When I was a child and they had us read “Number the Stars” and “Anne Frank’s Diary”, that began my journey of understanding. After reading these books, I was left with more questions than answers. I couldn’t wrap my head around how such an enormous atrocity could occur, how people could just stand by and allow this to happen, how so many people could collectively hate so much that they literally wished and facilitated death and suffering on other humans. 

Back then, there was no Internet, so my search for answers took me to the library. I read any book I could get my hands on that dealt with the holocaust. I read historical fiction and I read non-fiction, and although my questions remained largely unanswered, I began to realize how important it was to learn about this period in history. I realized that through knowledge this would never happen again, but I was wrong.

I was and I am very wrong. Palestine is not the only place on the planet right now where genocide is occurring or there’s a risk of imminent genocide occurring. what’s happening to the Palestinian people however is something that is absolutely in our face. It’s not very hard to learn about the systemic racism occurring in Israel at this very moment, it’s taught to children and carried into adulthood. Zionists do not see the Palestinian people as human but rather as animals. what is currently happening in Palestine is so reminiscent of what happened to the Jews, the disabled, the dissenters, and the gays in Nazi Germany. 

And I am able to observe in real time and get an understanding of what exactly was happening in Nazi Germany at the time of the holocaust. So many people are comfortable with looking away, others are comfortable calling the Palestinians pigs, and claiming that they all deserve to die. while others like me face, ostracization, condemnation and false accusations of antisemitism because we care to shed light on the brutality and suffering of the Palestinian people. Because I thought never again meant never again for everyone. 

When I first learned about holocaust deniers I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that these people exist when there was so much evidence of this atrocity occurring but now I see so many would deny that what is happening in Palestine is a genocide, that these are those whom would deny the holocaust even with so much evidence of it’s existence. 

The hateful people are the easiest to pin down, they would have joined and helped the Nazi party, called to report friends and relatives and the like. For some it’s racism, others it’s Zionism. Quite frankly I think they are sick fucks. They are the ones who say “we didn’t kill enough Indians” or “there are 65 million meals at alligator Alcatraz”. And this is how the holocaust began, they were “deporting” Jews. 

The silent ones are harder to pin down, are they indifferent? Are they afraid to be considered an anti semite? Is this why some quietly and privately voice support? 

It is absolutely not anti semetic to voice support for Palestine. Zionism is not Judaism. Quite frankly almost all Jews living in Israel are not Semites, Palestinians are though. You can find many pro Palestinian Jews and rabbis, including holocaust survivors. They understood what never again truly means. There are also Palestinian Jews and Christians. 

I learned about the suffering of the Palestinian people from an Israeli citizen. Over a decade ago I bought into the propaganda on TV, and I was awakened by what he said  was actually occurring in Israel and Palestine. It was a sad lesson that showed me I wasn’t actually thinking critically, I wasn’t questioning and discovering for myself what was being presented in the news. I often wonder if I had not worked with this man, would I have educated myself? Would I have continued to buy into the false narrative presented by Israel? If I had not met him would I feel comfortable speaking out about this now? These are more questions I’ll never get the answer to, but they are important questions to ask myself nevertheless. 

I still read about the holocaust to this day, It is important to remember. It is also important to remember not only are we still committing genocide against natives, but the Nazis got their idea of the master race from United States eugenics. I can tell you with certainty that you need to speak up now. If you are white you need to be actively anti racist. 

For those of you who are still on the fence I’ll leave you with this example. Did you donate to a cause or campaign publicly that does not align with this current administration’s policies? You could find yourself in a work camp. Do you wear glasses? If you break your glasses while working, what’s cheaper, a bullet or new glasses? 

Silence is compliance.

End ALL genocides. 

Abolish ICE. 

FREE PALESTINE.