Understanding Israeli-Palestinian Discourse

No matter how hard I steer clear of it, Israel-Palestine always resurfaces.

Take recently, when Cristina Vee got dragged into this. Vee’s a voice actress who’s worked on the dubs of Mahou Shoujo Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the redo of Sailor Moon. She’s really talented, and she has many fans. She’s also half-Lebanese and half-Latino, making her identity unique. That she has a beautiful singing voice is also a plus, but that’s not relevant. Moving on.

Ever since October 7th, 2023, when Hamas attacked two kibbutzim in Israel, the ensuing conflict has resulted in polarization and toxicity. I’ve already shared my thoughts twice, three times if you include my exit letter from Twitter, but the situation hasn’t calmed down. If anything, it’s gotten worse! And nowhere is this more-apparent than in the armchair politics Lynda Carter warned everyone about. It’s gotten to the point where internet figures have made it into political football, which brings me back to Vee.

Cristina Vee recently wound up on a list of VAs who “openly support Israel” as a means of boycotting them. Ignoring how petty this was, Vee’s profile became public to accounts who harassed and threatened her. She even deactivated her Twitter account for her own safety. In other words, it got nasty. The lows we sink to…

This situation reeks of shamelessness. For one, no one knew what Vee’s personal politics were, so this was a hit job. And two, even if she was pro-Israel, so what? Not only is that common in the West, but it doesn’t justify a harassment and doxing campaign! Vee wasn’t inciting anyone! And she relies on Twitter for her PR. Why would you rob that based on a hunch?

I’d end here, but it was quickly revealed that Vee had been “wrongly targeted”. Instead of rectifying this, the account responsible made a poor public apology. When that didn’t work, they deactivated. So great, first a libellous rumour spread, and then the originator of it went AWOL. I’d be annoyed if I weren’t impressed by the brazenness.

Okay, a VA is attacked for something that was revealed to be untrue, and the culprit disappears. Surely this can’t get any dumber, right? Wrong. It turns out they had a friend that began white knighting their reputation, saying they were “sensitive” and “suicidal” and this was a “simple mistake”. I call bullocks. Knocking over a mug placed at the edge of a table and breaking it is a “simple mistake”. This isn’t that.

Of course, it wasn’t enough to reverse the damage. Not only was a VA smeared over a lie, but the liar nuked their credibility. And then a third party shot their own respectability in the foot for coming to the liar’s defence. Are we sure we’re not in middle school here? Because this is something pre-teens would do.

If it sounds like I’m being harsh, it’s only because Vee has grounds for a defamation lawsuit. I’m not saying this because I’m a fan of hers, I’m saying it because this is an example of how toxic the internet can be. Ignoring who started this war, thousands of innocent civilians on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian, have been murdered and traumatized. On the Israeli side, health officials are preparing for potential pregnancies that resulted from rape on October 7th. And on the Palestinian side, think of how long it’ll take to rebuild The Gaza Strip.

The harshness of this war being offset by petty politics, therefore, is the biggest insult to injury. It also underscores how it’s broken the sensibilities of so many, leading to really disgusting fights and verbal sparring. To top it off, it’s ruined careers because people can’t mind their own business. It’s bad enough that Antisemitism and Islamophobia have skyrocketed since October 7th without people starting needless fires. That’s not productive, trust me.

Above all, this is a microcosm of how October 7th has given a machine gun worth of hate-ammo to some awful voices, both online and offline. There are people I once regarded as friends that I can no longer have good-faith conversations with because they refuse to acknowledge the pain that’s stemmed from this war. It hurts. It hurts, and what happened to Vee is why it hurts. Even ignoring that, it sidesteps the fact that Israelis and Palestinians aren’t going to magically disappear, so they need to learn to live side-by-side.

As for Cristina Vee? I’m hoping she reactivates her account, even if she has a presence on other platforms. Ignoring my many issues with Twitter, that site was part of her branding, and now it’s gone. And it’s gone for a dumb reason. That saddens me, and it should sadden everyone else. Because she deserved more.

That’s not what I can say of the person who ruined her reputation, someone I won’t name because I don’t want to add to this. However, if they really are suicidal and sensitive, then I have words of friendly advice: you want to not get into trouble? Don’t poke your nose where it doesn’t belong. I’m a sensitive person too, but this is low. And I’ve made some big mistakes online! It’s not worth making your life miserable, and I’m embarrassed that you dragged an innocent woman’s reputation through the mud. Do better.

