eumelia | [ibarw]"What is this symmetry you speak of?"

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[ibarw]"What is this symmetry you speak of?"

Last year I only read entries that were written as part of

ibarw and didn't participate in debate, meta-reading or discussion.
Mainly because I didn't feel I had much to add.

Re-reading some of the entries from last year and trying to sponge some inspiration I've come to the conclusion that I didn't feel I have much to add, nor do I feel I have much to add to anti-racist discourse, is because I'm a member of an Oppressing and Occupying population and class.

It is common in certain types of papers to establish the various identities of the author so that one reading may know through what prism they are going to receiving this information.
On the interwebs I've seen this being called unloading the privilege knapsack.
Here goes: I am White, Upwardly Mobile and Cisgendered*.

Those three identifiers place me smack in the middle of the Oppressing population and class. The fact that I am Feminist, Queer and a Woman do little to negate those big three.

I hear in my head the voices of my family telling me that I'm not "just White".
I'm Jewish too.
Meaning that my "White" is of the Eastern-European variety, Litvak** to be precise. Or just plain Ashkenaz - which means Germany. Yes it is complicated.
More than that.
I'm a Jewish Israeli.
Meaning that my White Ashkenazi Peachy Ass is a member of an Occupying population and class.
If you don't know which People, "My" People are Occupying - please educate yourself.

As a Jewish Israeli, being born and living in Israel my whole life (up to and including now) I have never experienced racism or Antisemitism of any kind. I've never been called "Jewish-[slur]" in my life. I've heard the word "Kyke" in theoretical discussion only.

Despite being a member of an international minority (one wouldn't guess that Jews make up only 0.2% of the world's population), I have lived my entire life as a majority population.
What could I possibly add to anti-racist discourse besides to shut up, listen/read and learn.

Which is what I've been doing for the past two years, which was when I began unpacking my invisible knapsack.

A year ago I was too shy to write anything on this subject, because I had it in my mind that by bringing up race and ethnicity one would be looked at as being gauche.
*Shhhhhh* "Don't mention race! It's rude"

Now that silence suffocates me.

And I've had it up to fucking *here* with the education system hijacking the Holocaust and making it about how we, the Jews, transformed from the Untermensch, to the Ubermensch.
That now that Jews have a "Homeland" we are now safe from another genocide. While at the same time ethnically cleansing (and there really isn't any other term for what we're doing in the Occupied Territories) another people. I mean, you could say that everything being done there is for security and everything bad that happens is happening because they're resisting all the Good Things in the Territories - like Universities! Which in order to actually study at those oh so privileged institutes of knowledge students need to cross at least one check-point barrier.
These are Palestinians, by the way, in case one didn't realise.

But let's not talk about what goes on to people who aren't citizens of anywhere.

Non-Jews have it good in Israel. They have the right to study wherever they want, live wherever they want, date whoever they want - marriage... weeeeeel, that's a bit of an issue, see in these here parts a Jew can only marry a Jew, a Muslim can only marry a Muslim and a Christian can only marry Christian.
By the way, the fact that non-Jews, and I'm talking Arabs, Beduins, Druze and others which I hope will forgive me for not mentioning, have the right to do everything I've mentioned doesn't mean it happens.
Jewish landlords don't like renting to Arabs.
You never know what terrorist cell or explosives lab they may start in that nice one bedroom shit-hole.

Racism isn't racially prejudicial law, it is also, but laws can be changed and re-interpreted much more easily that in it is to change to attitude of dehumanization that goes on in my country.
Racism is seeing a hijab and thinking "poor girl".
Racism is hearing Arabic being spoken and thinking "what are they planning?"
Racism is thinking "Honour Killings" are an "internal" "tribal" thing.
Racism is graffiti in Hebrew saying "!ערבים החוצה"-"Arabs Out!" (does nobody think "Juden Raus!"="Jews Out!").

I can hear it now. The counter and reactionary arguments. "Aren't you being one-sided?", "What about some symmetry?".
I can't be one-sided. I'm Israeli, everything I look at is coloured by where I stand.
And what is this symmetry you speak of?
Please, I would like to know what "the balanced" picture of a country occupying people looks like.
Enlighten me, educate me, I want to know.

But don't you fucking dare tell me to shut up.

