I want to speak about how we speak to each other.

I want to speak about how we speak to each other. Mostly because I am as guilty as anyone else of generalising, and I suspect that even as my very intelligent American friends know that when I shit talk about “Americans”, I don’t necessarily mean them. It still stings on a visceral level - especially if they are fighting like hell personally to try and get their mad king out of power. 1/

Meanwhile, what a lot of Americans - even very well intentioned ones - probably cannot conceive of is that the rest of the world experiences the effects of American power as monolithic. We never get the opportunity to vote in your elections, but we pay in insecurity and financially when a terrible American president is elected.

When your president threatens other nations, we don’t (and can’t) stop to specify ‘not all Americans’. That is absurd - because we don’t experience you individually 2/

It is incumbent on those well intentioned Americans to understand the effect of American hegemony. And while they may be dedicated anti-fascists, they also need to acknowledge that along with the privileges of power and global dominance that hegemony has afforded them, comes a level of collective responsibility not to abuse that power.

3/

It is incumbent on the rest of us to acknowledge that there are groups within the term “Americans” who have always been locked out of the privileges and wealth that US global dominance has afforded the majority. I often force myself to think of these oppressed minorities as kind of like generational hostages, because it reminds me to except them from my anger.

But sometimes I fail to do that. And I apologize. 4/

I guess I need to remind myself that no other country on earth can make America change its trajectory. That change MUST be internal. And so demotivating and disempowering Americans of goodwill is deeply counterproductive.

We need to cut each other a bit of slack, and also grow a little thicker skin to survive what’s clearly ahead.

@Remittancegirl I suggest that you will also cut yourself some slack. In a complex situation involving large groups, the discussion cannot be very precise and generalizations is inevitable.

In my feed I see Americans writing "don't come here" so I know I have chosen my feed wisely.

As a hard left leaning Israeli, I know that when Israel or Israelis are mentioned, I don't need to jump every time and reply with "not all Israelis".

@hananc total tangent and feel free not to answer but
I cut off my Russian-Jewish friend as she'd moved to Israel (since Putin tried to conscript her brother) and she saw my pro-Palestine posts on IG. Got angry. Used disgusting language about 'barbarians' and justifying or denying IDF actions. The standard swallowed propaganda.

Have you had any success opening fellow Israelis' eyes? Do you think any anti-government sentiment is spreading? And have international protests made a difference?
Thanks.

@noodlemaz @hananc

look at the sister thread to your comment in the replies to Madeleine

@benroyce @hananc thanks... Although I've looked and don't know which you mean

@noodlemaz @hananc

i was referring to Hanan Cohen

so what is going on is i'm an idiot, i didn't see you were replying to her, you weren't making a sister comment to her

sorry

ignore me