Non-Fiction
Disagreeing
I clicked on the Youtube video Israelis Should be Shunned on Campus, incredulous that anyone was seriously advocating such an action, and wondering what in the world Cornel West and political scientist Norman Finkelstein were talking about. A Harvard document defining antisemitism as “an identity-based bias that has kept Harvard affiliates with Israeli nationality or background from fully participating in Harvard’s educational, co-curricular, or social life” is what infuriated Finklestein. If the document prohibited protests against Israel’s policies, outrage would be justified, but it is apparently meant to limit discriminatory behavior based on nationality. An “inclusive and pluralistic” policy isn’t appropriate when it comes to Israeli students, according to Finklestein, who thinks they should be shunned and ostracized because they, like all Israeli citizens, served in the military, and are, therefore, complicit in genocide. “You ought not to be inclusive of child killers,” he insists.
His stance is disturbing for a number of reasons. Discriminating against people because of their nationality is no different from doing so because of race or religion, and amounts to bigotry. Individuals may or may not support the ideas or actions of the groups they happen to belong to, and the blanket labeling of all Israelis as “child-killers” fosters the same kind of hatred and intolerance that underlies Israel’s inhumane treatment of Palestinians, whom they label as “terrorists”. More to the point, what does shunning accomplish? Does it promote dialogue and understanding, or does it just flatter one’s vanity to feel morally superior? Also, those of us not belonging to a cult, clique, or other group that dictates how to think and act and who should be accepted and who ostracized, prefer to choose for ourselves whom to associate with and whom to avoid, instead of being told whom to shun.
The comments below the video overwhelmingly supported Finklestein and praised him as a moral and intellectual giant and a gift to humanity, but I was appalled by his vehemence and illiberality. We should be able to denounce Israel’s genocide, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid without dehumanizing all Israeli citizens, looking instead for ways to end the cycle of dehumanizing others that is responsible for the catastrophe in Gaza in the first place. Finklestein’s comments fan the flames of intolerance rather than seek solutions, and because of that, I disagree with them despite agreeing with him about the underlying issues.
David Doel, a Youtuber whose commentary I generally applaud and appreciate, posted the video below, in which he sides with Hassan Piker, Kehlani, and Liam Cunningham, who excoriate celebrities that don’t publicly condemn Israel’s genocide.
Taylor Swift, in particular, because of her fame and huge platform, is slammed for not speaking out, and she is who Hassan has in mind when he says, “I don’t think it’s unfair for me to say that any media figure at this stage that still remains silent on Israel’s genocide in Gaza is being a little bit of a coward.” I wouldn’t call his statement unfair—I think outrageous is a more appropriate word. I’m not a fan of Taylor Swift rushing to her defense; I know very little about her or her music, (although I did enjoy her tiny desk concert), but I’m less troubled by her not speaking out about Gaza than I am by Hassan prescribing how she—or anyone else—should behave. Having perfected his own life, I suppose, he’s magnanimously assuming the role of deciding how others should live theirs. Still, I’d prefer if Hassan focused on what Hassan says and does, and left Taylor and the rest of us to do the same for ourselves.
Kehlani and Liam rage at fellow celebrities for their silence, and divide the world into two types of people—those who speak out on Gaza, and those who don’t (because, I suppose, the world isn’t divided enough already). Because they took a stand on this issue, they self-righteously denigrate as cowards anyone who hasn’t. Not to downplay the severity and immediacy of what’s happening in Gaza right now, but the elimination of USAID will probably be responsible for more deaths than the slaughter in Gaza. A genocide is taking place in Sudan in which 150,000 people have been killed and 11 million displaced. The effects of global warming may kill and displace billions. Perhaps Hassan, Kehlani and Liam were vocal about these calamities as well, but if they weren’t, they shouldn’t be shamed for it. After all, there’s a lot going on in the world and we each get to choose which battles to fight. Why is the genocide in Gaza the only issue that matters enough to distinguish good people from bad, and not climate change or the rise of totalitarianism around the world? Kudos to those who speak out about Gaza, but demanding that others do so is arrogant and unhelpful.
David Doel compares Taylor Swift’s silence on Gaza to Ms. Rachel’s laudable work with Palestinian children (Amy Goodman’s interview with her is worth watching), but he may as well fault Ms. Rachel for not singing like Taylor as fault Taylor for not behaving like Ms. Rachel. If Taylor came out in favor of Israel’s genocide, criticism would be warranted (although it can be argued that people should be free to express their opinions, even odious ones), but bashing her for failing to do what he thinks he would do if he were Taylor Swift is ridiculous and autocratic. Directing people’s ire against her and other celebs instead of at instigators of the genocide like Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Smotrich, or at Trump and Rubio for banning Palestinians, including the injured children Ms. Rachel is trying to help, from entering the US, only muddies the water.
I’m on the same side as Doel and Finklestein as far as the genocide is concerned, but can’t go along with what they’re saying. By flaunting their moral superiority and shaming those who don’t measure up to their standards, they repel and alienate. Orwell, in The Road to Wigan Pier, blames the insufferable arrogance of socialists for driving away from socialism and toward fascism the very people that would have benefited from their ideology. We can become so obsessed about being right and pointing out that others are wrong, that it obscures the causes we champion. There’s a tendency of many on the left to impose purity tests, and to vilify those not as moral, brave, and wonderful as they perceive themselves to be. It’s a practice that alienates people who might otherwise be supportive, and distracts from the causes they are fighting for. Arrogance and intolerance of people with different prospectives and priorities are qualities that alienate and end up making us disagree with those we might otherwise agree with.
September, 2025