‘It’s A Shanda to Use Jewish Identity’ To Commit Genocide

Quick Overview

The artist Iliana asserts that using Jewish identity as a shield to commit genocide, which she defines through actions like starvation, poisoning water/air, separating families, murder, and rape, is a "shanda" (a shame), arguing that a government's fundamental job is to create social safety nets ensuring basic human rights, not enabling such atrocities.

Key Points: The speaker, an artist, defines genocide not just as mass killing but as a set of weapons including starvation, poisoning water/air, separating families, murder, and cutting off healthcare access. She states that utilizing Jewish identity as a shield to facilitate genocide is a "shanda" (a shame), a term she contrasts with the simplistic binary of Zionist/anti-Zionist. The biggest determining factor or "dial" for genocide is time, implying that its slow execution allows it to be normalized or dismissed. The core responsibility of a government is to establish social safety nets so that everybody can have their basic human rights met. The speaker expresses confidence in her capacity as an artist, writer, and producer to create work for herself and others, citing the enjoyment of working with talented people on projects like Good Night, and Good Luck. The host mentions that non-Jewish artists, like Mark Ruffalo, have also spoken out on behalf of Palestine, relating this to a similar concept of "shanda" observed in Jewish artists speaking out in Hollywood.

Context: This video appears to be an excerpt from an interview or podcast, likely on the Zeteo platform, featuring an artist (Iliana) discussing the moral and ethical implications of political conflict, specifically criticizing the use of identity politics to justify violence, which she terms genocide. The discussion centers on the concept of 'shanda' (shame) in this context and critiques the forced political binary facing individuals, especially those within the Jewish community.

Detailed Analysis

The artist argues against the reduction of complex political issues into a simple binary, specifically contrasting the forced choice between being a Zionist or an anti-Zionist with the gravity of genocide. She explicitly states that using Jewish identity as a shield to commit genocide is a "shanda," or a shame, in Yiddish. She defines genocide broadly as a set of weapons used against a population, including starvation, poisoning water and air, separating families, murder, rape, and cutting off access to healthcare, emphasizing that 'time' is the biggest dial for genocide, suggesting that prolonged suffering or slow processes can normalize the atrocity. The speaker contrasts this with what she believes a government should do: create social safety nets to ensure everyone's basic human rights. She also reflects on her role as an artist, writer, and producer, stating she feels confident in creating work for herself and others, enjoying the collaboration with talented people, referencing the film Good Night, and Good Luck. The host then brings up that non-Jewish artists, like Mark Ruffalo, have also spoken out for Palestine, connecting this back to the concept of shame ("shanda") for Jewish artists who speak out, and asks if the artist has faced censorship or career repercussions for her views.