When they stop believing

  



 

“If you decide to co-sign their nonsense, then you are the buffoon they believe you to be.” Dr. BLR

 

One of the greatest gifts a society can give is the ability to discover the truth about its history. For many years, older generations mainly believed what the mass media and the government told them, hook, line, and sinker. This mindset caused parents to pass it on to their children, and it continued until the hype was no longer trusted. 

I often engage my students in discussions about my past, and I get puzzled looks because some of what I share doesn’t make sense to them. I can’t blame them because I used to ask my mother about her childhood and couldn’t believe some of the things she endured because of what they were told and what they believed. It is this discussion that motivates this essay.

Many of my students are paying attention to current events in society. Like past generations, we are experiencing difficult times with many wars happening worldwide. The difference this time is that the information we receive doesn’t mainly come from mainstream media because this generation doesn't trust it. I’m impressed that they pay attention. Yet they are willing to discuss controversial issues without fear.

During a discussion in my Multicultural in Justice course, a young white male student blurted out, “The Jews control our media!” I believed this to be true, but I was shocked that he was comfortable expressing his thoughts. Then it dawned on me that this was about the State of Israel and probably his disbelief with what has taken place between Israel and Palestine. While this topic is controversial, the university classroom is where such conversations need to happen.

Fast forward to today. I was scrolling through my Instagram and paused to watch a young white male speaking very disparagingly about the ongoing war, started by the United States and Israel against Iran, in an unprovoked way. As I watched, his venom toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel grew stronger. He complained that American men and women were being forced to fight a war for Israel. He probably referenced the six service members who were recently killed. What truly shocked me was that his post wasn’t removed from the platform because Instagram is owned by Mark Zuckerberg, a Jew. The mere fact that he said what he said told me that other white males are watching similar videos and probably feel the same way, and this should serve as a wake-up call, again, for America, that these young people are alert and recognize that mainstream media has been bought.

In 2017, during a clash at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists, neo-fascists, and neo-Nazis against counter-protesters, the chant “Jews will not replace us” served as the rallying cry for the white supremacists. I mention this because when I listened to the white male in the video, I sensed a similar tone in his voice, which made me wonder if this signals what’s to come. It’s no secret that this rally occurred during President Trump’s first term, and the war with Iran was initiated by him, although it’s also known that he was influenced by Netanyahu. Moreover, just the other day, a white male former Marine, Brian McGinnis, while exercising his First Amendment rights at a Senate hearing, when he yelled out, “No one wants to fight for Israel,” was arrested and had his arm broken while being detained by Capitol police. 

These incidents spark debates in my class because students can see firsthand that something isn't right. Over the years, I asked them their opinions about the 9/11 tragedy, and without fail, they claimed that based on what they saw on social media and read about, it was an inside job carried out by Jews. To them, their eyes don’t lie. I then ask their opinion of the war in Palestine and Israel. Overwhelmingly, they say that even though the Palestinian group Hamas was wrong for killing Jewish people, they understand why. To them, the terrible conditions that Palestinians have been made to live in, and the subsequent genocide and ethnic cleansing by Israel, don't help the Israeli cause. While I never take sides on their thoughts, I am glad that world politics is probably being discussed among their peer groups. 

To say the least, I am truly proud of these young people because they are becoming critical thinkers and are not falling for the political hype. They are using the model of checking several sources before forming their opinions. They are our future, and I hope to be around to see what they accomplish. In the immortal words of Public Enemy’s song, “Don’t Believe the Hype!” Do your research and check out their video if you are not familiar with it. Peace…and I mean it. 



 


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