Thread by @NudderingNudnik

@stephenkb Stephen. I'm glad you are joining the campaign but i must argue with your points.
Literally none of us leading/facilitating this campaign are saying Twitter deals well with other forms of racism. Our next hope is that this builds into a wider front to take on the SM companies.

@stephenkb Why should the hashtag make you uncomfortable? Do you suggest we add an "all lives matter" caveat?
Specific experiences can be universalised, of course. But where is the rule that says they MUST be universalised AT ALL TIMES?
Does the specificity of an experience devalue it?

@stephenkb If I had made an argument around the BLM matter campaign (of course, i didn't and wouldn't) that BLM as a slogan makes me "uncomfortable" because it doesn't recognise non-black Jewish experience, what would you have said?
I think i can guess. And i'd be with you.

@stephenkb I'm proud that MY community is taking a stand. And i'm also proud of the huge amount of support we have been given already by people across all ethnic and religious divides. I'm truly humbled by that.
And i will of course always have respect for the moments when others stand up.

@stephenkb And when others who have shown us solidarity ask for my solidarity in turn, there is no question. They have it.
Their specificity makes me MORE inclined to support their struggle.
The demand that every struggle be turned into a universal simply is never made.

@stephenkb Each time a specific group stands up for itself, those who wish them ill or seek to demean them always say "but what about...." and it's generally "what about us". And a demand is made that if it doesn't include "us" or "everybody" then the struggle is deemed illegitimate

@stephenkb Specific experiences are not in themselves a threat to anyone who actually respects the lived experiences and histories of others. But boy oh boy they are a threat if you do not have respect for others as your core value.

I am familiar with the discipline of "intersectionality"

@stephenkb And that is not a "functionally neutral" academic discipline or toolset. It is in fact a highly politicised construction that has been used relentlessly by the self appointed Commissars of what is considered "progressive" and what is considered "regressive" to attack others.

@stephenkb And yes, Stephen: intersectionality has consistently been used as a weapon against Jews. And it looks to me that that is exactly what is happening right now, in the form of an unwarranted and hostile attack on a campaign that merely seeks to say:
"We Jews are under attack"

@stephenkb We have not, will not and will never say "only we Jews are under attack" or "only we white-skinned (but actually middle-eastern in origin) Jews are under attack."

To present our campaign as that is disingenuous, offensive and distressing to us.

@stephenkb Given your new role in leading on racism for @BoardofDeputies - an appointment that i welcomed and celebrated - I have to say that your FB piece causes me some very real concern.

@stephenkb @BoardofDeputies For a piece that seeks to accuse me and my fellow campaigners (who worked tirelessly over 48 hrs to launch this initiative) of the thought crime of "specificity" it does rather look like a piece that actually is nothing much more than saying "what about me?"
"Specificity", no?