I woke up this past Saturday morning to news that I think has shaken the entire world over the days since. The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas engaged in an attack on Israel and its civilians that in many respects mirrors the barbarism by Al Qaeda that took place against our people here in the United States on September 11th, 2001.
Hundreds if not thousands of innocent Israelis have been murdered in cold blood, and many are still alive but being held hostage in captivity by Hamas. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) have responded with air strikes and likely soon with a ground offensive in Gaza where Hamas is largely located and where many of the attackers originated from. They have threatened to kill the Israeli hostages one by one if the Israeli response in Gaza continues.
I have long been interested and invested in the issue of the Israeli-Palestine conflict, and in the essential role that Israel places on the global stage. As a gay man this is obviously a subject that is of great importance to me. After all Israel is the only country in the Middle East that has long supported gay rights; for instance they decriminalized homosexuality in 1988 (15 years before America did it on a nationwide level) and allowed gay people to serve openly in the military starting in 1993, a decade before the U.S. did, a time when America was still debating whether we should allow gays to serve in the armed forces at all, even if they were forced to stay in the closet.
I was first introduced to the plight of Israelis and the conflict that has ensued in the region for many years when as a young teenager I saw the film “Yossi & Jagger”, a beautiful film about two male soldiers who fall in love set against the backdrop of a conflict on the Israeli-Lesbanese border. The film also includes a song, “Bo” by the famous Israeli singer Ivri Lider which has always stuck with me. I would highly recommend seeing “Yossi & Jagger” if you haven’t seen it, and the sequel “Yossi” which came out back in 2012.
I first took a strong public stand in support of Israel when I wrote an article for The Advocate back in 2014 called “Why LGBT People Around the World Need Israel”. It got quite the response, mostly positive but also earned me the label of “Pinkwasher” by several sources including Al Jazeera, which quite frankly I was always proud of. It emboldened me, and motivated me to take an even stronger stand and continue speaking out in support of Israel’s right and need to exist.
In the last 12 years I have also been a Democratic candidate for political office twice here in West Hollywood, California, and worked on several Democratic campaigns from the mayoral level in Los Angeles to the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. I am heartened by the fact that many prominent Democrats have been outspoken in their support for Israel, including Adam Schiff who I have endorsed in his run to the next U.S. Senator from California.
Another politician who I have written about before and been extremely inspired by the Ritchie Torres, the young Afro-Latino and openly gay member of Congress from New York. Not only has he been a strong supporter of Israel and on behalf of the Jewish community, but he has called out those people, among some on the left who have spoken sympathetically about Hamas, made anti-semitic statements or simply been silent in the face of these recent atrocities.
Unfortunately some of those people exist here in California, including two of the City Councilmembers here in West Hollywood, Chelsea Byers and Sepi Shyne. There is nothing progressive about supporting terrorists or standing idly in the face of evil, and Byers, Shyne as well as phony liberals like them should be called out.
All people of good conscience and faith must take a stand and make their voices heard at this critical moment. The people of Israel and the Jewish community deserve our support, now more than ever before. You can count on me to continue being one of those voices, today and always.
Unfortunately one of the traits of the “Bernie Bro” modern Progressive movement is rampant antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments. (Progressives males first brought into politics by Bernie Sanders are also fine with misogyny, but that’s another mess.) Just look to Progressive Representative Rashada Tlaib, a longtime open hater of Israel. She is, at this moment, still spreading the lie that Israel bombed that hospital in Gaza – even though practically every weapons expert in the world has gone on record as saying that rocket was fired from within Gaza – by Islamic Jihad – and likely misfired and struck all those… Read more »
Update for Mr Mason. Nearly a half million residents of Gaza (Palestinian Muslims and Christians) have been displaced from their homes. Nearly 3,000 people have been killed by the Israel attack including many children. What else can one say Mr Mason… except thanks the right-wing and religious fanatic Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Roman Catholic President Joe Biden!
“Hamas does not represent the interests of the Palestinian people… while Israel protects its people with bombs, Hamas protects its bombs with people.”
Bassem Eid, a Palestinian living in Jerusalem
Unfortunately, LGBTQ Palestinians in what Mr. Mason wrongly believes to be the gayest friendly country in the world exclude them. Institional to social prejudices is the dark reality of LGBTQ Palestinians who thought they could find safety in Israel. A significant reason is Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister. He and his government are the most right-wing and religious conservative in the country’s history. So, Mr. Mason you should be more fact-checking than being ridiculously bombastic with false information.
It was just week before last that Netanyahu’s Finance minister announced that he was “a proud homophobe”. I deeply appreciate that most of the Israeli people are deeply committed to LGBTQ rights but I think we should expect them to be more evolved in their thinking given that they are essentially a Western nation intellectually and only a Middle East nation by geography.
Yes, Smotrich did make an anti-LGB comment, however, the word proud was not used. But he’s still a dick to say so and only one person in government to make such a stupid comment, so throw everything about Israeli government in the garbage cause of one idiot? First, do some research. Steve & BlindEyeGuy. I don’t know if either of you are gay, Jewish or have lived in Israel, but I am and have. Israel is more inviting than West Hollywood. BEG, you say “gayest friendly country in the world”, NOPE. Correctly, Israel is the safest and most embracing country… Read more »
It’s LGBT, not LGB. Trans people exist in Israel!
Steve has no credibility on the issue. Steve’s immediate response to this tragedy was “resistance should have been expected”. What a cold response to the loss of innocent Jewish lives.
It’s coming out now the Israelis knew this was going to happen. You cannot trust the government in any country because this is just about power and money always… overshadowed by some belief in sky gods … Religions created by delusional sex obsessed men thousands of years ago.
