I got called despicable by a constituent today because I refused to take his comment about Gaza (which I did because he refused to leave a name and address, because he doesn't leave his name and address when he's talking about Israel. Because The APAC Spies that are listening don't know what caller ID is, I suppose).
I think it's horrible what's happening, and I think more people should be talking about it. I think the photographs should be everywhere--that it should be a living room genocide the way that Vietnam was a living room war.
But when you work on this stuff all day, and deal with crazy people about it all day, and also with well-meaning sane people who are nevertheless furious, and furious at you, because they assume that you have the agency to do something and can't understand why you haven't yet, it's nice to focus for a while on less pressing matters.
I don't think anyone has the right to call you "despicable" over something like that; either you inform someone of your opinion and they know who you are, or you don't get to speak your piece. He should also not be silly enough to presume you don't track things at all, but that's another story.
Mostly I posted because it was something I noticed on LJ last night; it seems like most people I speak with (coworkers and generally, from my age to retirees) are more worked up over their bank account than anyone elses' human rights, or any political or social issues outside their own sphere. They don't care as long as gas prices are low and they have a roof over their heads, and they don't reach outside of what they know. It pisses me off. I don't usually post about things like that on LJ because either my friends are fairly well-informed (see, you posted back) or it's something that is so over-discussed that I'm basically beating a dead horse by that point
( ... )
I definitely understand what you're saying. It was honestly a little hard for me to be at work today, with all the parties going on for swearing-in day and the halls swarming with people and festivities and joy.
Three thousand people have died so far. Our tax dollars killed them. And we're throwing parties. That's ****ed up.
I think a lot of it, for private citizens, anyway, is a feeling of helplessness. There's this horrible thing happening, and they feel as though there's nothing they can do about it, so paying attention to it will just make them upset. If we could get that "yes we can" feeling back, and convince people that actually, there *is* something they can do, we really could stop this. If Congressmen were more worried about pissing off the human rights lobby than they were about pissing off AIPAC, Israel would not have the support it needed to get away with genocide.
Comments 4
I think it's horrible what's happening, and I think more people should be talking about it. I think the photographs should be everywhere--that it should be a living room genocide the way that Vietnam was a living room war.
But when you work on this stuff all day, and deal with crazy people about it all day, and also with well-meaning sane people who are nevertheless furious, and furious at you, because they assume that you have the agency to do something and can't understand why you haven't yet, it's nice to focus for a while on less pressing matters.
Reply
Mostly I posted because it was something I noticed on LJ last night; it seems like most people I speak with (coworkers and generally, from my age to retirees) are more worked up over their bank account than anyone elses' human rights, or any political or social issues outside their own sphere. They don't care as long as gas prices are low and they have a roof over their heads, and they don't reach outside of what they know. It pisses me off. I don't usually post about things like that on LJ because either my friends are fairly well-informed (see, you posted back) or it's something that is so over-discussed that I'm basically beating a dead horse by that point ( ... )
Reply
Three thousand people have died so far. Our tax dollars killed them. And we're throwing parties. That's ****ed up.
I think a lot of it, for private citizens, anyway, is a feeling of helplessness. There's this horrible thing happening, and they feel as though there's nothing they can do about it, so paying attention to it will just make them upset. If we could get that "yes we can" feeling back, and convince people that actually, there *is* something they can do, we really could stop this. If Congressmen were more worried about pissing off the human rights lobby than they were about pissing off AIPAC, Israel would not have the support it needed to get away with genocide.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment