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I’m starting my business, dresses brand,the brand gives off the vibe of a luxurious , high end but with reasonable price so you get to feel like you dress divinely but with good prices. I’ve been having a hard time coming up with a good slogan that grabs attention yet isn’t cringe or repetitive ,here are some clues to help me with : the brand’s name is Zia (which means brightness, radiance and divinity) the first collection dropping is summer dresses (casual). The brand revolves around the ideas of chic , outstanding , fresh , affordable, timeless , flexible , unique , comfy , bright , girly , and elegant. Help me with a slogan that either has a meaning or that is catchy and different such as “the devil wears Prada, for an instant”

Something often repeated by “liberal” pro-Israelis is “Queers for Palestine” is wrong because Palestinians stone gay people to death and every queer person should be Pro-Israeli as it is the “only pro-LGBT” country in the middle east.

1. First of all, yes. There is no recognition of same-sex marriage (although decriminalised in the West Bank) and most Palestinians are overwhelmingly anti-LGBT.

But this doesn’t change the fact that:
A. The Israeli government routinely house arrests or deports hundreds of homosexual Palestinians have fled to Israel. And some of them are being blackmailed to become informants for Israel. It was only in 2022 that Israel began issuing work permits for gay Palestinian refugees, who had been granted asylum but I think we all know the treatment of Palestinian refugees in Israel today especially after 7/10.
B. Netanyahu’s government (prior to the war cabinet) is in alliance with far-right parties notably Bezalel Smotrich (who said he has a problem with LGBT culture and appeared to compare gay marriage to incest.) and also Itamar Ben-Gvir.
C. A Pew Research Report which showed that 56% of Israelis oppose same-sex marriage. (Report was posted in Nov. 2023 btw).
D. Lastly, a point to be noted is vast majority of Israelis support a Two-State Solution or a general peace process where both can live in peace. It is the often the Far-Right Israelis who actively call for genocide and annexation of West Bank and Gaza, the same people who happen to be the most opposed to LGBT rights.

1. Yes, Palestinians are anti-LGBT but the fact is people’s ideologies are shaped by the place and time they live in. 57.9% of West Bankers and a staggering 65.4% of Gazans are under 24. Most are kids who grew up under the views of their parent’s generation and their moral views.

Most of the Women’s Suffragette movementof the late-19th and early 20th century was extremely racist towards non-white people and was against Civil-Rights. Does that mean the then black women supporting equal voting rights were wrong and stupid? No, that movement was a product of it’s (racist) time. It was only after voting rights were passed, Civil Rights were fought for.

1. If Queers for Palestine is “Chickens for KFC” then why are queer-Palestinians chanting Free Palestine? What about the hundreds of queer Gazan people being bombed by Israel? Read this TIME article (In Gaza, ‘Queering the Map’ Shows Heartbreaking LGBT Notes TIME)
   
2. Last point not specific to this post but a lot of people support the Israeli bombings by saying, “They voted for Hamas.” Let me remind you, last elections happened in 2009 succeeding in a civil war. The only opposition to Hamas is PLA. A corrupt government that is supported by Israel and USA. When the only choice is between a corrupt government that sold its people to the countries that are bombing them and a terrorist organisation that at-least appears to fight for your rights. It’s unfortunate but most will support the latter.
   

People also conveniently forget how Gazans routinely were jailed and tortured for protesting against the Hamas dictatorship. Most Palestinians either are being forced/have no choice but to support Hamas.
Also, I’ll just keep this link. How Benjamin Netanyahu Relies on Hamas - Johnny Harris and ‘Buying Quiet’: Inside the Israeli Plan That Propped Up Hamas - NYT
Edit

1. By reading comments especially of u/donedoneut876 and u/ParagoonTheFoon, I have changed my view. While I still think the LGBT community fighting for Palestinian rights is still a notable cause, the slogan “Queers for Palestine” is rather reductionist. As that could be interpreted as agreeing with the Palestinian state’s views towards homosexuality. The problem lies of sloganeering. It is more catchy to say “Queers For Palestine” than “Queers Against Indiscriminate Bombings Of Civillians”

However I still disagree with this point of u/Aggressive_Revenue75. Protesters by showcasing their support to Palestine by involving their LGBT identity makes it more likely that Palestinians will be in support of LGBT rights in the future. For example, read this comment by u/themcos

1. I didn’t expect so many people commenting allthough I have read all replies, I won’t reply to any points which I already talked about or comments that are simply reagebait and lack nuance.

Something often repeated by “liberal” pro-Israelis is “Queers for Palestine” is wrong because Palestinians stone gay people to death and every queer person should be Pro-Israeli as it is the “only pro-LGBT” country in the middle east.

1. First of all, yes. There is no recognition of same-sex marriage (although decriminalised in the West Bank) and most Palestinians are overwhelmingly anti-LGBT.

But this doesn’t change the fact that:
A. The Israeli government routinely house arrests or deports hundreds of homosexual Palestinians have fled to Israel. And some of them are being blackmailed to become informants for Israel. It was only in 2022 that Israel began issuing work permits for gay Palestinian refugees, who had been granted asylum but I think we all know the treatment of Palestinian refugees in Israel today especially after 7/10.
B. Netanyahu’s government (prior to the war cabinet) is in alliance with far-right parties notably Bezalel Smotrich (who said he has a problem with LGBT culture and appeared to compare gay marriage to incest.) and also Itamar Ben-Gvir.
C. A Pew Research Report which showed that 56% of Israelis oppose same-sex marriage. (Report was posted in Nov. 2023 btw).
D. Lastly, a point to be noted is vast majority of Israelis support a Two-State Solution or a general peace process where both can live in peace. It is the often the Far-Right Israelis who actively call for genocide and annexation of West Bank and Gaza, the same people who happen to be the most opposed to LGBT rights.

1. Yes, Palestinians are anti-LGBT but the fact is people’s ideologies are shaped by the place and time they live in. 57.9% of West Bankers and a staggering 65.4% of Gazans are under 24. Most are kids who grew up under the views of their parent’s generation and their moral views.

Most of the Women’s Suffragette movementof the late-19th and early 20th century was extremely racist towards non-white people and was against Civil-Rights. Does that mean the then black women supporting equal voting rights were wrong and stupid? No, that movement was a product of it’s (racist) time. It was only after voting rights were passed, Civil Rights were fought for.

1. If Queers for Palestine is “Chickens for KFC” then why are queer-Palestinians chanting Free Palestine? What about the hundreds of queer Gazan people being bombed by Israel? Read this TIME article (In Gaza, ‘Queering the Map’ Shows Heartbreaking LGBT Notes TIME)
   
2. Last point not specific to this post but a lot of people support the Israeli bombings by saying, “They voted for Hamas.” Let me remind you, last elections happened in 2009 succeeding in a civil war. The only opposition to Hamas is PLA. A corrupt government that is supported by Israel and USA. When the only choice is between a corrupt government that sold its people to the countries that are bombing them and a terrorist organisation that at-least appears to fight for your rights. It’s unfortunate but most will support the latter.
   

People also conveniently forget how Gazans routinely were jailed and tortured for protesting against the Hamas dictatorship. Most Palestinians either are being forced/have no choice but to support Hamas.
Also, I’ll just keep this link. How Benjamin Netanyahu Relies on Hamas - Johnny Harris and ‘Buying Quiet’: Inside the Israeli Plan That Propped Up Hamas - NYT
Edit

1. By reading comments especially of u/donedoneut876 and u/ParagoonTheFoon, I have changed my view. While I still think the LGBT community fighting for Palestinian rights is still a notable cause, the slogan “Queers for Palestine” is rather reductionist. As that could be interpreted as agreeing with the Palestinian state’s views towards homosexuality. The problem lies of sloganeering. It is more catchy to say “Queers For Palestine” than “Queers Against Indiscriminate Bombings Of Civillians”

However I still disagree with this point of u/Aggressive_Revenue75. Protesters by showcasing their support to Palestine by involving their LGBT identity makes it more likely that Palestinians will be in support of LGBT rights in the future. For example, read this comment by u/themcos

1. I didn’t expect so many people commenting allthough I have read all replies, I won’t reply to any points which I already talked about or comments that are simply reagebait and lack nuance.

