Many people, especially Israel supporters, have asked me this question:
Marc, why are you so obsessed with Palestine?
I like to answer it like this: Imagine you were told a bunch of lies since birth. Lies about how your people are better than everyone else, and lies about how Israel is our rightful homeland, where we all belong, and a moral and honorable example of freedom, democracy, and justice.
Sometimes those lies are stated explicitly, but most of the time, like other institutionalized falsehoods, they are merely implied, inferred by example.
Those lies are taught to you by the people you trust the most: your parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, teachers, family friends, and community leaders. It takes a village - everyone works together to instill this narrative.
Eventually, you wake up. You decide to learn the truth for yourself. Your eyes are open. And you realize you’ve been lied to by just about everyone you counted on. The people you trusted weren’t “bad”, per se. They themselves were taught the same lies and they are merely passing along their version of the truth. But that doesn’t make it ok.
Because this story is not benign. It’s malignant. And it’s not some nice abstraction. It’s as real as a bomb. It leads to dehumanization and discrimination. It leads to apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.
That’s why I’m obsessed. Whether their intensions were good or bad. I’m angry and disappointed in everyone who misled me.
Throughout my life, even in my childhood, I knew there was something wrong with this story. But I didn’t do or say enough, because I didn’t want to make trouble.
But as the great civil rights pioneer, John Lewis, said: “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
From now, I’m going to be a good trouble maker. Will you join me?