Notices by Karen Wyld (karenwyld@aus.social), page 2

Non Palestinians are spamming hashtags to promote their businesses; I'm seeing it coming mostly from creatives. Some are not even being clear how much of the sale goes to the charities.

My main question is: Did they consult with any Palestinian organisations or people?

Fellow outsiders do better. Buyers do better.

What' could be better:
* Give money direct to a reputable charity.
* Buy Palestinian art and products. Borrow Palestinian literature from the library.
* Engage with Palestinian organisations, or talk to your Palestinian friends and ask how you can support them. (But don't burden people)
* Don't use hashtags like Palestine, Gaza, etc to spam your non Palestinian business or art.
* Be respectful. Listen, engage, reflect, reconsider.
* Admins/mods keep an eye out for non Palestinians inappropriately using the Palestine hashtags to spam their businesses or artwork.

(And of course, Palestinian creatives, businesses and organisations on Mastodon can do whatever they choose. My beef is with outsider opportunists)

Genocide is not an opportunity for outsiders to centre themselves, promote their business, or sell their creative work.

I have so much respect for Jewish people around the world, and the people living in Israel, who are speaking up against the state of Israel's violence. Seeing their words online and their presence at rallies is heartening. Their support for Palestinians, this courage to stand up knowing the risks, is commendable.

As for any outspoken genocide apologists or deniers - I have no time for your hate.

@palestine #Palestine #GenocideInGaza #FreePalestine

Tw*itter, Facebook and Instagram are shadowbanning and suspending people who post about the state of Israel's violence - to silence truth.

On Mastodon, there's been an increase in bad faith reports - to silence truth.

To push back, we all need to stay informed, reflect on what we're reading/seeing and reject IDF propaganda. And watch what we're posting - I know it's easy to slip up; word a post poorly so the meaning is misinterpreted, boost something not properly read.

Anti-Semitism should never be tolerated, but carefully-worded, factual criticism of the state of Israel is not anti-Semitism. Islamaphobia should also not be tolerated. Bigotry of any type is harmful.

Experts have long identified that the state of Israel is an apartheid state. Experts are now labelling what they're doing as genocide and/or ethnic cleansing.

The state of Israel is harming many peoples, and must be internationally condemned. Keep speaking up for Palestinians - our voices are a threat to fascists and their supporters.

And if this post bothers you: mute or block me, instead of doing another tedious bad faith report.

#FediblockDrama

I'm seeing people in the fedi hashtags tooting about "fedi drama" again. Labelling anti-Black racism or other forms of racialised bigotry "drama" is in itself racist.

Of course some people aren't really aware of the harm they're contributing to when using the word "drama' to refer to anti-Blackness. But it belittles people who are speaking up against racism, it sends a message to Black people that they're not welcome here, and it softens a widespread issue.

Racism isn't drama. It deprives people of human rights. It is pushing people off Mastodon. There is evidence that it leads to physical and mental health conditions. And it even kills people (eg murder by cops).

It's not fedi drama. It's racism.

#FediBlockMeta
If Instances are suspending accounts for showing support for Palestinians (who are currently under siege) - those admins/mods need to urgently educate themselves or seek expert input.

Antisemitism or any form of bigotry is never ok. Neither is being disrespectful about the many peoples who call that region home; peoples who have valued intergenerational relationships with each other and the land.

We (admins/mods) need to be careful how we moderate right now. But if you are blocking or punishing people that are speaking up against the state of Israel's unfathomable acts of violence, including massacring civilians they have trapped, then you're not being a good global citizen or community moderator.

#Palestine @palestine
#Israel

{Edit: really not interested in white people's opinions, so please don't fill my notifications with your hot takes. Especially if you don't know me}

The damn referendum has closed. Whatever the result, please be kind and don't be a racist/paternalistic gronk.

Please think before you go sharing photos of your wine glasses and cheese boards, as you watch the live counts - not this time. Consider how white privileged and offensive to Indigenous people that would be.

And think off us aus.social mods. I don't want to see any reports for anti-Indigenous racism tonight. Signed, the cranky Blak mod

Let's not be polite, to protect white moderates from discomfort. There's a genocide going on. Two million people are interned, with water, food and electricity cut off. Hospitals, schools and universities have been bombed. One million children are watching bombs rain down on them. The death toll of this massacre will be unfathomable.