New to The Street TV Signs Greene Concepts, Inc. to a 6-Part Media Series, Contract Includes Digital Ads, Billboards, and Commercials
NEW YORK, May 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FMW Media Works' New to The Street will feature ~Greene Concepts, Inc.~ (OTCPink: INKW) ($INKW) ("Company") on its national television program. The series will span six months following the Company's business products in the bottled water and health/wellness beverage industries.
~New to the Street~ will produce and film interviews with INKW's Management and broadcast each segment as sponsored programming on ~Bloomberg TV~ and the ~FOX Business Network~. Viewers will hear and learn more about the Company's growing consumer demand for its brands, ~"BeWater™,"~ a premium artesian aquifer bottled water, and ~"Happy Mellow,"~ a CBD and vitamin-infused beverage. Management expects to talk about expanding/increasing its bottling plant's capabilities, strengthening its brand's marketing and awareness, hiring additional personnel, developing new products, seeking to add intellectual properties to its brands, and developing new business acquisitions or ~partnerships~.
All broadcasted shows will stream for 24 months on the New to The Street website, ~.~~newtothestreet.com~. New to The Street will provide social media marketing to further the reach of each broadcast. On a schedule, show previews and commercial ads will air on New to The Street's TV platforms. Digital ads will stream on New to The Street's billboard platform throughout New York City.
~Lenny Greene, CEO and President of Green Concepts, Inc., states,~ "Sales of our artesian spring water Be Water™ beverage, along with our immune-support CBD beverage, Happy Mellow, continue to grow through multiple retail and distributor lines as we continue to take portions of the thriving $303.95 billion bottled water and $4.4 billion CBD beverage markets. We are laser-focused on our business goals and always take action to meet or, better yet, exceed each of them. I am so proud of where we are going as a Company, our growth potential, and how we've overcome many obstacles placed in our path to continue toward our main company objectives. Finally, I want to say that I am very grateful to our incredible shareholders who have supported us over the last several years since we launched operations in 2020. The road to our success has not been easy, and various challenges have been thrown our way, but we have fought through and overcome them all. We have vast plans for nationwide growth, marketplace uplisting to NASDAQ, establishing foundations to assist those in need throughout the country and beyond, and, most importantly, creating products that provide tremendous health and wellness benefits to the masses. We are well on our way, and I thank each of you. I also thank New to the Street and its 'Game Changers' segment for helping us get the word out about our incredible Company. We are excited to expand the media relationship with New to the Street. We look forward to updating our consumers and shareholders with our latest developments and introducing our Company to a new, broader audience."
The Company is expanding sales and awareness of Be Water™ in areas within a 100-miles radius near and around its ~manufacturing facility~ in Marion, North Carolina, located at the foothill of the Pisgah National Forest of the Appalachian Mountains. Numerous online and retail locations, including ~Walmart~, Amazon, Whole Foods, Camping World, and other recognized outlets sell IKNW's beverages. Every label on a "BeWater™" bottle has the Company's uplifting slogan: "Now is The Time to Refresh Mind, Body, and Spirit." Be Water™ comes in 24-pack, 6-pack, and gallon-size configurations, and *Happy Mellow comes in 6-pack size configurations.
Vince Caruso, Founder and CEO of FMW Media and Producer at New to The Street TV, states, "During the next 6-months, we expect fantastic TV interviews with INKW's management team, giving us exciting business updates and developments. Many consumers reported that "Be Water" and "Happy Mellow" products have improved their health and well-being. I'm excited for our viewers to learn more about INKW product lines and how they might enhance health and wellness. We at New to The Street expect to maximize viewership interest in Greene Concepts, Inc.'s beverage business and share management's growth strategies and value propositions."
FULL PR....
New to The Street TV Signs Greene Concepts, Inc. to a 6-Part Media Series, Contract Includes Digital Ads, Billboards, and Commercials (yahoo.com)

Discover lush indie folk melodies, catchy indie pop beats, and everything in between. Let the music bloom and fill your days with joy! #IndieSpring #PlaylistVibes 🌸
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Qs3kF3QEAON32TnpTTi8z

In today's environmentally aware marketplace, becoming a green business is not only a moral choice—it's a strategic one. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability in their buying decisions, providing organizations that undertake green practices with a competitive edge while contributing to the planet's health.
🌍 The Evolution of Green Branding
Branding has evolved beyond traditional limitations, where environmental impact significantly influences customer choices. No longer are a snappy logo and catchy slogan sufficient. Modern consumers demand brands embody and communicate environmental responsibility. This shift towards "green marketing" reflects a public demand for brands to exhibit genuine environmental stewardship. Consumers eagerly align with businesses that champion sustainability, support local communities, and prioritize using eco-friendly materials.
🌍 EcoHubMap: Enhancing Visibility and Credibility
Platforms like EcoHubMap, an innovative online directory promoting sustainable companies, help consumers distinguish authentic green businesses from those merely capitalizing on the trend. Listing on EcoHubMap allows brands to tap into a targeted audience actively seeking green products and services. Here are some powerful strategies for green businesses to enhance their visibility and credibility:Implement Sustainable Business Practices: Authenticity in sustainable practices—like reducing waste, sourcing products responsibly, and minimizing carbon footprints—speaks volumes.
● Adopt Eco-Friendly Directories: Listing on eco-friendly directories like EcoHubMap connects environmentally conscious customers with agencies committed to sustainability, offering profiles, evaluations, and ratings to showcase values, offerings, and credibility.
● Optimize Business Profiles: A compelling business profile should communicate your offerings and dedication to sustainability. Including details about green practices, certifications, and sustainability goals can resonate with eco-conscious consumers.
● Embrace Green Marketing: Promote your products or services based on their environmental benefits. Highlight green features in campaigns, leverage social media to share sustainability efforts, and partner with environmental organizations or influencers.
● Engage in Community Outreach: Participate in local events, sponsor environmental initiatives, and collaborate with community organizations. This boosts visibility and demonstrates social responsibility.
● Prioritize Customer Experience: Foster loyalty by providing a seamless and eco-conscious customer experience. Use eco-friendly packaging, offer recycling options, and help customers make green choices.
● Partner with Other Green Brands: Collaborate with other green companies through sponsorships, co-branded products, or joint campaigns to reach new audiences who prioritize sustainability.
● Continuously Innovate and Improve: Commit to innovation by reducing your environmental footprint, enhancing product sustainability, and meeting evolving customer expectations.
● Use Storytelling to Share Your Green Journey: Share your sustainable efforts' stories to create emotional connections with your audience, humanize your brand, and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability.
● Monitor and Communicate Your Environmental Impact: Quantify and showcase your business's positive environmental impact to persuade consumers to choose your brand over less sustainable alternatives.
🌍 Why Green Companies Should List Their Brand on EcoHubMap
Green companies can significantly benefit from listing on EcoHubMap, which bridges the gap between eco-aware customers and sustainable firms. This platform provides visibility in a community actively seeking sustainable solutions, enhancing a brand's reach and credibility. Features like user reviews, ratings, and social media sharing amplify visibility and reputation. Additionally, EcoHubMap offers collaboration opportunities with other green brands and insights into consumer trends within the sustainability space, allowing companies to adapt and innovate effectively.
🌍 Bottom Line
Green businesses play a crucial role in driving environmental sustainability and capitalizing on the rising demand for eco-friendly products and services. By adopting green strategies, companies can enhance their reputation, gain competitive advantages, and positively impact the planet and their bottom line. Leveraging platforms like EcoHubMap and integrating sustainability into operations ensures long-term success and growth in the green marketplace.

