#when 75+ years of occupation have occurred

[fairuzfan]

Palestinians are blamed for not being kind enough to their occupiers again and again. For not using the right words to describe them. And then they turn around and try to preach politics to us, how we're "oversimplifying" things. I promise you — we know how the system works better than you do. That is why it is all of our dreams to change it. To continue to play in this system is acceptance of the occupier's logic and practices. We will not accept such a thing because their goals are antithetical to our lives. Do not fall for their propaganda — their goal is to obfuscate the truth with half truths and incomparable circumstances.

[sscarletvenus]

shein has taken down the selling of the israeli flag, stopped its collaborations with the country's influencers and also cancelled free delivery services to the country. do you know how fucking insidious you have to be for SHEIN to cut ties with you??? SHEIN???!!!

it makes me physically ill. a Palestinian on twitter's last post was about burying their six-year-old cousin without his head. a Palestinian boy on youtube dreamt of 100k subscribers on his gaming channel. and yesterday he reached 500k, but he has been killed in the bombing of the gaza strip. the class of 2023-24 in Palestine has ended early because there are not enough students left alive. literal children who were the teachers, artists, doctors, scientists, scholars, writers, engineers of tomorrow.

when is it enough? statistics released by Palestinian officials about the numbers of martyred isn't enough. photographs and videos of fathers scurrying to piece together their children by gathering their body parts isn't enough. presscons surrounded by dead bodies beside a bombed hospital isn't enough.

yet, somehow, the narrative they are pushing is conflict between two faiths. it is absolutely not. this is no religious conflict. this is colonization, occupation, genocide. it's systematic oppression of Palestine and its people.

the word peace has never angered me as much as it has now. and it should anger you too. there can be no peace under violent oppression. there can be no peace after 75 years of ethnic cleansing. there can be no peace in occupied Palestine.

peace is the product of white supremacy, they prod and kill anyone other than them but when retaliation occurs, it is suddenly rabid savages, unjust savages...

[elder-millennial-of-zion]

When I say I’m a Zionist, all I mean is that I want a country that already exists, that has existed for 75 years, to continue to exist. Not the current government, just the country itself. That shouldn’t be a controversial stance.

It’s not normal to need an entire movement around wanting an existing country to keep existing. It’s not normal that there’s an entire movement dedicated to the complete destruction of one singular country and no other.

Even if you insist on comparing Israel to the most evil regimes; Nazi Germany, apartheid South Africa - which you shouldn’t because it’s false and antisemitic, but even if you did - the Nazis were defeated, the Nazi occupation of other countries was defeated, but Germany is still a country. Apartheid ended, but South Africa is still a country. British colonies have fought for and won independence one by one, but Britain is still a country. In the US, slavery ended, segregation was struck down, but the US is still a country. It’s only Israel where people pose the ridiculous question of whether a country should still be a country.

And to everyone who says “I don’t think the US should exist either,” bullshit. You’re not doing anything about that. There is no movement to abolish the United States, and last time there was, that movement was comprised of the racist slave owners.

The fact that the argument over Israel’s existence has been normalized when there is no such argument about any other country in the world, is ridiculous. It’s insane that non-Jews can’t talk about Israel the way they talk about every other country, that they can’t criticize its government, military, or policies without jumping right to “and therefore Israel should be destroyed.” They say this about the one Jewish country and no others, and they really pretend they don’t see anything wrong with that.

Not to mention that abolishing a country is completely impractical in ways that have never occurred to them. Like there’s a sign on a border gate that says “Israel” that they can just paint over to say “Palestine” and that will be that.

Step 1: replace all the flags

Step 2: ???????

Step 3: utopia

[gothhabiba]

An Appeal to Our Food and Hospitality Community to Take Action Now for Gaza

Dear Industry Friends, 

We have come together as chefs, farmers, media makers, business owners, beverage professionals, and food workers from across our industry to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. support for Israel’s war crimes. We must break the silence around the genocide in Gaza. As of today, more than 7,000 Palestinians have been massacred in less than three weeks. Nearly half of them are children. Over 8,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza, killing a Palestinian every 5 minutes. After hospitals run out of fuel,  the death toll will rise exponentially. Every second we choose to stay silent, without demanding that our government stop arming Israel with billions of our tax dollars, we allow another massacre to take place. 

We can prevent this violence by refusing to allow our government to fund and arm Israel’s decades-long military occupation. History has shown us that peace and safety for all in the region cannot come from the violent subjugation of Palestinians. We grieve the loss of all innocent life. However, violence begets violence, and we know this latest eruption did not occur in a vacuum. For 75 years, Palestinians have been killed, imprisoned, tortured, and robbed of their land and homes. In Gaza, 2.2 million people — more than half of whom are children — have been living under an inhumane siege for almost 17 years, and are cut off from the world, without access to water, food, or basic amenities needed to live a dignified and healthy life. For those living in Gaza, the last decade has been a slow genocide. 

As cultural stewards in this country, we have the power to counter the dehumanization of Palestinians. Israel has long weaponized food, erasing Palestinian people while claiming their cuisine. Here in the U.S., the appropriation of Palestinian foods as “Israeli” has led to more than Israelis profiting off of Palestinian culture; it is an erasure that has had real implications for Palestinians. It allows us to negate their cultural currency, and turn our attention away with more ease when we see Palestinian death. 

We must join our voices with Palestinians pleading for justice and protection right now. The situation is dire, and no amount of media coverage has discouraged Israel from its policy of ethnic cleansing and land theft as the U.S. government continues to protect Israel from global pressure for a ceasefire. We have been called upon by Palestinian civil society to join their struggle for freedom by joining the global movement for divestment and cultural boycott of Israel until it ends its horrific human rights abuses.

