Welcome to reality. I can’t pretend to understand the mindless support of the most heinous humans I’ve ever seen - but I sure mourn their lack of humanity. I’m glad you’ve seen it for what it really is, and I’m glad you’re posting with such eloquent truth about what you perceive.
Prior to Oct 7 I had a certain amount of sympathy for the Palestinian cause. In particular I think that Israeli settlers have not behaved well in the West Bank. BUT none of that applies to Gaza. There were no Israelis in Gaza and billions of dollars (pounds/euros/dinars etc.) in aid being provided to them. They could have built a paradise. Instead they allowed Hamass to take over and steal most of the aid. Some of the stolen aid was used to build or buy weapons. Some was used to build bunkers and tunnels. Some of it went to the Hamass leadership in exile where they could live in luxury. Very little actually aided the inhabitants and even when it was used to, say build schools or hospitals for them, those schools and hospitals were built with embedded terrorist hideouts, caches and bunkers.
And on Oct 7 we saw far more than the Hamass and other terror organizations cheer on the atrocities against Israelis who had done absolutely nothing to the Gaza residents. In fact many of the Kibbutzim employed them.
I don't see that there can be any future until the majority of Hamass and other terrorists/sympathizers have been killed. And not just the "military" wing of Hamass. As many Hamass members and sympathizers as possible must be killed and this includes all the civil authorities, all the heads of schools and hospitals, all the imams, all the UNWRA employees and most of the other NGO employees, "journalists" and so on. All of these people, at best, turned a blind eye to Hamass' weaponizing of the entire strip, its buildings and many of its people, many (most?) actively assisted.
I don't just want them killed as punishment, I want them killed to discredit the cause of Palestinian resistance so that its dreams of Nakba and elimination of Israel are perceived by the survivors to be completely nonviable and to make the survivors understand that terrorist activities are unacceptable and lead to death for the terrorists and those who support them.
The only way we get peace is if the Palestinians admit that the Jews in Israel are there to stay and that they have to live with them. From the second Intifada on (possibly before too) Palestinians have effectively refused to negotiate in good faith because they (or at least their leaders) have refused to accept that Israel is not going away. This level of death is way higher than I would like but given that somewhere between a quarter and a half of Gazans have been brainwashed in schools by Hamass to hate Jews there's probably no other way to get peace.
Well said, sir. But as to whether we, the left, can and will do better because this cannot be allowed to stand—or get worse—I wish you a heartfelt but pessimistic “Good luck.”
Second: I think all of us have a moral obligation, which nobody can delegate to another people: that we must fix this. This cannot be left to Jews to fix as the problem is not theirs but ours; and frankly it won't be the far-right who can fix this either – that should go without saying. We have to do what each and every one of us can to struggle endlessly against the tide of reactionary hatred, including when it means turning on our supposed 'comrades' who follow the pipeline into frank, but vaguely-cloaked, antisemitism.
I have no argument with you about the obligation of each and all to fix this, insofar as that is within our power, or power we can legitimately acquire.
Your feelings are echoed by many - as an independent leaning liberal, I too was having issues with the liberal agenda pre 7/10 but once I saw the moral bankruptcy of so many, my stomach turned and in that moment had clarity about all that had been transpiring over the last 10 years. I finally understood why most of the agenda was not making sense- this hate has been growing and building, the horrible event on 7/10 just revealed the hate. I wish for everyone who ever thought there could be peace to read the following story - if these people treat the own people this way, why would anyone ever think they would have peace talks with the Jews they consider their mortal enemies
Excellent article. The new ‘left’ has been assuming the moral high ground for too long. This ideology is built on division and censure, I hope that people who assumed the movement was tolerant and kind because it claimed it was tolerant and kind can finally see through the sanctimonious nonsense. Here’s more https://open.substack.com/pub/lowstatus/p/fish-fingers?r=evzeq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Why the scare-quotes on “left”? Does not the category “left,” like the category “human,” include foolish as well as wise, and vicious as well as virtuous?