WARNING: I talk a lot.
Quick background: 2021 was the year I first listened to BNL. All I heard were their big singles from Gordon, Stunt and Maroon (One Week, Pinch Me, It's All Been Done, etc.). But in 2022, I listened to Gordon in full, and it impressed me. Then I checked out Stunt, and let me tell you, from the bottom of my heart, I ADORE that album. I also listened to Maroon, and while good, I'd honestly rather pick the other two over it.
Last year I listened to MYSD, BoaPS and Rock Spectacle to feed the itch. And this month, I listened to EtE and BLAM (can we call this a double album?).
Here's my basic rundown on all of them:
context: this is from the perspective of a Gen-Z'er. Can confirm the quality crosses generations.
Hopefully I don't piss too many people off with my opinions.
1). Gordon: very good
-Best tracks: Grade 9, Brian Wilson (duh), Wrap Your Arms Around Me, What a Good Boy, Box Set, I Love You, The Flag, Million Dollars (classic)
-Weakest track: probably New Kid (on the Block). It's the one song I rarely revisit for some reason. Probably because it sounds too much like Enid and Box Set.
=More jazzier than I thought
=Very uncommon to see a band take off running on their debut record. Each of these songs can stand firmly on their own with few exceptions, which is something I always value in albums. This is required listening if you want to know what BNL are all about (at least, in their earlier days, sonically speaking).
2). Maybe You Should Drive: not bad. Pretty good.
-Best tracks: Jane (feels like a song this Spanish artist my dad loves named Jose Luis Perales would make), These Apples, A (I love the drum outro), Am I the Only One?, Life in a Nutshell
-Least favorite track: I will be Waiting (too twee for me. I feel like I'm listening to Hey There Delilah, and I actually like that song).
=probably the one I come back to the least. Not because it's bad by any means, but their other albums feel more memorable. Sitting next to Gordon, this doesn't really compare. There's also more electric guitars, compared to Gordon being very acoustic-based.
=There's some other songs I remember loving like Great Provider, but idk, this feels like a middle-of-the-road type of album. Still a good 7 or light 8, however. It does also have some of Tyler's best drum tones.
3). Born on a Pile of Pirate Ship: damn good
-Best tracks: This is where it ends (Jesus, Steve), When I Fall (Jesus Ed, I didn't expect this to be about a suicidal window-washer), I Live with it Every Day (Jesus, Steve.......), Break your Heart (Jesus Christ, Steve.....), Same Thing (really somber for a song that references the Fantastic Four), Shoebox
-Weakest tracks: Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank, and I Know. Both are alright, but they scream "B-Side" tbh. Definitely could've been cut out.
=Overall, as you could probably pick up from my favorite tracks, I think I love this album because of how somber and introspective it gets. Some of their most crushing songs are on here. Though Shoebox does close it out on a more light-hearted note (at least sonically).
4). Stunt: my favorite
-Best tracks (so many!): Call and Answer (one of the greatest songs I've ever heard, which is something I don't say lightly), It's all been Done (my favorite BNL guitar solo), In the Car, Who Needs Sleep (that chorus is the most earwormy thing they've done), Some Fantastic, When you Dream
-Weakest track: if we're including the bonus tracks, definitely She's on Time. Feels very samey and borderline uninteresting.
If going by the normal track listing, Alcohol. And even then, it's only really because I haven't revisited it as much as the others. That, and I don't think it works that well as the song that precedes Call and Answer.
=Like I said, I dunno man, there's something magical about this record that makes me swoon over it. Probably not their overall best, but definitely my favorite. It's an album I can describe as one I'd like to take with me on a desert island.
=It's bright, loud, but also tender.
=That said, my one peeve is the track listing isn't perfect. Mostly speaking, It's all been done honestly could work amazingly as one of the closing tracks. And Call and Answer I feel would work better if it was placed after Who Needs Sleep or something, instead of being the smack-dab middle song. There's a reason this was a live staple and show-closer.
=Still, as a whole/unit, I love Stunt.
=I think I have 80-90% of the verses to One Week memorized.
5). Maroon: Good, but I prefer some of their other albums.
-Best tracks: Pinch Me (this BNL song means a lot to me, lyrically. I tend to spin it whenever I'm going through a tough time mentally. It's also a good guitar warm-up), Never do Anything, Falling for the First Time, Off the Hook, Helicopters, Tonight is the Night......, Hidden Sun (Kevin knows how to do lullabies)
-Weakest tracks: Too Little Too Late, Go Home, Humor of the Situation (catchy as it is)
=Like Pirate Ship, the strongest moments lie in the serious tracks.
=This is my "hot" take: I don't love Maroon as much as everyone else does. Big reason is because Steve sings lead on most of the album. And look, I love the man as much as the next guy, and his voice is undeniably godlike, but ngl, there's something about Steve and Ed sharing vocals (or having an equal number of songs they sing lead on) that I really love. Another reason I love Stunt, they each get a good number of songs to shine in. I know the trade-in is Steve & Ed had a whole Lennon-McCartney/Collingwood-Schlesinger writing credit thing to my knowledge, but still, maybe Ed could've sung lead on at least 1 or 2 other songs (Steve still absolutely slays the performances on all his songs, no doubt).
=Even then, I can't call Maroon a "Steve Page solo" album either, as that sort of BNL signature quirkiness and cleverness that comes from the Page-Robertson duo is still found (Never do Anything, Sell Sell Sell).
=I also sometimes think it's not as interesting sonically. I liked Stunt because of how distinct nearly every track was, but Off the Hook and Helicopters, great songs as they are, can feel samey. I feel Maroon lacks some of that extra energy and punch.
=But still, a really solid record. And I definitely don't blame anyone for saying it's their favorite/BNL's best. Pinch Me is still one of the most intimate and personal BNL songs for me, as someone who struggles with anxiety and occasionally, self-harm (hope that wasn't too TMI, but I'm very well right now).
Alright, these next three I barely listened to for the first time this past weekend, so these are my quicker, fresh thoughts. We'll see how they change by next year.
6). Everything to Everyone:
-best tracks: Another Postcard (Ed's verses are too damn catchy), Testing 123 (a fantastic meta track that leaves me smiling. It's weirdly uplifting, if introspective), Next Time, Shopping, War on Drugs (I feel I'm only going to love this more with time), Aluminum (pretty somber), the last three songs
-least favorite: Unfinished. And it's literally only because I can't remember how it goes again. Again, I just listened to this album on Saturday. Give me time.
=I hyped myself up for this album a bit. It feels pretty ambitious
=I'd listen to this over Maroon because of the more varied sounds. Shopping has some nifty electronica, For You is more softer and acoustic-laced, and Maybe Katie leans more on Old Apartment style guitar power.
7). Barenaked Ladies are Me: very simple, but in a perfected way.
-best tracks: Easy, Home (this is I will be waiting, but infinitely better), Peterborough and the Kawarthas, Maybe you're right (the emotional climax of the record in the key of C), the last 4 tracks (a lot of the track listing is a home run).
-weakest track: Everything had Changed
=I can't remember when, but at what point, I couldn't help but smile and think "God I love this band!"
8). Barenaked Ladies are Men: still good, but Are Me was undeniably better
-best tracks: Serendipity, Down to Earth, Beautiful (I love those whispered lines Steve does), Half a Heart, Maybe not, I Can I Will I Do, What a Letdown, Fun and Games (really neat tone that treads on black humor)
-weakest tracks: Something you'll never find (it ends great, but overall, the song goes for longer than it should), Angry People
=Definitely not as great as Are Me. Biggest reason is it's too long. Cut out a few songs, maybe rearrange the track listing, and it would work better. But even then, are Me had a better streak of top notch songs. Are Men feels at times like a bonus album, as opposed to being an equal to are Me.
=Still worth listening to, but again, it didn't need to be 16 songs.
=Of course, with almost 30 songs recorded, I'm not going to remember all of them. Come back to me maybe next year when they've all sunken in for me.
So yeah! That's my two cents on all of the main Steven Page BNL releases! There's something great in each of these records, and I wouldn't take back any of it. My new favorite band.
My ranking from best to weakest

1. Stunt
2. BNL are Me (admittedly, mostly due to recency bias)
3. Born on a Pirate Ship
4. Gordon
5. Everything to Everyone
6. Maroon
7. BNL are Men
8. Maybe you should drive

All that's left is to listen to Snacktime and As you Like it.
I'll listen to the Post-Steven albums next year. I'm more than certain they're not as great, but I liked Daydreaming, Odds Are, and Get Back.
I listened to the Vanity Project last year, and I thought it was alright. Page One tho......OH MY GOD IT'S SO GOOD YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! Clifton Springs is another "tough times" song I come back to.
Random side-note: I will always associate BNL with Evangelion. Don't ask (or do, idk).

I think everybody agrees that if the hostages are freed, the war will be over. We have heard such assurances from Israeli leaders across the political spectrum, and it is certainly the overwhelming sentiment of the Israeli people and Jewish people around the world. (I am aware that there is also messaging around finishing Hamas, which would presumably still happen in the form of targeted attacks against Hamas leadership, but not like what is happening today.)
Most if not all rational people want the war to be over. The IDF soldiers want to go home. Nobody wants to hear more explosions. Certainly, the people of Gaza would like this to be over.
These are things that all sides can agree upon, right? We don't want war. We don't want death. We want all firing of weapons to cease.
So, regardless of what you think of Israel or Jews or Palestinians or Hamas, etc., if you want peace and you know that the _only way to make that happen near-instantaneously_ is to _free the hostages_, then why is that not the singular point that every pro-ceasefire activist is promoting?
---
So, just to be clear, let's consider a scenario: You are a pro-ceasefire activist. The one thing that you want is ceasefire. And you are told that the only way for an instant ceasefire is the return of the hostages who have been held captive for over 200 days without even a visit from the Red Cross. You show up at a pro-ceasefire rally and somebody gets on the megaphone and shouts some catchy rhyming slogan about "Intifada is the only solution!" Do you find this at all confusing? Or do you just go along with it?
---
I consider myself to be pro-ceasefire and I look forward to the war being over as soon as possible. It is my hope that not a single person needs to be hurt or scared and that those holding the hostages will recognize the error in their ways and give them up. Is that wishful thinking? Sure, it is. But, if I go to a rally, that is the message that I'm going to bring because it is line with my desire for a ceasefire. In fact, it is the only solution that we know of that will actually end the fighting. Which is what we want, right?
I do not understand how one can brand themselves pro-ceasefire and simultaneously be in favor a violent uprising across the land of Israel and the world (as they say to "globalize the intifida").
Even if you believe that Jews and Israel are the ultimate evil and we all love genocide and eating babies and whatever tf you want to believe about us, you know the one thing that will end the war is freeing the hostages, so why not that make that your message?

It's clear that this year is an absolute mess, but that's not the point of this community, we are here to solely focus on Baby Lasagna.
I created this community to share the news, memes, art and love for one of my favorite (it not THE favorite) Eurovision acts ever. I am really happy to see this community growing and that there is a lot of people sharing the same love for Baby Lasagna.
From reserve on Dora, to one of the biggest favorites to win Eurovision, this is a movie-worthy story. Many of us had no idea until couple of months ago who Marko Purišić is and now he is taking entire world by storm.
Aside from addictive catchy tunes, a huge work ethic and important topics packed in humorous lyrics, Marko seems like the nicest and coolest guy. He is a perfect role model and a proof that hard work does pay off. And as a rock/metal fan myself, aside from many other genres, it melts my heart to see children listening to his music and a heavy song captivating people in Croatia, Balkans and entire World.
Eurovision slogan is "United by Music". We have seen this year that might not be the case. But Marko united us. He united entire Croatia, and entire Balkan. It might come as a surprise to some that I am actually from Serbia. I have a lot of family in Croatia, my grandmother is Croatian, and I visit my family whenever I get the chance. And trust me, Baby Lasagna euphoria is huge here as well, just as it was for Konstrakta in Croatia two years ago. Maybe even bigger. We have seen wonderful scenes with Croatian, Serbian and Slovenian representatives this year, and I feel we really support each other which is a wonderful thing and the point of music, to unite.
Nobody knows what will happen tonight. I hope for the best possible result, as probably all of us, but it wouldn't come as a surprise if he doesn't win considering everything that is going on.
Whatever happens tonight... It's just the beginning! Marko released 3 songs so far and has an album coming out soon. He went from an unknown singesongwriter looking for a "regular" job, to a European megastar and someone whose videos have millions of views. He also grew as an artist and performer in front of our eyes.
I wish him the best of luck tonight. Victory would be deserved and an amazing ending to an amazing story. But even if it doesn't happen, I am sure the best is yet to come.
VOTE FOR NUMBER 23 TONIGHT, enjoy and have fun as much as possible watching tonight.
P.S. Sorry for a long ass post. MEOW! ❤️