People on the so-called bad place are speaking out, calling on governments to condemn the state of Israel. Instagram is speaking up. Bluesky is showing solidarity for Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Mastodon is mostly 🦗🦗🦗🦗🦗

@palestine #Palestine

of all the social media platforms I'm on (Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky) - Mastodon is consistently the most apathetic towards human rights, equity, antiracism, decolonisation, anti-apartheid, Indigenous rights, land back, justice etc.

Time and time again, whenever something big happens (deaths in custody, apartheid, anti-war protests, crimes against humanity, occupation), people on all the other platforms show support. But log into Mastodon, scroll hashtags or the fedi timeline, and it's like these events barely exist.

I don't know why. Mastodon is not significantly whiter or more middle-class than the other platforms. It's not being run by a corporation. And yet, it's the most apathetic and least radical space.

White moderates are (often dangerously) apathetic. And Mastodon will never be my true online home.

If you're in Adelaide, and you like poetry, come along to Writers SA's Poetry Month event next Thursday. 6:30pm Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George Road, Thebarton.

I'll be reading my first ever published poem (warning: I'm not a poet) alongside real poets Ali Cobby Eckermann, David Ishaya Osu, Jill Jones, and Kami McInnes.

And keep an eye on Red Room website and socials for the 30 poems in 30 days project. As well as other events for poetry month > https://redroompoetry.org/projects/poetry-month/30in30/

Today is National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day. I love this year's theme: Little Voices, Loud Futures.

Find out more about this annual day > https://www.aboriginalchildrensday.com.au/

#Aboriginal #TorresStraitIslanders #FirstNations #Indigenous

#FediblockMeta
Most SM platforms lack capacity to handle reports that refer to anti-Indigenous abuse or behaviour. So, some tips for #FediAdmin and mods when receiving reports about racism and harassment targeted at #Indigenous people - from an Indigenous mod from so-called Australia with both lived and professional experience:

1. In addition to universal slurs & offensive terms used against Indigenous people, there's also geographical terms. If in doubt, ask for advice.

2. Non-Indigenous people questioning an Indigenous person's identity, culture, connections, lived experiences etc is racist. It doesn't matter if there was "good intent".

3. The above behaviour is often gaslighting or DARVO. It's a tactic used to silence Indigenous people, and discredit them.

4. Non-Indigenous people using blood quantum or light skin appearance to silence, question or harass an Indigenous person is highly racist. And is another tactic anti-Indigenous racists use.

[In so-called Australia, non-Indigenous people weaponising/discussing BQ and appearance of Indigenous people is highly offensive, as it was an eugenic tool used to excuse genocide]

5. Racism against Indigenous people, especially from centralists or leftists, is often masked by paternalism, sealioning, race-based micro-aggressions, and whitesplaining.

6 Things bystanders/racist apologists do that make it worse - a) offering support to the abusers. b) replying to Indigenous people who are being racially attacked with comments such as: "I didn't see any racism" "You're the racist" "Get help for your trauma" "They're always nice to me" "They're an ally, so be nicer to them".

6. Indigenous peoples are not an homogeneous group. So you can't always apply local information you know to reports. If in doubt, reach out to someone from that region with experience.

7. non-Indigenous using an aspect of their own identity, or the abuser they're defending, to argue they "can't be racist against Indigenous people because....", is gaslighting and/or an attempt to divert/shut down the conversation.

8. Racist apologists are also racist.

9. Abusers shifting from racialised comments to appearance shaming, for the purpose of continuing harassment, mocking or pile-ons of an Indigenous person, is an attempt to mask their racism abuse.

9. Outspoken Indigenous people, or those with a public profile (ie journalists, authors, actors, politicians, activists, academics, large followings), are commonly racially abused on social media platforms. Believe us when we make reports or speak up, as we are familiar with all the tactics racists use.

There are very few Indigenous mods on Mastodon, and even less Indigenous mods. But we all want to see anti-Indigenous abuse and behaviour addressed. If in doubt, reach out to us.

Please don't hesitate to take action when anti-Indigenous racism & behaviour is reported. Let's not duplicate the problems of other social media platforms. Be #AntiRacist - always

Wonder which outlet would pay for an opinion piece on the unaddressed anti-Indigenous attitudes across Mastodon.

I could title it: Tech Will Eradicate Racism - and other Mastodon Myths.

Or - Smug White Person Says Racism Doesn't Exit On Mastodon, so Case Closed.

Even - Nice Toot You Have There, Mind If I Colonise It.

