When 'not in my name' is all you have in the face of a massacre
http://972mag.com/when-not-in-my-name-is-all-you-have-in-the-face-of-a-massacre/95443/
A name is more human, more familiar and more expansive than any label can ever be. It is something that everyone in the world has in common. It is therefore in that name that I refuse to step in line behind a massacre masquerading as an existential and moral crusade.
“Dyke, go live in Gaza.”
This directive was sent to me yesterday afternoon through Facebook, from a complete stranger. A little while later another message arrived, with an attached picture of the body of a murdered child, still lying on the floor of his bedroom – the crime scene – with blood all around. A mezuzah is fixed to the doorframe in the foreground of the photo. The picture was accompanied by the sender’s suggestion that I am in favor of the killing of Jews.
I assume the two messages were sent by the same person, as although they had different names, their profile pictures (of two men standing side by side, grinning) were exactly the same. I cannot say with absolute certainty what provoked these messages, as I immediately reported and blocked the sender(s). I am confident it is not connected to the articles I write, as I go by a different name on Facebook (for precisely the reason of trying to limit where and how much hate mail can come my way). Based on past experience, and the timing of the messages, I am fairly positive they arrived in response to my posting in public forums (regarding open positions at the company I work for) while having a profile picture that states ‘Not in My Name’ in English, Hebrew and Arabic. Given Israel’s recent assault on Gaza, it is fairly obvious to what this slogan relates.
= new reply since forum marked as read
