Just What Am I Agreeing To: The Orthodoxy Of "Supporting Israel"
Just What Am I Agreeing To: The Orthodoxy Of "Supporting Israel"
Anyone who supports what Hamas did in Israel might be a psychopath.
But what about those who are asking questions about what “supporting Israel” looks like? Are they in bed with the terrorists? Are they “on the wrong side of history?”
In the aftermath of the recent Hamas terror attacks on helpless Israeli civilians, a fervor has taken over social media, mainstream media, and political messaging. There is a very binary vibe culminating in a simple question: are you with Israel or are you with the terrorists?
Some brave idiots that support “de-colonization” have jumped in with the terrorists and are getting roasted over the coals for it. On the other side of the spectrum, and not unlike the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, most people are quickly putting up their proverbial “black square on Instagram” and declaring their support for Israel. Even members of the “Squad” are doing their best to condemn Hamas even if it means getting some “war crime” digs in on Israel.
One thing that is not allowed is being lukewarm on the topic. Do not ask questions. Try not to be a bothersome skeptic. Do not be tempted by “nuance” because apparently there is no nuance when it comes to this topic.
No. Just answer the question: Do you support Israel? This is a question I am happy to answer. But I need to know what I am agreeing to first.
If the question is: Are you opposed to Hamas and in favor of Israel’s retribution on the terrorist regimes that instigated the recent terror plot? Well, YES. As a matter of fact, I very much support that.
But if the question is: Are the Palestinians bad and the Israelis good? Well, no. I am not sure I can agree to that.
What if it's: Are Israelis bad but Palestinians worse? Maybe. Are we talking about the Israeli and Palestinian people or are we talking about their respective governments and authorities? Because I don’t particularly hate any of the civilians and I don’t particularly like any of their ruling authorities.
Let’s try the original question again: Do you support Israel? Yeah. I guess. But what does that look like? I think they should kick ass over Hamas, Hezbollah and any other terrorist organizations. But I am not sure I support Israel turning Gaza “into glass.” Or the indiscriminate killing of innocent Palestinian civilians. I don’t support sending US troops to Israel and I don’t think I support sending US tax dollars either.
Uh oh. I think I am getting dangerously close to losing “Team Reality” friends now.
Do you support Israel? Does “supporting Israel” mean I have to stop asking questions? Like why did Hamas enter Israel by land, sea, and air without resistance? What took IDF so long to respond? Where was this brilliant intelligence apparatus? Is the Iron Dome made out of cellophane? Didn’t Egypt tell them this was likely? Did Israel ignore it? If so why? Was that rave party really moved to a less secure location closer to Gaza 48 hours prior to the attack? If I ask a question like this why does it make you so angry?
Losing friends fast now.
Do you support Israel? Does “supporting Israel” mean I have to like their government or their bureaucracies? Why is Israel, like so many other Western countries, drinking the Globalist Kool-Aid and selling their souls to the WEF and UN?
Why did they become one of the most authoritarian countries on the planet during Covid? Is Israel really a democracy?
What is the judicial reform that is being pushed through their system of government? Will the recent terrorist attack result in that judicial reform being accepted more quickly? Will the Israelis push a “Patriot Act” through that will give their government even more power while eroding the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis?
What did Mossad know about the attacks ahead of time? What role does Mossad play with the CIA? Did Mossad play a role in assassinating President Kennedy? Did Israel ALLOW this attack to happen as a means to another end? Are we headed toward WWIII?
Ohhhhhh, you’re one of THOSE people! A conspiracy nut. A whack job. Maybe I am. I don’t really know myself. But I am comfortable calling myself a skeptic and a serial question-asker. And the minute I can’t do that anymore is the minute that I start to feel uncomfortable.
I am currently uncomfortable.
Covid taught me some stuff:
Whenever everyone agrees on something, watch out
When mainstream media reports on something it’s because their friends in the government want you to know about it
There is a lot they don’t want you to know about
When people are afraid you see them for who they really are
When your friends don’t let you ask questions you need new friends
I don’t know what is going on with Israel, the Middle East, or our world in general. I don’t have any good conspiracy theories that explain why Hamas would do what they did, knowing full well that Israel would do what it is doing right now.
But I am a little bothered by the current orthodoxy that says I can’t ask questions. That I can’t be skeptical. That I “need” to give my “support” to “Israel.”
So let’s instead agree to go get us some terrorists. Let’s eliminate Hamas so that it doesn’t control Gaza anymore.
But as far as that question: Do you support Israel? I would need to know exactly what you mean by that question.
In the meantime, I support asking lots of questions.
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Glenn Greenwald went over a segment on Tucker v. Shapiro. Shapiro attempted to eviscerate Tucker for posing questions like you do. We have a completely open border so we don't know who is flooding in, our gov't lied completely to us about COVID-19, and there is something wonky about the 6b to Iran. Supposedly the money came from frozen assets so it was their money, but that does not discount that Iran was behind the attack. I have a nephew who just graduated from college and was in ROTC. At first, he was to be deployed to Germany, and his mother feared Ukraine, but now it will be the Middle East. His buddy is already in Jordan. Shapiro cast aspersions that Tucker's questioning our response is like saying the US can't walk and chew gum. I agree with Shapiro we can walk and chew gum. But the walking and chewing for me means I can be horrified by the evil perpetrated, and I can be fearful of a US response that brings about WWIII.
I wish more people could be this introspective. There are way too many out there who didn't know jack about the Israel/Palestine situation 10 minutes ago who are dogmatic shills for one side or the other. Most people need to sit this out. Sure condemn the terrorists attacks and indiscriminate bombing of Gaza's civilians (I am not so sure Israel is indiscriminately bombing), but all the useless idiots on either side must consider that in the bigger picture, they are being played. Ask questions, learn the best you can, but resist the tribal urge to take sides. The only side is humanity.