Discussing Political Ableism

Ableism’s an unusual kind of bigotry. It’s prevalent in how we communicate, and it shapes how we live our lives. The biggest offenders on a macrocosmic scale are politicians, though. The attitudes they have inspire others to behave a certain way, including ableism. However, while politicians can be ableist, they’re still prone to the same issues as everyone else. So while it’s important to keep them accountable, that accountability should be sculpted carefully. Because if we can’t criticize politicians without being ableist, then what’s the point?

I should note that I have no love for politicians myself, but let’s dive in anyway:

The biggest target of ableism right now, in my mind, is Joe Biden. Biden, the oldest president in history, has been the subject of scrutiny over his mental acuity. “Biden’s in cognitive decline!”, I hear. “He has a poor working memory!” And while it might seem like that, since he often appears that way in public briefings, that there’s no official documentation to back this up is a red flag. Especially given what he's disclosed before.

Biden has a speech impediment. In particular, he has a stutter, one that causes him to repeat words, make gaffes and lose his train of thought. I know we think of stutters as repeating syllables constantly, but it’s more varied than that. I’m no expert, but considering that I stumble on my words when I’m nervous, that the 46th POTUS is open about stuttering should be inspiring. It’s not every day that someone with a stutter becomes the leader of a global superpower, right?

Biden’s issues with public speaking, aside from being something many people struggle with, are usually offset by one-on-ones. He can hold himself there, as shown through his Town Hall leading up to the 2020 elections. But outside of that, Biden’s gaffes have no negative impact on his base. If anything, people find them endearing! Especially since he's been in the political eye for over 50 years! If people aren’t used to this by now, then that’s on them!

I’m not saying you can’t criticize or mock Biden. Not only is he notorious for fabricating stories, he also has a history of bad policies and racist behaviour. The number of horrible laws he’s been the author of is only outmatched by cozying up to awful individuals since the 1970’s. Biden has plenty to be critical of as a person, so focusing on his stutter, especially given his age, is really disturbing. At this point, he’ll probably retire from a physical ailment and not a cognitive one.

So that I’m not accused of playing partisan politics, I’ll mention Lindsey Graham next. In the lead-up to his recent re-election, Graham debated his Democratic opponent Jaime Harrison. It wasn’t as high-profile as the presidential election, but it gained notoriety for how Graham was criticized. He was chastised for swaying back and forth and fidgeting, a sign of “insecurity”. Jaime Harrison, on the other hand, was poised and confident-looking.

Far be me to cozy up to Donald Trump’s lapdog, especially given his shortcomings, but criticizing Graham for swaying rubs me the wrong way. We don’t know why he swayed, nor should we surmise. But even if it was “distracting”, so what? Ever heard of stimming? Autistic people stim constantly when they speak, and sometimes when they don’t. I do it all the time, something made worse by my Tourette’s Syndrome. Nervous body movements happen to many people, but some are better at hiding them.

I wouldn’t be uncomfortable if Donald Trump hadn’t used a similar tactic on a Pulitzer-winning journalist with a disability in 2015. If it was unacceptable then, then it shouldn’t be acceptable now. Never mind that Harrison was also moving a lot, even if it wasn’t obvious. Sadly, ableism’s so ingrained in society that we engage in it to denigrate people. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

As with Biden, Graham has a lot to answer for. Key among this is his homophobia, made worse by his closeted behaviour. But criticizing him for stimming is laziness. It also doesn’t account for why he stims. And I don’t think it’s up to the masses to assume anything, either. Do better.

I’ll end with one more American politician, and I apologize for not expanding my scope: John Fetterman. The youngest example here, Fetterman won his senator race against Doctor Oz. And he did this despite suffering from a stroke. Though making a miraculous recovery in time for his nomination, Fetterman’s incident has been a point of criticism for many. He’s been accused of suffering brain damage, such that it’s “warped his speech”. Far be it from me to come back to politics following a stroke, but really? That’s what we’re going after?

I wouldn’t even be calling this out if it weren’t brought up frequently. So Fetterman had a stroke? So what?! People have strokes for different reasons, and there’s a spectrum. There’s also a spectrum to recovery, something more people would understand if they knew how strokes worked.

It’s disingenuous to bring this up because you don’t like Fetterman. I get not being fond of his policies, but criticizing him over a stroke? And one he recovered from? Do people have nothing better to do than attack a man over a medical crisis before he was voted in? Surely there aren’t more pressing concerns?

