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

@aral may all victims of past and present genocides and ethnic cleansing get justice. After Palestinian people are liberated from the apartheid regime of Israel, I'll continue to speak up against genocide and other extreme forms of state violence. But Palestine (and Aboriginal rights) is where my current focus is. @Ryntastic

Houthis are shining lights of humanity and hope. Yemen, Palestine, and South Africa are doing more to disrupt the apartheid regime of Israel's extreme violence than all affluent Western nations combined. Reminding us how flawed, racist, and inhumane Western democracy really is.

Edit: Turkey has just announced they'll be backing South Africa's application to the IJC. Another nation speaking up against Israel's crimes of genocide :sickos2:

[No white reply guys, please. I'm venting - probably about you. Just shut up and listen]

Mastodon is full of white moderates with "polite" excuses for racism and racists. "Polite" excuses for supporting a genocide. "Polite" excuses for state violence against Black, Indigenous, or Arab people.

This bullshit is exhausting. And it's infuriating that few white people can see what's going on. Because this abusive polite-white racism and white supremacy is often invisible to people who don't experience it themselves. Or they benefit from maintaining the status quo of systemic racism.

But online and offline life are not disconnected spaces.

Systemic racism is driving the apartheid state of Israel to murder and terrorise Palestinians. Systemic racism is being used to excuse this genocide. Systemic racism resources IOF. And white-polite people around the world enable this violence to continue with no consequences.

But back to Mastodon....

Systemic racism is keeping Mastodon from being an inclusive, safe, anti-racist space. White-polite racism is stopping Mastodon from being an effective space to advocate for Palestinians, and to condemn the apartheid regime of Israel.

Free Palestine, from the river to the sea.

Fuck white-polite

I'll never forget who stated Israel (government) has a right to attack civilians, while Palestine does not have a right to defend themselves against this heavily-militarised state.

The horror of witnessing wave after wave of state violence. The sadistic violence. Murdered and maimed children. Whole families wiped off the earth. Communities destroyed. Libraries, universities and art galleries gone. Scars and trauma that will last for generations. I will never forget.

People standing on the wrong side of history will be remembered for many generations.

The love, kindness, endurance, community care, and strength that Palestinian people showed the world will also be remembered for many generations.

#SavePalestine @palestine

I'm not going to write From the River to the Sea today. Because yet another person will do another nuisance report - someone so full of hate they can't envision a liberated Palestine where Palestinians and Israelis co-exist in harmony.

I'm not going to write, once again, that I strongly condemn the state of Israel for apartheid, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and massacring civilians. Because yet another person will just do another nuisance report - someone who holds irrational, race-based hate for Palestinians and other Arab peoples.

I'm not going to speak of the 1000s of innocent children who have been murdered by the state of Israel; or displaced, orphaned, starved, injured and traumatised. Because yet another person will just do another nuisance report - because they are so heartless they feel nothing when witnessing the murder of Palestinian children.

Instead, today I will simply say: may you remember to your last breath what you did or didn't do as countless people were slaughtered by the immoral Israeli government and brutal IOF. May you forever be remembered for what you did or didn't do during these dark days.

PS reporting me for speaking up against extreme state violence says more about you than it does about me.

@palestine #Palestine #FreePalestine

Today marks 6 weeks since Hamas killed an estimated 1200 Israelis.

May peace be upon them.

Today marks 6 weeks of brutal attacks on Palestine by the state of Israel. Over 12,000 people murdered by the apartheid regime of Israel. Millions displaced, starving and dehydrated. Countless trapped under rubble, injured, and/or orphaned. And no ceasefire or mercy in sight.

May Allah be merciful with the martyrs.

Both Palestinians and Israelis need to be liberated from the state of Israel's extreme violence.

May they all be free, from the river to the sea.

#Palestine @palestine #FreePalestine

It's genocide
genocide
genocide
genocide.

The state of Israel is murdering people they have trapped in a concentration camp.

The state of Israel is murdering people in refugee camps.

The state of Israel is murdering people in Gaza, Jenin, Jerusalem, the West Bank....

They've quickly moved from apartheid to genocide.

And still Western governments are not condemning them, let alone stopping them.

No more genocide!

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. She and her people will be free.

Read the internationally ratified definition of genocide > https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml

#Palestine #FreePalestine
@palestine

the state of Israel, IDF, and people who support them are assaulting and murdering people in Gaza, West Bank, Jenin, Jerusalem and many other locations.

They are threatening and committing violent acts against Palestinians, Arabs, Christians, Jews, and other peoples. They are harming their own citizens.

Stop swallowing the propaganda. This regime of evil needs to stop.

#EndTheGenocide

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.