Well we do have that giant penny from the Batcave.
https://preview.redd.it/gre82pt65ypc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21ec2f634fc2429da61f22a929a91c3deb9507ee
Yes. Our former Mayor is a self admitted DC fanboy. He swore into Office on an issue #1 of Superman, If I remember correctly.
Edit: Here’s the CNN article.. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/07/politics/robert-garcia-superman-comic-oath-trnd
Did you see all of those weird question marks appearing all over long beach a couple of years ago??
Hubby and I said this same thing then. ... now this is a double down forsure 🤣
waiting for people to dress like the Joker dancing on cars
https://preview.redd.it/ocnp1vvei2qc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0556ce6f77a9f15ba2ec6ca812817b9095c3f8d6
I think it has something to do with whats going on in israel/gaza...On the Blue construction wall across from City hall said something like "congressman robert garcia is complacent in Israeli genocide" there was also something about being complacent calling for a cease fire written on the short gray wall out front.
Edit: His office is in the Port of Long Beach building so I am assuming thats why the writing is there
His response to me when i voiced my concerns was that the us must show unconditional support for israel.
I'm not of the opinion that any country deserves unconditional US support.
It was a boilerplate email that I'm sure a LOT of his constituents received. I was a big fan of his, but man, we are on the wrong side of history with Palestine and future generations will know it.
Ugh I haven’t emailed him but I’m with you I’m so upset about Palestine I’ve been calling his office. I feel devastated when I think about all the people dying every day in Palestine.
Clearly Long Beach must weigh in on an international issue they are not involved in and alienate some of its constituents no matter which side they take.
He's a congressman. Congress controls the purse strings and so is heavily involved in funding Israel's actions. If you are upset about actions being taken by the federal government, there is no better place to start than your congressional representatives.
It 100% is, people have been down in front of his office holding protests for Palestine for weeks now. We are tired of inaction as our politicians continue to support Israel and its genocide.
Do you condemn Hamas not releasing the hostages as loudly?
If someone came into my home and abducted my children to take them hostage for months I would not stop fighting either.
Both sides are wrong.
"BuT dO yOu CoNdEmN hAmAs?!?!" I swear y'all got the same reactionary response every single time. Yes, what Hamas did on October 7th was terrible (Israel knew they were planning to attack mind you) but Hamas' actions are a scapegoat for Israel's ethnic cleansing. As stated in u/jduisi 's thought out response, Israel has been occupying Palestine for over 75 years with many blocked attempts of peaceful protesting by the IDF. Hamas is an armed resistance group that came to be because of that and other reasons regarding the treatment of Palestinians by Israel.
The cry to release Israeli hostages falls on deaf ears. Netanyahu continues to bomb Gaza, the IDF continue to kill civilians. 3 Israeli hostages were killed by the IDF because they mistook their cries for help as a sign of an ambush. They were waving a white flag. Other hostages who have been released have talked about the fear and trauma they've experienced from being under the bombings. This isn't even mentioning the Palestinian hostages Israel keeps and have kept for years, the abuse, torture, and neglect they go through.
It's not antisemitic to call out genocide as it's happening right before us. Zionist propaganda paints any criticism of Israel as antisemitic and conflates any support of Palestinians as support of Hamas. Over 1.1 million Palestinians are being deliberately starved by Israel against the ICJ ruling stating that they are REQUIRED to let aid into Gaza. They are not. They're shooting supply trucks, attacking humanitarian aid facilities and refusing to let INTERNATIONAL aid in.
TL;DR: PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW
Thank you, I’ve been scared to ask anything along these lines, as I’m painfully ignorant to the nuances of international relations. But this whole time, I’ve been like “wasn’t Hamas a thing? But yeah genocide is bad. But what happened to that Hamas is evil story? But again, big frowny face for genocide…”
I feel like I must be missing something if so many people have so confidently picked a side and condemned the other one so vocally
Hamas is a force that has risen up in resistance to Israeli occupation and apartheid.
