Principles are fine, but when you get blinded by principles and purity, you miss what actually matters to people.
Your daily reminder that western liberals don’t consider Palestinians people.
Comment on Revealed: the insiders who filibustered the 'Zionism is Racism' motion at the Green Party conference
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days agoPrinciples are fine, but when you get blinded by principles and purity, you miss what actually matters to people.
This policy achieves absolutely zero practical effects besides alienating people and splitting the party. It does not do anything. It’s pure posturing, and utterly pointless, and it makes the greens look out of touch with people’s lives.
I’d bet most people agree that the Israeli government have committed absolute atrocities and should be penalised just as much as Russia are. But you’d be hard pressed to find people who’d think for a moment that everyone involved with Israel is racist, or that Israel should be effectively wiped off the map.
I am somewhat on the left but I also think that to get policies in action that will actually make a difference to people’s lives, you need to be relatable, you need to connect to people’s lives, and you need to have an logical thread that runs through it.
Otherwise the left will keep shouting into the void forever.
You may say I’m not a Real Lefty if I’m not anti Zionist, or some bullshit. Maybe that’s true. I just want unfettered capitalism to stop destroying the planet.
Stopping genocides would be utterly fantastic too of course, but this will not stop genocides. It’s just ranting.
BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 5 days ago
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days ago
Of course I consider Palestinians people. I also consider Israelis people.
When I said “people”, I meant “the UK voting population”. This is a motion for a UK political party which is for UK citizens, not Palestinian citizens. It will have zero effect in actual Palestinians.
BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 5 days ago
“Of course I consider Palestinians people, just lesser people who don’t matter”
zedcell@lemmygrad.ml 5 days ago
“Somewhat on the left” - an embarrassed conservative pretending to be less of a ghoul than they are so they aren’t socially ostracised.
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days ago
Lol I’m a Tory? Pfft. I’m sorry I don’t pass your purity test.
zedcell@lemmygrad.ml 5 days ago
You are clearly the one doing purity testing, what else could your little soap boxing be?
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days ago
I’m not purity testing but I’m soap boxing a bit here, for sure.
I’m just frustrated. I feel like political parties should exist to get as many votes as possible whilst furthering the aims and policies of the party. I really want the Greens to do well at this crucial moment for the planet.
It just seems that this motion is an unnecessary sideshow which divides people and invites scorn from the press, rather than brings them together behind an important message and important policies.
geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 5 days ago
If your government is willing to throw Palestinians under the bus they’re willing to throw you under the bus as well.
Reread that sentence three times. Memorise it. Internalise it.
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days ago
I agree, the government has done such a disgracefully poor job on Palestine. They’ve literally thrown people in prison for daring to hold up a sign in support of Palestine. So I’m fully aware they’re willing to throw anyone under the bus.
BrainInABox@lemmy.ml 5 days ago
That’s not the point, the point is that you aren’t going to be treated better than Palestinians just because you’re willing to throw Palestinians under the bus.
galmuth@feddit.uk 5 days ago
I wouldn’t want anyone thrown under the bus for the actions of someone else.
The Israeli government threw the Gazan population under the bus for the actions of the terrorists.
This motion is throwing “Zionists” (i.e. the Israeli population and the very existence of their country) under the bus for the actions of their government.