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Minerva's avatar

The thing is, it has been socially acceptable for years to think it's okay to tell anyone how they feel (or should feel). I work in higher education and can't tell you how many times I've been told that I am part of a "white supremacy culture" and that I am contributing to systemic racism by virtue of existing (this is as a person who looks white, not as a Jew, although the few times I attempted to bring up my background in any of these trainings I was met with mostly blank stares). Personally, I'm pretty uncomfortable with the term "white supremacy culture" because to me it sort of softens the evil of actual white supremacists who truly do believe they are better than everyone else. Also, said people often target Jews, who they don't consider to be "white." But if I say I'm uncomfortable then I'm just a "karen" or "shedding dangerous white woman tears" or "weaponizing my power." The thought that you might want to have a conversation and learn more or display curiosity was incomprehensible to many of the people spewing these things. I also heard a lot of "well some people just aren't going to get it and we shouldn't even try." The lack of self-awareness was, and is, mind-blowing. What I see happening with antisemitism across college campuses is just an extension of this. Point is, telling people how they should feel and shutting down any attempt at dialogue or discussion and understanding has been happening for years on college campuses already. Most days, I feel like my jaw is constantly dropping out of disbelief of what I see and hear.

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Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

My world shrank incredibly after October 7th. I'd always known that some of my "allies" weren't REALLY allies, but the events of that day seemed to open up a veritable fountain of Jew-hatred.

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