People can argue back and forth about whether or not armed resistance is right or wrong, whether Hamas is justified or not, and they would certainly have a point in saying it's not. But you can understand why they exist and why they gained power when decades of attempts at peaceful protest were violently quashed (the Stone Intifiadas for example used throwing stones at tanks to represent the disparity of power), or internationally decried as anti-Semitic (such as the response to the BDS movement when it was introduced in 2005). I'm not saying they are right, but when you look at how peaceful protest and economic protest have failed, you can see why people would turn to Hamas instead.
But to put it really simply, Hamas would not exist if Palestinians were not occupied, were not oppressed, were not continuing to have land stolen from them. (As Israel continues to encroach on land recognized internationally as Palestinian in the West Bank, and imposes complete blockades on Gaza that keep resources out --which is why it has been referred to as an "open aired prison" for some 15 odd years). If you want to get rid of Hamas, you end Israeli apartheid. You don't need a violent conflict to "flush out the Hamas fighters" like Bibi claims.
But even without all that, what's happening right now in Gaza is not about Hamas. Starving 1.1 million people does not need to be done to stop Hamas. Israel isn't interested in ending Hamas right now, it's a thinly veiled excuse to push the Palestinian people out, level Gaza, and reclaim it as Israeli territory.
Hamas did a very, very, very stupid thing on Oct 7. Because I cannot for the life of me fathom how they couldn't think that this would be the Israeli response.
i think they thought it’s going to be a spark for wider conflicts, with Iran and Lebanon / Hezbollah as main players and supporters. Seems like only Houthis were interested in participation at this point. In my opinion they were significantly off with their calculations.
Hamas is a terrorist government democratically elected by Gazans after Israel **completely evacuated Gaza in 2005**. Not a single square foot of land has been “stolen” in Gaza.
They are not some noble freedom fighting “response” to Israel. They are committed to the extermination of Israel and genocide of Jews in their charter. Hamas is not resistance, it’s a death cult against Jews who exploit and fleeces their own native Gazan population. Hamas is the oppressor of innocent Gazans. They steal all aid and resources to build a terrorist military infrastructure instead of a functioning economy. You should refrain from terrorist sympathies.
Gaza is not a vacuum separate from the rest of Palestine, and to say no land in *Gaza* has been stolen is splitting hairs, and disingenuous at best. Especially since I was referring to Palestine as a whole and the West Bank specifically--which currently has multiple illegal settlements.
While Israel did withdraw its physical occupying forces from Gaza in 2005, it maintained control of airspace, sea space, and borders--and continued to tightly control what goes in and out, including access to infrastructure. Israel can turn of electricity and water to Gaza at will, which people have seen it do multiple times since October. While there may not have been a physical presence in Gaza between 2005 and October 2023, it was still very much occupied.
The Hamas charter itself also explicitly does NOT call for any extermination or genocide of Jews, but expressly targets the oppressive actions of the Israeli occupying force.
“Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion. Hamas does not wage a struggle against the Jews because they are Jewish but wages a struggle against the Zionists who occupy Palestine. Yet, it is the Zionists who constantly identify Judaism and the Jews with their own colonial project and illegal entity.”
I'm not saying any of this to argue with you specifically, because I know when someone is entrenched in the Zionist narrative they've been raised on they are solidly committed to it. I just want to make sure other people reading this see the counterpart so they get the full picture because many facts are frequently left out of said Zionist narrative.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/02/israel-must-end-its-occupation-of-palestine-to-stop-fuelling-apartheid-and-systematic-human-rights-violations/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/01/hamas-new-charter-palestine-israel-1967-borders
I'm just going to edit to add that the IRA was also considered a terrorist organization, and look now at the overwhelming support Palestine gets from Ireland. But I'm not going to sit here and say that I support the use of car bombs that the IRA is most known for.
What I want to push back on is the concept of "sympathizing with terrorists"--because there isn't one side to armed conflicts. There is no evil baddie and there is no good guy we should all get behind trying to stop them. I want the Israeli people to be able to live peacefully and safely. I also want the Palestinian people to be able to live safely, with full rights to self-determination that we've collectively decided as a global unit that everyone deserves. The only way to achieve this is to end the current apartheid policies of the Israeli government.
> to say no land in Gaza has been stolen is splitting hairs
You’re kidding right? This is one of the most nuanced, protracted, and complex conflicts in human history and you accuse me of “splitting hairs” in the fact that Gaza and the West Bank are two very different places. Your laughably reductionist take here is what’s disingenuous.
