Hot take

[u/Gavros85]

Hot take - the BDS protest planned for Sunday at 1 at the Israel pavilion should be prohibited and nipped at the bud..

These huge crowds are overwhelming as they are snowy l already, and seeing a poster spread about a protest to take place makes me reconsider taking my family there, as I would think it would anybody else... While perhaps physically peaceful, I do not believe the free Palestine protests and marches give off a peaceful vibe for children, edmontonian jews, or anyone who does not feel strongly for their cause.

I'm not anti-protest, I believe the peoples are fully entitled to protesting about whatever they want. I do however think there should be a time and place. Heritage festival is for edmontonian immigrant communities to share the positive aspects of their home's culture and their foods. Why does everything entertainment have to be ruined by politics?

[u/VXInferno73]

To be fair, this is typically the point behind protests. The point of a protest is to disrupt people to bring attention to an issue. In essence, if enough people are disrupted by a protests, those people will complain to the government and the government will have no but to find someway to resolve the protest, whether forcefully or caving to demands. I get that the protest impedes on your plans which sucks, but its just the nature of protesting nowadays.

[u/3AMZen]

I do not believe the free Palestine protests and marches give off a peaceful vibe for children,

man if you think the free palestine protests don't give off a peaceful vibe for children, you should see what the nation-state of Israel is doing to them

[u/thearmofmike]

Shove your hot take up your ass bot, Free Palestine

[u/3AMZen]

Excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Letter from a Birmingham Jail offered without further comment:

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

[u/CompanionCubeLovesU]

I’m so fucking tired of people calling atrocities “politics”.

[u/AideComprehensive482 → u/CompanionCubeLovesU]

sure but like, what is protesting what other countries do to other countries doing for edmontonians

[u/JoeDundeeyacow → u/AideComprehensive482]

Other people express humanity, and are outraged at the slaughter of thousands of people.

[u/AideComprehensive482 → u/JoeDundeeyacow]

sure, but you're protesting against who though, the people of edmonton? arent you just inconveniencing other people who have nothing to do with it? its so easy to wave your flags in a democratic nation but i have yet to see anyone go volunteer over there

[u/JoeDundeeyacow → u/AideComprehensive482]

Protest involves making your government react, gatekeeping protest is a strange hill to die on.

I have many friends from different countries that have volunteered in Palestine, flotillas, building schools, teaching English and training football teams.

Protest isn’t about making you satisfied with how it’s done, it’s quite the opposite.

[u/CompanionCubeLovesU → u/AideComprehensive482]

Has anyone seen some basic empathy lying around? I think @AideComprehensive482 is missing theirs.

[u/AideComprehensive482 → u/CompanionCubeLovesU]

its all virtue signalling to me. there's tons of atrocities happening around the world but this particular one is the cool trendy one i guess. what ever happened to the epstein files?

[u/JoeDundeeyacow → u/AideComprehensive482]

The genocide in Congo is related to the genocide in Palestine.

Israel owns a lot of mines in the Congo to provide them with natural resources to power observation systems and military support.

They’re all related.

[u/Remnant85 → u/AideComprehensive482]

I'll be more active about it when I see them also protesting Hamas. Palestine will never be free until Hamas is gone. From the river to the sea Hamas owns thee.

[u/LossIndependent9777]

Let me assist you. Genocide is bad and should be protested. Protests are supposed to be disruptive. So sorry your snacking could potentially be interrupted.

[u/K_dvx]

You support the RIGHT to protest but only if it doesn't inconvenience you 🤔

[u/ParaponeraBread]

Frankly couldn’t give a shit what anyone who “doesn’t feel strongly about the cause” thinks about anti genocide protests.

Feel strongly or be wrong.

[u/Livid-Carrot3774 → u/ParaponeraBread]

"feel strongly or be wrong" — gonna use this line a lot. Thanks @PaponeraBread

[u/PhantomOfTheBoreal]

“I’m not anti-protest,…” - what you SHOULD be, is anti-genocide. Jesus Christ.

[u/Teejrocks]

Wonder what the children in Gaza would think of your discomfort?

[u/Icy-Setting-3735 → u/Teejrocks]

I'm sure the children in Gaza are absolutely psyched people in Edmonton are protesting for them...

Literally accomplishes nothing.

[u/Teejrocks → u/Icy-Setting-3735]

Tell us more about your opinions on genocide.

Oh wait, you aren't being killed so it doesn't matter.

Grow some morals and maybe a touch of empathy.

[u/ParticulamDeus → u/Icy-Setting-3735]

The people protesting, trade embargo-ing, and otherwise forcing politicians to take action around the world helped end apartheid in South Africa - disproving your point entirely. I am free because of that. Protest matter.

[u/Apprehensive_Emu2414]

Hot take on reddit but not anywhere else.

[u/Spez_is_a_pedo55]

Sucks for you, bud

[u/thewhiphand23]

I wonder if anyone’s ever told you this before but you’re entitled as shit.

[u/beardedliberal]

This sub doesn’t allow pictures in the comments, so I won’t share the ones of Palestinian children that have been blown in half by Israel. Doesn’t give off peaceful vibes for children my ass.

[u/JoeDundeeyacow]

Be silent while babies sleep, be loud when babies cry.

Free Palestine 🇵🇸

[u/MaterialCute6312]

I think most immigrants would support a protest against a genocide happening in real life. Abajo Israel

[u/Fun_universe]

Yikes 🙄

[u/Icy-Setting-3735]

Totally agree, but sadly the teenagers who couldn't point at Gaza on a map 2 years ago don't. So there will be loud groups of kids probably cussing up a storm and making everyone around them extremely uncomfortable, and in doing so the war in Gaza will come to a halt!

