You’ve drawn on everything available to explain this crises and I agree with your assessment, but that an actress from Mexico with a platform should attempt to sabotage this war, that has nothing what so ever to do with colonization, only speaks to the ignorance of to many who know nothing of the history of how the state of Israel came to be or why, and are only spreading more ignorance across their fan base and further, and you cannot at all reach them with the truth. Any attempt at the truth will be shut down with an immediate shake of the head, an immediate incoherent mouthing off, and at that point you can only throw your hands up and walk away, sign off or stop because if they’ve already formed that misinformed opinion they aren’t about to listen to reason. It’s so damn sad but so damn true.
“that an actress from Mexico with a platform should attempt to sabotage this war”
How is a little-known actress, even one with a platform, in any kind of position to “sabotage” the war? I’m seeing people do this in many places. Ascribing vastly more influence to somebody than they have so that they can join in piling on the criticisms.
It goes along side pre-judging the target’s reaction. Prior to Ben‘s mention, I had never heard of this actress. I don’t know if that’s true for you, or if you have some knowledge of other public statements she’s made. But here you’re clearly speculating as to her reactions to criticism of her comments and that seems very unfair.
And here you are, totally misunderstanding what I said but attacking it none the less. Yes I could’ve used a more fitting verb/noun but man you’re over the top with your misjudgment. Next time read the entire comment
I did. And stand by what I pointed out: That you speculated on how she'd react, presuming it would be with close-mindedness, despite now admitting you had never heard of her.
Perhaps she would react just as you describe. But we don't know that. So while I think commenting on her posting is fine, piling on and taking her to task for something she hasn't done is unfair.
Now, if you're going to claim that you weren't attributing that reaction to her specifically but were making a more general comment about how people in general react, then that wasn't at all clear ("an actress from Mexico" and "you cannot at all reach them with the truth" are in a single sentence with no change of subject so "them" certainly appears to be the Mexican actress) and it's not what you've said in any comment since.
So you criticize me but not Ben, the author who posted her comment? He doesn’t know her either. I don’t need to know her I only need to read her ignorant comment to know that she claims to relate to the horror in Israel and I don’t know her because my movie watching standards are higher than “scream III.
You can stop harassing me now and ask Ben the same questions, the only difference being I made a mistake in my use of the wrong verb but it can be hard to concentrate deciding my attention between this and my ten year old grandson at the time I wrote it. It’s not the first mistake I ever made and won’t be the last but this is the last time I’ll spend any time in it. So, ask Ben.
I’ve never heard of her but apparently she’s known to Ben so apparently she has followers, an actress known to others has a platform.
Of course she cannot sabotage any war. Did you read my statement correctly? It meant she’s trying to make herself as much a victim as all those dead and dying in said war. That’s as far as I’m going to break down.
For myself just want the damn war to stop, for peace somehow but I’ve been watching this since the 60’s and it doesn’t look hopeful.
At first, I thought the reductive colonizer argument was being made mostly by dumb Americans. They know about white Europeans’ enslavement of African-American black ppl, and the genocide of indigenous ppl in North America. They know a little about Israel. And they think that is just how history is: evil is directly proportional to levels of melanin in the skin.
But now I know ppl like Greta Thunberg and others across the West are ranting about colonialism. It is so disingenuous b/c first of all, they were fleeing persecution and the intent was not to exploit people and gain wealth and power for their own sake, but rather for safety.
Secondly, they act like Israel is uniquely evil, as if no Muslim or African countries have “colonized,” enslaved, or harmed ppl en masse. They aren’t nearly as angry at Russia as they are at Israel. Why? Because Russians and Ukrainians look “white-ish,” so they are morally equivalent, in their minds. If Putin was Jewish or if Ukrainians looked like Arab Muslims, ppl would be marching and yelling about ethnic cleansing and genocide (which Russia is actually doing, without being attacked in the first place, unlike Israel.) It is also why they don’t march when ISIS takes over two countries: they see it as Arab vs. other Arabs and, therefore, an equal playing field.
Most people don’t read far enough back into Jewish history and it’s complicated with so many variables, it’s not A to B then onto C. As far as colonization, there’s no people who haven’t enslaved or been enslaved with by race, region, religion or tribe. It just depends on how far back you go.
