some religious agenda. I am also against any holocaust denial of course.

Again thank you for letting me know

#ask #anon

[queerprayers]

how are we supposed to deal with how antisemitism is kind of… everywhere in Christianity?

Thank you for being patient as I figure out where to even start with answering this! I'm a Lutheran. This is a really hard question, and something that I have to deal with. What our ancestors did is not our fault, but it is our responsibility.

My first answer is that I don't know. I don't know what to do when so many people I call my siblings are full of hate. I often feel helpless. But I promise I'm not stopping there.

My second answer is we have three options that I can see: (1) ignore the issue and let antisemitism fester, (2) abandon Christianity as outdated, offensive, or irredeemable, or (3) put in the work to transform ourselves and our institutions. The first two are easier, and the second especially can be tempting. But I hope to devote my life to the third, and that's the perspective I'll be coming from today.

I do want to make clear that I am (clearly) not Jewish and also don't consider myself particularly knowledgeable about Judaism. I read a lot and interact with Jewish people online, but I don't feel this qualifies me to answer this question in any mind-blowing or unique way. I will, however, share my own advice and opinions, and you can decide how much you want to value them.

This is from a Christian perspective, for other Christians (and culturally Christian-ish people). And as always, I'm a white American Gentile. I welcome other perspectives/criticism.

Here are some things that you (my followers) can actually do and learn to acknowledge and combat antisemitism in Christianity. None of this is a solution, but I hope it's something. I'll include some resources at the end. (All of it is easier said than done. But saying it is the first step.)

Acknowledge and learn about the problem. I assume most of you reading this will have realized that our religion, structurally/historically, has condoned massive amounts of sh*t. Any exploration into Christian history has to confront this. Practically every oppressed group in America knows this intimately. In terms of antisemitism, please understand right now that the problem is more of an issue than you thought. However bad you think it is, it's worse. Please immediately burn into your brain that antisemitism is, as the asker said, everywhere in Christianity. Just like white people have internalized racism, even if they're not being purposely racist, Gentiles have internalized antisemitism, even if you don't realize it. Look for it, inside yourself and around you. Call it out. Learn the dogwhistles.

Actually learn about Judaism. If you didn't convert from Judaism/come from a Jewish family, probably just go in assuming you know nothing. Forget what Christian leaders/experts have said, and probably forget what you learned in high school. Build your knowledge of modern Judaism from scratch—this will help you not hold onto myths/prejudices you probably carry. PLEASE remember that first-century Judaism is completely different from modern Judaism. No matter how much you study the Bible, you will not know modern Judaism. Please follow/listen to modern Jewish people.

Your God is Jewish; your religion is not. This is a precarious position. Christianity is an offshoot or appropriation of Judaism, depending who you ask. There is no easy box to put this situation in. Examine that tension; have discussions about it. There is no solution I or anyone else has found so far in history. There are only questions, and trying our best, and approaching with love. PLEASE don't use Jesus being Jewish as "proof" you're not antisemitic.

Stop identifying with Judaism/assuming you know anything about it/assuming Christian interpretation is the same/saying "Judeo-Christian." Obviously if you are interested in converting to, or have converted from Judaism, or are culturally Jewish, that's a different story. But generally, if you are a Christian, you are not Jewish. Research and discussion is welcome. Relating to/agreeing with/valuing interpretation is also welcome. But identification/assumption of authority is not.

Judaism is not "Christianity without Jesus." It never was. It's a completely different philosophy/theology on its own. Stop acting like Jewish people are missing something. Judaism is not outdated or there as a message for Christians, and Jewish people are not waiting around to be converted. They have found God. If you have a problem with that, you apparently haven't.

