‘Wack MCs’ | The Drawing Board
In an illustrated op-ed, local artist Joe Boruchow crafted a paper cutout to encourage student protesters against the Israel-Hamas war to shun the "most extreme voices" on college campuses.
Once again, I’ve been triggered to make a cutout by something that appeared on my social media feeds. This time, Macklemore’s viral new music video, “Hind’s Hall.”
His statement of solidarity with the encampments and protests about the Israel-Hamas war conflates Zionism and Israel with white supremacy and police brutality in the U.S. and globally.
It is emblematic of how the protests have had as their mouthpieces the most extreme voices. These ostensible voices for peace undermine a movement that I think is made up primarily of well-intentioned folks who want to see an end to the cycle of violence in the region.
The bullhorn chants of “intifada revolution” and preached manifestos claiming that Jews “can’t jump out of the burning buildings of Europe and land on the backs of Palestinian people” distorts history and is dehumanizing to one of the most essential allies they have to peace: progressive Zionists.
Without progressive Zionists and moderate Palestinians working together toward a peaceful resolution, we will be doomed to permanent conflict led by extremists on both sides, most recently manifested by the clashes of right-wing Zionists and anti-Israel protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles.
But there is another way. Instead of the alienating, twisted ideology of revolution and elimination, we should look to groups like Standing Together, a grassroots Jewish-Arab movement fighting for peace, equality, and social justice in Israel and Palestine.
Instead of shouting conspiracy theories and deliberately activating the generational trauma of peace-loving Jews, we should be organizing around principles described by leaders like Rabbi Sharon Brous or Palestinian American Mo Husseini, who agree that “true long-term freedom, security, and self-determination for Palestinians cannot exist without creating a reciprocal reality for Israelis.”
The protesters would be wise to embrace this inclusive and humanistic approach. Instead, the movement allows itself to be led by wack MCs who twist the truth, espouse repulsive ideologies, and sabotage any progress we could possibly make toward peace.
If you have an idea for a drawing, editorial cartoon, multi-panel comic strip, or other illustration that might serve as a visual op-ed, please email oped@inquirer.com.