Sincerely, Saskia

This week has been a tough one to watch, once again making myself question whether holding onto faith in humanity is worth all the energy it takes to not resign to the fact that humanity may just be f**ked.

Considering how much space society occupies in our lives – and the influence it has on our experiences – it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tolerate it all.

There’s an overwhelming lack of common sense, and an over-reliance on life’s perceived grey areas, that people seem to give more attention to what might be instead of screaming about what actually is.

This need to justify what can’t be justified has created a midsection of people who will stare genocide right in the face and still say: “Maybe there’s another side to the story.” These are the people who will see an unarmed Black man getting assaulted by a police officer and question what he must have done to provoke him.

And it’s not just those with a penchant for racism who feel compelled to offer an alternative version of events, it’s coworkers, publications you assume are the right side of history, friends and family members, partners.  This midsection of people are so hellbent on seeing both sides to a situation they can’t find their way back to the politics and decisions of leaders that have put those targeted in this position in the first place.

Life as we know it is not a Disney movie. The enemy isn’t the enemy they are because of some tragic experience in their childhood that defined their path. The enemy is nations, political movements spearheaded by racism, bigotry, power, greed and ignorance.

I’m sick of hearing the Zionist point of view, sick of watching nations side with Israel and then be surprised when they commit another heinous atrocity.

Nations feel like it’s their right to break through borders and erase whole populations, simply because they can. We have seen this time and time again, and yet, doubt is still cast on who the innocent party is. Sides are still formed, excuses are still made and time is still wasted as children, women and men perish under the prejudice of another.

One insanely infuriating aspect of moments like this in history is the unfair and totally biased news coverage. Those whose mission statements scream ’objectivity’, and yet, we’ve watched them air on the side of Israel since October 7th.

Only this week have we seen publications all over the country suddenly take a U-turn on their reporting of the genocide in Palestine, finally waking up to the fact that it is a genocide and finally using their platforms to highlight the gross annihilation, systemic and prolonged starvation of the Palestinian people at the hands of Israel, with Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm.

We have watched talk shows give platforms to Zionists and pit them against those who stand for humanity – as if it’s debating the latest controversial act of a celebrity. People have been screaming for years, calling for an end to this genocide –  or at the very least fair reporting on the true state of things in Gaza – and for months have had to sit through analysis and discussions of the matter as if children have not been blown to bits in front of our faces.

There seems to be an enormous lack of shame about some people’s very loud lack of regard for human life, and the presence of communities that deserve every right to exist without threat. Shame is no longer something people fear and will confidently deny a genocide is even taking place. I’m sick of hearing the Zionist point of view, sick of watching nations side with Israel and then be surprised when they commit another heinous atrocity.

The fact we live in a world where Benjamin Netanyahu gets to walk around blatantly ignoring the calls for Free Palestine, actioning inhumane orders that mean more devastation for the people left in Gaza is beyond my comprehension. The fact he can hold meetings with other world leaders, plead his case or share his side of the story, smile with Trump and then tell the press after what a success the meeting was defies the laws of humanity.

It’s not the first genocide to ever happen- and it’s not even the only genocide happening right now – but it speaks to an enormous flaw in our humanity that makes it scary to exist in this world if you’re anyone other than a white man in politics.

‘History repeats itself’, but when will the ones who continuously keep making this true answer for their crimes?