Just FYI, you're misusing the term "assigned at birth" when you say that "most also believe gender is assigned at birth". "Assigned at birth" is the term that gender-soul believers use when they claim that sex isn't observed (which it is) but rather it's just guessed at (aka, "assigned"). Most people believe that sex is real and that how you're born is what you are, no matter what you come later to feel about it.
i love most of your writing, and also think the term “colonizer” does apply, in spite of the differences with colonization in “The Age of Discovery” and Israel’s unique founding story.
I dont want to argue this to the point where I have a bullet proof rationale, but since the majority of power in the UN has always been held by countries that have colonized others, on its face UN participation in Israel’s founding is not a perfect riposte to the notion of Israel as colonizer-settler.
Additionally, ongoing violence against local residents by extremists in the West Bank suggests a colonialist narrative is not inconsistent with the results we see today.
I respect your opinion and am not asking you to argue it. Hamas have shown that they are currently evil, I want Israel to find a way to fight Hamas that kills fewer children, and I want a reckoning on all who gave the orders or committed the actual murders and other crimes.
Thanks for this Robin. I'd just point out that Jews are as indigenous to the land as Palestinians are. Many Arabs (now Palestinians) migrated there during the days of the Ottoman Empire, but few on the left want to acknowledge this. Also, all nation states are the product of colonialism of one kind or another, so I'm not sure it's a useful distinction to say that "power in the UN has always been held by countries that have colonized others". There are power asymmetries for sure, but it isn't "colonizers" vs "colonized".
For following up on the actress that you posted about and agreeing, and looking at her profile on X, I’ve been questioned extensively about how I’m judging her when I don’t know her. I know her well enough by her X profile to know she’s a racist. I think maybe “he” wanted to have nic pick and chose me as he wasn’t about to question you. I stand by what I said about her ignorance and pretending to relate when she’s 100% removed from it.
Ben, I’m glad you addressed the gender identity issue and I’m all for people being what and who they feel they are. But thankfully some single-sex services and places could only be accessed by biological women: if this means what I hope it does and women will have their own public restrooms that’d be great. Take Starbucks for instance, their restrooms used to be immaculate, now since they’re unisex I can hardly stomach using one and do only if I’m on the road away from home, most public restrooms are like this now. It might seem like a small thing to men but for women it’s not. They may as well remove the toilet seat covers too as not even multiple layers could prevent the filth from getting through. It’s terrible everywhere. This wasn’t a problem in most places before sharing to all genders. Women need their own.
I’m not sure how to ask this but isn’t a persons gender no a conscious decision but an unconscious realization in the brain? And just as most boys and girls aren’t sexually aware until a certain age, it’s not really a factor until then?
Most on the right and some in the middle believe that genitals decide a persons gender, but it can’t. We are our brains that determine everything. No one wakes up one day and decides they’re going to be gay or transgender no more than I woke up one day and decided I’m going to be a tomboy who wears jeans and flannel shirts or tees and that came in handy for my job but there were a few who thought I might be lesbian because of that and the fact that I wasn’t husband shopping in my thirties, I was to busy as it was people will go by what they see but I used to answer that I wish I was a lesbian so that I’d never have to put up with another man. They couldn’t imagine I was happy on my own with just my children. Perception can be skewed.
I feel annoyed for ppl that had gender dysphoria since childhood, especially older transgender people who went through this before it was cool. Nowadays, it’s being talked about almost as a choice you can make, for any number of reasons besides gender dysphoria, like a fashion. And children who never had gender dysphoria are green-lighted for transition. I think there will be a reckoning and the gender clinics have much to answer for for this.
@BlackBernieBabe: “If the “world stands with Israel“ then why its [sic] only white people at they [sic] rallies?”
So she’s saying black people are anti-semitic?
Makes about as much sense as anything else she’s trying to say there.
She trying to make it a black/white thing when it couldn’t be more removed. She doesn’t sound too bright.
