Chickens for Colonel Sanders

Over these past weeks, there have been many people who expressed solidarity with Hamas who Hamas members themselves would not think twice about killing.

Feminist groups, labor unions, academic associations, LGBT rights organizations, and even a sex workers union in the UK have expressed solidarity of some type with Hamas and the atrocities it has committed.

These organizations say that they are standing in solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli apartheid or ethnic cleansing, but what they really mean is Hamas. They are standing with Hamas.

Otherwise, why do they go out of their way to excuse atrocities they would otherwise (rightfully) condemn if anyone else carried them out against another target?

Keep in mind this analysis can apply to countless examples in America today. The observation that Trump looks down on most of his supporters is not lost on me, nor is the fact that he would sell them all down the river for a quick buck. Yet they happily support him out of hatred for my part of America. They are people who would kill my friends and family without thinking twice.

But I am not stupid enough to stand in solidarity with people who would kill people I care for.

A factor to consider is that antisemitism can entice people to pursue self-destructive policies. Just as many White Americans will hurt themselves if it means hurting Black Americans, many Gentiles will hurt themselves in extreme ways if it means hurting Jews.

Think about how many eager collaborators the Third Reich found in its mission to wipe out Europe’s Jews.

Today, I suspect another fallacy fuels these bizarre proclamations of solidarity with an organization that is by all accounts reactionary, lives large while the masses suffer in squalor, is viciously misogynistic and homophobic (even by regional standards), and maintains power through extreme violence.

That the weaker power is inherently morally superior.

Just because this is often the case does not mean it is always true. Discretion and critical thinking are still required.

In fact, there is a key lesson academia and the social justice world need to learn (along with many of my fellow Democrats).

Discretion Is the Better Part of Valor

Standing in solidarity with people because they need help or have been wronged with no expectation of gain is an admirable thing to do. Providing measurable support and justice to the people in question is even better, even if done on a transactional basis.

However, standing in solidarity with people who wish to oppress, harm, or kill you is nothing short of lethally stupid.

Think about how many of us rightfully scorned pieces that portrayed Trump’s base in a sympathetic light and went on about how their suffering superseded everything else. Remember how foolish many of my fellow White liberals were and still are for saying we should be open to these people despite the fact that they have shown us who they are time and time again: hateful, cruel, sadistic, and lazy. This is why I would advocate doing nothing for them even if their world were ending.

I am not saying that the people you are choosing to be an ally of have to be morally flawless, but it is imperative that you are careful when choosing what causes and organizations to support.

If your situation is desperate enough where you can’t be picky about your allies (such as Democrats after 11/9/2016), make sure you are being conscious about it so you are not caught off guard.

Make sure to vet activists.

Shaun King has inspired countless creative nicknames for his questionable (at best) handling of donated money and his shady behavior overall. King is almost a parody of people fighting for social justice.

Also, he hates Jews. Because of course he does.

Unfortunately, the social justice movement is littered with folks like Shaun King, which is why careful vetting is essential for both organizations and people.

There is much richness and wisdom in the fields of the social sciences. It is both disheartening and frustrating that so much of this field has fallen victim to these false ideas about Hamas (along with other lies about people who would kill them without thinking twice).

At Metropolitan State University, excellent social science instructors taught me how to evaluate theories, information, and people. They taught me much of what I know today.

But just as it’s a bad idea to get rid of law enforcement because of serious systemic problems (systemic racism being the most obvious example), it is likewise a foolish proposal to get rid of the social sciences on the same basis, albeit on the grounds of systemic antisemitism.

Instead, these fields and institutions need wholesale rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Here is a good old-fashioned film (albeit outdated in several important ways) about folks who support Hamas or any other cause/people who want to kill them or otherwise look down on them in the name of prejudice: Don’t Be a Sucker.

It may be about Nazis, but the points still apply.

Consider that you are much more likely to get rich gambling in Vegas than worshiping people who actively hate you and want you dead.

Don’t be a chicken for Colonel Sanders.