Living in a small town in Texas, I grew up around a lot of misinformation and negative propaganda of specific marginalized groups. Whether it be Black and Brown people, immigrants, non-christians, or members from the LGBTQIA community–there was always a growing hysteria of anyone that was deemed as “other.” As a Black and Mexican child my experience included being followed in stores, teachers embarrassing me in front of my peers, and distressing experiences with the cops. From more places I felt unwelcome in than not, to traveling past even smaller towns that were eerie and unsafe past nightfall. These were just a few of the many experiences that people of color and other marginalized groups experience from day to day. Living in a small town often felt like ignorance and racism was protected- like it was just what life is supposed to be like because the majority of people were okay with the way things were. The violent misconceptions about my people’s community and experiences were rampant and most people felt no inclination to change that.
I have always been a more quiet and socially anxious person. My heart beats fast when I try to speak my mind about the subjects I’m passionate about, especially injustices to others in or outside my community. I often grew up keeping those thoughts to myself, insecure that I wouldn’t be able to say what I wanted correctly and coherently. It frustrates me to this day when I still struggle with that. But it is also why now, in my late 20’s, I find it incredibly important to not only use my voice but be confident in it.
Painting a Fear of “Others”
I remember the years that followed 9/11. Amongst the feelings of grief and horror of the lives that were lost and affected, there was another conversation that was being left out of the mainstream media. It was this really big uptick in what was categorized as patriotism, but was simply Islamophobia and Xenophobia. I was still in grade school at the time but was confused by the things I was hearing by adults either at school, the news, or on the radio. I kept remembering these buzzwords: terrorists, war, war on terror, and enemies. While I hadn’t yet fully grasped the concepts of war (or destabilization), the consensus from so many outlets was that we were now in a war because we had been attacked. It seemed simple enough–no one around me really questioned why we went into war, especially with a country that had no involvement in the attack. It was, by most everyone’s belief, to protect ourselves from terrorism. And that belief went on for the next few decades while Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian people were discriminated against ruthlessly, being arrested and surveilled under the guise of anti-terrorism. Other Middle Eastern countries suffered over the course of 20 years to a long “war on terror” initiated from the US and most Americans never questioned this or had the desire to understand the result of our government’s actions.
While some may say this is an oversimplification of the events that transpired, the detail I wanted to point out is this: when you get a country’s people to believe one lie or misrepresent the full scope of history it is easier to make them complacent about injustices to the “other”. Americans rallied in support of a war, reasserting the belief that we had to defend ourselves against a threat. A lot of people were miseducated by the news, public education system, and communities around them that we had to do what we had to do–even if it meant the mass murder of over 314,000 (and more counting) lives in Iraq. There was hardly any mention of the US’ role in this or other countries because it didn’t fit the narrative–we are always deemed as the good guys in our education. We were doing things because we could never be wrong and everyone else is just an outside threat that must be dealt with.
I bring this up to reflect on what’s happening now.
In America, we believe what we are taught or hear and don’t question or investigate. We scroll on our phones, get barely an idea of current events, and make a conclusion with inadequate and biased information. We move on because there’s too much happening. We say things like, I don’t know enough, but then continue on with some of the most technologically advanced devices to look at cat videos. We are complicit. We believe what we believe because anything else would cause more work, more discomfort, and more “othering.” History keeps repeating itself over and over on a global scale, and we keep on in our everyday lives as if it’s just the way things are.
Why did it take over 70 years for people to truly care about the people of Palestine?
Keeping Things Simple
Sometimes it may feel like none of us have any real control in the lives we live. Multiple tragedies happen consistently around us, making us feel powerless to stop them. Especially as marginalized people who are familiar with everyday oppression – we avoid speaking up or getting involved because we’ve seen the outcome for people who do. From anti “Cop City” protestors getting RICO charges to climbing numbers of Trans activists being killed. We know that simply existing puts us at risk, and showing our solidarity even more so. It is a danger that keeps in the back of our mind.
But standing up for others means you are not neutral to injustice.
While we may all have different moral compasses led by beliefs, religion, and experiences – if those are not aligned with fighting for the rights of others, what really is the point? If our humanity is not rooted in the desire to help and protect those who are most disenfranchised, can we really say that our moral compasses are based on compassion and empathy at all?