More to come, time and studies permitting.

Notes
*Someone whose gender identity has only ever been experienced as physically and mentally aligned, that is to say, not transgendered.

**Mainly Lithuanian, Latvian, Ukrainian and other Slavik Jews that aren't Russian, Polish and Romanian (I don't know what makes the distinction, only that it exists).

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This is fascinating and courageous; thanks for posting it! I have been wanting to read more opinion from inside Israel on the current situation.

I often feel like I don't have the right to post/argue/whatever about Israel, not only because I live in galut but because I'm a convert and I already feel "othered" enough as a Jew on that count.

...Toss being a person of color into that mix and it's a wonder I dare to speak out on any Jewish topic at all. :/

Thank you for reading!

You know what They say, two Jews - three opinions! I tend to think that's because there are so many different kinds of Jews out there, including converts who can come from any background imaginable :)
I don't think you should feel uncomfortable or shy or anything like that when discussing Israel - yes, it is a touchy subject for many reasons, but it being touchy doesn't make it untouchable.

You're probably right, but I guess I'll have to work up to it.

I think a big part of it is just getting over my reluctance to speak out on *anything*, like I touched on in my own IBARW post yesterday. Thanks for the kind words! ^_^

oh no. with inflation being what it is, you have two jews and 6 opinions. ;)

Hahaha!

Yes yes fellow spender of way too much time in North Jersey, truly I do spew out fresh and/or funky wisdom.

Hahahaha!
Good one!

Amazing post.

Thanks.

Thank you.

good stuff. refreshing to read.

Thanks.
I don't think it's much different from my other Israe/Palestine entries, maybe a bit more focused.

I don't think I've ever heard it called racism, and maybe it's not the right word in some technical sense, but I think "racist" is the right word to describe Jewish/Palestinian interactions.

Neither side is entirely in the wrong, of course. Given what happened to us within living memory - the Holocaust, being attacked by all our neighbors in 1948, etc. - can we be blamed for being scared? But that just makes Israeli policy comprehensible, not acceptable.

Thanks for writing this, and I think it's very appropriate to the week.

The operative word really is unacceptable.

Everything can be rationalised, and people will say shit happens and war in never pretty and politics isn't about being moral or ethical.

To me that is such a messed up way of looking at things. Because politics doesn't ambassadors being moved from pillar to post, or heads of state meeting, or a bunch of people in a big building making laws that affect everyone except themselves.
Politics is the interaction between you and me, myself and the people in my closest vicinity, the people in the here and now.
At least to me.

Thank you for giving me food for thought.

It won't bring out the needed fruits, but it helps theorizing about the behavior of the nation.

*hugses you*

I think you're way more open minded than I am :D

I simply can't hold this discussion of the internet. It hold far too much load to work around in the written words. I'm not fluent enough.

If time allows, I'll talk with you about it over a cup of warm coco.

"Politics is the interaction between you and me, myself and the people in my closest vicinity, the people in the here and now."

So, is that like saying that the personal is political? Because I agree, I like the idea of politics as an accumulation of actions, interactions, reactions - some making more waves than others, of course, but all of them contributing.

(Are you thinking of linking to this post at stilljewish? Or do you mind if I do? It'd have to be in a post with comments off, according to the shiny new rules ...)

politics as an accumulation of actions, interactions, reactions - some making more waves than others, of course, but all of them contributing.
I like the way you think :)

(I hadn't actually thought about it, as this has little to do with Fandom, but if you want you can go right ahead. It's an unlocked entry and those are fair game in my book).

Well, technically all unlocked entries are fair game, but in certain situations I still think it's polite to ask, like when directing lots of Jews I don't know, bc the comm is brand-new, over to your post about Israeli-Palestinian relations ; )

I can take the heat ;)

Also, comments I don't like I ignore and if they're very offensive I have no problem freezing, deleting and banning people from this LJ.
My place, my rules and all that jazz :)

"comments I don't like I ignore"

Heh, yeah, some people are just looking for a fight, and some people, you know you're not going to change their minds, you'll just frustrate yourself. Choose your battles!

Good stuff as always. :)

(hehe. for the bonus fight starter, there is the question of "Who is a Jew?" )

Thank you!

And oh yes... maybe I'll do that.
"Who is a Jew?" is very pertinent in Israel.