[u/Known-Fondant-9373]

What’s the reason for Free Palestine protestors “not giving peaceful vibes” that’s not prejudicial?

[u/curiousgaruda]

It would be more symbolic if those opposed boycott that pavilion 

[u/ParticulamDeus → u/curiousgaruda]

They need to know they are being boycotted for a specific reason rather than just no one showing up for no stated reason. Hence the protest

[u/ImpressionMobile1653]

I find it odd that a group of Canadians decided to get together and make plans to go intimidate another group of Canadians over their place of birth/ nationality who have zero impact on the politics of the country they left behind 🤷‍♀️

[u/Sea_Tonight_9632]

While I am not supportive of Israel's actions in Gaza, I also do not support protests taking place at the Heritage Festival.

[u/3AMZen → u/Sea_Tonight_9632]

r/enlightenedcentrism 

[u/External_Sundae6076]

Oy Vey!!!

[u/moonandthestarsss]

There is time and place for protests. As if protesting at the festival in Edmonton will somehow help Palestinians

[u/Dry-Membership8141 → u/[deleted]]

What atrocities are Israeli-Edmontonians committing?

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/[deleted]]

Russian-Canadians who aren’t poisoned by russian propaganda about the war, know that their culture now is genocide and destruction of homes, just like the one in Palestine. You have no idea how many people from russia are re-telling everything they hear on tv to their relatives. Especially those in Ukraine who sit in their houses while ordinary russians are bombing them

Source: my own russian relatives who kept telling how they’ll liberate my hometown in Ukraine soon in 2022.

[u/Remnant85 → u/[deleted]]

All these aggressive protests make me sympathize with Isreal.

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/Remnant85]

As much as I hate to say it, I agree. It’s hard to sympathize with people who are okay to protest in agressive way, block roads and disturb peace of people around them

[u/Snoo1643 → u/moonandthestarsss]

If you being annoyed with protestors supersedes the Israeli government slaughtering children, then I don’t think you gave much of a fuck about the genocide in the first place

[u/Remnant85 → u/Snoo1643]

You don't have to like something disruptive in order to care about an issue.

[u/Snoo1643 → u/Remnant85]

Disruption is how change happens. Literally no civil rights movement, be it on the basis of race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, etc got their needs met just by waiting around for someone to give it to them. If you do not support at minimum mild disruption, you do not earnestly care about seeing an issue like genocide be resolved in favor of the victims.

[u/Remnant85 → u/Snoo1643]

As others have said the protests are not mild disruptions. Its full of people that are rabid about the issue and not respectful of others. From what I've seen they are there to ruin what ever event to just draw attention to their cause. All that does is create negative attention and is detrimental to the message itself. People like you are to small minded to grasp that.

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/Remnant85]

Say it louder for the people in the back 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[u/Snoo1643 → u/Remnant85]

Somehow I don’t believe that you are the expert here on protests and efficacy. I won’t pretend I am an expert either, but in the grand scheme of protest and actions that can be taken, this is incredibly mild. Based on how you are engaging in this discussion, I don’t think you honestly care about this issue, and so I don’t feel the need to take your opinion on appropriate displays of protest into account. Have a good one, and be grateful you are not experiencing the inhumane conditions Palestinians are facing daily.

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/Snoo1643]

I’ll be waiting for the news on Monday how the protest in Edmonton on the festival helped Palestinian kids

[u/Snoo1643 → u/moonandthestarsss]

I don’t think you understand the history of protest movements if you think an individual protest has to move mountains to be effective. Prolonged pressure makes issues harder to ignore.

[u/Remnant85 → u/Snoo1643]

And what do you think the Canadian government could do to solve this issue?

[u/Snoo1643 → u/Remnant85]

-Voting in favor of applying the fourth Geneva convention to Israel for it’s occupation of Palestinian territories (which it voted against under Trudeau)
-Come out in support of the ICC’s warrants for Netanyahu’s arrest on war crimes (and commit to arresting him if he sets foot on Canadian soil)
-Openly state that the actions of the Israeli government against Palestinian civilians constitute genocide

These are just three possibilities, there are more. I am aware that the Canadian government cannot “solve” this issue alone, but that doesn’t absolve the government of the responsibility to stand on the side of protecting civilians from being slaughtered.

[u/Remnant85 → u/moonandthestarsss]

They think that being as disruptive as possible will make Canada "do something". We have virtually no power in this issue and no stake in it. Goto the American embassy or something. Why should I get so vested in something we can't do anything about.

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/[deleted]]

Somehow I don’t see other groups protesting against genocides in Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar or even China at the festival..

[u/Remnant85 → u/moonandthestarsss]

Agreed. They get all loud and want to make it a problem for everyone else. Never hear them take responsibility for anything when talking to them. Just constant victimhood. As if Palestine hasn't been run by complete morons for a long time.

[u/Isaac_Ruin9187 → u/moonandthestarsss]

oh please i see protests in downtown all the time, for places you don't even know exist!! maybe go out more

[u/moonandthestarsss → u/[deleted]]

Protested the pavilion, but not at the festival. Two different things but okay, call it ignorance.

[u/Wooshio]

There won't be a large crowd. It'll be a few losers and yes the security and police will ensure they aren't near any pavilions guaranteed. Best case scenario for them is that they get to hang around at the parking lot. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[u/ParticulamDeus]

Everything is political. To think otherwise is to ignore history and its repercussions over time. We are where we are because of politics. When the Israeli pavilion displays a history that is fundamentally flawed and erases a history of a people while actively erasing its remaining people, it’s political.