If only this paraphrase of one of my U.S. senators was true, "For every subscriber lost by writing about genocide and colonial expropriation two are gained because it is patently obvious that inhumane policy engenders an abandonment of civic well-being at home."
I thank Nate Bear for the clarity of his powerful prose. For those that can, please purchase a subscription so the many may benefit from his voice.
Profound and impassioned, your best yet. This piece is so powerfully unflinching, in boldly confronting painful truths. It challenges us all, to face our own complicity or silence in these structures and forces of power. Your closing poem is a poignant call to action. Reading it I felt both choked up and fired up and made me consider what sacrifices are necessary for true liberation. Your writing is more vital than ever, and is a lifeline to those of us who refuse to look away.
That tweet is on a platform owned by the richest man in the world who happens to be a nazi. Everyone should boycott Twitter. Boycott meta. Demand that the billionaire money hoarders give everyone a minimum income, housing, food, healthcare, etc. Basics to live.
My people have protested and protested and protested. The American govt has used vicious dogs, chemicals, live bullets, “rubber bullets”, water canons, arrests, drones, knives, terror, assassinations against American peaceful protesters. Nothing changes. The police still kill Black people for being Black. The police still beat Black people for being Black.
The Native Americans protest against the American government. To no avail. The American government still does whatever they want to the Native Americans.
After 2020, when Minnesota and Minneapolis changed nothing, I gave up. When the white male reporter asked, “are they going to arrest these kids?” , and the government did arrest them, for sitting on the freeway, I knew nothing would change. When the police attempted to arrest the CNN reporter, I knew nothing would change.
I have put myself on the gears and the wheels. I lost a job cause I tried to save the lives of Black children. I was pushed out of an organization cause I pointed out that white employees were given higher performance ratings for less work, than Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian employees. Ratings that impacted pay and promotions and development opportunities.
Tweeting on a platform owned by the biggest money hoarder in the world, who happens to be a nazi, changes nothing.
Americans are too indoctrinated to protest. Poor white people, living off the government, vote for the gop who want to eliminate the government money and healthcare. People whose children have died from the poison in the lake, filled with chemicals dumped by 3m, vote for the gop who wants to do away with all corporate regulations. Its a farce. It’s 1984 by Orwell. We live in a dystopia more dystopian than the imagination.
Twitter et al are my only sources to get the truth out. My anxiety disorder prevents in person organizing. I troll the IDF and US and UK officials on Twitter. It's not much but I won't be silent because that would make me complicit.
twitter is where many people within gaza post what's going on. i've followed many of them daily for the past year. there's a very active pro-palestine community there. if you're a small account like i am, you don't come across elon's toxic stuff at all. do you also plan to boycott amazon, apple, gas stations supplied by fossil fuel companies, all the other platforms owned by billionaires?
Hi Nate, I also lost subscribers when I posted my last post, comparing Netanyahu with Hitler. Why not? Don’t bullied people become bullies when they grow up, abused turn into abusers? Anyway, I also have some ideas on how to protest this sick system we live in. First, read Franco Berardi Il Disertore here in Substack. That is his idea: Desert this society. I think ways to do this are, for example: don't vote, it is a farce anyway; don't buy anything that it is not absolutely necessary; don’t pay your taxes, work the minimum necessary to survive; don't participate in the sick game of consumerism, power, status, carrier, ambition, etc. And raise your voice, like you did here, even if you lose friends, subscribers, or if you get canceled out. Thank you for your post, it makes me feel that I am not the only one.
I followed some people for covid but had to unfollow them when they turned into spineless provincial blue MAGA for whom the devastation & trauma inflicted on palestinians was just one "issue" of many.
you, nate bear, on the other hand, rose to the occasion writing on this genocide demanded. so i continue to follow you. everything you say resonates. thank you for speaking out.
I wonder how many people know the history of this area. Not since 2018 or 1968 or even 1948…but from over 2000 years ago. Just for perspective.
Speaking to us in the here and now; when you look at the history of revolution, there has to be a leader, at least an unofficial one. People working alone against the oppressors with random acts of rebellion does not work. Even with a leader, the oppressors can easily take them out, but it serves to ignite a larger movement. I say this not to discourage voices or action, but to understand the human psychology of mass movements. Knowledge is itself, a form of power. We only need to look at the one I will not name for proof of bringing forth a return of white Christian nationalism among, supposedly, half of the American people within a few short years.
