The Words (and phrases) That Have Silenced Me [View all]

Jewish
Hamas
Israel
Judaism
Zion
Arab
Palestine
Anti-Semitism
(Is 'Semitism' even a word? Is 'Pro-Semitism'?)
Terrorist
Palestinian
Pro-Palestinian
Gaza
Anti-Zionism
Jewish Homeland
Anti-Palestinian
Terrorism
Jewish State
Genocide

None of these words, apparently, means what I used to think it meant. Use of any of these words seems to have a very high chance of triggering misunderstanding, conflict, dismissal, assumptions, and/or confusion.

I would like to discuss what is going on right now, in that part of the world, but I daren't.

I am silenced by the words that have too many meanings to too many people, all different, all of whom seem certain that anyone who doesn't share THEIR understanding of the word(s) must be vile or stupid, or both.

In all the years we have had the capacity, here on DU, to auto-trash articles based on a topic, I have used it but rarely, and then only for minor annoyances (I believe the phrase "poll says" is still on my auto-trash list.) Certainly not for big, important topics where discussion might be the only hope of raising the light-to-heat ratio and promoting shared goals such as preventing Putin from stealing another election and implementing autocracy in America.

But this defeats me.

Silence it is.

sadly,
Bright