There is an overwhelming statement by everyone recently- that an individual is not “informed” enough to speak on what’s happening on global events- especially pertaining to Gaza. This I think shows just how individualistic our society in the US is and always has been. Education must be a collaborative effort – we don’t have to be experts or scholars to speak on any given subject. But rather, part of the learning process should be allowing more and more information every day –using context, accuracy and ultimately empathy. Rather than relying on major news outlets alone that fulfill our media bias, we learn from each other. We first must surround ourselves with people who have a desire for knowledge that is true, and serves the liberation of all people–not just the rich and white. We train our social media to show us what’s happening on the ground in Gaza from journalists who have risked their lives to show us what’s happening in real time. Who better to ask than the people who have lived there despite censorship and eradication of basic human freedoms.
October 2023 isn’t when Palestine’s oppression first began. Since 1948 through an ethnic cleansing known as the al-Nakba, Palestinians have endured nearly a century long of violent discriminatory laws, displacement, exploitation, massacres, and countless other human rights violations. Decades of misinformation has caused the western world to believe that this is only a matter of territorial conflict, rather than settler colonialism enacted by a Zionist regime. It is the same type of rhetoric that we have seen through countless events in history. Misinformation creates indifference, ignorance, and even violence toward those who are being oppressed. We can’t continue the cycle of blatant miseducation. We aren’t the same kids who overheard about “terrorism” and never followed up to learn the full scope of what’s really going on, and how it affects people most marginalized.
Doing the Work
Where do we get started? How does one get a full understanding of a timeline of events over the course of 7 decades, and how it relates to the genocide that is taking place now in Palestine? I promise, it’s not going to be something we learn overnight. But we all have to start somewhere to fully bear witness, and continue the stories, context, history, and experiences for the 30,000+ Palestinians who are no longer with us.
I’ve listed multiple links, social media accounts, books, and sites to help anyone get a better sense of what has and is taking place in Palestine and how to get involved. Please feel free to add any suggestions in the comments below. As most journalists and civilians have said before, there are a lot of fraudulent companies trying to exploit this horror and take money from people trying to send help. Please be cautious. While most funding isn’t going directly to Palestinians, you can donate to GoFundMe accounts, such as Operation Olive Branch‘s extensive list to help Palestinian families. Please also remember to take part in the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) movement, which is a Palestinian led movement that includes boycotts to companies you may buy from.
Please feel free to suggest any additions you have that may be a great help in the further knowledge of this topic. We learn from each other- that shouldn’t be a task we take up on our own.
As always, thank you for being here.
Please note there will be no Anti-semitism, racism, or Xenophobia allowed in the comments, or on this site.
Accounts to Follow
Live from Gaza
@motaz_azaiza
@Ahmedhijazee
@Aborjelaa
@Salma_shurrab
@Joegaza93
@wizard_bisan1
Information
@eye.on.palestine
@Cravingpalestine
@Qudsn
@Theimeu
@Mondoweiss
Analysis
@Mohammedelkurd
@Gazangirl
@Anat.international
@Adnan_barq
@jenanmatari
*my own additions*
@letstalkpalestine
@middleeastmonitor
@palestineacademy
@ykreborn
@jewishvoiceforpeace
Articles
- Imprisoning Palestine: Zionist colonialism through an abolitionist lens by Rawan Masri & Fathi Nemer
- Israel’s Military Checkpoints – An interactive, photo essay
- Gaza Strip in maps: How Life Has Changed
- Quick Facts: The Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe)
- Solidarity with Palestine – A Radical Black Feminist Mandate: A Reading List
Books
**Haymarket Books is offering free E-books for the following three books:
- Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions by Omar Barghouti
- Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire edited by Jehad Abusalim, Jennifer Bing, and Mike Merryman-Lotze
- Palestine: A Socialist Introduction edited by Sumaya Awad & Brian Bean
- Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, And the Foundation of a Movement by Angela Davis
- Colonization and Decolonization: A Manual for Indigenous Liberation in the 21st Movement by Zig-Zag
- The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017 by Rashid Khalidi
- Nakba: Palestine, 1948, and the Claims of Memory by Ahmad H. Sa’di & Lila Abu-Lughod
- Return: A Palestinian Memoir by Ghada Karmi
- Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians by Noam Chomsky
- Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics by Marc Lamont Hill & Mitchell Plitnick
- On Antisemitism: Solidarity and the Struggle for Justice by Jewish Voice for Peace
Films
- Born in Gaza (2014) on Netflix
- Farha (2021) on Netflix
- 5 Broken Cameras (2011) free on Tubi
- Ultra Zionists (2011) on Prime
- Occupation 101 (2006) on Prime
- How Palestinians Were Expelled from Their Homes by Vox on Youtube
Websites With Comprehensive Reading:
www.bdsmovement.net – BDS Movement
https://imeu.org/ – (IMEU) Institute for Middle East Understanding