Suffering is not a competition. Compassion is not a zero-sum game.
Resisting the colonial binary mentality that sets us all back.
Hi friends,
Let me begin by naming two irrefutable facts – neither of which takes precedence over the other, but rather sit together side by side.
I stand, in no uncertain terms, in support of a free and liberated Palestine.
I stand, unequivocally, against antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Contrary to the terribly biased reporting that has been coming out of mainstream media these days, these two facts are not mutually exclusive. In fact, I believe that we cannot have one without the other.
But alas, many of my words have been warped and twisted in ways that do not reflect my values, my work, and my commitment to equity, justice, and liberation.
As many of you who have been reading this newsletter for months now know, I have been organizing with my local communities to advocate for a permanent and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, a complete and immediate arms embargo against Israel, and an end to Israel’s siege in Gaza and illegal occupation of Palestine. At the same time, I have been working with the vibrant community at Living Hyphen to amplify the voices of both Palestinian and Jewish storytellers who are speaking up in solidarity with each other for our shared liberation.
Naming My Positionality
It is important for me to name my history and lineage here – not biological, but rather both the accidental and chosen influences that have deeply shaped my approach to living, working, and being.
I started my career working at a small nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth on intersecting social justice issues around the globe. The organization was founded and led by young Jewish leaders in the city who are some of the fiercest, wisest, and most intelligent people that I have had the privilege of learning from and the deep honour of calling my friends.
As I continue to march on the streets of Tkaronto and to organize with my local riding to demand that our elected officials represent their constituents and citizens, it is important for me to emphasize the fact that so much of what I have learned about social justice and liberation has come from these Jewish friends of mine.
They designed and facilitated peulot1 for youth to learn about global politics, the intricate dynamics of power and oppression, how to hold circle and propel dialogue forward, and how to struggle for justice in community. They taught me how to call people into conversation with kindness, generosity, and deep, deep empathy.
I spent seven years in my 20s learning and facilitating experiential education programs focused on various social justice issues alongside these leaders, and it has made all the difference in my life. I am who I am because of the teachings of radical Jewish progressives.
The Silencing of Pro-Palestinian Voices
It is always important for me to name this history, this lineage, and my positionality for others to better understand my work. I shared this on my LinkedIn a few months ago along with a photo of me at a protest with a sign that reads, “Free Palestine”.
What I thought was a gentle way of inviting people into conversation was quickly met by infuriating comments.
I shared a photo on Facebook of my friend and me at another protest and received this message.
I am filled with grief when I hear people conflating the calls for an end to this genocide and the critique of the Israeli colonial state for antisemitism. Israeli and other Western governments weaponize and inflate the very legitimate fears of Jewish people creating a more dangerous environment while also silencing Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices at the same time.
I am filled with rage when I see people equating my calls for a free Palestine as a call for the destruction of all Jewish people. That is the essence of the colonial mentality’s tactic of binary thinking in its most dangerous and menacing form.
The idea that a liberated Palestine would require the complete destruction of Israel is such a narrow, punitive, and frankly, colonial vision. I support the Land Back movement and calls for Indigenous sovereignty here in Canada, and I do not believe, the way I’m certain most Indigenous peoples do not believe, that “Land Back” means the literal destruction and the mass displacement/violence against all the people who are now on this land. I do not believe that any one people’s freedom requires the destruction of another people.
The comments and backlash that I share here are only a snapshot of the kind of dangerous responses that people who are choosing to speak up for a free Palestine are experiencing – and they are quite tame by comparison. Take a look at just a few examples here:
I could keep going with the links and examples, but I hope you get the gist of just how widespread and alarming this all is.
All Systems of Oppression Reinforce One Another.
All systems of oppression reinforce one another and cannot be fought in isolation.
Suffering is not a competition. Violence against one people does not negate or justify violence against another. Most importantly, compassion is not a zero-sum game.
It is possible to grieve the persistent, historic, and ongoing suffering of Palestinians who are under siege in Gaza, as well as the victims of Hamas’s brutal attacks. It is possible to condemn the violence against civilians in Israel, as well as the daily violence, complete dehumanization, and humiliation experienced by Palestinian civilians under Israeli occupation. Most importantly, it is possible to advocate for the freedom and dignity of one people, while affirming the freedom and dignity of another.