You’ve drawn on everything available to explain this crises and I agree with your assessment, but that an actress from Mexico with a platform should attempt to sabotage this war, that has nothing what so ever to do with colonization, only speaks to the ignorance of to many who know nothing of the history of how the state of Israel came to be or why, and are only spreading more ignorance across their fan base and further, and you cannot at all reach them with the truth. Any attempt at the truth will be shut down with an immediate shake of the head, an immediate incoherent mouthing off, and at that point you can only throw your hands up and walk away, sign off or stop because if they’ve already formed that misinformed opinion they aren’t about to listen to reason. It’s so damn sad but so damn true.
“that an actress from Mexico with a platform should attempt to sabotage this war”
How is a little-known actress, even one with a platform, in any kind of position to “sabotage” the war? I’m seeing people do this in many places. Ascribing vastly more influence to somebody than they have so that they can join in piling on the criticisms.
It goes along side pre-judging the target’s reaction. Prior to Ben‘s mention, I had never heard of this actress. I don’t know if that’s true for you, or if you have some knowledge of other public statements she’s made. But here you’re clearly speculating as to her reactions to criticism of her comments and that seems very unfair.
And here you are, totally misunderstanding what I said but attacking it none the less. Yes I could’ve used a more fitting verb/noun but man you’re over the top with your misjudgment. Next time read the entire comment
You have a problem
I did. And stand by what I pointed out: That you speculated on how she'd react, presuming it would be with close-mindedness, despite now admitting you had never heard of her.
Perhaps she would react just as you describe. But we don't know that. So while I think commenting on her posting is fine, piling on and taking her to task for something she hasn't done is unfair.
Now, if you're going to claim that you weren't attributing that reaction to her specifically but were making a more general comment about how people in general react, then that wasn't at all clear ("an actress from Mexico" and "you cannot at all reach them with the truth" are in a single sentence with no change of subject so "them" certainly appears to be the Mexican actress) and it's not what you've said in any comment since.
No. I’m not clearly speculating. You’re clearly misinterpreting what I said. But whatever
You say you’ve never heard of her. You’re laying out how you expect her to react to criticism of her comments. Yet you say you’re not speculating.
Think about that for a moment.
So you criticize me but not Ben, the author who posted her comment? He doesn’t know her either. I don’t need to know her I only need to read her ignorant comment to know that she claims to relate to the horror in Israel and I don’t know her because my movie watching standards are higher than “scream III.
You can stop harassing me now and ask Ben the same questions, the only difference being I made a mistake in my use of the wrong verb but it can be hard to concentrate deciding my attention between this and my ten year old grandson at the time I wrote it. It’s not the first mistake I ever made and won’t be the last but this is the last time I’ll spend any time in it. So, ask Ben.
They didn’t do what I did but go criticize them any way.
What I did was not my fault, I was distracted.
Got it.
I’ve never heard of her but apparently she’s known to Ben so apparently she has followers, an actress known to others has a platform.
Of course she cannot sabotage any war. Did you read my statement correctly? It meant she’s trying to make herself as much a victim as all those dead and dying in said war. That’s as far as I’m going to break down.
For myself just want the damn war to stop, for peace somehow but I’ve been watching this since the 60’s and it doesn’t look hopeful.
At first, I thought the reductive colonizer argument was being made mostly by dumb Americans. They know about white Europeans’ enslavement of African-American black ppl, and the genocide of indigenous ppl in North America. They know a little about Israel. And they think that is just how history is: evil is directly proportional to levels of melanin in the skin.
But now I know ppl like Greta Thunberg and others across the West are ranting about colonialism. It is so disingenuous b/c first of all, they were fleeing persecution and the intent was not to exploit people and gain wealth and power for their own sake, but rather for safety.
Secondly, they act like Israel is uniquely evil, as if no Muslim or African countries have “colonized,” enslaved, or harmed ppl en masse. They aren’t nearly as angry at Russia as they are at Israel. Why? Because Russians and Ukrainians look “white-ish,” so they are morally equivalent, in their minds. If Putin was Jewish or if Ukrainians looked like Arab Muslims, ppl would be marching and yelling about ethnic cleansing and genocide (which Russia is actually doing, without being attacked in the first place, unlike Israel.) It is also why they don’t march when ISIS takes over two countries: they see it as Arab vs. other Arabs and, therefore, an equal playing field.
