#the complex bit is that the exact same thing is true of the Palestinian people. There needs to be a solution where we can both exist

[butwhypants]

if your solution to the conflict in Israel/Palestine is the complete and total destruction of the Jewish state, you are in fact antisemitic and no amount of Kapo hand wringing will change that.

[thoughtaddictand]

Rant: Pinkwashing is a lie

Everytime the Israel-Palestine conflict is in the news, there's the same story: Gay people are asked whom they support in the conflict, and most (around 80%) answer they support Israel. The reason: "Israel is supportive of gay rights, so it seems natural we support them!"

The pro-Palestine side, not being able to accept anyone supporting Israel, drop the pinkwashing arguement. "You guys are so easily deceived. Israel doesn't give two sh*ts about LGBT rights. It's just trying to distract from its human rights abuses by pretending it's gay friendly". Apparently all said in an attempt to have us switch sides

But as a gay man, who has actually been to Israel, I'd like to seize the oppertunity and disagree: Anyone argueing "pinkwashing" is being deceiptive, and today I'm going to explain why.

First of all, it doesn't matter how much Israel advertises itself as gay friendly. You can't deny the fact that it simply is the most gay friendly country in the middle east. By a long shot. Most Palestinians want to destroy Israel, whether through military action, or by enforcing a right of return to Israel (which would make the country cede in its current form). This would mean the literally only country in the Middle East that grants us any form of rights would disappear. How do you expect anyone with just a bit of solidarity to support this?

Second: However it choses to advertise itself, the LGBT rights are still there. All activity has been legal since 1988, long before it was mainstream and they could have used it to "distract" from anything.

And I can pin point the exact reason why this is the case: Israel respects LGBT rights, simply because it respects human rights as a whole. Women, ethnic minorities, and more all see their rights respected. And although I don't want to downplay the struggles they face, even the Israeli Arab fare way better than anywhere else in the Middle East.

But of course, an Israel that respects human rights doesn't fit its enemies agenda. Because if they didn't have a human rights abuser as an enemy, they'd have to admit that there might be legit reasons that Gaza must be blocked (rocket attacks), that there must be walls and check-points accross the West Bank (suicide attacks), and that the occupation must continue (many Palestinians are violent).

So that's how we end up with lies like "pinkwashing". To downplay the fact that Palestinians aren't as harmless as they are made out to be, and their enemy is a human right respecting state. That way, things will fit their narrative. And imho, this is the true propaganda. Not what Israel is doing.

And hey, I'm not even denying the fact that Israel does advertise itself as gay friendly. But this is more like: "We respects human rights, and abuses is not what we're about, even if we have adopt a hard stance with our enemies (who are literally trying to destroy us)". In no way is this to wash away the Palestinian struggle.

But imho, the worst part are the half-facts people use as "proof" that Israel isn't as gay friendly as it appears, namely that A) discrimination still exists, and B) same-sex marriage isn't legal (spoiler alert: it is). Both extremely dishonest arguements.

The first one because you could extend this to any country. In big cities, you'll find acceptance, while on the country side, you'll find less of that. Also, religious people are less accepting, while secular people are more so, etc. Israel is no different, where Tel Aviv, Haifa and maybe (turning five blind eyes) Jerusalem are accepting, while the more rural places aren't so much so.

The second one because it simplifies a complex issue down to a simple conclusion, namely that "Straight marriage is performed, gay marriage is not". Note that i use the word "performed". That's because civil marriage as a whole is not "performed", only "recongized" in the country. You can have it recognized, either when it was performed by a religious authority, or performed abroad. And guess what? In the latter case any marriage is recognized, even same-sex marriages. So technically, marriage is already equal in the country. A fact that is commonly ommited in discussions.

Sure, you could still argue it's an LGBT issue of sorts, because straight couples at least have a chance of being married in the country (when they share a religion), and have less distance to cover than gay couples (who'd have to fly to central Europe to get married, not to Cyprus as straight couples). But realistically, that's a problem with a lack of seperation of church and state. not an LGBT issue. I can guarantee you, once civil marriage will be performed, gay marriage will become legal along with it.

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So yeah, long story short: I don't buy into the queer washing allegations. It seems like just another misinformation campaign launched by the Palestinian side to win the "PR war" against Israel. In particular an attempt to sway gay supporters. But first and foremost, to paint is as a human rights abuser.

[ammcgee-author]

224. Russian Talking Points

I don’t think people know how dumb they sound when they call true statements about NATO and American Imperialism “Russian Talking Points.”

(The Russians are the same people who fought the Nazis during WWII for Christ’s sake! And they’re still fighting the Nazi-Banderists under Zelensky, even though Kyiv was once the Russian Capitol.)

They sound as dumb as the protesters who used the murder of an “unarmed black man” to elect the president they are currently protesting now. Good ol’ “Genocide Joe.”

They changed their blue and yellow flags to black, red, and green ones just in time to realize Zelensky, Biden, and The Democrats are also Racist Zionists. Just like Netanyahu, Trump, and the Republicans.

It’s almost like they realized there’s no meaningful difference between either major political party.

But they didn’t.

Maybe someday they will.

Maybe someday they’ll protest the Military Industrial Complex, foreign investors, and lobbyists.

But they won’t.

I support the protests, but I’m extremely critical of the protesters. They’re hypocrites.

(Either that, or they learned quite a bit in just a few short months, and if so, good for them!)

I don’t blame the Palestinians, but…

These are the exact same people who were trying to start WWIII on Russia’s borders.

The not-so-secret secret about both modern major political ideologies is that most Nationalists and Racial Separatists support each-other, because they believe that is the natural order of things; and that is just as true for Ukrainians and Israelis, as it is for Russians and Germans.

(But at the same time not all Nationalism is bad, for example, I’d rather give American taxpayer money to poor and homeless Americans than the Israelis, Immigrants, or Ukrainians.)

The not-so-secret secret about the Democrats, specifically, is that their so-called “Liberal Interventionism” is just another term to describe (and justify) Colonialism and Imperialism.

American Jews planned on exterminating the Germans. Like Zionists plan on exterminating the Palestinians. They even wrote a book about it. Zionism is older than National Socialism.

Don’t shoot the messenger.

Just because Putin or the Kremlin said something you don’t like, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

For example, if Hitler told you that “the sky is blue and the grass is green,” you wouldn’t say, “No! The sky is plaid, and the grass is polka-dot!”

Just to be contrary —

(Chemtrails can make the sky look plaid, but that’s another matter entirely.)

What I’m trying to say, of course, is:

Hitler was right,

(Sometimes.)

— A.M. McGee