The Hebrew Bible is a collection of Jewish writings that exists as a text, as one part. And in Jewish interpretation, it is not the complement to the New Testament—stop assuming it is. I personally don't call it the Old Testament anymore—Jewish people did not painstakingly save and translate their holy manuscripts for centuries just for us to rename them. It's the Hebrew Bible or the Tanakh, and the first five books are the Torah. The books of the Hebrew Bible are not ours, but we believe they are the truth. Everyone is free to have their own interpretation of them, but Jewish people have authority, because it is their story to tell. Read Jewish interpretations/translations of their texts. Especially if you grew up Christian/have only interacted with the Bible from a Christian perspective—it will change everything.

Recognize the places in the New Testament and its translations that generalize the Jewish people and put those verses in historical context and/or call them out. No, "the Jews" did not kill Jesus. This is a dangerous way to translate the text and has led to violence. The Gospels tell the story of a Jewish man who made himself a lot of enemies, mostly within his own community. The story is of a specific time period and from a specific perspective. The ways the narrative has been twisted and misunderstood is part of the Christian legacy and must be admitted to, discussed, and repented of.

Stop celebrating Jewish holidays. Yes, Jesus celebrated Passover. No, that doesn't mean you can. Unless you are invited to a Jewish household/community to celebrate with them, you have no business holding seders, etc. if you're not Jewish.

Stop calling yourself a Messianic Jew. You're just a Christian. If you think Jesus is the Messiah, you are a Christian. (Obviously you could still be culturally/ethnically Jewish, because Judaism is not just a religion. I'm not here to tell Jewish people what to do. I'm here to stop Christians from "getting in touch with the Jewish origins of their faith" or whatever and then just appropriating Jewish festivals.)

Hold on to the beautiful, loving parts of our religion. It is so easy to give up, to throw it all away. And I have nothing but respect for those who have done that. I understand completely. It's easier to distance yourself from an institution that has done harm than to try to fix it. It's even better in some cases. But I'm here because I have a deep, kind of unexplainable faith in Jesus, and no matter how many people take God's name in vain, for themselves or their class/privilege, I will not abandon the faith that taught me to love. If you similarly are holding on to Christianity, pay attention to what you're holding on to. What pieces should we let go? What do we crush under our feet and what do we lift up? It's so easy to let this journey lead you to negativity and resignation. Imperfect people in an imperfect religion, oppressed turned oppressors. We betray our creed at the drop of a hat. But that is not the end of the story. That's the point of the gospels! The darkness is not the end, the tomb is not the end, the abandonment and betrayal and hopelessness is not the end. The story ends with love and with reunification. Hold on to that, more than any institution.

Repent. Christians are descendants of an awful evil: the sin of abandoning God's people, persecuting and murdering them, disrespecting their beliefs and texts. Yes, ask God for forgiveness and pray for peace, but also show your repentance in the world, to and for Jewish people. (See next paragraph.)

Actually support Jewish people. Donate. Listen. Protest. No matter how much you theoretically support Jewish people, no one can tell unless you do something about it. Faith without works is dead, my beloveds.

Okay, this is what I have in my brain right now and it's 3 a.m. so, asker: thank you for asking, I absolutely did not do the issue justice (but then, has anyone?), and I hope I have given you at least a part of the answer you were looking for. Here are some resources:

Articles/Posts:

Please at least read the Wikipedia page on this issue.

So You Want to Fight Against Antisemitism (cw: swearing)

"What's the difference between Christianity and Judaism?"

Some perspectives on Messianic Judaism: He's not a rabbi, and it's not Judaism, Jewish groups slam "disappointing" decision to have Messianic Jewish leader at Pence rally, Jewish leaders call Messianic Judaism a fraud

Who are “the Jews” in John?

Holy Week and the hatred of the Jews

Judaism and Christianity Both Rely on the Hebrew Bible. Why Do They Interpret It So Differently?

