In wanting Mumsnet to help Judi Dench and Joanna Lumley

[GiantBranch]

Last week, Israel banned 37 international aid organisations from operating in the strip, including Oxfam, Save the Children and Medicine Sans Frontieres (MSF). MSF delivers one in three of Gaza’s babies, and experts warn that immediate action must be taken to prevent a catastrophe.

It has prompted more than 100 leading members of the arts, including Dames Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Joanna Lumley, Sienna Miller, Suranne Jones and singer Paloma Faith, to sign a letter urging popular online platform Mumsnet to join them in demanding urgent government action ensuring maternity care is accessible in Gaza.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-israel-baby-birth-judi-dench-letter-b2896981.html

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I agree the situation in Afghanistan is shameful and disgusting that Afghani women have effectively been abandoned by the international community. More can definitely be done for them. Will back any campaign set up for them

They have been abandoned by their own men, first!

Meanwhile in Afghanistan, women are now forbidden to access any maternity care whatsoever, are not permitted to train as midwives or offer any help to women in childbirth. Because it is ‘the will of Allah’. And no postnatal care either.
What a shame they are not a popular cause ….

Not sure of relevance of that point?

Two things can be bad at the same time

Why is it up to random women to sort out the ills caused by men?

Yet look at the poll - I despair, and people are holding women’s rights in general above this somehow, almost like a ransom. Ooh I can’t support this until they start respecting women’s spaces. You can call for both ffs

it is not solely the responsibility of women, but think doing something always better than doing nothing in situations where vulnerable people are at risk of harm

I'm going to add to the comments above - if you think a UK business owner known for representing the views of UK residents to UK politicians on UK issues should now start making pronouncements on international affairs - why just Gaza? Why not campaigns to improve maternity care everywhere in the world? The USA has shocking maternal deaths rates, especially among poor Black mothers.

Quite often, doing something for the sake of it is more harmful than doing nothing.

True, but I do think people like the luvvies on this list could do more to raise the profile of half the population of Afghanistan being stripped of human rights entirely and being denied the opportunities they've had to make it in arts careers.

Gaza already has a lot of attention and aid money.

Surely after seeing how badly the approach of these celebrities has landed you can reflect and realize that an ill thought out and tone deaf targeted campaign against an individual can actually distract from the original cause

It's weird that you are defending The approach strenuously rather than acknowledging it was a stupid way to go about things

Many things are bad all at the same time. And it's OK for an organisation or business to focus on doing one thing well e.g. supporting UK parents and not diluting that focus.

I haven’t defended the approach I said it was clumsy but think importance of campaign takes precedence

Also true. I do wonder sometimes how much the Israeli hard line has benefited in terms of support within Israel (i.e. their own voters) from ill-informed students shouting 'free palestine' and doing anti-semitic things on UK and US campuses very publicly.

I'm not convinced any of this is in any way actually helpful to Gazan mothers - through it's obviously beneficial to people who want to virtue signal, stoke their own egos, and feel smug about themselves - which brings us back to this letter signed by people who have the money and resources to go and volunteer directly or influence charities directly.

They might be exposed to nuance and difficult facts then, of course.

No. No it doesn't.
If its OK for your passionate cause to act like this then it's OK for Nigel Farage to start calling on Justine to support his campaigns? After all 1 in 5 Mumsnet users are planning to vote Reform!

I agree.
@GiantBranch are you actually a regular on MN or did you join to highlight this campaign? It's ok either way but if this is your first visit to MN that would explain why you're struggling to understand the pushback you've received.

Agreed. The situation in Gaza is horrific but when I see this collection of tiresome Breathy Posh Ladies and self-appointed Keepers Of The National Conscience trying to publicly strongarm/guilt trip a business into joining their cause...well I wonder just WTF they're thinking. I can only assume that years of being surrounded by sycophants has given them delusions of grandeur. I would like MN to help but I'd also not be bothered if it told the luvvies to piss off and bully someone else.

Oh please. Do you really think that nasty/meanie/uncaring/OMG THIS MEANS JUSTINE WANTS PEOPLE TO DIE wouldn’t be the likely next step?

We’ve seen this tactic over and over (and over) again

Well you do you, but a lot of people on here won't agree with you. Because a lot of people on here are critical thinkers, evidence-based in their opinions and pragmatists. And don't like being talked down to and not accorded basic respect.

I really struggle to believe you are a genuine Feminist

Ah we've reached the personal insult stage of not responding to valid points, have we? You can do advanced search on here you know.

I would like Mumsnet to be politically neutral because all women regardless of view should be able to post here.

Oh dear, probably best to step away now and chalk this one up to experience.