OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to a story titled 'Local Jewish group slams YMCA for 'anitsemetic social media post,' published Dec. 3.
Rashell Feldman’s characterization of justice and peace for Palestinian people as “antisemitic” is beyond non-sensical. I guess she is not aware that Palestinians are actually “semitic”. Her explanation that Palestine is not “about peace” and (is associated with) a terrorist organization” smacks of the dehumanization and anti-Palestinian racism that is a key determinant in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
The employee who posted about the Nov. 29 day to stand in solidarity with Palestinians should be commended for their efforts for inclusion and belonging in the community. Instead, the YMCA decided to take down the post, thereby participating in the attempted erasure of Palestinian existence. We can only hope that the YMCA does not heed Rashell Feldman’s call to dismiss this employee.
Not only that, CollingwoodToday decided to publish an article that gives air time to people who believe that solidarity with Palestinians has to include mention of Israel.
Do we need to mention the feelings of the former enslavers when we honour Emancipation Day as well? Does Mother’s Day have to mention fathers? Or do these rules only apply when supporters of Israel want to hide the truth about the occupation, apartheid and genocide currently being committed in the name of their religion?
Do they not realize that Palestinians lived in Palestine for thousands of years — Muslim, Jewish, Christian — without a problem? And that Israel only came into existence in 1948?
Anyone who looks at this situation with a critical eye can see the truth. These ridiculous accusations make a mockery of actual antisemitism and demonstrates the extreme danger of conflating Judaism, Zionism, and the state of Israel. (We) can only hope that our society can emerge from this deep abyss we have fallen into — where the existence of a people is considered more dangerous than quadcopter drones, bombs and tanks.
M. Chaudhuri, Orillia
Durgham Darwazeh, Collingwood (born on the West Bank of Palestine)
Suzan Abdel-Salam, Barrie (Indigenous Palestinian, ancestors forcibly displaced from our home and never allowed to return)
M. Mohamed, Innisfil