Well said.

Thanks.

"I have never experienced racism or Antisemitism of any kind"

Really?
You can say that when you have memories of waking up in the middle of the night, wearing a gasmask and waiting for an all-clear siren?

Why do you call that Antisemitism?

What do you call it when Jews are attacked because they are Jews?

This has what to do with the way Israel behaves?

I'm not dismissing what you say, but you kind of locked onto the least important issue of my entry. IMO.

And in any event weren't we attacked because we're US allies and they were trying to distract US forces from what they were doing. It sucks to be us in that event, but isn't what enemies do?

Isn't it interesting that the country purporting to be the safest place in the world for Jews, in fact isn't.

Your post started out saying how privileged you are and then you went off to say how racist your country is. The pivot/changeover of your post is where you said that you have never experienced racism. I posit that you have. It just doesn't fit your narrative, nor that of many other Israelies, so you ignore it.

You see Israel as a bully, a regional superpower who, externally, runs roughshod over weaker neighbours (Palestinians) and abuses the "other" internally.

The people who are writing "Arabs out" and suspect every Arab of being a potential terrorist see Israel as surrounded by "a ocean of enemies" who want to "throw the Jews into the sea". Where you see malicious behaviour, I see fearful behaviour.

I am not supporting racism, I am not saying that Israel has no racist elements in it, I will never accept "Honour" killing as anything but the heinous, rancorous act that it is.

What I am saying is that in an otherwise enlightened post, you are wearing blinkers which are preventing you from being a fuller part of the solution. If people are scared and that leads them to racism, you cannot just say "Stop, What you do is Wrong" and expect them to change.

You are, of course, part of the solution already, and that is a Good Thing(tm)

:)

First of all, almost everyone has experienced some kind of racial prejudice, but racial prejudice does not make racism, at least not the kind I'm talking about in my entry.

Actions are what matter, the motivation is less than relevant, because as you say I cannot change what people are, but behaviour can change. Mr. Aristotales himself said that to be good, one must do good, no? (or am I confusing him with Socrates... correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't think I'm wearing blinkers (obviously, haha). The kind of Antisemitism you speak about is no different, in my mind, from the Racism that goes on here, it is based on a screwy social and political situation and trickles down into interaction - Jews have the disadvantage of being persecuted since their conception and have a history which is used by modern Arab/Muslim nations.
Because historically, Jews has it better in Muslim nations than in Christian ones and the persecution of Jews in Muslim nations began with de-colonization which is pretty much the time when all social/political/minorities in each new country and nation were being persecuted.

You are a Good Thing(tm) too *hugsies*

Because historically, Jews has it better in Muslim nations than in Christian ones and the persecution of Jews in Muslim nations began with de-colonization which is pretty much the time when all social/political/minorities in each new country and nation were being persecuted.
The fact that the Jews had it better in Muslim nations than in Christian ones through History didn't mean that they had it good. They were also occasionally persecuted in Muslim nations, including before the colonisation or even during the colonisation (with all the complexities of dynamics that the latter entailed).

A bit late in the conversation but this sentence: Where you see malicious behaviour, I see fearful behaviour.

I remind you of the wisdom of a... well, person, we both admire greatly:

"Fear leads to Anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to the Dark Side".

Despite the various cookies to be found on That Side, what the Master says is relevant.

And would He tell you to deal with the Anger or the Fear?

:)

Strong with the Force my Argument is.

Also, how can you say you never experienced Anti-semitism and in the next breath say that Israel is not a safe country for Jews?

If A is true, then B cannot be true...

I dunno about you, but I've felt more personally unsafe walking in the street not because I'm Jewish, but because I'm a woman.

It is a safe country for Jews because with a Jewish state there can never be another genocide of the proportions that we had in our history, that is what is usually meant by "safe", it's because we are, as it is often proclaimed, we are surrounded by enemies, which has less to do with being Jewish and more to do with colonialism, IMO.

Now you're trying to have your cake and eat it too...

You just said a comment ago that Israel is safe/unsafe for Jews.

Your last comment may be true and it may be untrue. That is irrelevant for it does nothing towards understanding WHY there is racism in Israel.

Please explain how Israeli colonialism is responsible for Iran's, Malaysia's and Pakistan's behaviour towards Israel.