And further, let’s look at human nature itself and the history, not just of the Middle East but of all the major “civilizations” of the world. They did not come to power through peaceful negotiations. The ones with the resources rule those without. Until, the oppressed organize and have more people willing to die for their cause than those in power. It’s the math.
Do I believe in personal change? Absolutely. Do I believe in cultural change, yes, but it’s slow, because those in power keep pushing against change. Prepare yourself for that. Do I believe in an egalitarian civilization of peace and love? Not so much. Human self-interest usually dominates our best intentions. I think the late Zimbardo proved that point. (Don’t get me started on that!)
But keep writing Nate, it is important that we understand ourselves and the larger mental models we live in. Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a good place to start the thought process for anyone who might be interested.
But I’ll end my largely irrelevant philosophical thoughts (compared to your passion) with the great words of The Who:
This was a beautiful and moving piece of written art. There were times while reading it, I had to pause to catch my breath because of how powerfully this touched my heart. Thank you!!!
This struck a nerve. While not directly comparable, today I was told by a judge that protests with blocking streets are not the right way. (Letzte Generation Österreich) Considering I only have been convicted two times previously, the original fine would be reduced. The other woman, having already been fined seven times, got fined the full amount.
So protesting against policies leading to your own starvation somewhere between three and seven times is considered - barely - acceptable. I am still raging and yes, thinking about what our revolution would look like.
Nate, your post brought me to tears. Yesterday afternoon (Sunday), I stood by the Niagara Parkway overlooking Niagara Falls, with a small group of mostly Moslem individuals and families. We're here every Sunday, rallying for the Palestinians and, now, for the Lebanese as well; and my allies -- now friends -- are kind enough to ask me, along with others, to say some words. I don't know how to measure my fury and disgust at the cowardice of my government. How can any words of mine be adequate to mourn the dead and the damaged and the displaced of Gaza and Lebanon, for these kind and caring and sorrowing people around me, most of whom know and understand oppression as I, a British-born white Canadian, have never had to do? So I begin to talk about Yahya Sinwar, about how it took his death to show me what true heroism is, about what the word "martyr" really means in the context of this long struggle of the Palestinian people. Islam is truly a remarkable religion. It is one I can never embrace, because I have neither the faith nor the fortitude, but, as my friends conclude our rally with a prayer, I marvel again at what they have allowed me to experience with them: a glimpse of something far more powerful than those pitiful bombs and rockets and armaments supplied by Western nations, including Canada. That power -- to resist, to endure, to never ever give up fighting for ones people -- so unforgettably expressed in a gesture, a stick thrown at a drone by a dying man, a man with one arm. Yahya Sinwar. We all salute you.
I have no intention of unsubscribing because I may not agree with everything you think, because I believe your heart and intentions are honorable. I frequently don't even agree with everything I think (as in, I am able to change my mind). I am writing in hopes of perhaps changing your mind on at least one point. There is an old saying that one persons terrorist is another's freedom fighter. I agree that many Palestinians are now freedom fighters, but I would leave Sinwar in the terrorist camp. Please do more research on his life, specifically, look in to why he was dubbed "the Butcher of Khan Younis". If you still have such a high opinion of him after reading about the atrocities he committed in his lifetime, I would love for you to tell me why I should change my negative opinion.
The path Netanyahu and his cronies have chosen (and the US has chosen to back) is definitively wrong, but that doesn't make Sinwar's wrongs right.
It was a name given to him by the Israeli government. It is Israeli propaganda. No Palestinians called him that. Yes he worked to weed out collaborators who were spying for Israel and there are reports he had some of them killed. Again though, context is everything. It's war and resistance. Collaborators with a genocidal, occupying enemy getting killed is nothing new and some would find little to condemn
Thank you for this. I agree with everything you have written on your blog.
I am sick and fucking tired of spineless liberals in our Covid activist spaces. The genocide in Gaza, media lies... It's all connected.
Yes...thank you
If only this paraphrase of one of my U.S. senators was true, "For every subscriber lost by writing about genocide and colonial expropriation two are gained because it is patently obvious that inhumane policy engenders an abandonment of civic well-being at home."