You are brave to engage not only in criticism of the left, but in self reflection and criticism. These terms are consistently thrown at us but few truly know how to do so honestly.
Sam Kriss is a Hamas apologist. Aside from his one and only article supporting any level of Palestinian terrorism except this Hamas massacre, he immediately went into gaslighting everyone that pro Hamas protests across the UK are somehow void of celebrations of Hamas and calls for the genocide of 7 million Israeli Jews. He doesn’t want to be tainted with the violence of Hamas, but he also really wants to help Hamas survive being stomped on militarily. Leftists like him continue to align with Hamas on the destruction of Israel.
Matthew, well done, welcome aboard the 'right' side !! As A Person of No Importance commented below : " I can't tell you what to do, make a new name if you like. I'm just telling you that, embrace the "Right wing" label or not, you'd better get used to it being spat at you. And those who did embrace it find it sucks all the fun out of the accusation when you answer, "Yes, I am!" I agree also with Miss Tziporah Malkah (another poster). I say so proudly and never explain or 'apologize' whenever I do. Stand tall!
The hatred comes with being Jewish and expressing national aspirations, or (sometimes) just with being Jewish. What care we for a bagatelle like being called “right wing”?
The problem with this is that the people who march under the banner of the Right these days are just as bad, and in crucial ways worse, especially in America. Too often people run away from the left only to end up becoming apologists for MAGA and the corruption at the heart of the American right, with all of the corrosion of truth and the undermining of critical institutions that entails, because the left must be opposed at all costs.
No, I don't care if those ignorant people call me Right wing, because they don't define me. I am a creature of the moderate left, I still consider myself a progressive, and I will not let a bunch of children and their warped academic patrons tell me what I am or what to call myself. Just like true conservatives have every right to tell the grotesque Trumpists that the steaming pile of lies and distortions upon which their sad excuse for an ideological movement is built resembles nothing that could reasonably be called conservatism, I will firmly and unapologetically assert that nobody who supports the ascension of a movement of radical, fundamentalist Islamism, where religion is coerced, women are oppressed, and gays are criminalized over a liberal democracy which allows tolerance and equality to flourish (despite the best efforts of the Israeli right wing) deserves the label of progressivism. They are nothing but hypocritical boutique liberals who live modern existences while scapegoating others for their internalized guilt.
Besides, polls routinely demonstrate that these people are a distinct minority of the left. They may be loud and influential, but they must be resisted, and resisted from within our ranks without letting go of what makes us who we are.
Since the left-right terminology arises from the (national assembly during) the French Revolution, it is hard to imagine a time when Burke could be said to have been “left.”
Better to say he was not in all respects conservative.
Suppose I accept your list arguendo and tackle them seriatim as to Burke personally, since your remark classified him rather than his party.
Was Burke vehemently anti-Catholic and aristocratic—perhaps I should qualify, was he significantly more vehemently anti-Catholic and aristocratic than his parliamentary peers? If so, how does that classify him as “recognizably progressive and proto-Left”?
Welcome to reality. I can’t pretend to understand the mindless support of the most heinous humans I’ve ever seen - but I sure mourn their lack of humanity. I’m glad you’ve seen it for what it really is, and I’m glad you’re posting with such eloquent truth about what you perceive.
Nothing for me to add. Excellent post; thank you.
I work with people in Israel. One of my coworkers was killed on Oct 7 and her children were (fortunately briefly) kidnapped by Hamass (her story is here - https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-family-recounts-last-moments-before-canadian-womans-kidnapping-by/ )
Prior to Oct 7 I had a certain amount of sympathy for the Palestinian cause. In particular I think that Israeli settlers have not behaved well in the West Bank. BUT none of that applies to Gaza. There were no Israelis in Gaza and billions of dollars (pounds/euros/dinars etc.) in aid being provided to them. They could have built a paradise. Instead they allowed Hamass to take over and steal most of the aid. Some of the stolen aid was used to build or buy weapons. Some was used to build bunkers and tunnels. Some of it went to the Hamass leadership in exile where they could live in luxury. Very little actually aided the inhabitants and even when it was used to, say build schools or hospitals for them, those schools and hospitals were built with embedded terrorist hideouts, caches and bunkers.
