McDonald’s giving away free fries if you use their mobile app and then updating the terms and conditions to say if you use this app you waive your right to trial in any class action lawsuits and have to do mandatory arbitration is INSANE
because i haven’t seen this in the notes yet: it is also VERY SIGNIFICANT that they are doing this as more and more people are learning about BDS. mcdonalds is one of the massive companies that palestiniens have been calling for boycotts of for years. it’d be a very convenient time for them if you ignored the ongoing call to boycott.
What’s happening now in Palestine is unacceptable, but do not despair! That’s what they want! That’s why they cut off communications in Gaza! They want people to give up, they want people to believe wholeheartedly that nothing can be done so that they can continue with impunity and write history as they wish, to paint themselves as victors of a war that was never a war to begin with! Keep sharing and raising their voices, share the stories of the people, keep the story of Palestine alive! They hide behind their bombs and their chemical warfare and their western propaganda but they cannot silence the masses! They can only wish they had an ounce of the bravery the Palestinian people have, standing their ground against such an overwhelming force! May Palestine be free, from the river to the sea. May the eyes of cowards never sleep!
It seems like Al Jazeera is the only one with any live feed of Ghazzah. The air is full of smoke so thick you can still see it in the dead of night. Have you ever seen a city so dark?
Its been said countless times but its insane that we are literally witnessing a genocide. We are being witness to the mass slaughter of indigenous peoples and nobody with the power to do anything seems to care. Its so hard to hold onto hope, but we must for the Palestinian people. As an indigenous person who still feels the effect of ethnic cleansing and genocide and colonization today, who sees it still in his family, it pains me to see it currently happening to millions of people. Death to israel. Death to america. Death to britian. Justice for the Palestinian people. Solidarity with oppressed peoples everywhere. Strength to Gaza.
Some things to note when you’re discussing Palestine and Israeli apartheid in the coming days/weeks/months (not a complete list but will update as I have the emotional energy):
Do not refer to what is happening in Palestine as a “conflict” or “war.” These words imply a balance of power that does not exist. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have no military, no control of their borders, no control over their access to resources like electricity, water, and medical supplies, no freedom of movement, and, most importantly, they do not have the most powerful government in the world funding them.
Do not refer to the Israeli army as the “IDF” (Israeli Defense Force). Palestinians refer to them as the “IOF” for a reason–Israel does not need to defend themselves from civilians who have no military. From 2008 to September 2023, over 3,800 Palestinian civilians were killed by the IOF. There is no need for oppressors to defend themselves–they are the ones on the offense at all times by the nature of their positions of power.
Remember that decolonization will not be a peaceful process. Do not condemn a group of people who have been brutally colonized, ethnically cleansed, and displaced from their homes for 75 years for fighting back against those oppressing them. This post concisely explains why the violence necessary for decolonization will never match that of the violence necessary for the sustained process of colonization. You cannot break free of a violent system with nonviolence. When Palestinians attempted peaceful protest in 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, they along with clearly marked journalists, doctors, and medics were shot and killed for their actions. Oppressors will maintain their power status by any means necessary; the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is proof of that. Decolonization requires violencebecause colonization itself is an inherently violent system.
Zionism does not equate to Judaism. Do not let Zionist propaganda fool you into believing that condemning the Israeli government is in any way anti-Semitic. The Israeli government does not represent the views of all Jews, even those whoare Israeli citizens. Governments should always, always be criticized and held to account for their actions. Israel is no exception to this rule. Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism. Anyone who tells you otherwise is weaponizing true Jewish oppression and suffering as a means to gain support for a violent, racist, apartheid government.
Something I’d like to add to the 5th point: Zionism is not Judaism is something to keep in mind at all times. Do not fall into anti-Semitic traps yourself by blaming all Jews for what the Israeli government is doing to Palestinians. As I said above, the Israeli government does not represent the views of all Jews, even those whoare Israeli citizens. Unfortunately there will be anti-Semitic rhetoric from people who believe they’re defending Palestine; it’s our job to shut that shit down. Do not let anyone get away with anti-Semitism in any context. Remind them that, once again, Judaism does not equate to Zionism. There are many Zionists/Zionist sympathizers who are not Jewish themselves (e.g. some Evangelical and Baptist Christians). Jews are not oppressing Palestinians; the Israeli government and Zionists are. Let’s be mindful of the language we are using and the language others use in these conversations.