I thank Nate Bear for the clarity of his powerful prose. For those that can, please purchase a subscription so the many may benefit from his voice.
Thank you
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Profound and impassioned, your best yet. This piece is so powerfully unflinching, in boldly confronting painful truths. It challenges us all, to face our own complicity or silence in these structures and forces of power. Your closing poem is a poignant call to action. Reading it I felt both choked up and fired up and made me consider what sacrifices are necessary for true liberation. Your writing is more vital than ever, and is a lifeline to those of us who refuse to look away.
Thank you for such lovely words. Means a lot
That tweet is on a platform owned by the richest man in the world who happens to be a nazi. Everyone should boycott Twitter. Boycott meta. Demand that the billionaire money hoarders give everyone a minimum income, housing, food, healthcare, etc. Basics to live.
My people have protested and protested and protested. The American govt has used vicious dogs, chemicals, live bullets, “rubber bullets”, water canons, arrests, drones, knives, terror, assassinations against American peaceful protesters. Nothing changes. The police still kill Black people for being Black. The police still beat Black people for being Black.
The Native Americans protest against the American government. To no avail. The American government still does whatever they want to the Native Americans.
After 2020, when Minnesota and Minneapolis changed nothing, I gave up. When the white male reporter asked, “are they going to arrest these kids?” , and the government did arrest them, for sitting on the freeway, I knew nothing would change. When the police attempted to arrest the CNN reporter, I knew nothing would change.
I have put myself on the gears and the wheels. I lost a job cause I tried to save the lives of Black children. I was pushed out of an organization cause I pointed out that white employees were given higher performance ratings for less work, than Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian employees. Ratings that impacted pay and promotions and development opportunities.
Tweeting on a platform owned by the biggest money hoarder in the world, who happens to be a nazi, changes nothing.
Americans are too indoctrinated to protest. Poor white people, living off the government, vote for the gop who want to eliminate the government money and healthcare. People whose children have died from the poison in the lake, filled with chemicals dumped by 3m, vote for the gop who wants to do away with all corporate regulations. Its a farce. It’s 1984 by Orwell. We live in a dystopia more dystopian than the imagination.
Peace ☮️
Twitter et al are my only sources to get the truth out. My anxiety disorder prevents in person organizing. I troll the IDF and US and UK officials on Twitter. It's not much but I won't be silent because that would make me complicit.
Thank you for all you have done
twitter is where many people within gaza post what's going on. i've followed many of them daily for the past year. there's a very active pro-palestine community there. if you're a small account like i am, you don't come across elon's toxic stuff at all. do you also plan to boycott amazon, apple, gas stations supplied by fossil fuel companies, all the other platforms owned by billionaires?
beautifully written and powerful
Thank you
Hi Nate, I also lost subscribers when I posted my last post, comparing Netanyahu with Hitler. Why not? Don’t bullied people become bullies when they grow up, abused turn into abusers? Anyway, I also have some ideas on how to protest this sick system we live in. First, read Franco Berardi Il Disertore here in Substack. That is his idea: Desert this society. I think ways to do this are, for example: don't vote, it is a farce anyway; don't buy anything that it is not absolutely necessary; don’t pay your taxes, work the minimum necessary to survive; don't participate in the sick game of consumerism, power, status, carrier, ambition, etc. And raise your voice, like you did here, even if you lose friends, subscribers, or if you get canceled out. Thank you for your post, it makes me feel that I am not the only one.
Thanks for the support. And I'll check out Franco
I followed some people for covid but had to unfollow them when they turned into spineless provincial blue MAGA for whom the devastation & trauma inflicted on palestinians was just one "issue" of many.
you, nate bear, on the other hand, rose to the occasion writing on this genocide demanded. so i continue to follow you. everything you say resonates. thank you for speaking out.
I really appreciate this
I wonder how many people know the history of this area. Not since 2018 or 1968 or even 1948…but from over 2000 years ago. Just for perspective.