Like Biden and Graham, Fetterman’s no saint. He’s been around long enough that there’s room to criticize him, specifically over fracking. But speaking as the son of someone who almost died from a heart attack, I’ve seen people make full recoveries from life-threatening illnesses. Fetterman’s but one example. If anything, his rebound should be a testament to how modern medicine’s essential! But I guess that’s too difficult for some of us to comprehend. Oh well!

In the end, while politicians aren’t saints, we shouldn’t call them out for something they can’t control. Because then it’s bigotry. And bigotry isn’t something you want to be remembered for!

Coyote VS WB

Coyote VS Acme’s a prime example of why WB Discovery’s in the tanks creatively and financially. Beginning production in 2018, it was supposed to come to theatres last Summer. The premise, involving Looney Toons character Wile E. Coyote, was about a court case surrounding defective Acme products. Unfortunately, the film, which was finishing post-production, was set to be written off as a cost-saving expense by David Zaslav in 2022. Like Batgirl, it became lost media. And like Batgirl, it was screened to test audiences.

I wish I could be surprised. Ignoring how the Looney Toons franchise has been abandoned for decades, Zaslav’s decision, tragic as it is, is perfectly consistent with how he operates. There’s a lot I can say, much of which would be libellous, but the one constant during his time as CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery has been pulling projects to recoup losses. Many of these projects were also seen as risks for the studio.

It'd be easy to make jokes about this, but it was later announced that Coyote VS Acme might have a second chance. However, there was a catch: the movie was shopped out to streaming services like Disney+, Hulu and Netflix. All that was required was a $75-80 million bid. On one hand, it makes sense, especially when it allows other streamers to expand their audience. This is how Netflix got the rights to The Sandman, which is currently in production for its second season. On the other hand, $75-80 million’s a big ask for a mid-budget production that cost less than half of that to make. Considering that fact, this was lip service to make Zaslav look benevolent.

Essentially, the project had a second and more expensive write-off. Which begs the question, “What was the point?”. It wasn’t like this was an expensive movie, especially since failures like The Flash were released anyway. It also wasn’t like it wasn’t based on a familiar property. Characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are as famous as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, and Wile E. Coyote was one of the IP’s most noteworthy. Besides, this was a mid-budget comedy, the kind Hollywood’s accused of not making nowadays! Surely there was a market for this, right?

I don’t get tax write-offs in Hollywood. They’re a cheap way to recoup losses on the part of execs, true, but think of what gets ruined. Imagine spending years of your life on something you pour your heart and soul into, only to be alerted last-minute that it’s being shelved for tax-saving reasons. Even if it was trash, wouldn’t you be angry? I would!

Maybe it’s the small-time artist in me here, since I don’t get paid to write for The Whitly-Verse, but I can’t help wondering if tax write-offs are why creatives in Hollywood suffer from burnout. It’s defeating to spend years on something that’ll never see the light of day, especially when you can’t keep a copy of it. Still, while I’m sure there are plenty more write-offs that never make headlines, it doesn’t make that any less upsetting. If anything, that makes them worse, as they have less of a chance at a second life! It’s a double loss!

I’m also annoyed because, like Batgirl, everyone involved in Coyote VS Acme appeared to be enjoying it. There was a clip shared recently from recording one of the tracks, and it was amazing. Why anyone wouldn’t want to hear a choir chanting The Road Runner’s catchphrase alongside The 1812 Overture’s beyond me! But I’m getting ahead of myself…

I’m probably overreacting here. But it’s not unreasonable. The world’s a harsh and unfair place, and movies provide well-needed escapism. A courtroom comedy starring a predator in cartoon form is another example of that. So to have that be snuffed out forever? It burns deep.

And yes, the movie might’ve been terrible. We don’t know. But shouldn’t we, as audience members, be allowed to judge that ourselves? It’s only fair, especially considering the garbage that does get released. One need, again, only look at The Flash…

I think if movies do get written off, the least studios can do is make them public domain. Copyright law in The US is incredibly draconian, forcing people to wait almost a century for licenses to lapse on characters or works of fiction. If the studio doesn’t want it, then they shouldn’t be allowed to hold onto it like a regular copyright, that’s not fair. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

But I guess I’m being too naïve if I expect life to be fair. Let’s be honest, it’s not. And tax write-offs are another example of that. Still, if it means that WB Discovery gets hurt by corporate greed, then I guess that the tragic tale of Coyote VS Acme will have some sort of silver lining, however small. It’s no wonder why Universal and WB Discovery are in talks to merge, especially if write-offs are indicative of poor management at the helm…

Disney and "Wokeness"

There are many buzzwords in entertainment, both good and bad. Chief among them is “woke”. Whether or not you know what the phrase means, it’s been used to the point of overkill. Perhaps the biggest example is with The Disney Corporation, particularly their films. But is Disney, the poster child for family-friendly entertainment, really “woke”?

