I've never seen any one event both polarize and anger the members of DU as the Hamas attack has.

[patphil]

I'm not writing this to create more of the same, but just to ask people to not let this drive a wedge between us.
The sad fact is that we can't do much about what's happening over there, but we can affect what happens here.
Make your points, but please be civil.
This is the most violent, destructive and deadly war in the middle east in decades; it's not easy feeling helpless in the face of this incredible tragedy.
For those of you who have personal connections to this conflict, my heart goes out to you.

[onecaliberal]

1. I am on the side of innocent women and children and always have been. It's not a popular thing here.

[maxsolomon]

3. innocent women and children are very popular.

all sides of the i/p debate like innocent women and children.

[Hope22]

2. This isn't the first big challenge here!

It won’t be the last.

[Warpy]

12. Yes, I think Hillary War I in 2008 was worse

My ignore list got huge, then DU separated the combatants away from GD and into their own forum.

I see DU has done that for this conflict, also. It's very wise of them to do it quickly.

My only side is the one where the non combatants of any age or sex are located. I mourn their deaths on both sides.

Mostly, I want the slaughter to end. Enough, already. It's time to dump leadership with bad policies and listen to people who recognize the humanity of the other side and will work with them to develop better policies.

Allowing a bunch of men who have been hanging around like farts in a phone booth, feeding on rage on one side and fear on the other, to keep controlling things will lead only to more of the same.

[Hope22]

13. It was definitely worse! N/t

[markodochartaigh]

4. I think that we are being forced

into a false dichotomy. It shouldn't be The Netanyahu government/Jews vs Hamas/Palestinians. It should be Netanyahu government/Hamas vs Jewish/Palestinian civilians.

I do also wonder why the Hamas attack occurred on Putin's birthday. The horrific conditions in Gaza are nothing new. Hamas is closely linked with Iran. Iran is closely linked with Russia. Putin has been trying to sow strategic chaos around the world in order to drive democracy into the arms of Strong Leaders.

[patphil]

5. That pretty much sums up my view.

Iran is a close ally of Putin, and they also arm and train Hamas. I can't prove it, but the connection is obvious. Putin needed conflict in the middle east to direct attention away from his war against Ukraine.
And the leaders of both sides in the middle east have their own reasons for fanning the flames of war.
We can only hope that, when this war is over, both the leadership of Hamas and Israel are no longer in power.

[SCantiGOP]

6. I've avoided leaving posts on this subject

I read the threads but indicate my views with recs only.

[The Mouth]

7. I want *nothing* to do with anyone who uses 'From the River To the Sea'.

I don't care what you call yourself, when you approve and suggest genocide, as anyone using that phrase does, you are dead to me.

I've read a few comments saying 'It doesn't mean that'. Right, and I have a right to tell Black people what isn't racist... NOT.

If the IDF would take a overweight 62 year old with a bad foot, I'd leave tomorrow for Israel to fight.

[moniss]

8. 2016

was no picnic for reasoned discussion either.

[Skittles]

9. I don't take sides

Last edited Tue Dec 12, 2023, 06:45 PM - Edit history (1)

I am sick of the entire region with their never-ending issues.

[Rizen]

10. It also puts Biden in a no-win situation.

If he doesn't back Israel against Hamas he looks antisemitic. But if he supports Israel it pisses off the people who want a free Palestine. The important thing to remember is Trump's foreign policy is a million times worse.

[markodochartaigh]

11. In my opinion Trump would, in essence,

be on the side of the other authoritarians, Netanyahu, Hamas, Putin, the Iranian ayatollahs, as they all use their people as pawns.

[drmeow]

14. The wedge has been here

Last edited Wed Dec 13, 2023, 10:23 PM - Edit history (1)

for as long as I've been a member of DU. Every time in the past 15 years that this forum spills into GD or onto the Greatest Page, my ignore list has grown. People (myself included) are dogmatic about it. I no longer engage - I just put the most egregious ones on ignore. There are plenty of smart, informed, reasonable people on DU, I don't need to engage with the one's who go to far.

[patphil]

15. Yes, I recently used ignore for the first time. I didn't like to do it, but the person preactically insisted.

[drmeow]

18. This time around

I've just been trashing every single post - no matter what viewpoint it takes. I just can't cope with any of it right now!

[intheflow]

17. Indeed.

That’s the whole reason the forum was created, to keep this wedge from affecting domestic political discussions in the big forums.