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Doctor Removed From Ontario Medical Association AGM for Refusing to Take Off Watermelon Pin (pressprogress.ca)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/canada@lemmy.ca
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[–] 206 points 5 months ago (58 children)

Since the 1980s, the watermelon has been an emblem of Palestinian solidarity,

I did not know that.

Is it common knowledge outside of political action circles?

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  • [–] 58 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    Seems like the Streisand Effect is at play here. I never would have noticed a watermelon as a political symbol if they hadn't reacted this, i would just think it's a bit of whimsy. Now tons of people are reading about it

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago

    Can't tell if you're being facetious or not but banning politics broadly from an event and then being selective regarding what is or is not considered political is a way of stifling dissent. Would they have kicked someone out for wearing a US flag pin? How about an Israeli flag? The watermelon pin is not a flag, but it's meant to represent the Palestinian flag because of the matching colors, so what if someone wore a blue and white pin representing the Israeli flag?

    Because anything could be considered political one way or another there is no way to ban politics from an event without imposing one's own political perspective on the attendees by selectively enforcing the ban.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    I wasn't aware that "people have the right to exist" was political.

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  • [–] 31 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    As many said, it's common knowledge if you've been generally knowledgeable about the colonialism from the 80s and/or if you've been informed because of the current escalation of the genocide.

    Israel has had a "military rule" (administratively, judicially, and physically) over a good chunk of Palestinian lands since 1967 (other than what was colonized already). Under military rule law, even the Palestinian flag could put a child in administrative detention (prison with abuse) for an indeterminate amount of time (months to years).

    To circumvent the oppressive rule, Palestinians took up the watermelon πŸ‰ which has the green, black, red, and white of the Palestinian flag.

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    the watermelon πŸ‰ which has the green, black, red, and white of the Palestinian flag.

    I wouldn't have made that connection either.

    I doubt I could recognize the flags of hundreds of countries, theirs included.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

    Yeah, of course! And other countries share those same colours on their flag - it's not about the colours, but knowing about the oppression that's important; and it's never too late or wrong to learn and share!

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

    but knowing about the oppression that's important

    I have been well aware of the oppression, the bullshit that the Israeli "settlers" are doing and much more.

    But I didn't know that the watermelon had been adopted as a symbol relevant to the issue.

    Β 

    It's not realistic to expect that everyone can know every single detail of every situation.

    I'm sure I know some details about certain situations that you haven't heard of, just the same as you probably know things that I have never been aware of.

    None of that is any reason to treat others as hostile enemies simply due to lack of exposure to certain details (as some people in this thread seem to want to do).

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  • [–] 12 points 5 months ago

    I would say it's well known among activists, and outside that community, it's only a little known. It's probably about on the level of sunflowers being used as a symbol for support of Ukraine. It's nowhere near as well-known as Winnie the Pooh being used as a symbol of protest against Xi Jinping.

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  • [–] 23 points 5 months ago (13 children)

    I've been following it for years, and I've never once seen this mentioned.

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago (9 children)

    I've been personally against what Israel has been doing with Palestine since long before Oct 7th. I don't personally know anyone that's Palestinian or even Jewish for that matter, living in a fairly rural area. It's possible I do have some acquaintances through professional services but simply don't know their heritage. Whatever the case I never knew anything about the "watermelon" thing until today. TIL

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (5 children)

    Yeah bro. Their support is totally useless if they don't know the secret symbols. Like how committed are they, right? /s

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (4 children)

    "Secret," Jesus christ, you guys are just helpless. /thatisntsarcasmpleaseunderstandmyjokeeveryoneitsveryimportanttometonotbepunishedforthinkingwrongwhenimjoking

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  • [–] 0 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    I'm sorry you were joking now? Cause it sure didn't come across that way in the multiple posts where you berated this person for supporting ostensibly the same cause.

    Also learn to use the spacebar.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (2 children)

    Sure, I'll use learn to use the space bar /sarcasmdoyouseethatimbeingsarcasticpleasedonotthinkihavethewrongthoughtsitsveryimportanttomethatiamnotevenmistakenasbadwhenimjusttryingtojoke

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    I certainly didn't know that. I thought maybe they were a Saskatchewan Roughrider's Fan

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago

    I heard this once a few years ago, said "really?", and then promptly forgot about it until now, where this was briefly new news to me again. Is this like, a very regional specific thing, or am I just out of some very big loops?

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago (7 children)

    I'm actually kind of shocked how many people are saying they're unaware. Not judging, just surprised people haven't been exposed to it with everything going on over the last three years. Are you familiar with the yellow ribbon in association with Israel?

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago

    I'm not aware until this story either. For me, this is my only social media. I imagine a lot of people on lemmy aren't really plugged into a lot of places where you might learn that. I've also never heard of the yellow ribbon.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    I am one of those remaining very unaware of these symbols. I read about issues, I vote where I can, I donate when I can. I talk to others and defend Palestine and it's people. I have for over 20 years now. But I guess I don't run in the circles where this would be something I learned.

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago (7 children)

    Anyone with any knowledge of the middle east should be aware of it. The genocide has been going on for your entire lifetime. In fact there is no human alive today that was not alive during a period where zionists were not killing Palestinian children.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    I'm trying to figure out what, at minimum, is missing, other than a single comma.

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  • [+] -6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

    Oh, it's not the punctuation so much as the, what, triple negative there in the last sentence.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    let it slide

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

    Yes, provided you have been following the genocide. It's on par with the kufiyeh

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  • [–] 23 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    It's on par with the kufiyeh

    Another word I had to look up.

    I recognize the object, but didn't know it's name.

    Β 

    Something being common knowledge for some people doesn't automatically mean it is for everyone.

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