Upset by "I stand with Israel" badge at bus stop

[yiddishmaid]

A woman at the bus stop was wearing a badge stating "I stand with Israel" in large letters, which upset me a bit. And has upset me more as I think about it more. She has been to Israel, and has a lot of affection for the Jewish culture, but is not Jewish herself.

I am finding it hard to explain why I am upset. Maybe I am upset because in a way I felt she didn't have a right to take sides. She doesn't really know anything about it. But that seems unreasonable, because everyone knows about the sickening brutality of Hamas.

Maybe I am upset because I disagree with her, and don't in my heart stand with Israel to the full extent any more. But that seems unreasonable, because people can disagree with me.

Maybe I am upset because I feel she is making somebody else's tragedy her problem, like some sort of cultural appropriation. Being brave and wearing a support Israel badge, when actually her thoughts and opinions on the whole subject are not of any relevance and will have no affect, and could stir up local aggression where it was not necessary.

I don't know. I am upset by her badge and her choice to take the risk of wearing it. I don't really know why.

All the anti-Semitic racists should wear the same agreed badge so we know who to avoid in public.

I don't think we're allowed to be anti-Palestinian, it's not the acceptable position to take, irrespective of how many people they murder at peaceful festivals. The support for their murders is staggering and I speak as someone who has always felt that they have had a raw deal with the 20th century Middle East solutions.

Again I think we need to be careful of saying ‘their murders’ and ‘people they murdered’ when talking about ‘Palestinians’. Just as we should not say ‘Israelis’ when discussing those responsible for the current killings in Gaza. We need to say ‘Israeli government and supporters’ and ‘Hamas members and supporters’. Many civilians are innocent.

Language is important on both sides.

How about you let this lady think what she likes and you think what you like sorted.

I am tired of persistent bun fighting online because someone dares to have an opinion.

Or if you are on neither side, you're accused of all sorts too.

I feel like humans just always want to fight each other or causes issues with one another. This alone is why there will be never ever be peace. Because no one is allowed their own opinion without someone fighting about it. Either with words or physical fighting.

I personally just want both sides to stop. It's the civilians who end up paying for all this fighting, not the dickheads at the top. I just want peace. I am tired of this world at times.

I'm just amazed by the coincidence. Both the OP - someone clearly in a minority going by the poll - and this woman happened to be a the same bus stop at a time when most people are in bed. What are the chances?

And she actually said these words to the OP “I know nothing about Israel but I’ve been on holiday there”.

She posted at 1am, didnt say it happened then.

Lots of people take busses in London late a night. A whole world exists outside of your own bubble.

I work on public transport so I'm more than familiar with the number of passengers who travel in the small hours on different days of the week.

Even most Londoners are in bed at 1am on a Friday morning. The odds of someone of such a sensitive disposition as the OP being at a bus stop that late at night at the same time as another woman being at the same bus stop while displaying an "I stand with Israel" badge (which just happens to be something the OP is very triggered by) are going to be very, very small.

Why would someone have an argument at a bus stop (we can do a lot of reading between the lines about what the OP must've said) and then wait to post about it many hours later? If not to shit-stir.

I notice that the OP is enjoying a very long lie-in...

Yes, it is funny that some of the goadiest threads seem to be started in the small hours. Over the school Easter break as well.

And they all involve some crazy storyline like a Mat Daan sketch

“I saw a lady with an offensive badge at the bus stop. It turns out she was all wrong and didn’t I’d rest and. I got upset and schooled her on why she’s wrong. She changed the world after that”

I notice that the OP is enjoying a very long lie-in...

Wind ‘em up and watch ‘em go…

Where did all the racists go? They haven’t been back, how odd <sarcasm>

Unless it directly affects mine or my children’s lives I could not give a hoot what anyone does with theirs or what they believe in.

I would not be upset about such a badge. I'd probably be surprised to see one given the rise in anti-semitism.

My disagreements are with Hamas and the Israeli government, not about Gaza and Israel.

Spent much time in Israel yourself @yiddishmaid? Cultural appropriation is a funny old thing isn’t it?

What’s wrong with saying “Jews”? All of the Jewish people I’ve ever met, including one who went on to become a rabbi, referred to themselves as Jews/Jewish people interchangeably, and had no issue with gentiles referring to them as Jews. “Jew” is not a derogatory term.

“Jew” is often a used as a dehumanising slur especially when used with anti-Semitic language like what @Brexile used. I will try and find links on how this dates back to language used by the SS during the Holocaust and many Jewish people much prefer the term ‘Jewish’.

“Gay” is often used as a dehumanizing slur too, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to say someone is gay.

Many other Jews/Jewish people think it’s stigmatizing to them to act as though the name of their people is inherently a slur.

OP still not been back? I am shocked.

Nobody changed anything by wearing a badge. It's virtue signalling.

Racists just make things up I think. That poster hasn’t been back funnily enough.