'Chilling effect': People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school

Restaurant staff losing their jobs for cheering on a pro-Palestinian protest. A Palestinian Canadian journalist fired for her social media posts calling for a #freepalestine. Medical residents flagged to potential hiring committees for their support of Palestinians.

These are just some of the many instances across Canada in which employees and students have faced firings, suspensions or calls for them to not be hired based on their publicly stated political stance on the Israel-Hamas war. It's a trend that has been reported not just in Canada but also in the U.S. and Europe, and across various industries, including media, law, health care and the service sector.

According to three Ontario-based lawyers who spoke to CBC News, some employers and institutions have been quick to take action against employees or students, creating an environment in which many are afraid they will lose their jobs or face consequences to their education if they express a political stance in favour of one side — Palestinians — during this war.

"I can tell you personally, in the last month and a half, I've probably spoken with someone at least once a day [about this]," said Jackie Esmonde, a labour lawyer at Toronto-based firm Cavalluzzo Law. "They're not always cases that we take on, but we do have in the range of eight to 10 cases that we're actively working on at the moment.

"I'm not seeing people making what I would consider hate speech or discriminatory speech."

PuddingFeeling907,
@PuddingFeeling907@lemmy.ca avatar

It makes me so mad that Israeli lobbyists have so much political power that people face consequences for calling out an obivous genocide.

Doorbook,

Amazing how “from the river to the sea” trigger people. Calling it anti-semtisim, calling for genocide.

While those people justify an actual active genocide happening in front of their eyes.

Good thing Gaza, Palestinians, and people who live there took matter to their hands instead.

anatak,

@Silverseren but doing the same thing to israel passport holders would be antisemitism and illegal.

streetfestival,
@streetfestival@lemmy.ca avatar

No kidding. I’m in my 30s, and being pro-Palestinian the last couple months has felt like the most dangerous-to-hold geopolitical opinion I’ve ever held. As a Canadian, I’ve never experienced anything like it.

Thank goodness the censure and censorship isn’t as crazy as it was even a month ago.

Kichae,

It gets less crazy with every white flag waving Israeli citizen the IDF shoots, at least.

swearengen,

Munye, who has worked at the college for seven years, told CBC the school did not specify to him which post needed removing. The last post on his account related to the war, made before he was put on paid leave, uses the phrase “From the river to the sea”

I mean I’d be worried for my job if I was calling for genocide. It’s just common sense. Chanting genocidal slogans like “from the river to the see” is one of the dumbest moves you can make.

streetfestival,
@streetfestival@lemmy.ca avatar

Say the second part, “Palestine will be free.” But you don’t want to - you want to cherry-pick parts of a saying in a propaganda effort to (squelch rational and compassionate speech and) promote a flimsy and patently preposterous idea that Palestinians are genocidal during a time when the IDF has killed 20,000 Palestinians in the last two months after decades of apartheid. Thankfully the number of people that hold the type of delusional beliefs you’re espousing is steadily declining

swearengen, (edited )

Say the second part, “Palestine will be free.” But you don’t want to

You’re right I don’t want to ignore the call for genocide. The people in Gaza don’t want to share shit, they want it all and if they had the same means Israel has Jews would be wiped out by now.

Every day I grow more thankful Israel has 400 nukes. It becomes clearer everyday that they need them. Palestine will never be from the river to the sea.

Bleach7297, (edited )

“If looks could kill it would’ve been us instead of [them]”

You can say the people in Gaza would be the ones doing genocide if they were able. But they aren’t. In this reality, Israel is the one actually doing the genocide. So that is what the world has to deal with.

And who is Israel going to nuke? It’s their neighbours that hate them most, so that won’t work out great for Israel. And their neighbours hate them now more than ever thanks to bibi the warlord.

swearengen, (edited )

But they aren’t

Pointless. I seen the Oct 7th videos I have no doubt they would if they could. Intent matters.

Israel is the one actually doing the genocide.

That word is quickly becoming meaningless. Israel has the means to kill everyone in Gaza. 79 days since Oct 7th and they’ve conducted more than 22,000 strikes and only managed to kill 20k out of 2 million people. Use your brain and play out why that is.

It’s almost like they’re trying not to kill civilans. Crazy.

And who is Israel going to nuke?

That’s the beauty, no one will be nuked. Israel just having them is enough to make sure no nation(s) move on them.