🪞 “It's much easier to get in that it is to get out,” Emilie Autumn used to say. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.1 - Part 4.2
She was not wrong. Welcome back to the Asylum write-up!
In this installment, we're finally getting down to the nitty-gritty of the enmity between EA and her fans.
It's time for war. It's time for blood. It's time... for tea. 🎵

THE PRESENT DAY: “ASK ME ANYTHING (WELL, NOT QUITE)”

​

"Ask me anything" titles are catchy, and that’s why I’m using one. But, obviously, don’t ask me anything, by which I mean that, if you think I wouldn’t answer it, you’re probably right. Ask me something really good. I’d love to answer you. I’d love to have comments on these posts, in fact, so that I could answer questions there regularly and ask you things as well, but insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, or so Einstein is supposed to have said, and attempting to create yet another interactive online venue after every previous attempt has ended in heartbreak—forums, facebook groups, social media accounts—it would indeed be insanity to think that this time would be any different. So there are no comments. This too is heartbreaking in the sense that, and you may not realize this, but I desperately want to connect more completely with you—to be able to intelligently converse and share and exchange. We can do that in person, of course, because the wrong people never show up in person. Isn’t that funny… So, perhaps we’ll have to arrange that;). I’ll start you off with an example question I’d want to know if I were you (I can almost guarantee that you do not want to know this). Q. Hey EA, how do you keep your wireless bodypack transmitter secure when you are leaping about in skimpy costumes and doing frequent costume changes? Also, dye your roots. A. Fantastic question, EA, and I just dyed my roots thank you very much. ... (Deleted blog post followed by a year of radio silence, 2022 📝)

Sooo. For the past five-ish years, the vibe in the Asylum has been that of a protracted Christmas dinner where everyone is tensely moving their food around in their plate, bracing themselves for whatever will trigger the screaming match. Wondering what it's going to be this time. Weary old-timers make small talk about the food because no other topic feels safe. Every glance, every forced smile, is fraught with eons-old grudges and unspoken regrets; every nervous pleasantry sounds like a thinly-veiled accusation. Aunt Emilie always insists on hosting, but not-so-secretly hates having people over. Sooner or later, she finds a way to get all of these assholes out of her house. Most of the adult children are daydreaming about going no-contact.
Everyone ready for some dysfunctional family history?
CW for discussion of bullying, online harassment, mental illness stigma.

YE OLDEN DAYS: CUCKOOS OF A FEATHER NEST TOGETHER

In the beginning, it was beautiful.
EA had the excellent instinct to start banking on her online presence📝 long before MySpace was even a thing. She had a website, several online stores, an active LiveJournal and a ProBoards forum right from the turn of the millennium.
In 2004, she attached an official forum to her website; the earliest archive shows 74 registered users. By the time Opheliac came out in 2006, that number had grown tenfold. And it was, by most accounts, a pretty dope place to be! (I should specify that this write-up focuses on the anglophone side of the fandom: there were also thriving fan-run communities in at least German, French, and Spanish. Because EA doesn't speak any of those languages, the lucky bastards were mostly left alone.)
Forum users enjoyed interacting with some of EA's closest IRL friends and associates – and with the mistress of the house herself (user flair: PsychoFiddler), when she occasionally responded to comments under her own posts. But that wasn't even the main appeal for many. For a long time, on top of all EA-related topics, the official forum had very active “Off-Topic” subforums, with lively and friendly conversation on a variety of subjects. (There was even a “Filthy Libertines (18+)” sub for a while, which was closed due to preemptive concerns about minors.) Swear words (not slurs) were allowed and encouraged, and moderation was overall pretty loose beyond basic enforcement of civility. There was a lot of mutual support, creativity, and solid banter going around.

It wasn't just about Emilie on the forums. People could chat about almost anything with near free reign, making connections and lifelong friends. ... This community mattered SO MUCH to people. They felt included, accepted, and understood within the walls of the Asylum. People invested their time and creative energy into keeping the forums a vibrant, active community, and made sure that carried over into the real world. ... I've never seen anything like it in a fan space. I doubt I ever will again. (@Asylum_Oracle - “Fandom History” Instagram highlight 🔍📝, which contains most of the sources for this segment.)

And it did, indeed, carry over into the real world. There were numerous meet-ups – a few organized by EA, many more spontaneous. People who didn't know any other EA fans in real life, or were just excited to add new Plague Rats to their friend group, would regularly connect with other forum users from their area to meet up and hang out before EA shows. “Who else is dressing up??”
In 2008, for instance, EA held an afternoon meet-up at Lincoln Park in Chicago. 📺 The event was free to attend; it featured live acoustic music and a reading from EA's upcoming book, the intriguingly-titled Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.
On the appointed day, EA rolled up in a fabulously tousled red wig, bedazzled white corset and steampunk-altered wedding dress. She had brought friends alongs. Sporting blue hair and a pink bustle and corset was her Chicago bestie, the main forum admin. Rocking a guitar and a top hat was EA's sound engineer, the soft-spoken wizard behind the Victoriandustrial sound, who was also a forum mod. The photographer from the original Opheliac cover art was there as well; he was formally introduced by EA and got his own round of applause.

People who would never normally be involved in an artist's fanbase were in EA's world. And not only were they known – they were respected and incredibly active with the fanbase. These people who managed an online message board were willing to engage in real-world meet-ups (with no security??) because of how tight-knit the community they had built was. People turned out to this event. People traveled to go to this event. It was a short reading of a book that hadn't been released yet, and wouldn't be for some time. Why? Because not only was it a chance to meet Emilie and listen to parts of the new book, but it was also a chance to hang out with their friends from the Asylum. ... The fandom really was a family for a lot of people. (@Asylum_Oracle)

“SERIOUSLY, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE.”

It all started with The End.
The End Records, that is! Quick refresher: in 2009, after three years or so with Trisol, EA split from the label over allegations that the owner was embezzling money from ticket sales. A few months later, she signed with The End Records. Understandably, EA still wanted to sell the album that had made her famous, and to which she had smartly retained the rights – which meant a brand new, “Deluxe” release of Opheliac. (Remember, from part 3? The one you could pre-order as a bundle with the book? Some projects are just cursed, I guess.)
At that point, Opheliac had been released three times already, as recently as the year before, with only slight variations in format and tracklist. (Yes, that is a theme in this story.) The End Records version would feature new cover art and a handful of new tracks, but overall, it was... you know... the same album.
(The following paragraphs are largely sourced from this excellent recap 🔍📝, which also provides potato screenshots for all quotes.)
One fateful day of August 2009, a user started a thread entitled “Opheliac US edition deluxe re-release??” in the “EA News” subforum. In the thread, some people were kind of balking at the re-do, pondering whether to buy the “new” Opheliac or sit this one out. Some expressed that after three years, they were jonesing for a new album. Others shared what B-sides or dream covers they would have liked to see included on the bonus disc. Just... fans being fans, in a fan discussion space.
And then EA jumped out from behind the curtains.

Fan: Okay. Before I start, I just want you to know that I think it's very good that EA is getting more popularity, and that she can release lots of albums, but - are 5 editions of the same album really needed? You may say now “ah, it's not the same, it has 2 bonus tracks” or whatever, but I mean: it's not new material. Now don't get me wrong. I'm happy for it, maybe I'll even buy it, but I'm just wondering if she shouldn't keep herself busy with other (maybe more important) stuff? * hides * EA: Nobody's forcing you to buy it. Thanks.

Record scratch.

Fan 1: is this Opheliac release version number 4? lol If she's recording NEW tracks, then surely they deserve to be sold by themselves, otherwise people are going to have to buy an album that they may have already bought twice (like me!). But... alas, I am a fool and adore everything this woman does... im buying it lol Fan 2: exactly – if it was just reissuing the last version of Opheliac to tap into new markets that would be fine (...) but if they start adding extra bits of material to albums people already have then the true muffins are going to feel obliged to buy new copies (...) EA: How exactly are you obliged to buy anything? Nobody is forcing you to spend a fucking penny, my dears. I suppose it would make more sense to you to simply not have my records available any more as the old label I just escaped from will no longer be distributing them? Forgive me for adding extra tracks. No obligation necessary.

...Okay, so I'm pretty sure that we can see both sides of the argument here. Fans are annoyed at the idea of spending money on barely-anything-new, because they love EA and buy every single CD she releases. EA is exasperated by fans acting like she's twisting their arm and somehow resenting the inclusion of new material, when she was just ensuring that her album would remain available for purchase and trying to keep things interesting.
But maybe we can also agree that those replies should have been screamed into a pillow rather than typed out on a keyboard.
EA was getting increasingly (and, I'll just say it: disproportionately) sarcastic and defensive in her replies. Enter poor FantineDormouse.
FantineDormouse meant well, I think. Maybe she thought, she's spiraling. Maybe she thought, friends don't let friends go down that road. Granted, FantineDormouse probably should have known better than to phrase it the way she did. Or to assume that EA perceived her as a friend.
Either way, at some point, FantineDormouse jumped in and posted the comment that finally made EA lose it. THE comment which, overnight, ended the honeymoon period of the Asylum, triggering a doomsday domino effect from which the fandom would never truly recover. Are you comfortably seated?

FantineDormouse: Uhm, Emilie, love, I don't mean to sound rude or anything... but maybe you should have a cup of tea and relax a little.