We ask our fellow food and beverage community to take a stand against genocide and ethnic cleansing and commit to three actions with us:

Call your congressional representatives to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to unconditional U.S. funding of Israel. 

Divest from products, events, and trips that promote Israel until it dismantles its apartheid system and military occupation. 

Invest in events and projects that promote justice for Palestinians, whether connecting to a local organization to learn how to support, or amplify Palestinian voices and support them to share their food and culture on their own terms.

We recognize that this may be difficult given the frightening pressure put on us to remain silent. McCarthyist tactics cannot marginalize and divide us – we know we are not alone as the whole world is rising up against injustice and genocide. Thousands of artists worldwide have publicly endorsed BDS and the cultural boycott of Israel, including musicians, DJs, filmmakers and actors, visual artists, Black artists, Latin American artists, and countless others across all fields and continents. This is in spite of efforts made by Israeli government-linked lobby groups to suppress this solidarity. 

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We are all in this industry to affirm life and dignity for everyone. As those who care for others, it is our moral imperative to actively contribute to the care that Palestinians need right now as they struggle to survive and get free. Food and beverage colleagues – it’s time for our community to extend our hospitality and join the movement for a Free Palestine.

Add your name – sign the pledge

[probablyasocialecologist]

It’s become a real challenge to keep up with every Palestine protest and action happening in this country, but I am going to round-up some of that have occurred in recent days in case you missed them. Over 75 activists shut down and blocked all entrances to Boeing Building 598 in Saint Charles, Missouri. The facility manufactures the Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs that Israel is using Gaza. “We are joining millions of people across the United States and around the world in demanding an end to Israeli’s brutal assault on Gaza and its decades-long occupation of Palestine,” said Ellie Tang, a member of the anti-war organization Dissenters, in a statement. “We urge Congress and Biden to hear the calls of millions of us living in this country, and push for a ceasefire. Until Congress blocks the bombs, we will.” After shutting operations down for 2 hours, the facility canceled its deliveries for the day. 500 protesters with Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) took over the Statue of Liberty’s platform, dropped banners, held a sit-in, and chanted for a ceasefire. “HAPPENING NOW AT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY: Hundreds of Jews and allies are holding an emergency sit-in, taking over the island to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. We refuse to allow a genocide to be carried out in our names. Ceasefire now to save lives! Never again for anyone!,” tweeted the organization. Oakland protesters blocked a ship from leaving its port for hours. The boat was headed to the Port of Tacoma to pick up arms destined for Israel. Hundreds of protesters are currently occupying that port and at least one worker is refusing to take the cargo after learning about its use. At a Get Out the Vote rally, Democratic candidate Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was confronted by a protester calling for a ceasefire. “4,000 plus dead children in Palestine. 9,000 plus dead civilians, get off the stage. … Get off the stage. I don’t care … get off the stage,” he yelled before being escorted out of the building by police. Tens of thousands gathered in San Francisco to demand a ceasefire. “I can feel the momentum of it and that’s why we had to get out today,” one told the local CBS station. “My son’s in Trafalgar Square right now or he was earlier today. Same deal. People who just feel the injustice of the world.” A speech by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in New Jersey was interrupted by activists calling on him to back a ceasefire. He quickly exited the stage. Rhode Island Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse were disrupted at event by protesters calling for a ceasefire. Rep. Grace Meng was confronted by protesters asking when she will back a ceasefire. She remained silent and her staff told them, “There’s a time and place for this.”

[soon-palestine]

To Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen,

Ahmed,

Our Dear Cousin

We cheered for you when you passed your bar exam. We cheered for you at your beautiful wedding. We cheered for you when you had your first child, your beloved son. We cheered for you when you were elected as a Member of Parliament, and finally a Minister. We were so excited to see you represent Canada on a global stage. The New York Times wrote a historic piece on you titled "In Canada, an Immigration Minister Who Himself is a Refugee" - we could not have been more proud. When you shared your experience with systemic racism but highlighted how Canadian generosity changed your outlook on life through your TEDx talk we were delighted to see you share a piece of yourself with the world. We shared your work all over our social medias, we proudly announced your accolades, we celebrated you with full belief that you would be the change maker Canadians needed and deserved. Sadly, our hopes have been met with a different reality. Once, we were blinded by our admiration of watching you turn nothing into something, but today we are seeing a sobering truth.

Since you have been appointed as a Minister, hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been killed around the world with impunity. Now, we don't fault you for those crimes, but your consistent silence has been deafening. Although your role is to represent the interests of all Canadians while remaining secular, you have proudly shared that your faith and identity has undoubtedly played a part in bringing you to where you are today. With this in mind, we see clearly that you have failed in your role as Minister of International Development. You stood firmly beside Ukrainian people and supported their refugees when they were resisting an oppressive force, but when it comes to Palestine and it's people today, your recent statement lacked the condemnation and passionate stance we have seen you are capable of taking. Your statement minimized the plight and struggle of your Palestinian brothers and sisters, lacked depth and clarity, and did not name today's current situation in the most accurate terms an actively occurring genocide. Although we will never minimize the pain of any civilian or refugee, we are compelled to clearly state the stark difference between your statements for Ukraine and Palestine. With Ukraine you said "Canada stands united with Ukraine and all those around the world, fighting for democracy, human rights, and justice" but when it comes to the struggle of Palestinian people, you fell flat.

Our hearts were broken at your lackluster words when referring to a historically oppressed people. Sadly, we have realized that you won't live up to our expectations and your own promises to be a change- maker and leader. Where is your condemnation of the Israeli occupying forces murdering thousands of children? Where is your condemnation of the genocidal language and unfounded aggression of Benjamin Netanyahu?

As a refugee, how can you ignore the ethnic cleansing Palestinians have suffered for over 75 years? Why have you let your position of power stop you from using clear language to stand with the oppressed people caged in a concentration camp being carpet bombed daily? Children the same age as our own are being blown to shreds or left as traumatized and injured orphans, does your blood not move?

