Hillary Clinton is facing a deluge of criticism after stating that young Americans’ growing support for Palestinians is influenced by “totally made-up” videos on TikTok and suggesting that American youth - including young Jews - “don’t know history and don’t understand” Israel’s war on Gaza.
Speaking on Tuesday at a summit hosted by the right-wing Israeli paper Israel Hayom in New York City, the former Democratic presidential candidate expressed her concerns that “smart, well-educated young people” in America and around the world are getting a lot of their information, including about Israel and Palestine, from social media platforms like TikTok.
The former US secretary of state described it as “serious problem for democracy”, remarking that when she attempted to have “reasonable discussions” with young people, it was challenging because “they did not know history, they had very little context, and what they were being told on social media was not just one-sided, it was pure propaganda".
Why would context even matter? A genocide is a genocide no matter the context. It can NEVER be justified.
I have had similar discussions with a right-wing conspiracy theorist (friend of my dad) that also used to justify genocide. I do think and hope that our conversation has led to some positive change in his views. He used to get super triggered when I called what is happening is Palestine a genocide but today I think he accepts it. Or at least he no longer denies it completely. I have stood my ground and kept challenging whatever he has said.
Don’t give up on the people around you! Take the discussion, challenge their views. Call out any attempt to justify genocide. You don’t need to argue with these people about facts, history or whatever. Just a call out of any attempt to justify genocide is enough. Don’t let them keep spreading their hate unchallenged. Violence and hate can never win.