And on Oct 7 we saw far more than the Hamass and other terror organizations cheer on the atrocities against Israelis who had done absolutely nothing to the Gaza residents. In fact many of the Kibbutzim employed them.
I don't see that there can be any future until the majority of Hamass and other terrorists/sympathizers have been killed. And not just the "military" wing of Hamass. As many Hamass members and sympathizers as possible must be killed and this includes all the civil authorities, all the heads of schools and hospitals, all the imams, all the UNWRA employees and most of the other NGO employees, "journalists" and so on. All of these people, at best, turned a blind eye to Hamass' weaponizing of the entire strip, its buildings and many of its people, many (most?) actively assisted.
I don't just want them killed as punishment, I want them killed to discredit the cause of Palestinian resistance so that its dreams of Nakba and elimination of Israel are perceived by the survivors to be completely nonviable and to make the survivors understand that terrorist activities are unacceptable and lead to death for the terrorists and those who support them.
The only way we get peace is if the Palestinians admit that the Jews in Israel are there to stay and that they have to live with them. From the second Intifada on (possibly before too) Palestinians have effectively refused to negotiate in good faith because they (or at least their leaders) have refused to accept that Israel is not going away. This level of death is way higher than I would like but given that somewhere between a quarter and a half of Gazans have been brainwashed in schools by Hamass to hate Jews there's probably no other way to get peace.
If you want to research, you can resolve that “possibly before” into a “consistently since decades before there was an Israeli state.”
Well said, sir. But as to whether we, the left, can and will do better because this cannot be allowed to stand—or get worse—I wish you a heartfelt but pessimistic “Good luck.”
First: thank you, I appreciate it, Mr. Alazar.
Second: I think all of us have a moral obligation, which nobody can delegate to another people: that we must fix this. This cannot be left to Jews to fix as the problem is not theirs but ours; and frankly it won't be the far-right who can fix this either – that should go without saying. We have to do what each and every one of us can to struggle endlessly against the tide of reactionary hatred, including when it means turning on our supposed 'comrades' who follow the pipeline into frank, but vaguely-cloaked, antisemitism.
Many supposed comrades’ antisemitism already is not cloaked in much vagueness, and the cloak is more and more diaphanous.
I have no argument with you about the obligation of each and all to fix this, insofar as that is within our power, or power we can legitimately acquire.
However, I am pessimistic about our chances.
Your feelings are echoed by many - as an independent leaning liberal, I too was having issues with the liberal agenda pre 7/10 but once I saw the moral bankruptcy of so many, my stomach turned and in that moment had clarity about all that had been transpiring over the last 10 years. I finally understood why most of the agenda was not making sense- this hate has been growing and building, the horrible event on 7/10 just revealed the hate. I wish for everyone who ever thought there could be peace to read the following story - if these people treat the own people this way, why would anyone ever think they would have peace talks with the Jews they consider their mortal enemies
https://open.substack.com/pub/bariweiss/p/imam-father-gaza-kidnapped-by-hamas?r=2gdkzj&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Excellent article. The new ‘left’ has been assuming the moral high ground for too long. This ideology is built on division and censure, I hope that people who assumed the movement was tolerant and kind because it claimed it was tolerant and kind can finally see through the sanctimonious nonsense. Here’s more https://open.substack.com/pub/lowstatus/p/fish-fingers?r=evzeq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Why the scare-quotes on “left”? Does not the category “left,” like the category “human,” include foolish as well as wise, and vicious as well as virtuous?
