Palestine things today
Several months ago, I started interacting with a group in my area that advocates for freedom, equality, and safety of everyone "from the river to the sea," ie, both Israelis and Palestinians. Because of that decision, my life today happened to look a bit different, in ways that would have surprised me even a year ago:
- On LinkedIn, I saw a post from an old professional acquaintance who works at an organization I'd written off ever trying to work at because I'd assumed my views on Palestine wouldn't be welcome. This person was posting, on LinkedIn (!) about how nothing justifies murdering a child, full stop. "Free Palestine, and let Palestine free you," they wrote. Their post caused me to stop and consider--if this post has an impact on me, what will me speaking more about Palestine do for others?
- I received an email from the organization Standing Together, about how their Israeli-Palestinian mission was received very warmly on their recent trip to the US. I admire this organization, for what they do and what they show us is possible. Here two of Standing Together's leaders speak with Brené Brown about the organization's work.
- For the first time, I wore my keffiyah out in public, not at a pro-Palestine event. I wore it walking down the street, and to a cafe. I was scared.
- I attended an evening talk that introduced the boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) campaign that's been going on for some time now, in an effort to apply pressure to the Israeli state and major corporations that are directly complicit in the current genocide and ongoing apartheid. I learned a bunch of things, blushed each time I asked a question or made a comment, and at one point in the presentation saw a picture of people, including myself, participating in a BDS action.
- I wrote this post.