Speaking to us in the here and now; when you look at the history of revolution, there has to be a leader, at least an unofficial one. People working alone against the oppressors with random acts of rebellion does not work. Even with a leader, the oppressors can easily take them out, but it serves to ignite a larger movement. I say this not to discourage voices or action, but to understand the human psychology of mass movements. Knowledge is itself, a form of power. We only need to look at the one I will not name for proof of bringing forth a return of white Christian nationalism among, supposedly, half of the American people within a few short years.
And further, let’s look at human nature itself and the history, not just of the Middle East but of all the major “civilizations” of the world. They did not come to power through peaceful negotiations. The ones with the resources rule those without. Until, the oppressed organize and have more people willing to die for their cause than those in power. It’s the math.
Do I believe in personal change? Absolutely. Do I believe in cultural change, yes, but it’s slow, because those in power keep pushing against change. Prepare yourself for that. Do I believe in an egalitarian civilization of peace and love? Not so much. Human self-interest usually dominates our best intentions. I think the late Zimbardo proved that point. (Don’t get me started on that!)
But keep writing Nate, it is important that we understand ourselves and the larger mental models we live in. Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a good place to start the thought process for anyone who might be interested.
But I’ll end my largely irrelevant philosophical thoughts (compared to your passion) with the great words of The Who:
“I'll tip my hat to the new Constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again”
This was a beautiful and moving piece of written art. There were times while reading it, I had to pause to catch my breath because of how powerfully this touched my heart. Thank you!!!
This is spot on. I'm glad you said it. That video of Sinwar's final moments is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
This struck a nerve. While not directly comparable, today I was told by a judge that protests with blocking streets are not the right way. (Letzte Generation Österreich) Considering I only have been convicted two times previously, the original fine would be reduced. The other woman, having already been fined seven times, got fined the full amount.
So protesting against policies leading to your own starvation somewhere between three and seven times is considered - barely - acceptable. I am still raging and yes, thinking about what our revolution would look like.
Thank you, Nate.
Heart breaking
Brilliant writing ♡
Nate, your post brought me to tears. Yesterday afternoon (Sunday), I stood by the Niagara Parkway overlooking Niagara Falls, with a small group of mostly Moslem individuals and families. We're here every Sunday, rallying for the Palestinians and, now, for the Lebanese as well; and my allies -- now friends -- are kind enough to ask me, along with others, to say some words. I don't know how to measure my fury and disgust at the cowardice of my government. How can any words of mine be adequate to mourn the dead and the damaged and the displaced of Gaza and Lebanon, for these kind and caring and sorrowing people around me, most of whom know and understand oppression as I, a British-born white Canadian, have never had to do? So I begin to talk about Yahya Sinwar, about how it took his death to show me what true heroism is, about what the word "martyr" really means in the context of this long struggle of the Palestinian people. Islam is truly a remarkable religion. It is one I can never embrace, because I have neither the faith nor the fortitude, but, as my friends conclude our rally with a prayer, I marvel again at what they have allowed me to experience with them: a glimpse of something far more powerful than those pitiful bombs and rockets and armaments supplied by Western nations, including Canada. That power -- to resist, to endure, to never ever give up fighting for ones people -- so unforgettably expressed in a gesture, a stick thrown at a drone by a dying man, a man with one arm. Yahya Sinwar. We all salute you.
Bravo👏👏👏
I have no intention of unsubscribing because I may not agree with everything you think, because I believe your heart and intentions are honorable. I frequently don't even agree with everything I think (as in, I am able to change my mind). I am writing in hopes of perhaps changing your mind on at least one point. There is an old saying that one persons terrorist is another's freedom fighter. I agree that many Palestinians are now freedom fighters, but I would leave Sinwar in the terrorist camp. Please do more research on his life, specifically, look in to why he was dubbed "the Butcher of Khan Younis". If you still have such a high opinion of him after reading about the atrocities he committed in his lifetime, I would love for you to tell me why I should change my negative opinion.
The path Netanyahu and his cronies have chosen (and the US has chosen to back) is definitively wrong, but that doesn't make Sinwar's wrongs right.
It was a name given to him by the Israeli government. It is Israeli propaganda. No Palestinians called him that. Yes he worked to weed out collaborators who were spying for Israel and there are reports he had some of them killed. Again though, context is everything. It's war and resistance. Collaborators with a genocidal, occupying enemy getting killed is nothing new and some would find little to condemn
May I ask why my reply to this was removed?