There will be no intervention no matter what happens in the UN or any other country. When you have nukes you can do whatever the hell you want to do. Look at China with the Uyghurs, it’s carte blanche.

So sure. Hate Israel all you want. It’s mostly misguided hate and has very little basis in reality but the good thing is no matter what you do it won’t stop Israel from doing what it needs to do.

Bleach7297, (edited )

Intent does matter but actions and impact matter a lot more. Reality matters more than speculative alternate realities. Real lives matter more than hypothetical lives.

20,000 is 1% of 2 million. Israel has knocked off an entire percentage point of the population in a couple of months, mostly civilian. Sure, they could wipe out everybody in Gaza, but then even the US and Germany wouldn’t be able to support them. Israel needs to maintain at least some pretext of legitimacy, as weak as it is, so their ‘partners’ can say ‘Israel has the right to defend itself’ and try their hardest to ignore questions of proportionality and international law.

If the IDF is trying not to kill civilians they are doing a criminally poor job. Reports indicate that IDF soldiers are actively targeting non-combatants. To dismiss these reports is to be complicit in these atrocities. Skepticism is healthy, but ignorance is not.

As for them not needing to use the nukes, I wouldn’t be so sure. Their enemies have already demonstrated they are perfectly willing to ‘martyr’ themselves and civilians. If it’s a bluff, it’ll get called. If it’s not a bluff, Israel craps in their own bed, irradiating their (and many other’s) holy land – which is why the bluff would likely be called.

Other significant context, when thinking about the legitimacy of the operation:

  1. IDF knew of the planned attack a year beforehand and didn’t take it seriously, despite additional warnings nytimes.com/…/israel-hamas-attack-intelligence.ht…
  2. Netenyahu supported Hamas for years timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-…

Bleach7297,

We’re up to 1.5% of the population, now. And I neglected to mention all the people who have been displaced and/or don’t have access to medical care. Last count I saw was 800,000 people. That’s genocide as well, according to the UN convention that Israel ratified.

swearengen,

Is the genocide in the room with you right now?

Come up with whatever hashtag you want nothings going to change.

Bleach7297, (edited )

Is the genocide in the room with you right now?

What does that even mean?

As you are surely aware, I didn’t come up with those hashtags, they’re prevalent online. I’m sure you’re also aware that people can search platforms by hashtag and find posts like mine. They’ll find my statistics and arguments and your non-responses.

Bleach7297,

Here’s a more concise response for you

they’ve conducted more than 22,000 strikes and only managed to kill 20k

How many have they displaced? How many hospitals have they destroyed? Their 22,000 strikes directly killed 20k but the indirect deaths that result from those strikes count as well. Also, the fact that they’ve done 22,000 strikes sure doesn’t sound like a proportionate response.

That’s the beauty, no one will be nuked. Israel just having them is enough to make sure no nation(s) move on them.

Having nukes that your enemies know you can’t use isn’t much of a deterrent.

the good thing is no matter what you do it won’t stop Israel from doing what it needs to do.

If Hamas’s goal is the destruction of Israel, this has been their most successful campaign by far. They’ve shown the world exactly how much Israel cares about Palestinians. The BDS movement will just get stronger and stronger the longer this goes on, to say nothing of the ‘less civil’ anti-Israel sentiment.

Being subject to the occasional terrorist/freedom fighter attack is simply the cost of having colonies. If they don’t want to accept that cost, the options are to get rid of the colonies or wipe out the indigenous inhabitants.

swearengen,

How many have they displaced?

Most respected the warning and moved to safer areas hence the lower civilian death toll. Would you rather they stay and die? Displacement isn’t always a bad thing.

How many hospitals have they destroyed?

You mean Hamas bases? As many as they need to.

Also, the fact that they’ve done 22,000 strikes sure doesn’t sound like a proportionate response.

The goal is to eliminate Hamas. Proportinality isn’t a thing here. This will take months and Israel will sweep up and down the entire Gaza strip as needed.

Having nukes that your enemies know you can’t use isn’t much of a deterrent.

I wouldn’t be so sure. Israel doesn’t acknowledge their nukes and plays by it’s own rules. A first strike option is on the table.

They’ve shown the world exactly how much Israel cares about Palestinians. The BDS movement will just get stronger and stronger the longer this goes on, to say nothing of the ‘less civil’ anti-Israel sentiment.