You are brave to engage not only in criticism of the left, but in self reflection and criticism. These terms are consistently thrown at us but few truly know how to do so honestly.
Sam Kriss is a Hamas apologist. Aside from his one and only article supporting any level of Palestinian terrorism except this Hamas massacre, he immediately went into gaslighting everyone that pro Hamas protests across the UK are somehow void of celebrations of Hamas and calls for the genocide of 7 million Israeli Jews. He doesn’t want to be tainted with the violence of Hamas, but he also really wants to help Hamas survive being stomped on militarily. Leftists like him continue to align with Hamas on the destruction of Israel.
Kriss is not a Hamas apologist. Thanks for the comment.
Curious if you read his subsequent post on the pro Hamas demonstrations he participated in.
Matthew, well done, welcome aboard the 'right' side !! As A Person of No Importance commented below : " I can't tell you what to do, make a new name if you like. I'm just telling you that, embrace the "Right wing" label or not, you'd better get used to it being spat at you. And those who did embrace it find it sucks all the fun out of the accusation when you answer, "Yes, I am!" I agree also with Miss Tziporah Malkah (another poster). I say so proudly and never explain or 'apologize' whenever I do. Stand tall!
Alas, if the fun of the accusation is judged by the propensity to repeat it, neither that attitude nor any other sucks all the fun out.
And really, why choose your own label by what your enemies call you? Can you imagine what Jews would be called if they did?
Sorry the far left was always crap. You just see it his.
Always? How about freeing the slaves?
Oh from about 1936 on. When it ignored Stalin’s show trials through the Hitler Stalin pact.
What about during the Civil Rights Movement?
Well written and well thought out. A minor quibble. The far left had revealed its antisemitism a long time ago.
Embrace it- agree. It’s hard being so hated but at least I can sleep at night.
The hatred comes with being Jewish and expressing national aspirations, or (sometimes) just with being Jewish. What care we for a bagatelle like being called “right wing”?
The problem with this is that the people who march under the banner of the Right these days are just as bad, and in crucial ways worse, especially in America. Too often people run away from the left only to end up becoming apologists for MAGA and the corruption at the heart of the American right, with all of the corrosion of truth and the undermining of critical institutions that entails, because the left must be opposed at all costs.
No, I don't care if those ignorant people call me Right wing, because they don't define me. I am a creature of the moderate left, I still consider myself a progressive, and I will not let a bunch of children and their warped academic patrons tell me what I am or what to call myself. Just like true conservatives have every right to tell the grotesque Trumpists that the steaming pile of lies and distortions upon which their sad excuse for an ideological movement is built resembles nothing that could reasonably be called conservatism, I will firmly and unapologetically assert that nobody who supports the ascension of a movement of radical, fundamentalist Islamism, where religion is coerced, women are oppressed, and gays are criminalized over a liberal democracy which allows tolerance and equality to flourish (despite the best efforts of the Israeli right wing) deserves the label of progressivism. They are nothing but hypocritical boutique liberals who live modern existences while scapegoating others for their internalized guilt.
Besides, polls routinely demonstrate that these people are a distinct minority of the left. They may be loud and influential, but they must be resisted, and resisted from within our ranks without letting go of what makes us who we are.
Since the left-right terminology arises from the (national assembly during) the French Revolution, it is hard to imagine a time when Burke could be said to have been “left.”
Better to say he was not in all respects conservative.
Were the Whiggamores really “to the left” (as we now say) of the Tories? Please enlarge on this argument.
Suppose I accept your list arguendo and tackle them seriatim as to Burke personally, since your remark classified him rather than his party.
Was Burke vehemently anti-Catholic and aristocratic—perhaps I should qualify, was he significantly more vehemently anti-Catholic and aristocratic than his parliamentary peers? If so, how does that classify him as “recognizably progressive and proto-Left”?
Next time, “Constitutionalist.”