Open letter to the creator of the ‘Is your fav author a zionist?’ list

Dear Amina:

I have questions.

Fittingly, since you created a list titled with a question — ‘Is your fav author a zionist?’ — I come with questions of my own. 

First of all, what is your real name? Amina is your name on X. But I presume you place some value on the public-facing use of real names, particularly for communicators such as yourself, since you are presently undertaking the task of compiling a list of names. Names are important, no? Why hide yours? Also: why limit the visibility of your X account? The authors on your list can’t hide; what might afford you the privilege of doing so? 

Is playing fair not a concept that you find honorable? Or is your cause, one that we can all agree is life-or-death, not important enough to align to openly? Or are Zionists simply not deserving of fair play? Is it the case that the pro-Palestinian is morally leveraged in just such a way that they needn’t be held to the same standards as the people they are criticizing? 

More: what do you mean by “Zionist”? Do you know that there are many different forms of Zionism? Does your list address American Zionism? Religious Zionism? Spiritual Zionism? Practical Zionism? Do these questions not matter? Is it enough that “Zionist” is vaguely associated with “Jew”?

Do you know that compiling a list of names is an authoritarian practice? Do you grasp the power of a list such as yours? The crude power, not the pure intentions? Do you see how, in their ability to reduce human beings to a codified system of labels and superficial traits, lists are a useful tool for those who would seek to reduce the world into a binary consisting of allies and rivals? 

And what do you mean by “fav” author? (I know you mean “favorite.”) Do you mean those who learn that their favorite authors are Zionists should no longer count those authors as among their favorites? Should only pro-Palestinian authors be eligible for “favorite” status? Are only pro-Palestinian authors talented? Is being a Zionist so compelling a trait that it nullifies all of a Zionist’s other traits? Are we to dismiss not just the intellectual labor of all Zionist authors, but even our alignment to their insights, their skill, their craft, their talent, their sense of beauty, their sheer joy? Are we, in other words, to betray them, to no longer define them as human, despite the fact that, while rising to the status of our favorites, they won over our hearts?

And what is Israel? And why is Israel the way it is? And is Israel’s dream of its future self worth fighting for? Would you accept a peaceful Israel? A non-oppressive Israel? Or must there be no Israel? And if there must be no Israel, then what must become of Israelis? And what must become, in general, of Jews?

Speaking of oppression, does it exist in a binary? Is everyone in the world either oppressed or an oppressor? Do some of us wear both hats? Does anyone wear neither hat? If it’s a binary, does the oppressed person, once freed, have no choice but to become the oppressor? And once they become the oppressor, do they deserve to be killed? Do their wives, mothers, and children deserve to be killed? Are there oppressor children? Oppressor babies?

Are there Zionist babies?

Are there human babies on this planet who don’t deserve to live?

Is Hamas oppressive? In some ways? At some times? Or are they strictly and always and forever oppressed? What if they murder every single Israeli? Will they still be oppressed? Or will they at last be oppressors? Can they alas be neither? Can anyone?

Can anyone just be?

Does your ideology help you on your path in life? Are you active in your local community? Would you describe yourself as charitable or generous? Do people call on you for aid and advice? Do you have any special talents? Are you in love? Are you complicated? Are you some ways sometimes and other ways other times?

Do you not like being scrutinized? Is it unnerving for your humanity to be publicly questioned? Do you think I have no right to appoint myself as your judge?

If you think this, you are right: I have no right. And I am not your judge. And I’m glad I do not know your name, for I at last wish no distress to come to you. 

But you know my name, my Jewish name. And you know the names of those on your list. You have made them subhuman. You have brought them low. 

Your list is an instrument of oppression. And as you hide, you must know on some level that it oppresses not only the authors on it, but you.

Liberate yourself and tear it up.

Best wishes,

Eric Shapiro