The world is changed through the words of brave people who stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Decades of unprincipled statements that shy away from addressing the root cause of Gaza and Palestine from politicians like you is the reason why this genocide has continued, claiming the lives and livelihoods of well over 1 million people.

Page two. We write to you this open letter today as your family to simply say -wake up! Open your art and recognize this horrific illegal occupation for what it is, A GENOCIDE. Do not let personal gain, a reputation, and a seat at a colonial nation's table make you complicit to this inhumanity. Announcing Canada's aid commitments without addressing the root cause of this genocide does nothing to recognize the dignity and humanity of Palestinian people. It is a slap in the face to see you announcing humanitarian aid to Palestine when you haven't taken a clear stance against the use of our taxpayer dollars funding weaponry being used to kill innocent Palestinians. We don't need band aid solutions, we need this genocide to be recognized. We need you to speak to the liberation of the indigenous people of Palestine. Your party leader has failed Canada in many ways, the average Canadian's quality of life has tanked according to our shrinking GDP.

There is no re-election in sight for the Liberal party. Is this how you want your legacy to end? With a stain of genocide complicity? You won't have the golden opportunity of standing on the right side of history if you choose not to make yourself clear. We are devastated that today we as a family can no longer cheer for you, you no longer have our respect or admiration. For the sake of saving your legacy and preserving the principles we expect all of our family members to uphold, we ask you to please wake up, take a clear stance, and step down as a Minister to side with the oppressed! You are a humanitarian lawyer, fight for the oppressed! Leave your mark politically to restore our faith on who we know you to be, and hoped you to be. One day your children will see your work as a Minister and they will question you, how will you explain your complacency with a population of indigenous people being massacred?

We leave you with one final note, when we all depart this world we will take nothing with us. Rich or poor, educated or not, we will all be wrapped in a white cloth and placed in the dirt left to answer for all of our worldly actions. So we ask you: Do you fear your maker that you are returning to? We pray and hope you will come to your senses before it's too late. Your role in this government no longer serves you in this life or the next.

#FreePalestine

#EndTheOccupation

#CeasefireNow

[queeranarchism]

"The quote is from Les Damnes de la terre (Wretched of the Earth), and can only be understood in the context of the fuller argument Fanon is making: “Colonialism is not a thinking machine, nor a body endowed with reasoning faculties. It is violence in its natural state, and it will only yield when confronted with greater violence.” No one can deny Fanon’s brilliance or his pioneering and profound understanding of the psychological effects of colonial violence on the colonised and the coloniser (as a psychiatrist, he treated French colonial officers and Algerians alike and found them to suffer similar psychiatric ailments). But the second and more famously quoted part of Fanon’s argument is not comprehensible without the first part, and the first part – especially in the Israeli context – is in fact profoundly wrong. Colonialism, especially settler colonialism – and even more particularly Zionist settler colonialism – is very much a “thinking machine” with very powerful and longstanding logic and rationalities that are the key to its success. Because of this, considering what “a greater violence” would look like and how it can be measured, never mind achieved, is a crucial task for those analysing and fighting colonial violence alike. I have yet to see any plausible scenarios in which Palestinians acquire the means to deploy “far greater violence” vis-a-vis Israel/the Zionist entity for any length of time in any conceivable geostrategic balance of power. Even if Iran (the only major power that supports Palestine in any meaningful way), for example, wanted to deliver heavier weapons to Palestinians, Israel’s control over access points, as well as Egypt’s and Jordan’s, will prevent that from happening. Palestine is not Ukraine, supported by major powers and able to utilise land, water and air corridors to obtain an unending stream of weapons deliveries to fight a much larger and better-armed adversary. Quite the opposite, in fact. More broadly, Palestine today is not Algeria in 1956, which was Fanon’s most important reference point. Nor is Israel France, with a metropole to which settlers can return (unless we consider Tel Aviv the metropole). There will be no long-fought war of independence resulting in the vast majority of Jews leaving à la française a reconquered Palestine. But there are several scenarios that could lead to a redux of the Nakba, as many Israeli politicians are now screaming for. [...]

Indeed, for over 50 years of occupation, and 30 years of the post-Oslo Palestinian “self-rule” rather than “the native cur[ing] himself of colonial neurosis … through force of arms”, what has occurred (as I learned in interviews with therapists at the few mental health centres in Gaza as far back in the later 1990s through 2000s) is the passing on of trauma, with former Fatah prisoners tortured by Israel torturing Hamas members using the same techniques as the Israelis used on them – often screaming at their victims in Hebrew while torturing them in the very same rooms where they were tortured. Hamas has continued this cycle in the two decades of effective control over Gaza. And now we see this with crowds cheering kidnapped, beaten, and murdered Israelis. Whatever catharsis this constitutes, it is not one that will lead to victory over an Israeli society that has been using violence against Palestinians as its own traumatic catharsis for 75 years, in a world that has a very high tolerance for Palestinian civilian casualties, with most people in the West still supporting Israel whenever there is a high level of Israeli Jewish casualties. [...]

