Harvard students protest soda fountains, claim dispensers are 'microaggression'

I understand the outrage on all sides regarding this issue. I get why one would be offended and I get why one be offended that someone else got offended.

What I don't understand, as someone who enjoys growing tomatoes, is the claim that israel invented cherry tomatoes. Really? Thats some bull hooie.

Last time I checked the cherry tomato has been around long before israel existed as a modern country.

Last time I checked you can't "invent" the cherry tomato its a indiginous variety of tomato thats existed since before man started to grow it.

Last time I checked the only thing israel did with the cherry tomato is breed a cultivar (Strain) of it back in the 70's, just one of many many cultivars of cherry tomatoes bred by people all around the world for a few centuries now. Aztecs have bred cherry tomatoes. Americans have bred cherry tomatoes. greeks have bred cherry tomatoes. Egyptians have bred cherry tomatoes. And all before israel.

And the best part is the cultivar of cherry tomato israel is claiming they "invented" by their own articles is actually a peruvian tomato that they breed a sub variety of that matures a little earlier. Thats it. It's not even the most popular cherry tomato cultivar sold. Just a commercialized variety that some farmers grow.

Seriously Israel is trying to claim they invented the cherry tomato now? That's a desperate combination of ignorance blinded by arrogance right here.

OK rant over back to the thread about people being offended about the nationality of a soda dispenser. I'm honestly waiting for somebody representing the soda machine to sue on it's behalf claiming it's potential feelings were potentially hurt. making it the first case of "none living person" suing for it's right to not be offended at someone else's offence at it.

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: LewsTherinThelamon

No. They want to remove Sodastream machines (you can make your own soda with them) from the cafeteria because they are manufactured in the West Bank. Palestinian families were killed and forced out of area where the manufacturing facilities were built.

The article said they wanted them removed because the soda machines could be seen as a microaggression against Palestinians (it could offend them).

Even if they were protesting Israeli made products, it wouldn't make a difference, it would only harm the innocent civilians of Israel--not the people actually responsible for the war against Palestine (the Israeli government).

They could ex-patriate, become citizens of Israel and start a revolution against Israel's government. That would be far more effective than being a hipster sjw--the political equivalent of Lavey's Good-Guy-Badge.

a reply to: Jamie1

SodaStream to move factory out of West Bank Israeli settlement

The company had defended itself as employing 500 Palestinians, along with 450 Israeli Arab and 350 Israeli Jewish citizens, and insisted that closure for political reasons would benefit no one.

But the BDS statement said: “Any suggestion that SodaStream is employing Palestinians in an illegal Israeli settlement on stolen Palestinian land out of the kindness of its heart is ludicrous.”

The BDS movement, which has made significant strides in recent years, calls for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands conquered in the 1967 war and the dismantling of its West Bank wall; the granting of full equality to Palestinian citizens of Israel; and respect and promotion of the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. Its position on Palestinian refugees is widely interpreted as implying that it does not support a two-state solution to the conflict.

Its statement said: “Even if this announced closure goes ahead, SodaStream will remain implicated in the displacement of Palestinians. Its new Lehavim factory is close to Rahat, a planned township [see footnote] in the Naqab [Negev] desert, where Palestinian Bedouins are being forcefully transferred against their will. Sodastream, as a beneficiary of this plan, is complicit with this violation of human rights.”

Emphasis mine

Always more to the story than meets the eye - especially if you're relying on omission of certain facts to make your point

By the way - my right to bitch and moan and be offended is - my right

Same as yours - which you're not shy about using every chance you get, so...

:-)

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: paraphi

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon
I hate political correctness.

I don't think this is political correctness. I think it's political bullying. It is a minority inventing influence by acting as the affronted.

If people don't like to use the soda fountains, then they don't need to. I feel that Harvard has lost any credibility by caving in to this stupidity and legitimised future demands. You'll see pork removed from the canteen, followed by segregation of the sexes, because pork offends, as do women.