It's called paradox for a reason, ya know.
I'm sorry, I thought it was obvious that I was being ironic. Apologies for the mis-communication.

Let's put it this way, until the moral panic from "neo-Nazi gangs" there was barely any news about swastikas on shuls and cemeteries and if there was it was/is dealt swiftly by authorities... There's no moral outrage at "Arabs Out", which is equally bad, in my book.

Seeing as Iran views Israel as Amercia's stronghold and is using Antisemitic language to make it's case, well sucks for us, maybe if the US stopped rattling its sabers in the Gulf and all that Iran wouldn't feel the need to say "Point, Shoot and Kill the Jews". Also if the Hawks here don't bloody well cool it, it will happen!

Malaysia? Indonesia, you mean, yes? As for Pakistan, aren't they dealing with their own crisis against India about Kashmir?

And in any event, are they what people talk about when they mention that we're surrounded by enemies? As far as I can remember we were talking about מדינות ערב which for some reason included Iran.
If I'm incorrect please direct me towards resources that will teach me extra :)

And I'll ask again? The behaviour of other Racist countries has what to do with Israel's own Racist behaviour, other than establishing a trend and a reactionary look?

First,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_League_boycott_of_Israel#Passport_Restrictions

As for Iran, are you saying that if the USA and the UN allow Iran to build nuclear weapons then Iran would suddenly stop saying that it wants to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth? How far are you willing to go with that... assumption?

RE: Behaviour of Others:
You talk about "cause and effect". You say that the Other's response towards Israel's behaviour and therefore it is, perhaps, a "lesser evil". Have you perhaps considered that the "cause and effect" are backward? And if the Others behave better towards Israel then Israel will become a less racist country?

Lastly,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_one%27s_cake_and_eat_it_too

I'm saying that if the US and Israel try and actually communicate with Iran instead of talk at the government maybe some thing else can be done.
I'm sure somewhere there are secret meetings and all that stuff the media and therefore, us the little people that will actually be affected by nuclear war-fare are being carried out, but how are we to know.

I'd settle for Israel actually following its declaration of Independence in which it is stated there will be no discrimination due to sex, religion, race and ethnicity.
How, exactly, is Israel supposed to "behave" better, when it doesn't even bother to comply to International law? How are we, then, any better than the various dictatorships that have existed? Because our system is Parliamentary and done by free votes? The system of governing, doesn't a Democracy make, brother.

On a lighter note: where does that saying come from?
Surely when you have a cake, the point is eating it!

yes, but once it's eaten you don't have it anymore.

I have to agree with ^above^.

It's hard to love someone whom leaders open desire is to slaughter anyone whom resists their ambition (including their own, mind you).
It is hard to accept people whom you have hard, solid proof of their kinsmen hostility. Sure they are not all terrorists, but even one percent is enough to be shy off. The same reason people do not take chances in shady alleys. It's a risk most people wouldn't like to take, and take refuge in hate.

I cannot forgive anymore, too many corpses of close ones blind me, but maybe my children and their children would be able to accept each other if we educate them right.

I am in no way dismissing your experience or your opinion, I value them very much.

But what the above mentioned has very little to do with the facts on these grounds, which is that we live in a country in which it is legitimate to discriminate against 20% of the population because they are not Jewish.
I find it hard to believe you think that's right.

Legitimacy has very little to do with facts in the area - everyone has a reason, however vague to do what he does. Crying out "Stop allowing such expressions" won't heal the reasons for such an abhorrent behavior. Laws represent the people or they wouldn't obey them. Just like the speed limit and the laws about carrying weapons (Knives? Gun? Drugs? Military service?).

I don't think it is right, in an ideal world. But this is less then ideal, and better then opening new chinks in an already over-used armor. The effort, in my opinion, is to be concentrated inward, to make sure people learn to understand that at their gunpoint, those are other living, breathing people, that until proven otherwise, deserve to live.
If possible, spread that word to those living, breathing people that have us in their gunpoint.

Excellent post.

Thanks!

I thought that was a very interesting post, thank you for writing it.

I just realised how late I'm in butting in, sorry for that ^^ (followed a link from

stilljewish

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[ibarw]"What is this symmetry you speak of?"

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