Could a peace wristband appeal to those feeling politically homeless?

[Whatnow777]

I think what happened on October 7th is disgusting and honestly my worst nightmare as a mother - if one of my children were captured and tortured like those hostages. I also hate the rise of anti-Semitism in this country. At the same time, I am pro-peace and do feel for those innocent people in Gaza. I’m also anti-Hamas and feel that the regime should be abolished, and I do not want Sharia law in this country.

I have met people wearing ‘Pro Palestine’ bracelets who are anti Istraeli/ anti Jew (I have spoken to said people) and that scares me. (I know it might not be all).

The reason why I am posting this now is I have noticed so many of these wristbands and nothing in support of the Jews, for everything they have gone through /are going through.

My thoughts are that there may be a vast number of people who share my views, who want Jews to be protected in this country, who do not want sharia law in our country, who oppose the extremist acts that have been perpetrated in this country against whoever, and who also wish for peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.

It feels like our voices are not heard because we are not ‘one-sided’ as such, but perhaps are one sided in terms of being against hate and terrorism.

AIBU to think a wristband centred on peace, humanity and opposition to extremism could resonate with people who feel politically homeless in the current debate.

A bracelet isn’t going to going to cure hatred.

I didn't say it was.

It would be great, until the TRAs take it over and co-opt it

People wear symbols all the time to express values, solidarity or support for causes. My question was simply whether there are others who feel politically homeless in this debate and would welcome a symbol centred on peace, opposition to terrorism and hatred, and support for the safety of both Jews and Palestinians.

Maybe forgetting about signalling would make people ‘ feel better’. Could it be that obsessing over issues and making them your identity is just a form of immaturity that is currently afflicting many that could do with less egocentricity?

I assume the quiet majority feel like this. But virtue signalling bracelets never helped anyone.

I don't know about that, I have a Jewish friend who said they would welcome some sort of pro-peace signalling as they feel very forgotten and unwanted in this country

I am sure that everyone (bar some very strange individuals) wants peace, it's so bland a statement as to be meaningless.

How peace can ever come about is the question, and unfortunately that's where division starts.

Agreed.

A bracelet isn't going to help anyone except perhaps the virtue signalling wearer.

No. Unless there’s a direct charitable organisation selling these thing to raise money in support of whatever cause they don’t mean a thing. It has been suggested that fewer than 10% of these bracelets, whatever the cause, are actually official.
What charity are you suggesting? Otherwise buying a bracelet that vaguely supports ‘peace’ is just making money for the mass produced marketer in (most likely) China.

47 years of being subjected to antisemitism.

Yes. A bracelet is what is needed.

Yes, you're right, it would be appropriate for funds to go to Red Cross for that sort of thing

The Red Cross?

It's not about a bracelet though is it, it's about showing support in some way. There are many other ways too, like speaking out when you see/ hear antisemitism

Lots of people have politically based negative fantasies at the moment, it’s an internet problem. People believe lies and jump on any trend that gives them victim status. I’d try to do something genuinely helpful instead. Do some volunteer work. Think of others rather than your own ‘ visibility’.

Are you all anti peace symbol too?

I think that’s a problem that a bracelet won’t solve.

Op you’ve missed the point of my post.

I am Jewish. I personally have been subjected to antisemitic sentiment throughout my entire life. In every single setting. These days I don’t tell people I don’t know that I’m Jewish.

So @Whatnow777 what have you actually done when you’ve heard people being antisemitic?

I'm really sorry to hear that. I want a world where you can tell people. How can people best show support and condemn anti-Semitism?

I've personally not heard anyone directly saying anything antisemitic in front of me. I have said to acquaintances who wear the 'pro Palestine' bands that I think its terribile what happened on October 7th, as well as innocent people in Gaza. But I fear, form responses, a lot of the time it's very one-sided, and blind to the Jews treatment. I will bring my daughter up to respect Jews, and if I did have someone openly speak hatred, I would say something.

I can see why you are saying this, but I wasn't putting my visibility first, I was thinking of ways to show support for others

I share your sentiment about the polarisation in UK politics and your disgust of the endemic antisemitism in parts of the left (alongside disgust with what the current Israeli government is doing in Gaza and Lebanon). A lot of people seem incapable of understanding the nuance involved.

But unfortunately I also agree that a bracelet will do very little to advance this and will, in the current context, be dismissed as “woke virtue signalling”.

I think a bracelet would be pointless to the degree it's insulting.

Attacks on synagogues, bomb threats, mass shooting of Jewish people across the world? Yeah, some latex wristband is not going to make a difference.

Speaking up, that's what matters. Connecting with our Jewish friends and neighbours, offering support and solidarity, letting them know we see antisemitism and we reject it - that seems more likely to help.

Tokenism. Ego driven tokenism.