Regards

All of this behavior is being caused by our ideas political correctness.

When it is a boycott that is protesting against a nation that is breaking international law then it is the correct thing to do.

That's not what the article says.

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: Jamie1

SodaStream to move factory out of West Bank Israeli settlement

The company had defended itself as employing 500 Palestinians, along with 450 Israeli Arab and 350 Israeli Jewish citizens, and insisted that closure for political reasons would benefit no one.

But the BDS statement said: “Any suggestion that SodaStream is employing Palestinians in an illegal Israeli settlement on stolen Palestinian land out of the kindness of its heart is ludicrous.”

The BDS movement, which has made significant strides in recent years, calls for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands conquered in the 1967 war and the dismantling of its West Bank wall; the granting of full equality to Palestinian citizens of Israel; and respect and promotion of the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. Its position on Palestinian refugees is widely interpreted as implying that it does not support a two-state solution to the conflict.

Its statement said: “Even if this announced closure goes ahead, SodaStream will remain implicated in the displacement of Palestinians. Its new Lehavim factory is close to Rahat, a planned township [see footnote] in the Naqab [Negev] desert, where Palestinian Bedouins are being forcefully transferred against their will. Sodastream, as a beneficiary of this plan, is complicit with this violation of human rights.”

Emphasis mine

Always more to the story than meets the eye - especially if you're relying on omission of certain facts to make your point

By the way - my right to bitch and moan and be offended is - my right

Same as yours - which you're not shy about using every chance you get, so...

:-)

Of course you can choose to be offended, or choose to be happy. That's your business.

Here's the Negev desert.



If the soda machine gets tossed from Harvard, do you think it will really help the Bedouins? Of do you think this is just a pissing contest over trying to prove who's right and who's wrong?

originally posted by: Iamschist
a reply to: buster2010

This is about a vending machine, not land. Get real.

You get real and learn something. The Sodastream factory is located in occupied Palestine and it is companies like Sodastream that is profiting off that occupation. If this company wasn't located there and instead in Israel proper there would be no problem.

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: paraphi

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon
I hate political correctness.

I don't think this is political correctness. I think it's political bullying. It is a minority inventing influence by acting as the affronted.

If people don't like to use the soda fountains, then they don't need to. I feel that Harvard has lost any credibility by caving in to this stupidity and legitimised future demands. You'll see pork removed from the canteen, followed by segregation of the sexes, because pork offends, as do women.

Regards

All of this behavior is being caused by our ideas political correctness.

When it is a boycott that is protesting against a nation that is breaking international law then it is the correct thing to do.

That's not what the article says.

Did you miss this part here?

“These machines can be seen as a microaggression to Palestinian students and their families and like the university doesn’t care about Palestinian human rights."

Israel has long been violation Palestinian human rights which is a violation of international law.

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: paraphi

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon
I hate political correctness.

I don't think this is political correctness. I think it's political bullying. It is a minority inventing influence by acting as the affronted.

If people don't like to use the soda fountains, then they don't need to. I feel that Harvard has lost any credibility by caving in to this stupidity and legitimised future demands. You'll see pork removed from the canteen, followed by segregation of the sexes, because pork offends, as do women.

Regards

All of this behavior is being caused by our ideas political correctness.

When it is a boycott that is protesting against a nation that is breaking international law then it is the correct thing to do.

Boycotting tyrannical behavior is great, but they want to remove the vending machines on the basis that they could be perceived as offensive to Palestinian students.

That is a little bit stupid.

Would you want a constant reminder of a nation that drove you or your family off land that has been in your family for generations?

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: buster2010

I'd rather just show them the many Jewish orgs. that support boycotting Israeli products and politics and stand in solidarity with Palestine... there's probably some in that Palestinian Solidarity group at Harvard.

Shhh stop that kind of talk. If we were to start showing that all Jews didn't back everything Israel does then people may start thinking that Israel may be wrong in it's occupation of the West Bank.

a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

The students are not doing anything themselves to boycott Israel. They're whining and demanding that their University remove a vending machine because it could be seen as offensive.

