Steve QJ
2 min readOct 11, 2024

--

Very brave of you. Although you were apparently unable to figure out how to do it. So as I have you, I'll address this.

First, I haven't argued that western civilisation is bad at all. I'm a product of western civilisation. I think there are many aspects of it that are wonderful. Absolutely as good as humanity has ever achieved.

Unfortunately, because it's built by humans, I also think that it is vulnerable to the same blind spots and weaknesses that all humans have. And because civilisation is humanity at scale, those weaknesses and blind spots can lead to appalling, monstrous injustice.

Western civilisation produced the A-bomb. And actually used it on civilians. The only civilisation to have done so. Western civilisation sterilised and killed gay people and outlawed homosexuality until shockingly recently. Western civilisation, even while it was wise enough to declare that "all men were created equal" still kept humans as property for hundreds of years. Western civilisation is responsible for the Holocaust.

Again, I am a product of Western civilisation. I don't look down on these things. I treat them as vital cautionary tales about what we're capable if we fail to live up to our stated values. And I think Israel is incredibly badly failing to live up to its stated values. I also don't think a state that apportions rights and citizenship based on ethnicity can consider it to be a part of Western civilisation. The rest of the West has, at least, figures that out over the years.

As for Israel being symbolic of Jews, I won't argue with you myself, though I could. Instead, I'll let the words of a Jew, spoken before 20,000 other Jews, make the case. I could, of course, have chosen the words of several other Jews who have made similar points. You can disagree with me, you can even hate my position, what little of it you understand, but it is pathetic beyond measure to hide behind something as vile as antisemitism because you lack the intellect, or likely the courage to look at the situation honestly and refute my actual points if you can.

Much safer to block people who challenge the sanctity of your warm, little bubble, right?

--

--

Steve QJ
Steve QJ

Written by Steve QJ

Race. Politics. Culture. Sometimes other things. Almost always polite. Find more at https://steveqj.substack.com

Responses (1)