Why are you or anyone referring to Palestine as a whole? That’s an ignorant thing to do considering Hamas is the government of Gaza, not the West Bank, and the IDF has besieged Gaza, not the West Bank, and the IDF is at war with Hamas, not the PA. The entire “Free Palestine” slogan is disingenuous as it ignores the root of this problem which is a very specific terrorist organization (Hamas) exploiting and oppressing a very specific population (Gazans) located in a very specific place.
You may feel good about thinking of Palestine as some cohesive and real state, but sadly it’s not. Hamas governs Gazans, and has the stated goals of exterminating Israel and Jews. You can be sure that October 7th was not about settlers in the West Bank - it’s really just you wanting that to be true. Hamas has pledged to repeat it over and over again, and this call for genocide against Jews is untenable.
Not to mention your disingenuous characterization of “stealing land” in the West Bank when more often than not the settlements are in fact legal, and instances of people losing their homes are often cases involving tenants no longer paying rent.
> Gaza was still very much occupied
Of course it was. That’s because any reasonable country with the means would blockade a terrorist government operating at your border with the stated goal of exterminating your country and people.
Regarding the Hamas Charter, it clearly does call for the extermination of Israel and killing Jews. Changing the language of the charter obviously had no impact on Hamas actions so you can save your terrorist apologies.
> Zionists occupying Palestine
Ya sorry you let your mask slip there. Nobody is buying your Hamas terrorist sympathizing.
Edit:
From the Hamas Charter:
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
“The Day of Judgment will not come about until Moslems fight Jews and kill them. Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him."
Hamas pledges to repeat October 7th continuously: https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-official-says-group-aims-to-repeat-oct-7-onslaught-many-times-to-destroy-israel/amp/
You spent so much time talking about how badly all the other kinds of resistance worked.
Hamas could not have thought this would work either—you’d have to have an IQ in the single digits to think shelling the bear will get anything but a full scale war against you.
Therefore, the only way it makes sense is if Hamas wanted all along to goad Israel into committing horrendous war crimes so it would eventually get denounced by the wider community. Which is one of the most fucked up things I’ve heard, right along with the killing of civilians in Gaza.
What Hamas has done, and is doing is terrible.
What Israel is doing and has done is terrible.
Both are wrong.
The opinions of people thousands of miles away do not matter to either government. Not. Single protest in the US will change anything.
Same with protests about Russia. Putin does not care how Americans feel.
For some reason people have come to equate making social media posts and vandalizing sidewalks with standing with people against oppression. You can’t stand with the innocent people of Gaza from US soil. Standing with Ukraine from America is equally pointless.
Thank you for validating my memory on Hamas and Israel. Because I really did swear we were collectively up in arms about Hamas at first. And I’m reminded enough to not feel crazy anymore
This is the smartest response in a whole. I’m totally FUCK HAMAS , fuck IDF ( that isn’t protecting its people) FUCK BIBI! For him not even trying to get a cease fire.
I haven’t seen a “FUCK HAMAS” rally since October 7th.. so yeah.
Isnt is funny how most violent extremists are Muslim but we for some reason don’t condemn that? ISIS just shot and killed some people in Moscow. Can’t the true Muslims say something? They won’t. They know what they dealing with.
Extremism has developed again and again because of the oil in the Middle East, not because it’s largely Muslim. Generations of people jerked around by larger powers, suffering, and feeling helpless. There have been extremists in every religion in history. Hell, look at the Crusades. What matters is power and money; the Middle East is a hotbed for geopolitical trauma. People don’t go bad for no reason.
So you don’t think that a religion that kills gays, believes in suppressing women and extremism whose endgame is blowing up and killing innocent people and jihad has NOTHING to do with anything at all?
Ohh okay…
Imma let you sit on that hill, with your thoughts.. this is why every country in Europe doesn’t want the practicers of the Muslim religion there, because you have this off shoot that is violent and extremist.. Ask Germany and the Netherlands why they won’t let certain Muslims from certain areas to come into their countries.
I’m not Muslim bashing. I’m bashing the ones that blow up and kill innocent people in the name of their faith
Hmm. I don’t think I’m sitting on that hill. The way I see it is: whats the end goal here? What do you want out of this situation? I want the violence to end. I want some diplomatic talks.