...
* sound of archduke getting shot *

EA: Excuse me? You can throw this onslaught of absolute cruel bullshit at me and those I work with in my own space that I own, and I can't say anything back? How fucking patronizing. Relax? Are you fucking kidding me? Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? FD: I'm not trying to piss you off even more, Emilie. And trust me, I have to deal with it myself, and as much as I would really love to punch the cunts I have to deal with in the face, I don't. You're pissed off, I get it. You're bipolar, which makes it 10x worse, I get that. I'm just not the person to stand around and do nothing when a fight where I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of regret is going on.

Famous last words. Literally! Immediately after EA delivered her irate closing statement – which includes one of my all-time favorite EA zingers, bolded...

EA: I cannot believe this... You just don't stop, do you? So just because I've shared the personal information with you all that I happen to be bipolar, I can't get pissed off at all of you being perfectly awful in the very space that I pay fuckloads a month to have up (has it ever occurred to you all that I pay dearly for this space you play around in?) Why not just tell me that I must be upset because it's my time of the month? Seriously, get the fuck out of my house. You are unbelievable, and your level of patronization is almost criminal. Don't make me write another book. With muffins like you, who needs enemies? Nothing I say or feel is legitimate, not ever ever ever because I'm bipolar... discredited before I begin... unbelievable...

...FantineDormouse got permabanned.
Jaws dropped. After days of infighting between white knights, detractors, and crossfire negotiators, several mod resignations, and general mayhem surrounding the ban, EA made a post entitled “In Which: I Invite You to Make a Fucking Choice.” 📝 For brevity's sake (cue laugh track), I can't reproduce it in all of its righteous splendor, but it's quite a read. It runs the gamut from fair and articulate points about how mental illness shouldn't be used to discredit someone's legitimate anger... to histrionic commands that “deserters to the cause” should “turn in their weapons” if they can't handle her way of doing things.

To those of you who appear not to understand why said posts, most especially those of the banned party, were offensive to me, I give you the option to either educate yourselves on your own time and in your own space (because please never forget that this is my space that I share with all of you at my own expense, and in which I generally give you all the freedom I would wish for myself), or to resign your posts in the Asylum Army – this is not the place for you, and I humbly suggest that you turn your attention and support towards other artists of a more placid, non-controversial, and less opinionated nature; there are more than enough of them out there, and I’m sure they all have forums of their own.

Some fans did leave. Most stuck around, whiplashed. Soon, the storm quieted down, and business as usual resumed on the forum. But something had been damaged beyond repair. The FantineDormouse fiasco had erected walls and drawn lines in the sand, both around EA and among her fans; its sad specter would haunt every Asylum crisis that spiked up forever after. “Fucking Patronizing Fucking” or “FPF” 🔍 became memetic shorthand in the fandom for overreaction and self-righteousness. 🐀
...And now you understand why, in the following years, some fans were so delicate and diplomatic in voicing their very legitimate complaints about messed-up orders, unsigned books, and puzzling lies... while unofficial platforms like Tumblr flourished with pent-up resentment and snark. 🦠

A NOTE ON HARASSMENT: “MAD GIRL, CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO YOU?”

Wouldn't they stop When you asked them to leave you alone? (“Mad Girl”, 2008 🎵)

Now, let's be clear, because it should not be minimized: EA has also been the target of genuine online harassment. Based on the simple fact that she is a woman with a public presence on the internet, I have zero doubt that EA has received (and perhaps continues to receive) more than her share of truly vile, bigoted, creepy and threatening messages – and, knowing what I know about the darker recesses of the Asylum, a terrifying amount of emotional blackmail and obsessive projection from people who hold her to punitively high standards. I'm also inclined to believe that it started way before she ever did anything that warranted any backlash. And that fucking sucks. It's repulsive and inexcusable, and the people who harass her should crawl into a hole and live among the worms.
Notwithstanding. In my decade-plus of following EA drama, the public comments on EA's own platforms (where people knew she was likely to be reading) have been, for the most part... civil and nuanced, and relatively mindful of the human? Even very confrontational comments (some clearly written from a place of anger and desire to shame) rarely resorted to outright name-calling or cruelty. When abusive or bigoted language did crop up, it was often promptly shut down by other fans as gross and uncalled for. In short: I have, with mine own two eyes, in real time, read some of the comment sections that EA described as cesspools of blind rage and odious attacks, and... I just couldn't see it.
If anything, for a long time, a lot of the angry comments directed at EA during any given controversy read more like break-up letters to an ex-best friend: harsh, curt and targeted in a way that cuts deep.... but also kind of screams how much love you still have for this person, against your better judgement.
Not that it wouldn't mess a person up to get hundred of those in a matter of hours, even if they don't individually qualify as “abusive”.
It's worth noting that prior to becoming semi-famous and regretting it, EA was also (by her own account and among other forms of abuse) a victim of intense childhood bullying. It feels like the two situations are closely connected in her mind when her focus seamlessly transitions from one to the other. 📺 I don't think that tremor in her voice is put on.
Based on her writings, I get the feeling that over the years, EA has developed a very black-and-white view of two monolithic groups of people. There's (an idealized vision of) her “real audience”, well-dressed, well-read, kind-hearted, and Asylum-savvy, who she fully trusts to “get it” – and buy it, and love it, unquestioningly, whatever “it” may be at any given time – because that is the true measure of love and loyalty. These are the people she makes art and merch for, the people she writes heart-emoji-filled newsletters to, and desperately longs to see in person again.
And then there's the lynch mob, those who really don't “get it”: the trolls, the faceless creeps, the basement-dwelling mouthbreathers, the ones who stalk her every move obsessively, waiting for any chance to spam her with vicious abuse and slander and obscenities. The latter only exist online (they are manifested into arbitrary existence by the internet itself, not by anything EA said or did), and there is zero overlap between the two sets of people. That seems to be the official narrative.

The "public eye" isn't an [enviable] place to be, and the closer I've come to it, the more horrified I've been. Because, for starters, who is "the public?" Is "the public" my audience? Hell no. My audience is special. They are not the general public. If they were the general public I would be a lot wealthier. The "public eye" means getting stalked, harassed, viscously judged, and put in danger. If I do things in the future that gain notoriety, I will do them in spite of fame, not because of it. I am out for world domination, but not fame. (Interview for The Moaning Times, 2014 📝)

In real life (well, mostly online, but I mean: on this shared plane of existence), things play out slightly differently. The Venn diagram of “true blue fans” and “people who criticize EA" and "people who know way too much about EA” is a circle. The call is 100% coming from inside the Asylum, and I think EA rationally knows that. But here's the thing: no matter how many shows and meet-and-greets you've dressed up for, how many loving and supportive comments you've left, or how many family heirlooms you once pawned to purchase a copy of the not-for-sale 2003 DJ pressing of Enchant... the instant EA feels attacked, everyone is a saboteur and a bully until proven otherwise, and suspected treason is dealt with on the spot. One strike, you're out. Unfortunately for everyone involved, her threshold for bullying seems to be “any remotely thoughtless opinion from any stranger on the internet”.
It makes for outstanding human-interest entertainment... but it also sounds an awful lot like the unhealthy patterns of a person suffering from all sorts of PTSD. 🔍 So, please bear that in mind as you read through this write-up. It's easy to make EA out to be the sole villain, a paranoid and delusional drama queen, based on her extreme reactions to things that often “weren't that bad”. Anything can, in fact, be “that bad” when you're thrown back into the very worst moments of your existence every time your brain decides that the situation is even remotely similar.
PTSD takes over your rational mind and actively distorts your perception of reality. That can be how a person ends up impulse-reacting to “a few people expressing an unfavorable opinion” as if the entire internet had just ganged up on them with knives. Which makes their audience feel unjustly accused, which makes them hostile, which gives the person actual good reason to feel attacked... and so the cycle of hurt continues.

You know the games I play And the words I say When I want my own way You know the lies I tell When you've gone through hell And I say I can't stay You know how hard it can be To keep believing in me When everything and everyone Becomes my enemy, and when There's nothing more you can do I'm gonna blame it on you – It's not the way I wanna be I only hope that in the end You will see: It's the Opheliac in me... (“Opheliac”, 2006 🎵)

And YES, it is extremely regrettable to have this as a trigger, when you're a public figure and you're bound to receive more negative feedback than the average citizen. “It's what she signed up for”, “it comes with the territory” and all that jazz. I really don't think EA was unaware of that fact when she decided to become a musician, share her personal life, and form an intense parasocial bond with her audience. But maybe she underestimated how hard it would be to process and recover from.
Just because you expect something unpleasant to happen, doesn't mean your psyche will be ready to handle it when it does – or that you'll pick the best and most effective strategy to deal with it.

A MADHOUSE UNDER MARTIAL LAW: MARCHING INTO THE FORUM WARS

There are two sides to every story... except for this one! (“If I Burn”, 2012 🎵)

You may have noted the military imagery in EA's “Make a Fucking Choice” response post – “resign your post in the Asylum Army”! What do psychiatry and the military have in common? They're both institutions of top-down social control. 🔍 EA's mixed metaphor may be a bit clunky, but it did foreshadow the evolution of the Asylum – in terms of aesthetics and power dynamics – in the years that followed the FantineDormouse incident and the release of The Book.
EA's next big release after the Asylum book came in 2012. It was a new album, an outline of the soon-to-be Asylum musical, called Fight Like a Girl (FLAG for short). As the name suggests, the main mood was bellicose. Incidentally, in the interim years, EA's communication style generally became noticeably more combative, incendiary, and (within her own spaces) controlling.📝 You remember those quirky word filters on the forum, that would change “fan” to “muffin” and “bra” to “teacup holder”? They kind of took on a Nineteen-Eighty-Four-burlesque flavor when you realized that one filter automatically changed “Fischkopf” to “Liddell” - and that circumventing the rule to address her totally real last name would get you banned, as would any discussion of her family. (“Wikipedia, random internet sites and heresay are not credible sources.” - Mod reminder of forum rules, 2010.)
Also, you try sustaining a serious, grown-up conversation among concerned fans about how Emilie Autumn should “take ratsponsibility for her mistakes out of ratspect for her muffins”. Thus, the official Asylum forum kept a tight grip on overt criticism of EA's claims and actions.

