More specifically, this is about people bothsidesing the ongoing genocide that zionists are committing, but I titled it more generally because this is something that can be difficult to deal with in general.

In the past, I’ve tried to be diplomatic and meet people where they’re at, slowly imparting information where I can and presenting my views where I feel able to. I rarely actually get worked up about these things in person and am generally able to go through it with people patiently, but this is something that is really pushing me to my limits.

I think what is most galling to me about it, that I find as a theme in liberal thinking and struggle to be patient with at times, is the arrogance of it. I put a lot of time into these things, time that they clearly haven’t put in, only to have them speak to me about it as if their position is equal and worthy of listening to simply because it is theirs. As if we are exchanging views on our favorite TV show.

I will be plain too, in saying that, quite frankly, it hurts. On top of everything else, it hurts to see someone you love and trust be clinging to talking points that confuse, downplay, or otherwise misunderstand a horrifying ongoing genocide.

These are people who I know mean well because I’ve known them my whole life and I know what kind of compassion they have, which makes it all the more disturbing to see them speaking in such a way. It illustrates how critical and influential propaganda is. But knowing that doesn’t inherently make me more effective at getting people to cross that threshold from “nice” liberal to person who understands the world as more than imperialist talking points.