Looking For Guidance

Thought 00xx - both sides

Looking for Guidance

So my SPECIFIC question is NOT about this specific attack. 

Or this war. 

(IF you comment about this specific attack or the war, I will block you until there is peace in Israel. Zero fucking warning. And TBH, I will make you beg. Publicly. )

Looking for Guidance

In some ways, this whole essay is about MY white privilege. 

The tiny number of times that I WAS a minority, I went home later. 

A trip in the Caribbean, it became clear that I was white, surrounded by people of color, who were willing to kill me, in the name of their Christian “god”. Because I was wearing my favorite tshirt, and insane people only read the first line. Proving my point. 

At a gay commitment ceremony in mid 80s, it was clear, that I was the only straight guy there, and I was clearly more of a wallflower than normal. I had just missed one friend, maybe hung with another, laughed with the old guy who was trying to pick me up. 

In Korea meeting my fiancé’s family. It was ridiculous how much I stuck out. 

I should find that photo. It was awesome. Ask me about corn flakes. And waiter trying to find me a fork, when I was completely chopstick lieterate. 

Looking for Guidance

I have Muslim friends. 

Every single one of them has experienced horrible bigotry. Personally. 

I have Jewish friends. 

Every single one of them has experienced horrible bigotry. Personally. 

Black, Female, LGBTA, the list is endless. 

(The only people I know who have not been victims of bigotry are while males.)

Looking for Guidance

Both side are right and both sides are wrong. 

Both sides were provoked. 

Both sides have legitimate grievances. 

Both sides want “peace”.

Both sides agree, they will never negotiate with the other side. 

Looking for Guidance

Y’all are mostly not insane. Or insane in teh right way. 

A number of people, Facebook friends/acquaintances and peeps in real life, have been … well … very biased. And bigoted in their bias. That’s their right. 

They post batshit crazy things that fit THEIR bias. 

I mean we all do. And when it’s a meaningless thing, like, that Star Wars is actually fantasy in space, not scifi. Well, you can just ignore that. Or entertaining yourself with the troll. Or … think about it a second and maybe change your mind. 

Did Israel intentionally TARGET a hospital?

No fucking way. 

100% ZERO chance. 

MIGHT it have been an Israel rocket that went off course? Sure. Possible. 

MIGHT it have been an Islamic Jihad missile that misfired and crashed into the hospital? Sure. Possible. 

(If you are so CERTAIN of your truth, bet me. Bet me a LOT of money. Unless there might be some doubt.)

So before we KNOW the truth, what do you do?

Post and be OUTRAGED!!!!

Or …wait for sources??

In this specific instance, Al Jazeera had posted a video of the launch. 

Then took it down. 

One side said Israel did it. 

Israel said they did not. And they have mountains of video. 

Either way, one side is lying.

How much are you willing to bet which side is lying??

COULD be either. 

So my question is NOT about this specific attack. 

(IF you post about this specific attack, I will block you until there is peace in Israel.)

The TRUTH will come out, videos will be released, evidence will show up, etc etc etc. We’ll know someday. Or maybe not. 

My question is about ME!
how do I deal with the insane people on both sides. 

I guess I can just unfollow and or block people who don’t accept reality:

Anyone who picks a DATE and only counts from then is … biased. 

We all our biased. 

We all live on stolen land. 

Everyone. 

(PS, change the date, the odds that you were the FIRST PEOPLE to live there is zero. Someone else was uprooted. It might have been a LONG time ago, but who decides which date to use??)

Still, my question is the same as when we were dealing Bernie psychopaths. 

(Hint: I voted for Bernie in the primary and Hillary in teh general, cause I’m not a psychopath. )

Should I just assume that anyone who is clearly so deranged …. Maybe I should just unfriend them?

I don’t have a good answer. 

And anyone who asserts that THEIR side is blameless and only the OTHER side are criminals is … biased. 

Everyone is biased. 

I have no skin in the game.

I have Jewish and Muslim friends. 

FFS, one of my best friends in college was living in chicago but from Ramallah(?) and she was dating an Israeli. During the first intifada. 

But, do I just ignore lies? Isn’t that how we got Reagan and Trump. 

By not calling out our insane and racist relatives and friends. 

My white privilege allows me to … be silent. 

As an ally, with infinite white privilege, my silence is immoral.