Full disclosure: there are other issues I’d rather concern myself with. For one, there are two major wars in The West right now, and there’s been plenty of misinformation about both. Two, more informed people have expressed their thoughts. And three, it’s exhausting. Yet since this won’t go away, and because leaving Twitter/X has made my Views take a hit, I have to drive up engagement. I hope I don’t regret it…

Gina Carano, who had a minor role in The Mandalorian, is suing Disney for $75000 over “wrongful dismissal”. I’d go into the minutiae, but it’s a headache. Besides, this article explains it better than I could. All I’ll mention is that Carano, who was fired in 2021 because of inappropriate Tweets, is being bankrolled by Elon Musk. That’s right, the biggest wildcard billionaire of all time. What could possibly go wrong?

I’m less surprised than tired. Carano hasn’t let this go, and she’s gained a weird fanbase that’s used her situation to gripe about Disney since. Whether it’s criticizing Kathleen Kennedy for “ruining Star Wars”, or even the “MSheU” nonsense, Carano’s found herself thrown into the mix. What’s worse, attempts at using reason are met with “Why are you defending a multi-billion dollar company?” responses. I’ve made no secret that I’m mixed on Disney, but I guess I’m playing defence now. Because I’m calling this bluff.

Let’s be clear: Disney’s not a woke company. At all. Ignoring their history of racism, or even their political scandals, Disney’s a corporation. Corporations are out to make money. Money, as anyone with a degree in finance can attest, isn’t inherently woke. If it were, CEOs would be donating their bonuses to charities.

Disney’s goal is to make products for consumers. In their case, families and children. That hasn’t changed since their inception. What has changed, however, is what defines “families and children”. Because demographics morph over time. What might’ve constituted a family’s evolved over the past century, and businesses have had to adapt. We’ve seen this in Disney’s approach to catering to minorities and different types of families. That’s a large chunk of their base.

Disney has other types of fans too. Following their acquisition of Marvel in 2009, they’ve acquired superhero fans. Following their acquisition of Star Wars in 2012, they’ve acquired Star Wars fans. Even following their acquisition of Indiana Jones-do you see the pattern? Disney’s attempts at consuming brands has landed them with an ever-growing and ever-diverse set of fans.

With this in mind, is it any wonder why Disney’s been making content to appeal to them too? Especially since these fans are diverse? It’s not so much that Disney’s “woke” as they are “smart” about branding. They’ve seen where the needle’s headed, and they’re catering to it. That’s the reality here, folks!

I don’t know what people want, other than to whine about the “Good Ol’ Days”. I like a lot of classic Disney films, don’t get me wrong! But they can’t and shouldn’t detract from newer ones. If that means changing or updating facets to appeal to racial and gender minorities, so be it! That doesn’t displace the backlog of content for those pining for those Good Ol’ Days, whatever that means…

That’s not what this is really about, though. Like the trend of calling pro-LGBTQ+ content “grooming”, claiming that Disney’s “woke” is a sign of detractors refusing to expand their mindsets. It’s no different than mass-purchasing something and destroying it to “prove a point”: the company gets the money, while you’ve wasted yours. Is that an efficient way of making your point known? I don’t think it is.

By claiming Disney’s “shoving wokeness” down people’s throats, detractors of Disney forget that they’re going where the money is. That’s what it is, money. It’s not even a sincere form of it either, such that queer communities have a name for it: Rainbow Capitalism. It’s progressive only because of money, not because it’s genuine. How’s that being woke, exactly?

I wish I could dedicate more energy here, but I can’t. So I’ll end with the following: you know how I mentioned that Gina Carano’s suing for “wrongful dismissal”? Keep in mind that Disney asked her multiple times to tone it down and apologize, something she’d refused to do. She was a brand ambassador for Disney, whether she wanted it or not, and she was let go for not upholding her end. That has less to do with wokeness than branding, something Disney cares deeply about. Essentially, I wish Carano the best at falling flat on her face…again.

Besides, if Disney were “woke”, then they wouldn’t have filmed the remake of Mulan near a Uyghur concentration camp. Something to think about.