Most people don’t read far enough back into Jewish history and it’s complicated with so many variables, it’s not A to B then onto C. As far as colonization, there’s no people who haven’t enslaved or been enslaved with by race, region, religion or tribe. It just depends on how far back you go.
THANK YOU!
Just FYI, you're misusing the term "assigned at birth" when you say that "most also believe gender is assigned at birth". "Assigned at birth" is the term that gender-soul believers use when they claim that sex isn't observed (which it is) but rather it's just guessed at (aka, "assigned"). Most people believe that sex is real and that how you're born is what you are, no matter what you come later to feel about it.
i love most of your writing, and also think the term “colonizer” does apply, in spite of the differences with colonization in “The Age of Discovery” and Israel’s unique founding story.
I dont want to argue this to the point where I have a bullet proof rationale, but since the majority of power in the UN has always been held by countries that have colonized others, on its face UN participation in Israel’s founding is not a perfect riposte to the notion of Israel as colonizer-settler.
Additionally, ongoing violence against local residents by extremists in the West Bank suggests a colonialist narrative is not inconsistent with the results we see today.
I respect your opinion and am not asking you to argue it. Hamas have shown that they are currently evil, I want Israel to find a way to fight Hamas that kills fewer children, and I want a reckoning on all who gave the orders or committed the actual murders and other crimes.
Thanks for this Robin. I'd just point out that Jews are as indigenous to the land as Palestinians are. Many Arabs (now Palestinians) migrated there during the days of the Ottoman Empire, but few on the left want to acknowledge this. Also, all nation states are the product of colonialism of one kind or another, so I'm not sure it's a useful distinction to say that "power in the UN has always been held by countries that have colonized others". There are power asymmetries for sure, but it isn't "colonizers" vs "colonized".
For following up on the actress that you posted about and agreeing, and looking at her profile on X, I’ve been questioned extensively about how I’m judging her when I don’t know her. I know her well enough by her X profile to know she’s a racist. I think maybe “he” wanted to have nic pick and chose me as he wasn’t about to question you. I stand by what I said about her ignorance and pretending to relate when she’s 100% removed from it.
Right
Says she a patent lawyer, didn’t mention actress, could use some grammar lessons. I hate grammar Nazis but she asked for it.
A quote from @blackberniebabe, and she’s definitely racist with a big following. This was on her X postings.
Y’all remember them rich white men got into that submersible w/ the ps 3 controller trying to look at the titanic?
And the surrounding countries all got together and spent millions to save them ?
Those same countries allowed 11k Palestinians to die w/o blinking an eye.
Ben, I’m glad you addressed the gender identity issue and I’m all for people being what and who they feel they are. But thankfully some single-sex services and places could only be accessed by biological women: if this means what I hope it does and women will have their own public restrooms that’d be great. Take Starbucks for instance, their restrooms used to be immaculate, now since they’re unisex I can hardly stomach using one and do only if I’m on the road away from home, most public restrooms are like this now. It might seem like a small thing to men but for women it’s not. They may as well remove the toilet seat covers too as not even multiple layers could prevent the filth from getting through. It’s terrible everywhere. This wasn’t a problem in most places before sharing to all genders. Women need their own.
I’m not sure how to ask this but isn’t a persons gender no a conscious decision but an unconscious realization in the brain? And just as most boys and girls aren’t sexually aware until a certain age, it’s not really a factor until then?
Most on the right and some in the middle believe that genitals decide a persons gender, but it can’t. We are our brains that determine everything. No one wakes up one day and decides they’re going to be gay or transgender no more than I woke up one day and decided I’m going to be a tomboy who wears jeans and flannel shirts or tees and that came in handy for my job but there were a few who thought I might be lesbian because of that and the fact that I wasn’t husband shopping in my thirties, I was to busy as it was people will go by what they see but I used to answer that I wish I was a lesbian so that I’d never have to put up with another man. They couldn’t imagine I was happy on my own with just my children. Perception can be skewed.
I feel annoyed for ppl that had gender dysphoria since childhood, especially older transgender people who went through this before it was cool. Nowadays, it’s being talked about almost as a choice you can make, for any number of reasons besides gender dysphoria, like a fashion. And children who never had gender dysphoria are green-lighted for transition. I think there will be a reckoning and the gender clinics have much to answer for for this.