souli
Well-Known Member
I think there comes a difficult point when discussing what can and can't be said at protests. It's definitely wrong to chant things like 'Gas the Jews', or to incite violence, at any protest no questions about it. It's a bit of a paradox; chanting something of that sort defeats the entire purpose of what the people are protesting for, (meant to be peacefully protesting for) the 'genocide against Palestinians.'
I'm sure that the people who attended; the people who were there for the right reasons, (to want to spread their message, etc, like the points I mentioned previously) are educated thoroughly about the issue and thus can separate emotion from action, to adopt a logical manner of communicating their views - to be rational about what they were protesting for and didn't mean for such an outcome. It convolutes their message.
All I can think is of that minority (perhaps those who haven't considered their reasons for attending in a logical, thoughtful manner, instead of emotion-based) who take a step too far and let their emotions take hold of them, saying things without considering them. Again, it wouldn't make sense for this to be planned when you consider why they were protesting in the first place, against a genocide. Why would they organize a protest to incite more genocide, or appreciate one of the past? I definitely think the eventuation of this chanting and burning of flags have played a part in the recent peaceful and silent protests that have been happening for Palestine; to avoid their message being clouded by the shameful minority who takes things a step too far.
I think the situation does need to be approached with sensitivity from both sides; it's important to note that at protests, particularly in this case, emotions are heightened; people are surrounded with an echo chamber of people who feel the same way as them.. so people say and do things they shouldn't because they let this validation of their suppressed feelings get to their head. Things happen that shouldn't. We can look back to history for many examples of this. I think it's a part of human nature to jump to extremes (unfortunately, in this case, was to chant and burn flags) when faced with vulnerability and problems.
In my opinion, I don't think the government should need to step in at protests. I think people have an innate understanding of what is right and what is wrong; what they should or shouldn't say/do. They should be able to understand their emotions and not let them take control at the moment; they should possess human decency to understand, in this case, the suffering of the Jewish population in the Holocaust and use that, even moreso, to motivate them in spreading their message to not let the same thing happen to their own people (as they're protesting against the 'Palestinian genocide'). But unfortunately, not all people are able to do this. I think it's very complex to know where to draw the line with government intervention in such a matter.
I can't remember who exactly posted the comments about the assimilation and negative views, I think Trebla also alluded to it as well. I found it very ironic, even disappointing (as a second-gen Australian) that comments can be made about people going back to 'where they came from', just because they voice an opinion someone doesn't like; or because they disagree with the actions of their government (jumping to extremes, hating on a certain group like I previously mentioned) or when people stand up for their beliefs.
I don't know what happened at the protests; I wasn't there. I'd like to, however, hope it was a minority which just reflected badly on the majority. Again, I definitely doubt it was the intention of the original protest organizers as the message that was conveyed due to this shameful minority is the exact opposite of what they were protesting for. And we have to consider the perspective of the media, which is already seemingly anti-Palestine.
And you don't have to thank me for keeping it civil - it's genuinely the bare minimum. It's important to have sensitivity and empathy when approaching these issues, as again these are real situations and real people's lives. Generally speaking, if we allow our views to be corroded with derogatory, illogical, irrational speech then our message becomes convoluted. It loses its value. I guess this last line kind of links back to what I was saying in the other paragraph about the protest - sometimes when things are important to us, we get taken away in the spur of the moment and can do things we don't want to. But hopefully having this kind of attitude will allow for greater, more open communication and debate in the future. I find it exciting that the youth (us) of society can discuss such issues in an open environment. It posits more space for understanding, awareness, empathy and personal growth.
); maybe they can see and understand things you don't - maybe their knowledge from that other country motivates their fear that this country is going down the same path theirs did.
