Angry Political Crap (Shitpost)
This is going to get lost in the shuffle, but I find that when two people in a long-term relationship are mostly on the same page re the current dumpster fires at home and abroad, they are still going to split hairs over whatever it is.
My fiance doesn't detest Putin nearly as much as he detests Trump and Netanyahu. I think Putin is worse than the other two, but then one of my special interests is current affairs in eastern Europe and Russia. He also downplays the shellacking Ukraine has taken and continues to take from the invading Russian forces while echoing the Russian party line about Ukrainian neo-Nazis.
My love and father of our child, if you were listening to accounts from Ukrainians on the ground, you would realize three things. 1) The pitiable state of Gazans plus Netanyahu's blatant corruption and land-grabbing doesn't supersede Ukraine's hour of need or its collective suffering at Russian hands. 2) It's not a matter of who is more oppressed and attacked; you can feel empathy for the afflicted in both conflicts. 3) There are decisive reasons most of Europe is mobilizing for Ukraine and against the eventuality of a broader Russian invasion--it is historically true that if you give a Russian dictator an inch, they will walk all over you. My maternal grandfather, who lived through the Molotov-von Ribbentrop pact, could have said as much in fewer words.
Bear in mind my fiance came of age when virtually every educated person outside of the States condemned the United States, South Africa, and Israel as an evil triumvirate. Fine. I get that.
Complicating this further, I am Jewish (thank you, matrilineal descent) with relatives who were directly affected by the events of 7 October. I wish my relatives to live through this chaos. I do not want Israelis dead en masse. I am always cautious when speaking about my personal beliefs on this front because of how polarizing the subject has become. And I am aware that there are those who (on learning of my Jewishness) would gleefully salivate over my death and even that of my infant daughter.
I am not sure where I'm going with this, except to say that if you believe that my Jewishness cancels out my humanity or that all Israelis should burn, do not engage. Do not collect two hundred dollars, do not pass Go, do not engage. If you want to continue playing into the horseshoe bigotry that informs the far right and the far left, that is your affair--but include me out.