Tragically, Fanon died in 1961, a year before Algeria achieved independence. He did not live to see the realities of postcolonial politics in Algeria, or across Africa for that matter, where, as Kenyan novelist and decolonial thinker Ngugi wa Thiong’o has so powerfully showed, leaders of newly independent states almost immediately began treating their peoples in much the same manner as their former colonisers (a phenomenon also experienced with the Palestinian Authority and Hamas since Oslo). Forty years ago, when he was describing this dynamic of postcolonial governance in his groundbreaking prison memoir Wrestling with the Devil: A Prison Memoir, Thiong’o used the term “neocolonial” – not to indicate the continuation of European control by other means, but rather to describe how anticolonial leaders adopted (and adapted) the same brutal and authoritarian techniques of rule as their colonisers to cement and maintain their power; a critique of the “coloniality of power” that is today at the heart of the ever more popular decolonial thought. That coloniality of power fundamentally will never allow for anything approaching actual independence for Palestinians, neither via the neocolonial PA nor with Hamas at the helm. If Palestinians are to defeat Zionist colonialism, it will likely take a much different sort of analysis of its violence and power than Fanon offered three-quarters of a century ago, and it will probably require a paradigm shift in the core concepts of what a nation, freedom and independence are at a moment when the entire world, not just Palestine/Israel, is heading towards conflagration.

read the full article

I really like this column. When western media is mindlessly parroting Israeli propaganda and western far-leftists (myself included) are primarily listing all the evils of the Israeli state to make it clear who the real bad guy of the story is, there's very little practical discussion of what is actually happening and what could come next.

[thefamiliarstrangers100]

“The sooner we realize that some of these nations and influential organizations, including the UN, are not as powerless as they may seem; rather, they undoubtedly benefit from conflicts of interest that won’t allow them to step in or charge N3tanyahu for international crimes against humanity, the easier it will be for us to stop expecting humanitarian intervention from them.

They are well aware of the consequences. If they were genuinely concerned about human rights violations, why did they allow the occupying state to violate them in the first place? Why did they not find a solution to this and punish the criminals when these violations have been occurring before their eyes for the past 75 years of the Israeli occupation of Palestine? It’s not like this situation suddenly escalated out of nowhere. Where were these organizations for all these years?

They’re deliberately choosing not to intervene and mandate a ceasefire because almost every single nation, including powerful organizations like the UN, has an equal stake in the Palestinian genocide. They’re feeding themselves off of the Israeli war crimes.

I don’t know how else to explain this complicity or view this situation from a legal or political perspective, but I do know that we’re not as uninformed as they think we are. I do understand the power of collective resistance. We do have the power to prevent history from repeating itself. We do have the power to change the narrative. We can’t let future generations wonder how we allowed this genocide to take place. I don’t want our kids to view us as a generation that bragged so much about its progressiveness, is also the same generation that enabled a literal genocide during their time.

We can’t be known as bystanders when we do have the ability to stop these horrors from taking place. I know you and I are not the ones in authority. We are just ordinary individuals, with regular jobs, but the least we can do is educate ourselves and others. The people of Palestine need us. The least we can do is use social media as a weapon to spread the truth. The least we can do is join protests and be so loud with our voices that those in power have no choice but to listen. The least we can do is be the voice for the oppressed. The least we can do is be the change we want. We’re revolutionaries, people. Let’s act as one.”

— Syeda Zehra Fatima

[perdoodle]

Along with Minkie getting an refence sheet. Of course I had to come up with an 10th dimension counter part for her!

Name: Minkie Dinkie Vonet Neo Cortex

Gender: Female

Age: (???) But have determine her age would between 25-30 years

Species: Giraffe(25%) Mink(75%)

Ailment: Chaotic Good

Occupation: Robotics/Weapons Expert/ Therapist

Read on more info below:

Unlike her dimension counterpart Minkie. Dinkie creation was merely an accident from knocking coffee over on the Evolvo Ray.

She inherent the worst traits like her counterpart with a little added extra weight. But she is much more intelligent and stable than her counterpart. She also sports a more sweeter nature but tends to stress out a bit when things dont got to plan.

With Dinkie being much more nicer then her dimensional counterpart Minkie. She take up on the role as a Therapist for troubled experiments. Her goal in wanting to rehabilitate Evil Crash and Coco. These plans of course was put on hold due to the events of Twinsanity prompting her to travel dimensions to “fix” what caused such a event to occur in the first place.

Upon witnessing her Cortex(Good) vaporized in front her by his dimensional counter part. Without the guidance of of her Cortex (good) her idea of fixing the issue became twisted. And is bent on destroying their dimensional counterparts.

[axel-skz]

I was on discord and this girl is just ranting about how her family and people she knew suffered on October 7th.

I’M SORRY IF I’M NOT HOSPITABLE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST PEOPLE, IS MAD ABOUT IT AND THEN OKAY WITH ISRAEL COMMITING WAR CRIMES IN RETURN.

How after losing people do you decide it is okay for you to support your genocidal government to kill men, women and children in return?! And I’m so tired of the ‘its just cus they’re looking for hamas’ because the amount of times we have tried to explain to you that they aren’t after hamas is CRAZY.

What 6 year old is part of hamas? What hamas is there in the west bank? What hamas is there when you see palestinians in the west bank be removed from their houses and the israeli settlers move in right infront of them?!

I’m so tired of the constant ranting and ignoring the occupation that has been occurring for 75 FREAKING YEARS BECAUSE YOU LOST FAMILY?!

WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THE NAKBA WHO LOST FAMILIES?! THEY WERE TOLD TO JUST GET OVER IT. TF?!

I read a statistic the other day about how theres like 8k parentless children in Gaza rn. 8000. 8000 CHILDREN.

Anti Semitism very much exists but if you don’t have the same energy with hating on Islamaphobia then I have nothing to say to you and your inconsistent morals.

[santaresistencia]

I'm so confused. I'm not sure what is true anymore!

When I tried talking to a close relative of mine about Palestine, they started going on a huge spiel. They insisted it wasn't genocide, that they voted for Hamas and that Isr*el warned them and gave them time to go south before the bombings happened, that Palestine struck first, and that Isr*el had given them their land.

When I asked them for proof, they dodged the question, claimed they've been in the loop for a very long time (they're nearing their sixties), and said something about the quran.