The Emilie Autumn forum is a dystopian hell. Truth be told, when I decided to leave you could not do anything but gush about Emilie. Otherwise all of her extremist arse kissing fans will be down your throat, ripping you apart in seconds, if you so much as questioned her behaviour. So much for freedom of opinion, let alone the idea of creating a harmonious community for ‘outcasts’. Hahaha. (2014 🐀)

The word filter thing really wasn't a big deal – I'm just pointing it out as one goofy expression of EA's need to control the narrative and rhetoric, which became especially noticeable in those post-book, pre-FLAG years. By that point, EA's fuse had been shortened by near on half a decade of non-stop touring / recording / writing / promoting / adjusting to the pressure and demands of an ever-growing fanbase, while also dealing with a horrorshow of personal turmoil and health issues behind the scenes. In other words: she was done taking any shit, in any form, or humoring anyone's ridiculous feedback regarding anything.
To be fair, it was never her forte to begin with. Will it come as a shock if I tell you that EA doesn't have the greatest track record for successful collaborative work? Let's do a quick-cut montage!
EA's very first corporate sponsor was her mother's “Enchant Clothing & Costume” online store 🔍; she went on to claim that her mother was dead. She sessioned for Billy Corgan, that went super well. 🎵 She liked Courtney Love for a minute, but that didn't work out because she felt that Courtney only valued her for her pee. 📝 (It probably didn't help that in early 2006, while EA was recording her post-break-up-tell-all album about Corgan, C-Love was recording her post-rehab-redemption album with Corgan. 🔍 Either way, EA didn't seem to like Courtney anymore after that. Courtney likes her, though! 📝) The one artist EA has ever approached for a duet (and by approached, I mean she recorded a demo and threw the CD on stage when he played Chicago in 2004) was, of all people, Morrissey. That never came to pass, thank mercy 🔍 – this fandom has suffered enough. In 2005, EA recorded some haunting vocals and violins for a potential collab with the frontman of Attrition. When, three years later, they were used on one track 🎵 of Attrition's All Mine Enemies Whisper, she alleged 📝 that the recordings had been obtained from her under the false pretense of a different project, then hideously altered to sound “out of tune”, and used without her permission. She enlisted her fans to boycott the album and the band, and threatened legal action. Meanwhile, on LiveJournal and Attrition's message boards, band associates were appalled: according to them, EA had been aware of the project's nature from the start... and had been completely unreachable, even through her label, during the months of its development. (Besides, Attrition is a semi-obscure English darkwave band from the 80s, whose micro-distributed albums don't even have their own Wikipedia pages... so I wonder what EA was hoping to get out of that theoretical lawsuit. These people own nothing but vintage gain pedals!) The song “Cold Hard Cash” 🎤 by Angelspit (who contributed a remix to one of her EPs in 2008) may or may not be an EA diss track. 🐀 Back when indie jewelry brand RockLove (which now has licensing deals with Disney, Marvel, and DC) was still someone's bedroom project, their first drop was an EA-inspired collection 🔍, which appears in many early Opheliac photoshoots. The partnership was terminated on bad terms, for unclear reasons; the RockLove owner shared in a statement that EA had “drunk the cool-aid” of Trisol Guy's shady business practices, and that the two of them had been spamming her with “crazed angry message[s]” for days.
Why am I talking about this? Because it was precisely one such ill-fated business partnership that triggered the Great Asylum Secession.
One fine day of spring 2010, the owner of vegan make-up brand Aromaleigh popped onto the Asylum forum to announce that they were cutting ties with EA, with damning receipts of copy-pasted emails (lost to time). Basically, the brand had been sponsoring her for half a decade, and while Aromaleigh had been actively promoting her music and tours, EA hadn't exactly been returning the favor. (Indeed, the extent of EA's sponcon seemed to have been a banner link to their website on her front page, and a single “random drunken endorsement” LiveJournal post that kind of reads like satire📝, from 2005.)
EA responded by banning the owner's account, deleting the thread, and posting this flippant statement a few days later:

Dearest Plague Rats, To be honest, I have no idea of what the hell happened with Aromaleigh, and I don't care to find out – the whole drama is a complete mystery to me, as I've been away for months touring and have not been in contact with anyone. All I know is that I've been promoting the company for ages and have not asked them for anything in years. (...) Please focus on more interesting things. I am. (“Save the Drama...” forum post, March 2010)

Posts questioning her good faith in the conflict were deleted from the forum. Shortly thereafter, citing how prolific and labor-intensive the Asylum forum had grown, EA shut down all non-EA related subforums – which, among many other topics, included a pretty active thread about Aromaleigh products.
So one Plague Rat decided to create a separate, members-only forum 📝, where users could recreate some of the now-defunct off-topic threads... and also freely voice their critical opinions of EA's behavior without fear of backlash from mods or rabid stans. Thus, “The Reform” was born. (Reform [n]: amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved.)
For a few weeks, the two-state solution seemed to work fine. And then word spread among forum mods and other diehard fans that there was this horrid other forum, where obsessive haters gathered to spew disgusting lies and vitriol about EA... and soon enough, it was bedlam in the Asylum.
Any explicit mention of the Reform was forbidden on the Asylum forum. Suspicion of participation in the Reform would get you banned. The party line was that The Reform was the enemy 🐀 – even though a number of people were active on both forums, because they liked freedom of expression almost as much as they liked EA. Double agents would lurk on the forum and report back with snark material; sycophants would infiltrate the Reform to identify traitors – much to the amusement of the “haters”, who mocked them and their ilk for “licking EA's pink sparkly boots”. There was no containing the seething, or the sass, among Asylum ranks.
Pretty soon, the insubordination spread to Tumblr. There was the “Ask the Reform” Q&A blog, where questioning fans could interact with “Rebel Rats”, get more details on past drama, and make up their own minds about the people EA called bullies.
And then, there were the “confession blogs”, which published anonymous submissions about EA, positive, negative or neutral, with little censorship. Finally, you didn't even have to pick a throw-away username on a private forum to voice your hottest / strangest / most controversial EA takes. Fans could vent, rant, lament, wonder, shitpost to their heart's content, anonymously. Obviously, given the context of frustration and censorship in the fandom, a lot of the first waves of confessions were EXTREMELY negative.
EA's acolyte Veronica managed to get the first one shut down. If memory serves, she misunderstood the confession blog format, and may have believed that all the posts on “Emilie Autumn Confessions” came from one or a small group of individuals. She was genuinely devastated, and wrote the blog admin to let them know that they were a terrible person who said terrible things. The admin was mortified, apologized profusely and deleted the blog of their own initiative. (Which goes to show that the concept did not come from cruel and malicious anti-fans, as detractors often claimed.)
But a new blog sprung up almost immediately, with a different mod team, and did not surrender. And much like in EA's own book, once the Plague Rats found out that they possessed the gift of speech... well, they really took to it.
Established in 2011 and passed on through generation after generation of mod teams to the present day, Wayward Victorian Confessions would turn out to be the longest-lived institution in the EA fandom. For over a decade now, through all the bleakest nights and dankest debacles of the Asylum, and despite its initial reputation as a troll den, WVC has acted as a kind of neutral ground and vox populi for the active fanbase and anti-fanbase. (The last nominally-active EA fansite to date, She Fights Like a Girl, is actually an offshoot of WVC: one of the old admins created it as a database to answer “frequently asked questions” about EA.)
Wayward Victorian Confessions has now outlived every other EA platform, official and unofficial. Were it not for the continued existence of the “troll den”, what little fan community survives in 2024 would be non-existent, plain and simple. To quote from late 20th century Canadian philosophy: isn't it ironic?

I feel like [WVC] is the only place I feel any of that old Asylum community kind of feeling I felt before EA got so focused on the book. It sucks that it’s so full of unhappiness, and I wish she hadn’t poisoned the sanctuary she claimed to have built. It’s just kind of fallen apart, like a crumbling building. (🐀 2016)

CONTINUED IN COMMENTS

Into the Top 10!!! These countries have shown (at least sometimes) that they are the best of the best when it comes to Eurovision. Many of the most iconic acts in the last half century are thanks to these nations, so without further ado, let's start the end of this countdown!