You sure about that? People are tiring of the protests now and turning on the protestors blocking traffic and invading areas of normal life.

colonies

Oh come the fuck on. Colony my ass, the Jews have been there for thousands of years. They have more claim to the area than you or I do from wherever we’re posting from. We are all colonizers compared to Israel.

My roots only go back on 150 years and I’m in fucking Wisconsin. If the Objibwa tribe mounted an attack on my people now they’d be eradicated and no one would balk. The moment passed for atacks, we are here now and not going anywhere.

It’s time Palestine accept that as well because if they can’t they’ll be living in refugee camps permanently.

Bleach7297, (edited )

I’m only too happy to oblige you!

Most respected the warning and moved to safer areas hence the lower civilian death toll. Would you rather they stay and die? Displacement isn’t always a bad thing.

“Lower civilian death toll” whatever the hell that means…

The notion that displacement is somehow a lesser evil compared to immediate civilian casualties is a gross oversimplification. Displacement not only uproots families but results in chronic poverty, lack of access to education, and enduring psychological trauma. It is an aspect of genocide according to the UN Convention that Israel ratified.

You mean Hamas bases? As many as they need to.

Casually labeling hospitals as ‘Hamas bases’ without incontrovertible proof undermines the principles of accountability and due process. Hospitals are protected under international law, and their destruction has dire consequences for civilian access to healthcare, particularly in conflict zones. This is another aspect of genocide. Israel has a long history of flouting international law.

The goal is to eliminate Hamas. Proportinality isn’t a thing here. This will take months and Israel will sweep up and down the entire Gaza strip as needed.

International humanitarian law emphasizes that military actions must be proportional to the military advantage gained, to prevent excessive civilian harm. Disregarding proportionality has resulted in widespread civilian casualties and will escalate the conflict, leading to cycles of retaliation and further instability.

I wouldn’t be so sure. Israel doesn’t acknowledge their nukes and plays by it’s own rules. A first strike option is on the table.

But I thought the ‘beauty’ of Israel having nuclear weapons is that they won’t need to use them? Now you suggest a first strike option. So they’ll preemptively crap in their own bed?

And we already know Israel ‘plays by their own rules.’ That’s the fucking problem. That’s why they’re in this situation.

Oh come the fuck on. Colony my ass, the Jews have been there for thousands of years.

As have Palestinians. Israel refers to these colonies as “settlements” but they are illegal settlements, under international law. How illegal? Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states, “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” The international community generally considers the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip as occupied territories, and therefore, the Israeli settlements are seen as a violation of this clause.

The United Nations Security Council passed several resolutions affirming that Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories are illegal. For example, Resolution 242 calls for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the Six-Day War of 1967, and Resolution 2334 states that Israel’s settlement activity constitutes a “flagrant violation” of international law and has “no legal validity.”

In 2004, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion stating that the construction of the West Bank barrier by Israel, and by extension the settlements, violated international law.

The ‘settlements’ are an obstacle to the peace process because they involve the appropriation of land and resources that could be part of a future Palestinian state. Their expansion is seen as prejudicing the outcome of negotiations on the final status of the territories. Hence, they are seen as part of a process to colonize the area. Hence ‘colonies.’

Now, I could be wrong but you strike me as the sort who doesn’t put much weight behind international law.

Holding onto regressive attitudes not only hinders conflict resolution but also fails to recognize the progress humanity has made in understanding and upholding human rights.

If the Objibwa tribe mounted an attack on my people now they’d be eradicated and no one would balk. The moment passed for atacks, we are here now and not going anywhere.

It’s time Palestine accept that as well because if they can’t they’ll be living in refugee camps permanently.

The genocidal actions against Native Americans centuries ago are widely recognized as a dark and shameful chapter in your country’s history. Not a good benchmark for contemporary conflict resolution. It’s regressive and implies a tolerance for such atrocities. Those moral and ethical standards belong in the 1700s. Do you also believe women should be denied the vote and that African Americans should still be enslaved?

swearengen, (edited )

Now, I could be wrong but you strike me as the sort who doesn’t put much weight behind international law.

I’m old enough to remember what happended in Rwanda. International laws may as well be printed on the back of a CVS receipt. It’s equally worthless.

Pretending “international law” or anything the UN says is worth mentioning is laughable at this point.

And I do agree the slow West Bank takeover over by Israel settlers is wrong. It needs to stop. However claims about Israel being on colonized land is bullshit rhetoric that doesn’t deserve respect.

your country’s history.

My point is it’s every countries history. No one exists on land orignally belonging to their tribe. Most land has been ‘stolen’ many times over.