Christian Persecution of Jews over the Centuries

Websites/Publications

Jewish-Christian Relations.net

Christian-Jewish Relations Library @ Boston College

Dialogika—CCJR Resource Library

Judaism 101

My Jewish Learning

The Torah.com

Sefaria—Jewish text library

Books/Authors

Antisemitism in the New Testament / Lillian C. Freudmann

Jesus Wasn’t Killed by the Jews: Reflections for Christians in Lent / ed. Jon M. Sweeney

Christians & Jews—Faith to Faith: Tragic History, Promising Present, Fragile Future / James Rudin

Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs and Rituals / George Robinson

The Jewish Study Bible: Jewish Publication Society Tanakh Translation

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (her Twitter is a gift!!)

Amy-Jill Levine

Lois Tverberg

Brant Pitre

Robert Alter

Richard Elliott Friedman

With the help of God: may we be forgiven, may we take responsibility, may we not abandon our faith, may we have the energy and capacity to care. Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Let Jesus, a Jewish Palestinian murdered by the state, guide our words and actions.

<3 Johanna

#asks #judaism

[hermits-that-craft]

Heyyyy arti,, I agree with some of the stuff you're saying about jk? But also seamus was absolutely not a stereotype of irish people I am saying this as someone with very close irish blood and history. That's actually just how irish and english people act. Seamus is characterized that way because he is an english speaking european boy and they are rowdy twats who like blowing stuff up have you ever met one./possometimes things don't have to be stereotypes and people don't have to be completely evil just because they're shit about one thing./gen/nm She's transphobic, and I can kind of see where you're coming from with antisemitic, I feel like she's more racially insensitive in that way that most people were in the 90s, but regardless seamus is literally just accurate.

I don't know how to tell you this, but Seamus is the only Irish character, the only character to repeatedly blow things up (Ron accidentally blows his wand up in like,,, book 2 or something and im pretty sure its book 5 that the twins blow up some stuff in the school halls).

I'm assuming you don't know what the Irish troubles are. I'm going to save you five fucking seconds of googling to tell you about it.

The Irish troubles went for thirty years, starting in 1968 and ending in 1998. Do you want to know how many civilians died as a direct cause of the troubles? 1,840 Including children. There were 3,532 total deaths.

There were schools bombed. London was bombed. Derry was bombed. Dublin was bombed.

The Protestant loyalist beat Catholic unionists. Catholic unionists beat Protestant loyalists. There was grafiti saying 'you are now in protestant teratory'. People were killed or severly beaten for their religion or even what side of town they lived in.

Soliders shot protestors and civilians. The IRA bombed towns. The Irish, in general, were treated like shit before all of this started, and now they were treated worse because people were scared. No one wanted to be hurt. So they treated their Irish friends and neighbours like shit. Yeah. Even in America.

And the troubles are still effecting Northern Ireland to this day. I'm sure if you've been on tiktok you've seen the tiktok about someone being asked if their protestant or catholic 'on the wrong side of town'. The peace hasn't even been around for thirty years. We've got 7 more years until the peace has lasted as long as the troubles did.

So now that I've gotten the easy to learn about literally just look up The Irish Troubles and read a bit out of the way, lets get into your dumbass arguments.

Rant under the cut. You made me mad anon. You fucked around in my inbox, read below to find out.

"sometimes things don't have to be stereotypes and people don't have to be completely evil just because they're shit about one thing./gen/nm"

EXCEPT 'IRISH PERSON WHO LIKES BLOWING UP THINGS' IS A STEREOTYPE. YOU INSENSITIVE DUMBASS./gn/nm

"I can kind of see where you're coming from with antisemitic"

this is a whole other can of worm i dont want to open, but try listening to jewish voices on this topic. I'm not jewish, so go and listen to a jewish person speak about this. Because it was antisemitic.

"But also seamus was absolutely not a stereotype of irish people I am saying this as someone with very close irish blood and history."

You. Are. Not. Irish. You cannot decide what is and isn't a stereotype, full stop. And you certainly can't decide what is an isn't harmful towards actual Irish people. One of my classmates was born in Northern Ireland, and his father lived through the troubles. His father came and spoke to us about it. The whole 'Irish people like bombs/blowing things up' stereotype still gets him turned down from jobs. 23 years later. In Australia. You are probably as Irish as I am.