I don't know what to do and I'm so torn!

warning: this post has a plethora of links (everything underlined) i encourage you and anyone reading to click through them and learn more.

hi lovely sorry it took me so long to respond. i understand why you're confused right now - there's currently a huge, censorship, disinformation campaign being waged by isr*el (and backed and supported by the united states) to keep people confused about what's going on right now. and sadly if you (like me) grew up in the united states/the west very little is taught about palestine and we are steeped in propaganda from the very moment we can talk. it is a failure of the system, and ourselves, and done purposefully to keep us ignorant about an evil from which we directly contribute and benefit.

and if you simply went by what western leaders and cable news are reporting right now you would be vastly misinformed about the true horror being waged and why it is being waged. social media is a powerful tool and is being weaponized by isr*el to fight a proxy war. (a war which they are losing with certain demographics, if the sheer number of us awakening right now and by your very question is evident).

many people are trying to push a narrative of this being a very complicated issue so they can remain "neutral" and i'm here to tell you it isn't - what it comes down to is that isr*el is illegally occupying palestine (which they've been doing for almost 75 years) and are currently waging a genocide against the palestinian people, who throughout the last decades have been forced to live under an apartheid state in both gaza and the west bank - areas which are really just ghettos controlled by their colonizer - isr*el.

i will note here - this is a very basic fact that many are unaware of, to our shame, but gaza is not a country, it is a strip of land under the occupation and total control of isr*el. (to even justify calling this a "war" is unfair in the extreme - wars are fought by more or less equal powers with a standing army of their own - gaza does not have it's own army. the current aggression taking place is david and goliath-levels unequal). more basic facts/questions that we are too afraid to ask covered here and here.

gaza especially is recognized (the united nations included) as the world's "largest open-air prison." palestinians cannot freely travel without the permission of isr*el (on their own land!), and everything - food, electricity, water, incoming supplies, everything - is controlled by isr*el and subject to their whims. they are under constant surveillance and overly policed, killed daily by both the state and isr*eli settlers stealing palestinian land, and thousands of them are held illegally without trial indefinitely by isr*el. (does this sound familiar to you? it should because most of america's police force is trained by the IDF).

and while hamas did attack isr*eli civilians, the attack did not occur in a vacuum and the response to that attack has been very, very, very, very, disproportionate - it is collective punishment against a civilian population and a war crime.

the oct 7th attacks are being used as an excuse to carry out isr*el's dream/ultimate goal of cleansing palestinians off their own land so they can claim it as their own.

but to address the specific claims made by your relative - yes the ongoing isr*eli occupation's aggression is genocide (and has been acknowledged as such by experts in holocaust history, human rights groups, and quite openly by isr*el itself). while hamas did "strike first" they did so in response to the many human rights abuses, systematic oppression, and colonial violence that the palestinian people have been undergoing for close to a century. an oppressed people pushed to the edge of survival and left with no other choice will be forced to use any means necessary to resist their oppressors.

the demonization and dehumanization of hamas is used to paint palestinian resistance as "terrorism" in order to justify wiping a whole group of people (2.3 million) off the face of the earth. civilians - men, woman, and children are not "terrorists" and their slaughter is not and will never be justified.

the claim that isr*el is giving them "warning" and "time" to evacuate before bombing is laughable - where are they supposed to go? they've closed down the borders - no one can get in or out of gaza. they have specifically targeted civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, churches, and residential homes which have been serving as shelter to civilians. they told them to evacuate the north of gaza and into the south (which is impossible when you think of over a million people being given 24 hours to evacuate their homes), and then continue to bomb the south and north anyway. they are also carrying out violence and aggression in the west bank which is not controlled by hamas and so their excuses are simply that, excuses.

no their goal is not to get rid of hamas, their goal is the complete and utter annihilation of gaza and the palestinian people. (which they will not succeed in doing, palestine will be free, whether in this life or the next).

and the idea that isr*el gave palestinians their land? it's their land! isr*el stole their land, violently displaced (such a soft word for such a violent act) over 750,000 people (which has created a diaspora of six million palestinian refugees), forced the remaining into gaza and the west bank, has been subjecting them to a slow suffocating death for decades, and now openly slaughters them by the thousands.

the mention of the Quran specifically by your relative is thinly veiled islamophobia (which is rampant in the west and in the united states in particular). this is not a religious war. and the fact that a majority of palestinians are muslims (though christian palestinians do exist) is being used to paint a whole people as "terrorists" and encourages the dehumanization of palestinian people.

this is why the many many videos and images of dead palestinian babies, men, and woman mean nothing to certain people - palestinians (and frankly brown/black ppl) are not seen as fully human and equally worthy of life. their lives and their deaths weigh less in certain ppl's minds (just compare the global support ukraine received when it was invaded by russia to the indifference that palestine is currently receiving).

to some and (your relative) the horrific slaughter by the literal thousands is justifiable - an "unhappy but inevitable consequence of war." this is not war, this is genocide. these are not battles being fought, these are blatant war crimes being carried out by isr*el who have been given carte blanche by the united states and other western powers to do as they wish.

tbh there are many others on here that can explain better and their masterposts and blogs are valuable resources available here, here, and here. and i recommend these tiktok users here, here, and here. i also recommend the decolonizepalestine.com website as it is highly informative.

and for keeping up with current news in gaza that is not blatant propaganda i recommend al jazeera - which has been doing some of the most comprehensive and amazing journalism i've ever seen. (seriously they are putting their very lives on the line, as several of their reporters have been assassinated by isr*el).

it is a tragedy that we have been kept largely ignorant of a struggle that has been happening right under our noses for years, supported by our own money and aid, and which we directly benefit from. but now that we know the extent of the horror it is our duty to educate ourselves, to reach out and educate others, to uplift palestinian voices, and to do everything we possibly can to help. to do otherwise is a failure of our very own humanity.

[thedryswan]

Jeff Tracy reads a bedtime story...

