ace rants

Judaism

This one's just not about asexuality at all

I'm 99% sure I've mentioned this before, but I'm jewish and I was just like doing a midnight youtube dive thing and watched this video

It was mostly very fun and all, but there was one part where one of the girls is talking about how a guy sent her a shirtless pic and on his shoulder was a swastika, and she asked him why he had a swastika and he said it was a Hindu symbol of peace, and everyone else was like ooooh no that's bullshit. Then there were a lot of comments about how it was rude of them not to believe him or that they'd all be TrIgGeReD if they walked into a majority Hindu country.

I know the swastika was originally used in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. I can't say all Jews know that, but most do. 

But it was also used as the prominent symbol of the Nazi regime that killed 6 million jews. Nearly all people with jewish heritage are related to at least one person who died in a concentration camp. EVERYONE knows that.

I understand the swastika or an upside-down swastika has to some people, and I respect that. However, it has nonetheless been the face of extraordinary pain and inhumanity against so many minorities. 

So if it's used in any context outside of strictly religious context, it is offensive.

And if you "feel like the meaning really resonates with you," that's still offensive because that symbol also carries meanings of hatred, discrimination, and genocide. There are countless other symbols that have similar meanings that can resonate with you that don't also come with such horrific connotations, so when you choose a swastika as your "symbolic mantra" or whatever, what we see is that you chose, out of the probably hundreds of other possible symbols, one that also carries extreme bigotry. You did not choose the swastika because it represents divinity. You chose it because it's the one that also has a twisted and horrible history.

Also since I guess this is the jewish chapter, I'm gonna just talk about a few more things. Since most people here are writers, I figure this could be helpful, or if you just want to know more, but it's gonna be really long, so it's completely fine if you don't read it

I am one of millions of people, and my experiences are very different than a lot of other Jews, so don't take what I say as blanket statements.

1) The idea about Jews and money. We're literally just people. Some Jews have a lot of money, some have barely any. I have (Jewish) friends that will make some jakes like if they have a lot of coins in their pocket and it jingles, they be like "lol it's because I'm Jewish," and I don't think it's particularly funny, but I don't mind it that much. If you aren't Jewish though, just like fuck off. I think in general you can make jokes about a minority you're a part of and that's fine, but never a minority that you're not part of.

2) The idea that Jews "run the world?" So um we totally don't at all, like why would you even think that????? By the way, the Rabbi said I get to have Australia next month, so that's pretty exciting. 

But in all seriousness, this one is does make me sort of laugh. Like I WISH I was part of the illuminati or something, but unfortunately no :( There is also an idea that Jews all have connections? Let's think of it like this. For centuries, jews have been discriminated against all over the world, so in the past, we've had to stick together. There isn't like an extreme favoritism that jews have for each other.

Also like???????? Who looks at someone and is like, *much disdain* "ohhh I bet your people,,,, have a lot of political influence." Generally these are the same people that support the NRA and oil companies and whatnot? Like my dude, do you have a problem with influencing the government or not??????