"I feel like she's more racially insensitive in that way that most people were in the 90s, but regardless seamus is literally just accurate."

Wtf.

1. she should have apologised for it. It was racist of her to use Native American culture for her little expansion pack back in, oh, i dont know, 2016

2. You talk mad shit about having irish heriatage for someone who is perpetuating negative stereotypes of what is aparently you.

"Seamus is characterized that way because he is an english speaking european boy and they are rowdy twats who like blowing stuff up have you ever met one./pos"

I lived in Europe and keep in contact with my host family. Have you ever met a european?

#jesus fucking fuck #please tell me this is a troll #i have irish blood and heritage #bitch so do i #i just put effort into my research about irish history #fucking bigots in my inbox i guess

[illgiveyouahint]

Idk how i feel about authors having to be ideologically pure? I feel like i would go crazy if i had to check if every author isnt problematic. I mean most of ye olde authors were misogynistic pricks. Also married VERY young girls. You would have to " delete from existence" almost everything you've ever read.

Hello anon,

I assume this is about the JKR post. It's true that it's unrealistic to want every author to be pure. I am strongly against the idea of pureness. We're humans, we make mistakes, we learn from our mistakes, we make more mistakes. We do some very good things and some very bad things. But I think what's important is the learning from mistakes part, the striving to do better part. It's also looking at sort of how much good vs. how much bad have they done. I can't change how dead people have behaved, but what I can try to change how people currently living behave. JKR has written a book series that has inspired and influences at least one generation of readers. That is true. There are admittedly some great ideas about love, friendship, prejudice etc. but there are also some incredibly harmful caricature stereotypes of certain races and ethnicities. Both of those things are true. But more importantly JKR, as a public person, has been giving support to some truly terrifying transphobic ideas and has given money to truly harmful transphobic organisations. People have over and over again tried to explain to her that what she's doing is harmful and yet she continues to ignore them and continues to support organisations that are then forcing a change of legislature that is making life harder for trans people in the UK. This is what she is actively doing RIGHT NOW. I don't want to support someone who so clearly is harming other people, who has been told that what they're doing is harmful and yet she continues to do so. Just like I'm trying to not support Nestle because it's a company that is harming people or why the EU has been arguing about oil and gas embargo for the last 2 months. Because financially and vocally supporting people who do such a harm to others is just not something we want to be doing. But that's of course everyone's right to choose, and we each have that line of what we're willing to accept or not somewhere else.

Also to your point. Yes many famous people have done terrible things and yes we should absolutely talk about it. Many of them have been massive racists, antisemites, homophobes, misogynists, slave owners, abusers, pedophiles etc. We should look at their work through that lense, always. You're saying you'd go crazy if you had to check if every author isn't problematic. But the thing is when you do know what fucked up things someone has done/said it changes how you see their work. Leon by Luc Besson makes you uncomfortable when you realise he has actually married a teenager. My favourite author is not longer my favourite author after I read his very antisemitic essay. Are you gonna be reading Pygmalion the same way when you find out G.B. Shaw was a big supporter of eugenics? I can no longer watch one of my used-to-be-favourite films beyond by the light because I've read the report of the woman who was gang raped by the main actor. I'm not saying you have to check every single person if they've done something 'problematic' but once you do know about something it does changes how you view said work. I think we should approach all work as well as the creators of said work critically. Whether it's film, music, book or any kind of art. And I think we should always think about who do we support financially and vocally.

I've made a choice not to wear any of my HP merch that I bought when I was younger. I've made a choice to not go see any fantastic beasts, not to blog about anything HP related, simply not to give it/JKR any energy or money. And I've made that choice with plenty of other people doing an active harm to society. But like I said, everyone has their own opinion on this. Some people can separate the work from the author. But I can't. Especially when they're still alive. Because I know that they are still benefiting from it.

#okay idk if this makes sense #or if it's just a rambling of a crazy person