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Politics and Activism

Unpopular Opinion: I'm A Jew And I Dislike Israel

It's not as black and white as you would think

Josh Sweren

Sep 19, 2016

Drexel University

Unpopular Opinion: I'm A Jew And I Dislike Israel

Mapall

So most people think that because I'm Jewish I have to love Israel. Well you'd be wrong about that one. The idealism behind the state of Israel is all well and good but in practicality Israel isn't a very nice place. There are a lot of negatives about Israel that I feel outweigh the benefits it provides.

The idealism behind the state of Israel is very noble. Israel is supposed to be a safe place for the Jewish people to live. A place where they don't have to worry about adversary and everyone wanting to kill them. Israel is supposed to provide a place of safety and equality for the Jewish people and ideally for those who can't find it elsewhere. Israel was supposed to be the end of looking over your shoulder for the "bad guy" and the end of living in fear of persecution. Unfortunately, it is not.

Immediately after being founded Israel was plunged into war. Throughout its entire history Israel has had to fight to stay where it is. This means that Israel is not a safe place for its citizens - of any religion. And this fighting doesn't just hurt the Jewish Israeli citizens but the Muslim/Arab Israeli citizens and the citizens of the surrounding country. There are innocent people on both side of the border caught in this fight among religion that is honestly pointless. Who cares what religion someone is?

Not only the wars surrounding Israel but its government makes Israel hard for me to support. The government, while on paper is pretty sound, is in reality controlled by the orthodox Jews that live in Israel. No government, especially a representative one, should be controlled by a minority - and an extremist one at that. The orthodox have used their power to get them out of mandatory military service and warp the laws to follow their beliefs.

While I wish there was an easy solution to these problems I don't see one. As long as Israel exists there will be fighting over it. And in my mind, the lives Israel takes and puts in danger outweighs the benefit of the idealism of a Jewish homeland. No matter who controls Israel there will always be another group fighting to take it from them. As long as there has been religion, there has been fighting for the holy land, and it will not end soon. While I wish for the day that I can support Israel, I don't see it coming soon.

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Unpopular Opinion: I'm A Jew And I Dislike Israel

It's not as black and white as you would think

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

Told through Parks & Recreation GIFs

Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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