The Countries

Placement	Country	Score
6	Ukraine	228297.535
7	Ireland	212432.017
8	France	198317.935
9	Israel	192954.086
10	Greece	182795.193

These countries bring the heat! In 10th, we have Greece, who honestly wouldn’t be this high on the list if we stopped at the year 2000. Their surge in the 21st century has vaulted them up into the top 10, delivering iconic performance after iconic performance, especially in the 2000s, which occupies 4 of their top 5 slots. Above them is Israel… who, let’s face it, have been associated with controversy, to put it lightly, ever since they joined in 1973. But there is a reason why I’m only talking about them now, because even if you don’t like it, you cannot tell the story of ESC without them, as they have made their mark in this competition. Above them is our 3rd Big 5 entrant, in France, who were the rulers of early Eurovision. Their influence has waned in the decades since their last victory, but you can never count out the French, as their top entry will show you. In 7th is Ireland, whose story you know well at this point. The only country to 3 peat, and one of two countries to have a person win multiple ESC trophies, their run in the 80s and 90s will probably never be matched again in this contest. It’s the reason they are so high, but it’s also the reason why their best entries are from the opposite side of this millennium. And in 6th, just missing out on the top 5, is Ukraine, who since joining in 2003, have raised the bar at ESC. They are the youngest country (Eurovision wise) to be up here, and after I show you their best entries, you’ll see why.
Some Notable Artists: Alphabeta (Israel), Amina (France), Antique (Greece), Izhar Cohen (Israel), Dana International (Ireland), Duo Datz (Israel), Catherine Ferry (France), Go_A (Ukraine), Paul Harrington (Ireland), Agathon Iakovidis (Greece), Jamala (Ukraine), Kalomira (Greece), Kalush Orchestra (Ukraine), Niamh Kavanagh (Ireland), Noa Kirel (Israel), Koza Mostra (Greece), Johnny Logan (Ireland), Linda Martin (Ireland), Charlie McGettigan (Ireland), Marie Myriam (France), Netta (Israel), Helena Paparizou (Greece), Barbara Pravi (France), Ruslana (Ukraine), Marc Roberts (Ireland), Sakis Rouvas (Greece), Verka Serduchka (Ukraine), Natasha St-Pier (France)

The Worst Years

France 2014 Twin Twin - Moustache

Contest Ranking: 26th (last, 2 pts) My Ranking: 37th (0.553)
France has only finished last at Eurovision once. Once. This was it. A song about having everything that one could want, but still needing more (especially a mustache). This song has its moments, but man, the plagiarism in this song is only the least of its problems here. Maybe France should have wished for a beard instead, considering who was on top this year.

Israel 1996 Galit Bell - Shalom Olam

Contest Ranking: DNQ (28th qualifying round, 12 pts) My Ranking: 29th (0.809)
Israel was up and down in the 90’s. They would start the decade finishing 18th, only to finish 3rd the following year. In ‘93 they would place 24th, and in ‘94 they would place 8th. This entry wouldn’t even make the final cut of ESC, falling in the audio only qualifier. If you only listen to the video, you can see why, it’s just boring. The next time Israel would compete though would be a lot less boring…

Ireland 2007 Dervish - They Can't Stop the Spring

Contest Ranking: 24th (last, 5 pts) My Ranking: 38th (0.874)
Ireland’s slow, painful descent towards being irrelevant started here, if we are looking at results only. It probably started when the RTE didn’t want to host ESC again in ‘97, which slowly led to being complacent and such, but I digress. If you look at just the song, it’s not that bad. If you look at the live performance, you can see why this finished last. It’s like Ireland just stopped caring about ESC, and after this year, that really starts to show. In the 16 years after 2007, Ireland would only qualify 5 times, which is just one more than their win total from 1993-1997.

Greece 2023 Victor Vernicos - What They Say

Contest Ranking: DNQ (13th 2nd Semi Final, 14 pts) My Ranking: 31st (0.986)
Coming off of strong entries in 2021 and 2022 , Greece wanted to continue their post pandemic success, considering that their pre pandemic entries weren’t as great. They would select a solo male performer, which they last did in 2009. In 2009, they finished 7th, in 2023, they would not even qualify, continuing the late 2010s trend of struggling to make a mark at this competition.

Ukraine 2017 O.Torvald - Time

Contest Ranking: 24th (36 pts) My Ranking: 24th (8.798)
This was the only time Ukraine has finished outside the top 20 in their history at ESC. Usually their performance drops off a bit when they have hosting duties, as was the case with this entry. Even in years that they “underperform”, Ukraine still tries to do something different, like in this song. I especially like the ticking clocks on the singers that count down to 1, then tick back up. I mean the song is about time, after all.

The Best Years

Ireland 1994 Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan - Rock 'n' Roll Kids

Contest Ranking: 1st (226 pts) My Ranking: 1st (532.439**)
In my opinion, this was the peak of Ireland at Eurovision. During their infamous 90s run, Ireland just couldn’t lose, and this entry is the prime example of it. After winning the contest back to back in ‘92 and ‘93, Ireland already joined Spain, Luxembourg, and Israel as the only countries to win the contest consecutively. A popular myth associated with this year is that Ireland didn;t want to win, due to the infamous costs of hosting this competition. That is obviously not true, but it would be ironic that their best entry ever would be one that was deliberately chosen to NOT win. The RTE chose artists Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan to perform a piano duet in Dublin, called “Rock 'n' Roll Kids”.
Why is this song the best Irish ESC song? Why not Johnny Logan, who took part in three of Ireland’s seven victories? Why not Niamh Kavanagh, who delivered one of the great Eurovision ballads? Why not Elmear Quinn, who was responsible for Ireland’s last victory? Well dear reader, I think the answer lies, of course, in the song. “Rock 'n' Roll Kids is a song longing for the good old days of youth, evoking a sense of nostalgia. The performance felt authentic, as they sell the emotions of this song well. The song’s also very simple, as it was the only entry that night to not use an orchestra. It only features a piano and a guitar, both played by the performers. And as well as all of that, the song is very slow, allowing the audience to be absorbed into the atmosphere of this entry. It also helps that the performers harmonize incredibly well, of course. Between this entry and the interval act, Ireland could do no wrong at ESC. This was at the peak of the RTE caring about this contest, and even though they would win again two years later, this was when Ireland were on top at Eurovision (it was the record leading 6th win), and in the years since, they have slowly declined from that peak.
This entry is one of the ***Top 50* ESC songs since 1975.

France 2021 Barbara Pravi - Voilà

Contest Ranking: 2nd (499 pts) My Ranking: 2nd (533.241**)
Since the early 2000s, France’s success at ESC has been middling at best. It doesn’t help that their chanson format, which helped them gain 5 wins, kinda lost its power around the 90s. They had 2 big chances at the start of the 90s to claim another victory, but unfortunately Italy had too much experience uniting Europe, and tie breakers were not on their side. In the years since, France has had trouble trying to regain their former glory in modern times, but then comes 2021. France has gone back and forth on internal selections and national finals, and for 2019 and 2020 they opted for the former, but after COVID, they went back to a national final, called C’est vous qui decidez. From that national final came Barbara Piévic, known better as Barbara Pravi. Barbara has had a prolific songwriting career up until this point, having written for several artists, including Jaden Smith and Yannick Noah, among others. She also wrote for Valentina Tronel and Carla Lazzari, two Junior ESC participants, with the former winning with the song “J’imagine” in 2020. So safe to say that she has experience writing winning songs! In 2021, she would compete in France’s national final, and as said before would win that final with the song “Voilà”.
“Voilà'' is so French it hurts, but it showcases the power the language still has in modern day Eurovision. It’s a song about self acceptance for Pravi, showcasing her in a delicate and fragile manner. The song mixes old school French chanson with a modern production, something that France has been missing for several, several, several years. This is how you make a French ballad, retaining its raw and emotional aspects without boring everyone to death It’s meant to tell a rich, provocative story (in 3 minutes or less), and Pravi’s almost Edith Pilaf style creates that story and some, and her live performance really ties it all together. TLDR, this song is really good, if Italy didn’t exist this would have won (just like 1990, le sigh).
This entry is one of the ***Top 50* ESC songs since 1975.

Israel 2018 Netta - Toy

Contest Ranking: 1st (529 pts) My Ranking: 1st (565.656**)
The most viral Israliean entry ever, and their first winner in the 21st century! By 2017, Israel were swimming in the pool of Eurovision mediocracy, as they would have small feats of success (2015) surrounded by meh entries. In 2017, Israel would host the fifth edition of their national selection show (HaKokhav HaBa), and the artist that would get the call to go to Lisbon for ESC would be Netta Barzilai, after performing various mashups of popular songs like “Gangnam Style” and “Tik Tok”. Netta is a singer-songwriter, but what she specializes in is electronic music, as she studied it at university. In particular, Netta is a DJ, which means that she can combine various beats/sounds together to create magic, which is what her song for ESC is.
This song is… quite something. When I first heard it, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, especially the chicken noises before the first chorus. But this song is actually genius the more I listen to it. This entry is an electronic women empowerment anthem during the #MeToo movement, and it conveys that message of empowerment in such a unique way! The sound is very “unconventional”, incorporating pop, ethnic, and electronic music. This song embraces how different it is, chicken noises and all, because it’s all about being independent, not being someone’s toy (get it?), and being free to do whatever one pleases, which may include random noises. I think the live performance sells it as well, as Netta oozes confidence and charisma, which is needed for a song like this one. Let me put it like this, you come for the chicken noises, but you stay for the message (and catchiness) of the song. It also helps that Netta is a good singer too, but that’s obvious. Until “Uno” in 2020, the music video for this song was the most viewed video on the official ESC youtube channel, a testament to Netta’s strategy. Her success here has vaulted her career, but for Israel, her success made sure that Eurovision was going to Jerus- I mean Tel Aviv for the first time! (Surely nothing controversial was the cause of that change)
This entry is one of the ***Top 50* ESC songs since 1975.

