AIBU to say that graduation ceremonies are not the place to make political statements?

I’m Jewish and I would applaud it.

You shouldn’t assume all Jews are in favour of innocent people being massacred on a daily basis!

So antisemites who switched the old "Jews control the media, Jews are secretly controlling your government, Jews are blood thirsty" for "Zionists control the media, Zionists are secretly controlling your government, Zionists are blood thirsty" must be delighted by those slogans being trotted out by people who will strenuously claim that they're not antisemitic.

Or don't mind that it's been co-opted because they think it's "secret code" dog whistling.

The word 'Zionist' has been pretended to mean 'supporter of Netanyahu' by people who don't know what Zionist means and clearly have no idea that Zionist is well established as a code word for Jew by antisemites.

80% of Jewish people are Zionists.

Do you know what Zionism is? Your post suggests otherwise.

Are you Jewish yourself?

Why? That's assuming their Jewish friend was a Zionist. Many Jews are appalled at what is happening politically.

Oh but we're Jews and we eat children's blood in our matzos. 🙄

You're right. There's no point trying to have a rational debate with people who are willing to let themselves be brainwashed rather than do a tiny bit of reading and thinking for themselves. It's on TikTok so it must be true, right?

The idea that your grandkids are going to be asking you about this is laughable. Look down the list of genocides on Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genocides
What have you done about the rest of them?

And some pro-Palestinians should be answering this fictional question with "well, I chanted support for terrorists on the streets of London, told Jews to shut up about antisemitism, and argued that Iran should be allowed to have nuclear weapons." Well done them.

It's not gaslighting. The performative nature of what people laughably call activism is disgusting. It's clearly meant to send out a signal about them and it's so easy to do. What on earth good do you think you're doing shouting in the street and spreading misinformation on social media? It makes me sick to see people pretending they have no choice but to see live streams of other people's deaths on their "Insta", let alone the faux grieving and utter refusal to see the conflict as anything other than binary right/wrong. I'm tired of being harangued by people who have no knowledge or understanding of anything that's ever happened in the middle east, so much so that they openly cheer on the most appalling human rights abusers, as long as they're sticking it to the "Zionists".

I'm not a gas lighter. You are a grief tourist and it's repulsive. I have nothing more to say to you. I think you're pond life.

It happens all the time I'm afraid....it's impossible to have a nuanced sensible discussion when the are you happy about children dying is trotted out? Obviously no one thinks children dying is a good thing....like we should even have to say it

Please stop the gaslighting. That poster used a laughing face emoji to someone who talked about the deaths of thousands of children.

I find your wilful blindness despicable.

Why would you say something like that? Unless there's something seriously the matter with you, you must know that nobody finds the death of children funny. So you're just posturing and in fact, using the death of those children to do so. I find that despicable.

Nice straw man, well done

What a shame this thread has taken this turn.

I'm afraid I totally disagree with Nn9011 . Education is actually not political and there is enough trouble without demanding people see things your way or you are then derided as (insert some euphemism for evil). This event is the celebration of hard work in your subject and your care givers hard work in paying for you to achieve that. Students have done enough with all the pro-Palestinian camps and intimidation. They can march in the streets of the UK. It's an arrogant and self-righteous attitude. Actually, most Jews ARE Zionists in that they just want a Jewish State to feel secure in (That's actually all 'Zionism' means). Your view that the Israelis are 'occupying' is controversial and is disputed passionately and with a great deal of logic.

Israel are committing these acts. Israel is making these choices. You talk as though they have no option but genocide and it's categorically not true. What is currently happening in Gaza is a very clear decision by Israel.

What Hamas did on October 7th was absolutely despicable and unacceptable and absolutely warranted a response. That does not mean Israel is justified in committing acts of genocide and international war crimes.

Child deaths are not an inevitable consequence. Israel could choose not to target tented refugee camps and hospitals. They could choose not to bomb civilian areas. They could choose not to shoot people queuing for aid.

Israel is responsible for every act of war it chooses and will be held accountable for what they do.

I must have imagined the Oct 7th atrocity and the taking of hostages then, apologies

Check yourself mate. You don’t get to dictate what other students do with their 15 seconds or whatever.

Israel does want this war. Make no mistake.

And they’re deliberately killing civilians.

I don't think anyone is in favour of child casualties but they're an inevitable consequence of a war that Israel didn't want or ask for.

I have respect for people who actually make some effort to drive change (even if I don't agree with the cause) by for example attending an official march, writing to their MP etc.. That's activism which might just make a modicum of difference (important in any democracy) and therefore not virtue signaling.

However anyone demonstrating self-righteousness with vacuous effortless tokens of support which will always make absolutely no difference to the cause (eg unveiling a flag, wearing a keffiyeh, etc.) marks them out as inauthentic virtue signallers.