Steve you’re done, you have no more credibility on this issue. You won’t denounce Hamas, a known terrorist organization. Why because Israel and Jews deserve it? This is antisemitism to its core.
Quite a shocker, really would never had expected this from Steve, but just more of, it makes sense, how we have our very own terrorist supporter sitting on Council.
The Jewish terrorist groups FOUNDERS OF ISRAEL engaged in an attack on the KIND DAVID HOTEL (and hundereds of other terrorist attacks) and its civilians that in many respects mirrors the barbarism of HAMAS.
This is how Israel was founded, NOT once but TWICE in the last 7000 years. They started with Canninites.
This is NOT directed towards Jewish people.
Uh huh.
Visit Hammas-Massacre.net and THEN try to tell me anything “mirrors the barbarism of Hammas.”
Nothing mirrors the barbarism of Hammas.
The Middle East has remained a mess since the founding of Israel. It is a very complex and difficult situation. I am a peacful person. I absolutely abhor any kind of violence. While I do support Israel’s right to defend itself, I do not support its virtual destruction of Gaza. How many of its about 2.3 million residents truly support Hamas? Yet Israel is counter-attacking as if all residents of Gaza are the enemy. The suffering on both sides has been horrific and now with all electricity, water and food prohibited into Gaza what do you expect the reaction to… Read more »
The destruction in Gaza is Hamas; not Israel.
Most of the 2.3 million Palestinian voting citizens chose Hamas to rule, so they are at least complicit.
No water is going into Gaza only because Hamas dug up the water lines to use them to shoot missiles through.
Hamas has openly said they will not rest until Israel has been destroyed; every Jew! They have been saying this for decades. All of their resources go to that end. If their people are at their breaking point it is the leaders they put in power who are responsible.
The destruction in Gaza is Hamas; not Israel. Most of the 2.3 million Palestinian voting citizens chose Hamas to rule, so they are at least complicit. No water is going into Gaza only because Hamas dug up the water lines to use them to shoot missiles through. Hamas has openly said they will not rest until Israel has been destroyed; every Jew! They have been saying this for decades. All of their resources go to that end. If their people are at their breaking point it is the leaders they put in power who are responsible. “Hamas does not represent… Read more »
Where are you getting your mis- information? From the ludicrously bombastic anti fact checker Mr Mason?
Mason rambles on, combining self-promotion, opinion commentary and talks about faith! Israel might be the great place for gay men except if you’re a Palestinian. Unfortunately, Israel and Palestine are victimized and ruled by old men religious leaders. Basically, like all religions founded by men who pitched that they had a direct call from some made up God. The great thing about the last 10 years is social media is exposing the religious industrial complex. In this country, religions don’t pay any taxes. But they make big bucks. Frankly, when people say they’re praying… to which sky God is it???… Read more »
Bravo James well says we support you.
We WHO?
We here 🙋🏻♂️
I’m not sure we needed a recap of the day’s events. CNN takes care of that. And it’s probably not the time to remind what most here already know that Israel is the most gay-fridndly nation in their region. And I’m not overly interested right now in movies you enjoyed, or that you were ever a candidate, or who you endorse in the future. And please dont bring up mommies tour schedule. But it’s always good to remind people they voted for at least two antisemites currently on the city council.
I do not stand for the US sending more money and munitions to kill Palestinians.
This is disgusting.
James Mason just parroting the warmongering Corporate Uniparty messaging. I already get their newsletter, girl!
You are totally right. As of this evening, nearly 350,000 Palestinians in Gaza have lost their homes. All water, electricity, and any food supplies along with medical supplies have been cut off. The dying USA legacy TV network and newspaper media hasn’t covered this. But if you go to YouTube you will see British news videos of the devastations in Gaza. Thousands of people who have been injured have crowded all the hospitals and there’s no medication! Gaza is one big prison or should we say ghetto. Talk about war crimes.
I know.
The mission is not to kill Palestinians, but rather to keep Israel safe. If there were a terrorist group that sent several thousand missiles into west hollywood from say Tijuana or even from Santa Monica, would your plan be to do nothing to prevent it again? Now who is “disgusting”?
I would send in the air force and carpet bomb them like Israel would love to do.
NOT.
Not remotely the same, unless Tijuana or SM decided to fence me in, limit my travel, limit my opportunities, blockade me,limit my medical needs, and control most of my rights, I might, just might be pissed.
The depths, sadness, dunno what is even the correct word, of yours and others ignorance, leaves it easy for me to understand how we have a Hamas Terrorist supporter sitting on our council, and obviously more dire, an absolute disastrous war in the region with innocent lives being destroyed on both sides. So very tragic. Just a thought, imagine what could have been done over the last 75 years with all the money funneled into the Gaza had it been used to build up the place and the people, the rather than be used to fuel hatred with the sole… Read more »
Your response is ridiculous re a Hamas supporter on the city council. And that is the utterly correct word.
Point out my ignorance, because everything that I wrote is true and correct.
Agree that Palestinian leadership sucks, but it is apparent that the Israeli leadership sucks also and most in power don’t want peace with Palestinians, but enjoy the subjugation and apartheid state they have become.
Last she spoke on the subject she had her fist in the air in solidarity with her terrorist buddies, so not sure what else I should go by. Peace brother! Take care.
Hopefully they flatten the place and then use the $6 billion that was supposed to go to Iran and rebuild Gaza after Hamas has been terminated.
Careful what you wish for, HAMAS is the TWIN of Israel’s Terrorists Founders.
I enjoy reading Duke’s pieces for their big-picture view, eloquent prose, and fearless advocacy for common sense above toxic ideology.
Thank you for the thoughtful article. I agree with all of your points.