Greece 2004 Sakis Rouvas - Shake It

Contest Ranking: 3rd (252 pts) My Ranking: 3rd (578.748**)
2004 was a weird statistical outlier year. The top 3 in this contest all scored above 200 points, so when adjusting for how many countries voted, the top 3 are VERY high in the all time ranks. For one of those countries, I can’t even talk about them, because they have a BIGGER statistical outlier that ranks higher, and we’ll get to that. But for Greece, this came during their 2000’s renaissance! The country was on a downwards spiral to end the 90s, but then 2001 came and changed everything. Antique’s 3rd place finish, the highest placement ever for Greece, sparked a revitalization of how the country thinks about ESC. A couple of 17th place finishes later, we have Sakis Rouvas, a former athlete turned musician who has a knack of creating smash hits. He already had 2 prior to 2004, but his next one would shatter records, both inside and outside Eurovision.
I can see why this song scored so high, but not as high as the top 2. It is incredibly danceable (I mean the song is literally called “Shake It”), appealing to men and women everywhere, and the song itself is very catchy, if not a bit simple. At the end of the day, the more simple song placed underneath the two more interesting songs (Ukraine and S+M). Greece were fully enveloped in their viral phase, which would pay off one year later, but it’s very nice to see the country do so well, they have been starving for success ever since they joined in 1974. There’s not much else I have to say about this song, except that this song would go on to be the best selling CD singles of all time in Greece, an achievement to show how far this country has come in this competition.
** This entry is one of the Top 50 ESC songs since 1975.

Ukraine 2022 Kalush Orchestra - Stefania (Стефанія)

Contest Ranking: 1st (631 pts) My Ranking: 1st (842.121**)
And now the song that I don’t know what to make of. But first, a little about the Kalush Orchestra. This group was founded in 2021 as a side project of the rap group Kalush, forming a more folk-hip hop group. They competed for the right to go to Turin for ESC in 2022, but ended up finishing second to Alina Pash. So they weren’t able to go, right? Well, about that, Pash had to withdraw from the contest due to her travel history in the region of Crimea, which has been the reason for some artists’ withdrawal in the past. So the broadcastor went to second place Kalush Orchestra to ask them if they were willing to take Pash’s place, to which they obliged.
This song was seen as a favorite, but not the main favorite to win it all. That changed when in late February, Russia began their invasion of Ukraine. The song, which was about an ode to one’s mother, suddenly took on a whole new meaning as bombs were raining on the band’s native land. This song became more than just a Eurovision entry, it became an anthem, a mournful song about what has been lost but also hopeful of the future. I might be blabbing a bit, so let me talk about the contest and the results. This song overwhelmingly won with the televote, scoring the highest percentage (94%) of points from a televote ever, which is why this song ranks so high. For me, this entry represents a side of ESC that I haven’t talked about much, which is Eurovision as a political tool. There have been many political entries in this competition, with some making the Grand Final stage while others get canned due to their political messaging. This song at its heart isn’t political, but what it represents is “political”, in the sense that war is political or something like that. For some participants, Eurovision is a platform to demonstrate their country’s culture, while for others Eurovision is a platform to send a message, whether political or not. You see the latter with Kalush Orchestra, as after their Grand Final performance they called for aid in their home country of Ukraine. Could this song have won if Russia didn’t invade Ukraine? Maybe, it definitely would have been closer with the UK and Spain. Would Kalush Orchestra and Ukrainians glady trade their ESC win for peace for their country? Of course they would. I really don’t know what point I’m trying to make here, so I’ll end it like this. “Stefania” is unlike any of the other top 50 entrants due to the background and circumstances surrounding it. But it does represent an important facet of Eurovision, which is that it serves as a platform to relay a message, any message, and that is what this entry is.
** This entry is one of the Top 50 ESC songs since 1975.

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Segment of a signed message posted to reddit. Anyone else seeing the residue of old school 19th century style antisemitism here?

Aside:
The first post from a different user was removed for being spam. Then my post was removed "pending moderator approval", I messaged the mods and they told me my previous post was removed since "Links to Google docs are often used to unmask and dox users by scraping their Gmail account ids. This is a security issue. Post whatever you want as a link to the open web, or not at all."
Obviously nothing is more doxing than the Gmail account ids (despite the Jewish students literally signing their names below), so I have posted the letter directly here instead. I removed the 322 signatures as well since that is dox-like as well.
I expect nothing but rational and civil discourse in the comments below.
To the Columbia Community:
Over the past six months, many have spoken in our name. Some are well-meaning alumni or non-affiliates who show up to wave the Israeli flag outside Columbia’s gates. Some are politicians looking to use our experiences to foment America’s culture war. Most notably, some are our Jewish peers who tokenize themselves by claiming to represent “real Jewish values,” and attempt to delegitimize our lived experiences of antisemitism. We are here, writing to you as Jewish students at Columbia University, who are connected to our community and deeply engaged with our culture and history. We would like to speak in our name.
Many of us sit next to you in class. We are your lab partners, your study buddies, your peers, and your friends. We partake in the same student government, clubs, Greek life, volunteer organizations, and sports teams as you.
Most of us did not choose to be political activists. We do not bang on drums and chant catchy slogans. We are average students, just trying to make it through finals much like the rest of you. Those who demonize us under the cloak of anti-Zionism forced us into our activism and forced us to publicly defend our Jewish identities.
We proudly believe in the Jewish People’s right to self-determination in our historic homeland as a fundamental tenet of our Jewish identity. Contrary to what many have tried to sell you – no, Judaism cannot be separated from Israel. Zionism is, simply put, the manifestation of that belief.
Our religious texts are replete with references to Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem. The land of Israel is filled with archaeological remnants of a Jewish presence spanning centuries. Yet, despite generations of living in exile and diaspora across the globe, the Jewish People never ceased dreaming of returning to our homeland — Judea, the very place from which we derive our name, “Jews.” Indeed just a couple of days ago, we all closed our Passover seders with the proclamation, “Next Year in Jerusalem!”
Many of us are not religiously observant, yet Zionism remains a pillar of our Jewish identities. We have been kicked out of Russia, Libya, Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Poland, Egypt, Algeria, Germany, Iran, and the list goes on. We connect to Israel not only as our ancestral homeland but as the only place in the modern world where Jews can safely take ownership of their own destiny. Our experiences at Columbia in the last six months are a poignant reminder of just that.
We were raised on stories from our grandparents of concentration camps, gas chambers, and ethnic cleansing. The essence of Hitler’s antisemitism was the very fact that we were “not European” enough, that as Jews we were threats to the “superior” Aryan race. This ideology ultimately left six million of our own in ashes.
The evil irony of today’s antisemitism is a twisted reversal of our Holocaust legacy; protestors on campus have dehumanized us, imposing upon us the characterization of the “white colonizer.” We have been told that we are “the oppressors of all brown people” and that “the Holocaust wasn’t special.” Students at Columbia have chanted “we don’t want no Zionists here,” alongside “death to the Zionist State” and to “go back to Poland,” where our relatives lie in mass graves.
This sick distortion illuminates the nature of antisemitism: In every generation, the Jewish People are blamed and scapegoated as responsible for the societal evil of the time. In Iran and in the Arab world, we were ethnically cleansed for our presumed ties to the “Zionist entity.” In Russia, we endured state-sponsored violence and were ultimately massacred for being capitalists. In Europe, we were the victims of genocide because we were communists and not European enough. And today, we face the accusation of being too European, painted as society’s worst evils – colonizers and oppressors. We are targeted for our belief that Israel, our ancestral and religious homeland, has a right to exist. We are targeted by those who misuse the word Zionist as a sanitized slur for Jew, synonymous with racist, oppressive, or genocidal. We know all too well that antisemitism is shapeshifting.
We are proud of Israel. The only democracy in the Middle East, Israel is home to millions of Mizrachi Jews (Jews of Middle Eastern descent), Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of Central and Eastern European descent), and Ethiopian Jews, as well as millions of Arab Israelis, over one million Muslims, and hundreds of thousands of Christians and Druze. Israel is nothing short of a miracle for the Jewish People and for the Middle East more broadly.
Our love for Israel does not necessitate blind political conformity. It’s quite the opposite. For many of us, it is our deep love for and commitment to Israel that pushes us to object when its government acts in ways we find problematic. Israeli political disagreement is an inherently Zionist activity; look no further than the protests against Netanyahu’s judicial reforms – from New York to Tel Aviv – to understand what it means to fight for the Israel we imagine. All it takes are a couple of coffee chats with us to realize that our visions for Israel differ dramatically from one another. Yet we all come from a place of love and an aspiration for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
If the last six months on campus have taught us anything, it is that a large and vocal population of the Columbia community does not understand the meaning of Zionism, and subsequently does not understand the essence of the Jewish People. Yet despite the fact that we have been calling out the antisemitism we’ve been experiencing for months, our concerns have been brushed off and invalidated. So here we are to remind you:
We sounded the alarm on October 12 when many protested against Israel while our friends’ and families’ dead bodies were still warm.
We recoiled when people screamed “resist by any means necessary,” telling us we are “all inbred” and that we “have no culture.”
We shuddered when an “activist” held up a sign telling Jewish students they were Hamas’s next targets, and we shook our heads in disbelief when Sidechat users told us we were lying.
We ultimately were not surprised when a leader of the CUAD encampment said publicly and proudly that “Zionists don’t deserve to live” and that we’re lucky they are “not just going out and murdering Zionists.”
We felt helpless when we watched students and faculty physically block Jewish students from entering parts of the campus we share, or even when they turned their faces away in silence. This silence is familiar. We will never forget.
One thing is for sure. We will not stop standing up for ourselves. We are proud to be Jews, and we are proud to be Zionists.
We came to Columbia because we wanted to expand our minds and engage in complex conversations. While campus may be riddled with hateful rhetoric and simplistic binaries now, it is never too late to start repairing the fractures and begin developing meaningful relationships across political and religious divides. Our tradition tells us, “Love peace and pursue peace.” We hope you will join us in earnestly pursuing peace, truth, and empathy. Together we can repair our campus.
Signed:
322 Jewish students