According to the calendar it had been around a year since Scott and Kayo’s last date night. There had been the nine months of pregnancy which had been smooth sailing for the first two trimesters, the third, however, she had spent much of it on bed rest and in hospital to try and prevent the threatened early onset of labour. The baby girl was born on her due date, safe and healthy and they counted the days down to when they would be discharged to return home to the relative peace and quiet of Tracy Island.

The advantage of self employment meant that Scott could take as much paternity leave as he wished and his daughter was almost six months old when he returned to the controls of Thunderbird One. Kayo had intended to pick up her covert ops and GDF work as soon as physically able but, despite her excellent physical condition, she found it harder than expected recovering from the pregnancy and long and protracted birth. The stitches had taken their time to heal, and for the first month or two, there were only one or two armchairs in the lounge where she could sit with any comfort. The other reason for remaining on leave was that she wanted to spend as much of her day as possible cuddled up with her baby. The discovery of her maternal streak had come as something of a surprise and she found it difficult to accept that other family members would take as much care of the child as she did.

On one of his now regular visits to the island, her father had been trying to get her to relinquish a little control.

“I’m absolutely fine.” she had replied to yet another kind request.

“And, Tin Tin, if you had your eyes open I would believe you.” Kyrano said in his gentle tone.

The whole family had offered to babysit, en masse to make sure nothing would go wrong, but Scott and Kayo were both anxious at the thought of travelling to the mainland even just for dinner. All sorts of catastrophes might occur which would prevent them returning.

“There might be a freak snowstorm which would close the airports.” began Scott, before Alan cackled with laughter.

“Bro, it’s the middle of December. It’s, like, 75° out there. Chance of snow? Nil.”

In the end, they compromised. Gordon and Virgil prepared and decorated the beach chalet, setting up a table with damask linen, fine china and silverware. Along one wall was a sturdy bench Gordon had sculpted from driftwood bearing a set of chafing dishes. Kerosene storm lanterns lit the room, any gust of wind would have blown candles out, and a large double recliner with thick blankets was positioned to allow occupants a perfect view of the bay and sunset. Kyrano made them a lavish dinner, the menu based upon the couple’s favourite restaurant in Wellington, although his cooking was far superior.

As Scott adjusted the set of his tie in the reflective surface of the refrigerator, Kayo gently extracted her earring from the baby’s hand, sweeping her long unbound hair over her shoulder and out of reach. “Alright, so, there are bottles in the fridge which need warming to-”

“Sweetheart, I have five children, I think I can be relied upon to know the right temperature for milk.” replied Jeff with a smile. “Now, may I have a little cuddle with my granddaughter?”

“Of course, sorry. She usually finishes most of a bottle in the evening, I bathed her already so she’ll just need a last feed and into bed at around seven. Her current favourite book is the one about the talking steam train.”

Scott smiled at her, beautiful in the pale green silk dress she had chosen for the evening. She was becoming reconciled to the fact that certain body parts were a little less toned and dangly since pregnancy and that, despite hours in the gym, some of the baby weight wasn’t shifting. To him, though, she was as magnificent as ever.

Kyrano called over that, unless they wanted a cold dinner, they ought to head down to the beach. No sooner had they arrived than they heard Jeff’s voice.

“I know you two snuck down there with the baby monitor to keep an ear on us. Don’t get mad, but I’m turning it off up here. If there’s a real emergency, one of us will come and fetch you. Bon appetit!”

Exchanging guilty glances, Scott and Kayo giggled, agreed to talk baby for five minutes only and thereafter find other topics of conversation. Lifting the lids on the chafing dishes, they shared groans of delight and identical rumbling stomachs. Piling their plates, they took their seats and began to eat, enjoying every bite.

Up in the villa, Jeff tested the bottle temperature and nodded in satisfaction, then carried the baby to the sunken lounge and settled himself in a comfy rocking chair. When Virgil arrived a few moments later, book in one hand and steaming coffee mug in the other, he found his father reading in a sort of sing-song voice.

“Before next flight, fully examine compartment and engine. All external and internal surfaces should be checked for cracks or fissures and any other signs of heat damage. Refer to chapters 59-0 and 61-1-2 for recommendations on engine disassembly and cleaning, thereafter proceeding to full inspection of all components in compliance with ISO norms. Reassemble engine according to-”

“Uh, Dad? What are you reading her?”

“Well, we are currently learning about unscheduled corrective maintenance on a standard jet engine in the event of a lightning strike, aren’t we, missy?”

“She doesn’t understand a word of it!”

“Of course she doesn’t. But it doesn’t matter what I’m reading, it’s my tone of voice. Now where did we get to before Uncle Virgil rudely interrupted? Oh yes. Subsection B, engine overspeed. In case of an engine overspeed for more than three seconds, refer to Appendix C2 to calculate the overspeed percentages…”

Virgil grinned. They never got tired of having Dad home again.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/42428412

[airajaneibanezsblog]

An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups[s] has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023. On that day, Palestinian militant groups launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, starting the most significant military escalation in the region, exactly 50 years after the Yom Kippur War.[70] After clearing Hamas militants from its territory, the Israeli military embarked on an extensive aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip followed by a large-scale ground invasion beginning on 27 October. Clashes have also occurred in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and with Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon border. The hostilities constitute the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict, which is part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict

The war began when Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups launched a surprise offensive against Israel named "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood." The attack began with a barrage of rockets targeting Israel, while around 3,000 militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacked neighboring Israeli communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, including 766 civilians and 373 security forces.[t][71][72][73] Analysts suggested that Palestinian frustration at Arab–Israeli normalization despite the ongoing blockade of Gaza and rising settler violence in the West Bank contributed to the attack.[74][75][76] Hamas said its attack was in response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, as well as the alleged "Judaization" of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the plight of Palestinian refugees and prisoners,[77][78][79][80][81] whom it sought to free by taking an estimated 253 Israeli and foreign captives to the Gaza Strip as leverage.[82][83] In response, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its blockade, ordered the evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip, and launched "Operation Swords of Iron" with the stated goals of destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages and controlling the Gaza Strip.[84][85][86]