It is possible to hold multiple truths at once and I refuse to give in to the limited and limiting binary thinking that colonial systems have so deeply ingrained into us as the only way of making sense of our world. Good or bad, black or white, girl or boy, right or wrong. This either/or mentality is a dangerous fallacy. Our world does not exist in such absolutist terms and it is imperative that we actively practice holding complexity with grace and compassion in our increasingly complex world. I hope you will join me in cultivating this challenging but and urgently necessary work.
May we reach and stretch across racial and religious lines to dismantle the systems that seek to rob us all of our humanity.
In solidarity always,
Justine
Resources for discerning antisemitism with legitimate critiques of the Israeli colonial state
Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics by Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick is an absolute must-read! The book spotlights how one-sided pro-Israel policies reflect the truth-bending grip of authoritarianism on both Israel and the United States. Importantly, they unravel the conflation of advocacy for Palestinian rights with anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel, and how the campaign to stigmatize any critique of Israeli occupation sets the goal for Palestinian liberation so far behind.
What does the chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” mean? Read this post by Independent Jewish Voices.
I’ve been taking the lead from Jewish community leaders and encourage you to follow these accounts on Instagram: Jews Say No to Genocide, Independent Jewish Voices, If Not Now, and Jewish Voices for Peace.
What’s happening in my world:
Join me and Living Hyphen for an evening of storytelling in solidarity for our shared liberation on April 4 at 7-9 p.m. at The Theatre Centre. RSVP now!
While this is a free event, we are encouraging our attendees to donate to the Toronto Community Justice Fund to support community members who are facing legal and financial repercussions stemming from the criminalization of their Palestinian liberation and solidarity work. As writers, artists, and storytellers, we at Living Hyphen know how important it is to speak out against injustice and we affirm our right to do so.
The Breach Media covered the growing pro-Palestinian movement that speaks to how ordinary citizens all across what we now know as “Canada” have been mobilizing and organizing for a free Palestine. I am deeply humbled, grateful, and honoured to be featured amongst so many inspiring people all across this land we now call “Canada”. Read the article here.
In early March, I had the honour of speaking at the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA)’s Social Justice Summit about the increasing censorship and policing of racialized voices. I took that opportunity to speak out specifically about the policing of pro-Palestinian voices, including my own. Watch a clip of it here.
I’ve been organizing alongside my Filipino/a/x kababayan to advocate for a liberated Palestine and finding ways to engage our community in this struggle. If you or someone you know is a Filipino/a/x looking for others to connect with, please join us on Instagram at @filipinosunited4palestine.
Want to practice holding multiple truths at once? Living Hyphen is hosting another session of “Holding Grief & Gratitude” on April 24. Through writing prompts and storytelling, we will honour all that we are grieving and all that we are grateful for – recognizing that both (and everything in between!) are vital and valid expressions of our human experience. In a world that holds fast to binaries and absolutes, we strive to uncover the beauty in nuance. Register to join us here.
Every last Tuesday of the month, I host a writing workshop at Of Sorts® Studio with Living Hyphen dedicated to “Writing the Revolution”. During our time together, we’ll dig into our ancestral power to reflect on our role and responsibility to create just and equitable futures. Through writing prompts, story sharing, and conversation, we will explore our strengths and what we bring to the cause of collective liberation. Together we will write the revolution and speak truth to power. Join our next session on April 30.
Puelot is Hebrew for “activity” but really there is no English translation that captures the breadth and depth of this word and experience
Is Israel a settler colonial state? https://jewishstudies.washington.edu/israel-hebrew/why-israel-isnt-a-settler-colonial-state/
The assertion that there is an “occupation” in Gaza is false. The assertion that Israel is a “colonial state” is false. The assertion that there is “apartheid” in Israel is false. Your argument fails because your assumptions are false. And your dogma and propaganda are in fact one sided as they ignore and refute 3,000 years of Jewish history, Jewish struggle and Jewish liberation. As a one-sider you may have followers. But as a bigot you will never have a following.