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

lol of course not.

What would make you think that?

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: paraphi

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon
I hate political correctness.

I don't think this is political correctness. I think it's political bullying. It is a minority inventing influence by acting as the affronted.

If people don't like to use the soda fountains, then they don't need to. I feel that Harvard has lost any credibility by caving in to this stupidity and legitimised future demands. You'll see pork removed from the canteen, followed by segregation of the sexes, because pork offends, as do women.

Regards

All of this behavior is being caused by our ideas political correctness.

When it is a boycott that is protesting against a nation that is breaking international law then it is the correct thing to do.

That's not what the article says.

Did you miss this part here?

“These machines can be seen as a microaggression to Palestinian students and their families and like the university doesn’t care about Palestinian human rights."

Israel has long been violation Palestinian human rights which is a violation of international law.

These machines can be seen as a "microaggression" to Palestine...

"Get rid of them because they could offend someone."

Protesting the violation of human rights and complaining that something might be offensive to someone are two different things.

Harvard is not displaying a lack of caring for human rights by buying products from a company that is not the responsible party for the war against Palestine.

That would be the Israeli government, not a soda-machine manufacturer.

originally posted by: LewsTherinThelamon

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

The students are not doing anything themselves to boycott Israel. They're whining and demanding that their University remove a vending machine because it could be seen as offensive.

If they wanted to boycott Isreal and make an effective statement they would go to the office that manages Harvard's $36 billion endowment. They should demand to know how much of that $36 billion is invested in companies that provide military equipment to Israel.

But hey.... if a soda machine may be perceived as an act of microaggresion, let them focus on the soda machine.

I'm sure that will make them feel just and empowered, and that they have won this battle of what's right and wrong.

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

lol of course not.

What would make you think that?

So you agree that it's a GOOD thing that these students are allowed to protest, yes? And it's a GOOD thing when protests are allowed to bring about change, yes?

Let me search my soul..................... I find I am micro-concerned about micro-aggression.

originally posted by: kaylaluv

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

lol of course not.

What would make you think that?

So you agree that it's a GOOD thing that these students are allowed to protest, yes? And it's a GOOD thing when protests are allowed to bring about change, yes?

I don't think complaining about the "microaggression" caused by a soda machine is going to stop the Israeli government from bullying the Palestinians.

a reply to: LewsTherinThelamon

This is not a SJW issue. It doesn't matter what the article (posted on a site to build resentment toward academia and the youth graduating from it... which should send off warning bells to anyone with a brain) states is the reason, their job is to make sure that it's supporters are offended (ironic right) and they accomplish this with providing low information. I told you what the actual issue is. It's your choice to remain ignorant or not.

originally posted by: kaylaluv

originally posted by: Jamie1

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: Jamie1

Do you think our government should deem certain protests against the law under penalty of incarceration, based on your opinion of the protest's validity? Do you think the offending entity should be prohibited by law from acquiescing to said protests?

lol of course not.

What would make you think that?

So you agree that it's a GOOD thing that these students are allowed to protest, yes? And it's a GOOD thing when protests are allowed to bring about change, yes?

Of course!

I also think it's a good thing for those being protested against to stand up to bullying and being coerced by threats of "possible offense" taken by people who choose to be offended.

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: LewsTherinThelamon

This is not a SJW issue. It doesn't matter what the article (posted on a site to build resentment toward academia and the youth graduating from it... which should send off warning bells to anyone with a brain) states is the reason, their job is to make sure that it's supporters are offended (ironic right) and they accomplish this with providing low information. I told you what the actual issue is. It's your choice to remain ignorant or not.

You didn't refute anything I said, you pretty much just called me stupid.

Please explain how getting worked-up over a microissue is going to stop the Israeli government from bullying the Palestinians?

Stop funding the Israeli government.