Take a flying leap

Created
Mon, 16/10/2023 - 01:30
Updated
Mon, 16/10/2023 - 01:30
To the rude, inappropriate and manipulative Kat Abughazaleh of Media Matters is sick of being asked. Stop asking every Palestinian if they support Hamas: pic.twitter.com/3oFalcc1as — Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) October 14, 2023 One of the most outrageous features of the public response to any mass terror attack is the assumption that everyone from the ethnic group of the terrorists is expected to publicly and immediately condemn the villains or be condemned themselves as a terrorist sympathizer. (Unless the perpetrator is a white American, naturally.) The premise behind the demand is assignation of mass guilt by association. Plus, the demand itself is annoyingly manipulative, and not just limited to (in this case) Palestinians. It kind of works like, “If you are outraged by this act of terror, if you are horrified and sickened, we, your neighbors (and political adversaries), demand you shout your outrage from the rooftops. We demand you feel the way we feel and express your feelings about the attack the way we do, now, performatively, publicly and loudly. That is, unless you want to draw suspicion and condemnation yourself.” Sincere question for the hive mind: Can anyone point me to statements or interviews from Republicans that struck this same balance? https://t.co/mZhV0oq7qf — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) October 15, 2023 Despite the wailing mothers seen on TV, not all people express their feelings the same way. Not all people experience grief the same way, nor express them as openly and immediately. It is rudely and inappropriately manipulative to insist you…