At the end of the day my positions are this. Israel has a right to exist. Palestine never existed. Arabs lost every war ever fought. Losers don’t get to dictate terms.

Arabs refused every deal presented no matter how favorable throughout the decades. They want it all. They want to be free from the river to the sea AKA they want every Jew dead. They are always the one to initate attacks.

After Oct 7th Israel had the right to declare war and do the needful so to speak. Hamas will be eradicated. Gaza will suffer much more than they are now and theres not a hashtag in the world that will change whats coming. No international law will be enforced, no UN intervention.

Religion is a cancer on the world and the middle east is exhibit A as to why it belongs in the past. Forced to choose I’ll back Judism over Islam every time. Islam kills non believers like me and spawns death cults across the globe. It’s an abhorrent and barbaric religion that is incompatible with the modern world.

Bleach7297, (edited )

I am also old enough to remember Rwanda. It reflected a failure of intervention, not the irrelevance of international law. Do you remember the ICTR? Do you remember Jean Kambanda, Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, Georges Rutaganda, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko and the ~60 others indicted for war crimes, many of whom are serving life sentences or have died in prison? You seem to misunderstand how international law – or any law – works. Laws don’t stop criminals from doing crimes, it punishes them for doing crimes.

How about the Special Court for Sierra Leone, which marked the first time a head of state was held accountable by an international court for war crimes? Where’s Charles Taylor now? Rotting in a cell in the UK, that’s where.

Slobodan Milosevic croaked in a cell before his trial was over, but that’s another example of international law holding a leader accountable.

Bibi and his cadre of warmongers will have their turn, but that’s cold comfort to those whose world has ended because their extremist government poked a psychopathic, rage-fueled bear. And before you tell me “they elected them,” no they didn’t. At least half of the people in gaza are too young to vote. Israel is literally dropping bombs on children.

claims about Israel being on colonized land is bullshit rhetoric that doesn’t deserve respect.

Oh, is THAT why you haven’t provided any rebuttals?

You have an opinion and you are welcome to it, but I have backed up my opinion with examples which you have not disputed in any meaningful way.

At the end of the day my positions are this. Israel has a right to exist. Palestine never existed. Arabs lost every war ever fought. Losers don’t get to dictate terms.

Your position is brutal and reductive. The ‘might makes right’ attitude is regressive because it perpetuates ongoing conflict and instability, it promotes the idea that conflicts are resolved through dominance rather than negotiation, it frequently leads to the suppression of human rights and freedoms, as the ruling power prioritizes maintaining control over respecting individual rights. In short, it neglects the principles of justice, equality, and sustainable peace, leading to long-term negative consequences both domestically and internationally.

You say religion is a cancer. How ironic that positions like yours are a big reason why it can be a cancer.

Your views on Arab participation in peace processes are similarly reductive. Israel has similarly rejected Palestinian proposals, for example the Camp David Summit, the Taba Talks and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Lastly, your characterization of Islam reeks of bigotry. Extremism does not define an entire religion, and Islam is practiced by about a quarter of the world’s population – if a significant portion wanted to “wipe out the non-believers,” the world would be a very different place than it is. Such generalizations hinder constructive dialogue and perpetuate hate.

Speaking from my own perspective as someone lucky enough to grow up in a large, multi-cultural city, your statements about Islam hold exactly no water. I’m an atheist. Is ‘killing the non-believers’ done by inviting them to Iftar dinner? By inviting a Rabbi to speak at Iftar dinner about the sacredness of peace and how fortunate we are to live in a peaceful society? It’s clear to me that you have no idea about Muslims. I, on the other hand, have a few Muslim friends and colleagues. I even drink beer and smoke shisha with one, even though it’s haram. Like every other religion, practitioners exist on a continuum. Like every other religion there are bad people who use it to justify bad actions. Religion is just one of many pretexts bad people use to justify atrocious behaviour. ‘National security’ is another big one.

What else have you got?

🇵🇸

swearengen, (edited )

I’m just impressed you’ve maintained this quaint notion of how the world works at your age. You seem to have an honest belief in international law and humanity.

I have a belief system based in reality. One where winners dictate terms. No one from a nation with nukes will face the same fate as someone from an African or Balkan country.

I even drink beer and smoke shisha with one, even though it’s haram.

Funny how much better life starts to get the further one strays from religion. It’s almost like it’s holding us all back or something /s

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