dear idiot, fuck you.
so a little back story. there are some rabid pro-palestine "activists" who, last fall, tried to organize a boycott of the co-op due to the fact that they carry ONE product from israel. yes, that's right. it seems these people think that the whole mess is due to the co-op selling israeli couscous. but, i digress.
what really burns me up is not the political views of these people, but the way they choose to deliver their message. if they were protesting in front of the federal building then that might make a little more sense. but the co-op? THEY ONLY HAVE ONE ISRAELI PRODUCT!!! one of the men involved ran for the co-op board and his mission statement was a long diatribe against israel. (needless to say he got a pathetic amount of votes and did not win a board spot.) whatever your personal beliefs on the conflict, most people would agree that discussion does not belong in A GROCERY STORE.
it also really burns me up that these white ann arborites have no fucking clue what they're talking about.
furthermore, it's very dangerous to not speak specifically about these issues. instead of using phrases like the gov't of israel or the gov't of palestine, these people fully engage in stereotyping and lumping together.
but here is where the truly upsetting part comes in. it's a beautiful day in ann arbor today. the african american fest is going on in kerrytown, as well as the farmers market. and who should appear but those anti-israeli protesters. who, having shed any artifice of actually caring about the conflict, carried around signs that said boycott israel with a swastika where the "s" should be.
i realize that this is free speech, and that free speech must be protected to ensure that we all have equal access to it. but while they used their free speech i used mine. i walked up to them and said, "you look like a fucking idiot. good luck getting anyone to listen to you with your hate speech, assholes. get a fucking life." and walked away. i did not wait for a reply. i did not engage in dialogue with them, even though this is my preferred way of dealing with people with whom i disagree.
why didn't i do this? because those who hide behind banners of hate, who invoke symbols of destruction, death, and the worst of humanity, are beyond reasonable conversation. they are so scared so unsure, that they cannot think for themselves anymore. that's when you throw up your hands and let out a string of strong swear words, and hope that these people never procreate.
it frustrates me beyond belief that humans have the ability to reason, to think, to feel empathy and compassion, and yet so often they hide behind hate.
dear idiot(s),
fuck you, indeed.
what really burns me up is not the political views of these people, but the way they choose to deliver their message. if they were protesting in front of the federal building then that might make a little more sense. but the co-op? THEY ONLY HAVE ONE ISRAELI PRODUCT!!! one of the men involved ran for the co-op board and his mission statement was a long diatribe against israel. (needless to say he got a pathetic amount of votes and did not win a board spot.) whatever your personal beliefs on the conflict, most people would agree that discussion does not belong in A GROCERY STORE.
it also really burns me up that these white ann arborites have no fucking clue what they're talking about.
furthermore, it's very dangerous to not speak specifically about these issues. instead of using phrases like the gov't of israel or the gov't of palestine, these people fully engage in stereotyping and lumping together.
but here is where the truly upsetting part comes in. it's a beautiful day in ann arbor today. the african american fest is going on in kerrytown, as well as the farmers market. and who should appear but those anti-israeli protesters. who, having shed any artifice of actually caring about the conflict, carried around signs that said boycott israel with a swastika where the "s" should be.
i realize that this is free speech, and that free speech must be protected to ensure that we all have equal access to it. but while they used their free speech i used mine. i walked up to them and said, "you look like a fucking idiot. good luck getting anyone to listen to you with your hate speech, assholes. get a fucking life." and walked away. i did not wait for a reply. i did not engage in dialogue with them, even though this is my preferred way of dealing with people with whom i disagree.
why didn't i do this? because those who hide behind banners of hate, who invoke symbols of destruction, death, and the worst of humanity, are beyond reasonable conversation. they are so scared so unsure, that they cannot think for themselves anymore. that's when you throw up your hands and let out a string of strong swear words, and hope that these people never procreate.
it frustrates me beyond belief that humans have the ability to reason, to think, to feel empathy and compassion, and yet so often they hide behind hate.
dear idiot(s),
fuck you, indeed.