Since the start of the Israeli operation,[87] more than 26,422 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza,[30] including over 10,000 children,[88] 152 UN staff members,[89] 70 journalists,[90] and 7,000 women[91] with another 7,000 people missing and presumed dead under the rubble of destroyed buildings.[92][91] By mid-December Israel had dropped 29,000 munitions on Gaza, destroying or damaging 70 percent of homes in the Strip.[93] Experts say that the scale and pace of destruction in Gaza is among the most severe in recent history.[94][95][96] A humanitarian crisis has developed in the Gaza Strip, with healthcare in a state of collapse,[97] shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade,[98][99][100] electricity and communications blackouts,[101] and the UN warning of potential famine.[102] It was widely reported that there is "no safe place in Gaza" as Israel struck areas it had previously told Palestinians to evacuate to.[103][104][105] The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas.[106][107] Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population[108] and around 250,000–500,000 Israelis have been internally displaced,[109][110][111] while thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel,[112][113][114] and Israel has lost 195 further soldiers in its invasion as of 18 January 2024.[115]

Throughout the war, there have been widespread global protests that have primarily called for a ceasefire.[116][117] Israel and the United States were internationally isolated amid global calls for a ceasefire,[118][119][120] with the latter vetoing multiple proposals for one at the UN Security Council,[121][122][123] instead allowing a resolution calling for a humanitarian pause to pass on 15 November.[124] During a subsequent seven-day truce, 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were exchanged for 240 Palestinian prisoners.[125] US military and diplomatic support for Israel during the war has been condemned by various human rights groups.[126][127][128] In response to Washington's backing of Israel, Iranian-backed militias attacked American bases in Iraq and Syria, while the US and UK engaged in conflict with the Yemeni Houthi movement over its attacks on ships in the Red Sea it claimed were linked to Israel.[129][130] Houthis said they will not stop until Gaza is supplied with food and medicine.[131]

[kayvanh123]

Experiencing trauma during childhood raises the likelihood of developing chronic pain in adulthood, as indicated by current research findings.

New research indicates that the risk of chronic pain and related disability in adulthood significantly increases when individuals have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or neglect during childhood, either in isolation or in conjunction with other forms of childhood trauma. The urgency of addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), defined as potentially traumatic events occurring before the age of 18, is emphasized by these findings. The study, published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology and encompassing 75 years of research involving 826,452 adults, reveals a heightened risk of chronic pain and pain-related disability in adulthood, particularly among those who suffered physical abuse. The cumulative impact of exposure to multiple ACEs further amplifies this risk.

Lead author Dr. André Bussières from McGill University’s School of Physical & Occupational Therapy in Canada expresses deep concern over the results, highlighting that over 1 billion children worldwide, comprising half of the global child population, are exposed to ACEs annually. This exposure places them at an elevated risk of experiencing chronic pain and disability later in life. Urgent interventions and support systems are deemed necessary to break the cycle of adversity and improve long-term health outcomes for individuals exposed to childhood trauma.

ACEs may manifest directly through physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or neglect, or indirectly through environmental factors such as domestic violence, substance abuse, or parental loss. Chronic pain, affecting a substantial portion of the global population, is a leading cause of disability. Conditions like low back pain, arthritis, headache, and migraine can significantly impair daily functioning.

While previous research has established a positive relationship between ACEs and chronic pain in adulthood, knowledge gaps persist, especially regarding the association between specific types of ACEs and pain-related conditions, as well as the existence of a dose-response relationship.

To address these gaps, the authors conducted a systematic review of 85 studies, with results from 57 studies being pooled in meta-analyses. Key findings include a 45% increased likelihood of reporting chronic pain in adulthood for individuals exposed to direct ACEs, and childhood physical abuse being linked to a higher likelihood of both chronic pain and pain-related disability. The risk of chronic pain significantly escalates with exposure to any direct ACE, either alone or combined with indirect ACEs. Moreover, the likelihood of reporting chronic pain increases from exposure to one ACE to four or more ACEs.

The authors stress the urgency of addressing ACEs due to their prevalence and health consequences. They advocate for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between ACEs and chronic pain to empower healthcare professionals and policymakers to devise targeted strategies for mitigating the long-term impact of early-life adversity on adult health. The authors also propose future research should delve into the biological mechanisms through which ACEs affect health across the lifespan, aiming to deepen understanding and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

For more information about our clinic, medical professionals, and treatment options, please visit our main website.

[feylixs-stuff]

Pokémon OC #1: Professor Arugula (Pokémon Self Insert OC)💥

Name: Sol Feylix Arugula

Age: 22

Gender: Female, Non-Binary

Pronouns: She/They

Rel. Status: Not applicable ATM

Occupation: Pokémon Professor, Trainer

Personality (traits): Matter of fact, very thorough, tends to overexplain, infodumps often, studious. However, she can be caring, kind, and overtly sensitive to several subjects. She doesn't admit it, but she wears her heart on her sleeve.

Home Region: Unova

Hometown: Nacrene City

Current Region & Town: Medali, Paldea

Pokémon Team: Dachsbun, Ampharos, Hisuian Arcanine, Hisuian Electrode, Meowscarada, & Goodra. All Pokémon are level 75-100. The Tera types are as follows (in order): Fire, Ice, Ground, Grass, Dark, Poison.

Backstory: Sol grew up in isolation for the most part. Their parents were very strict and often overbearing and disliked most hobbies Sol tried to portray. Sol's father was a businessman who was hardly ever home, and Sol's mother was deceased before she was two years old, hardly having any memories of her other than knowing she was deceased, which caused her dad to work a significant amount more.

As Sol expressed interest in pokémon, and different types of strange occurances like Tera and Dynamax, Megas and more; her father grew unappreciative of his child's hobby. He once destroyed all the notebooks in which she held written what she studied from books and watching battles on TV. This broke Sol, and caused them to run away at just eleven years old.

During that time, she was found by Professor Juniper, who was reaching an elderly age by this point, and took her in; teaching her everything she knew about pokémon research.

When Sol became a teenager, Juniper suddenly went missing and was later found deceased. Sol then ventured on and took the torch in her name in order to succeed as a Pokémon Professor. She moved to Paldea in hopes of studying the Tera phenomenon. She is often seen randomly about in the wilds studying different crystal caves.

[navindu0016-nibm213-adam]

Social Issues

A problem that affects a lot of people in a society is called a social issue. It is a collection of issues that are prevalent in contemporary society and that numerous individuals attempt to resolve. It frequently occurs as a result of external forces beyond an individual's control. On the basis of what people believe to be personal life or interpersonal social life decisions that are morally correct or incorrect, social issues are the source of conflicting opinions. Economic concerns are distinct from social concerns; On the other hand, some issues, like immigration, have both social and economic ramifications. War, for example, does not fit into either category.

PERSONAL ISSUES

Social issues, on the other hand, involve values that are held in widespread society. For instance, a high unemployment rate that affects millions of people is a social issue. Personal issues are those that individuals deal with within a small range of their peers and relationships.

VALENCE ISSUES

A valence issue is a social issue that everyone takes the same view of. Child abuse is an example of a valence issue, and it is condemned by many societies. A social issue that divides society's opinion is called a position issue. It may be difficult for different people to change their strongly held opinions. Abortion is one example of a position issue. In some countries, the public does not agree with it all.

ECONOMIC ISSUES

Gender, region, educational attainment, and ethnicity all have an impact on unemployment rates.

Many people in most countries, including developed ones, are poor and rely on welfare. In 2007, one in six children in Germany were poor. That is an increase from just one in 75 in 1965. Additionally, war has a significant impact on a nation's economic status by appropriating welfare funds.

SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

In numerous nations, so-called "problem neighborhoods" exist. Children who live in these neighborhoods have a lower likelihood of going to college than children who live in other neighborhoods and have a higher rate of secondary school dropout. In these areas, drug and alcohol abuse is common. These communities were frequently established with the best of intentions.

PUBLIC HEALTH

Society as a whole is concerned about widespread health conditions, which are frequently referred to as epidemics or pandemics. They can make people's quality of life worse, make it harder for them to contribute to society (by working, for example), and even kill them.

Since infectious diseases can quickly and easily spread to a large number of people, they frequently pose a threat to public health. The World Health Organization has a keen interest in containing infectious disease outbreaks by treating those who are afflicted and limiting their geographic and numerical spread. In the long run, dementia and other conditions for which there is no cure or even effective treatment are public health issues.

AGE DISCRIMINATION

There are social issues that are associated with various ages across the lifespan. Age discrimination is one such social issue. Even though they possess significant experience and a wealth of knowledge accumulated over many years of labor in the same field or another field with the same requirements as the current one, older people are frequently denied access to high-ranking positions within their respective occupations due to their age.

SOCIAL INEQUALITY

"The state or quality of being unequal" is social inequality. When a person's gender, disability, race, or age can affect how they are treated, inequality is at the heart of a number of social issues. Slavery in the United States is one historical example of inequality as a social issue. Africans brought to the United States were frequently enslaved and mistreated, and they did not have the same rights as white Americans (they could not vote, for instance).

Equality and granting rights to underrepresented groups have been the goals of some civil rights movements, and they have frequently been successful. These include the LGBT rights movement, which began in the 1960s, the civil rights movement for African-American equality in the United States, which began in the 1920s, and the women's rights movement.

EDUCATION & PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Unquestionably, the most significant factor in a person's success in society is education. The unequal distribution of funding between public schools, such as in the United States, can therefore contribute to social issues. Major effects on the next generation have resulted from the absence of communication between public schools and the federal government and the weak organizational policy in place. Students in public schools that don't do well on standardized tests aren't getting the best education possible because they don't get enough money for them.

WORKSPLACE & OCCUPATIONS

Workplace social issues like workplace stress, theft, sexual harassment, wage inequality, gender inequality, racial inequality, and disparities in health care are just a few examples. Interpersonal conflict, communication issues (such as gossip), bullying, harassment, discrimination, low motivation and job satisfaction, and performance issues are also common workplace issues for employees.

ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM

Racism against the environment is when a region or town is subject to harmful environmental practices because of its racial and class makeup. Minority and lower-income groups typically populate the area or town. More factories, dumping, and pollution are frequently present. that don't cause health and environmental problems like they do in more affluent cities like Bangladesh.

ABORTION DEBATE

The ongoing debate regarding the moral, legal, and religious status of induced abortion is known as the abortion debate.[9] The self-described "pro-choice" and "pro-life" movements are the sides in the debate in English-speaking nations. The pro-choice movement places an emphasis on the woman's decision to end her pregnancy or not. The right of the embryo or fetus to gestate to term and be born is supported by pro-life advocates. In mainstream media, the terms "abortion rights" and "anti-abortion" are frequently used.[10] Each movement has attempted, with varying degrees of success, to influence public opinion and gain legal support for its position.

OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES

Corruption, school truancy, school violence and bullying, religious intolerance, immigration, political and religious extremism, all forms of discrimination, the role of women, aging populations, gender issues, sexual orientation, unplanned parenthood, teenage pregnancy, child labor, war, inflation, and wage inequality are additional issues.