That one is my favourite. And I'm serious. I've no work at the moment, and op eds is what I do when I need quick income.

Never piss off a writer, kids.

I know everyone is used to faceless mods or a bot dealing with reports, but it's different here. On this Instance (and many others) the mods reading reports come from diverse backgrounds, including socially and/or historically marginalised peoples with lived experiences of standing up against hate and prejudice.

Which means, mods on Mastodon are constantly reading and discussing reports about posts with content that has real impacts on them. It might just be words to whoever is posting them (and to be frank, it is often centralists and self-proclaiming liberals/left). But for many mods, these posts often represent the oppression, trauma, violence and otherising that we survive on a daily basis.

So please think of the real people dealing with reports. Who know what they are doing, and are committed to making Mastodon an inclusive space. And please - reflect on what impact your edgy posts might have on others.

It's interesting watching *BlackfullaTwitter move onto Bluesky and settle in there so quickly, in a way that never happened on Mastodon. When hardly anyone stuck around here.
Bluesky is as white as Mastodon, but less smug and no reply guys. And, so far, no white Australian "allies" bothering us.

(*BlackfullaTwitter = Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on Twitter)

(White people: please don't reply to this post. It's not addressed to you. Instead, feel welcome to sit down, listen, and reflect)

Are there any #Indigenous #PoC or #Black #Mods who might be interested in sharing tips or being part of a global online support network?

I'm new to #Mastodon (3+ weeks) but straightaway saw whiteness, paternalism, micro-aggressions and racism threading throughout the fediverse.

My first racist sealion/gaslight hit was on day 1 (he's moved two times since, and I've blocked all three accounts), with another the next day (who then found me on twitter, just to yell at me). Reporting and blocking doesn't fix ingrained whiteness or white fragility (yts, please do not @ me to object or offer suggestions).

Because of what I was observing in the wider Mastodon space, and after listening to people who've paved the way, I volunteered to be a mod. My team is awesome, and I'm confident we can together do good.

I've a lot of personal and professional experience of being the only Aboriginal person on all-white teams. And I know so-called progressive spaces are as problematic as other spaces.

Being able to connect with people with same/similar experiences is good. Reduces burnout and trauma, and helps with finding solutions to specific challenges.

Many of us are aware that anti-Indigenous prejudice is on the rise in so-called Australia. And research backs this up.

Reconciliation Australia's most recent biennial Barometer report "...shows Indigenous people are experiencing greater levels of racial prejudice than they were in 2020...".

Race and racism research Professor Chelsea Watego says... "What this barometer doesn't give us a sense of is institutional racism, which is far more covert, and every day and embedded into the fabric of our society," she said. "So while it is alarming, it is also an underestimation of the reality of racism in Australian society."

#Indigenous #FirstNations #Racism

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-24/reconciliation-australia-releases-barometer-report/101684650

Today's @indigenousauthors book recommendation from me is two spec fic anthologies:
Walking The Clouds: an Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction (2012) edited by Grace L Dillion, a writer and academic of Anishinaabe descent.

This All Come Back Now: an Anthology of First Nations Speculative Fiction (2022) edited by Mykaela Saunders, a Koori writer and scholar of Dharug decent.

Walking the Clouds was a ground-breaking book that inspired many writers and started a wave of Indigenous Futurism. It's exciting seeing more and more Indigenous writers create, fuse, experiment, disrupt literature in ways that combine old and new ways of storytelling.

#Indigenous #FirstNations #Literature

Have you read The White Girl (2019) by Tony Birch?

I love this cover. The newly released UK version has a drawing of a bath on the cover.

The White Girl is a story of a grandmother who protects her grandchild from a cruel, racist cop; who wants to remove her using systematically racist laws that deprived #Aboriginal people of human rights pre-1970s.

In the background, as the narrative moves from country to city, is the historical activism and resistance that led to improved human rights for #FirstPeoples in so-called Australia.

@indigenousauthors
@auslit
@bookstodon
#LitStudies #AmReading

@Rachel_Thorn yeah, that's an urban myth. Same as the myth: there's no racism on Mastodon.

Interesting. The racist I blocked day one of being on mastodon is not middle-aged or older, like I'd assumed by his attempt to sealion me. He's loaded a video on a new Aus Instance (he's moved at least 3 times in 2 weeks). Looks younger enough to still gets carded at the bottlo. Blocked him a third time :)