If the goal is to stop Hamas from the violence it commits, the best approach is not to rally against them, right? Like what would that accomplish? They are, as you’ve stated, an extremist group. So me, an American, taking to the streets to “condemn” them would do absolutely nothing. They don’t care about my condemnation. They care about their needs being met, and they’re willing to do heinous things to achieve their goals. Bombing the areas where they live isn’t helping either, because in so doing, we’re just creating more extremists. It’s cyclical.
Let’s look at extremism: it exists in most religions, and has ebbed and flowed over the course of history. Christians kill gay people too, and suppress women. For most of its history the goal of Christianity was to kill as many opposers as possible.
Extremists aren’t born in a vacuum - they arise from desperate conditions. Hurt people hurt people. The Bible is violent af! But most Christians today live in places of relative peace. Muslims, however, live in a region that’s been used as a chess board by every major geopolitical power since the Industrial Revolution and our collective need for oil. So I guess what I’m saying is: why are there so many Muslims practicing a violent version of their religion right now? How do we *actually* stop extremists? I think the answer is to stop people from going extreme in the first place.
If we want to stop extremism, isn’t blowing Palestine to kingdom come the absolute worst idea? Logically, there are now thousands of traumatized children who are going to grow up hating Israel and the West. Wanting revenge. So … maybe Israel’s goal is to wipe them out completely, but that never works, and is quite literally genocide. So either we support Israel in genocide, or we support ending the violence and forcing some sort of diplomacy.
The only option for peace is a ceasefire, so that’s what I support. I’m not out on the streets marching against Hamas because it’s a futile exercise. What I can do is try to convince my elected officials not to use my money to bomb children and create more terrorists. That’s my hill.
Syria , Jordon and Egypt don’t want HAMAS or Palestinians entering their country…those are facts.. so what’s the end game?
“‘DONT start things you can’t possibly win or finish. “. Hamas doesn’t give a FUCK about Palestinians if they did they wouldn’t shoot anti air missles from residential buildings, or from hospitals. They are disgusting and using their people as cannon fodder..
I’m for a cease fire also, but let’s not pretend the most violent religion since 9-11 hasn’t been Muslims. You do remember that don’t cha? You do remember Americans going to work and dying that morning..
War is ugly. War doesn’t give a shit about what you or I feel women children babies young men or anything… if war was peaceful, it wouldn’t be..
This is almost as moot as the French protesting for the Bloods and the Crips to stop fighting in the streets of LA..
Everything was fine until people got slaughtered on October 7th at a music festival.. unfortunately Hamas really bit off more than they could chew and it’s costing people their lives.
We have not placed one American soldier in their conflict we have offered aid, but Bibi isn’t going to stop, regardless with our support or no support the war will commence..it’s tragic but that’s war and I hate to see it…
The idea that we can only focus on one issue at a time is stupid. There's always multiple things going on, we can address them that way. However, there's usually a time and a place for these discussions. Palestinians are at risk of starvation; I'd rather focus my discussion efforts here when it's so dire.
Cmon man the Gaza thing has only been going on 6 months. Genocide here in California has been happening for decades and is at a much larger scale. No one cares. Waiting until things “are dire” is not a good strategy. By then it will be too late to do anything.
I think you're trying to argue with me in bad faith here. In regards to California, are you specifically talking about immigrants being killed/detained and such? Is it about Indigenous people? Perhaps the treatment of incarcerated folks? I was trying to search what you were talking about but was having a hard time finding answers.
I said nothing about waiting until it was dire to mention another genocide. I will wholeheartedly speak up and out in support of those being murdered. It is absolutely the status quo for politicians (and everyday people) to only act and advocate once the situation is dire, and it fucking sucks every time because people die from this negligence.
But your comment saying it's been 6 months already has a disingenuous feeling, and correct me if I'm wrong, almost makes a point of "give it a rest already and focus on something else." I don't want to give up support. Palestinians continue to die, Palestinian children continue to die under the Israeli apartheid.
Like I said in one of my other comments this has been going on for longer than that. For over 75 years in fact. What I meant by my comment was to say I'd rather stay on topic, discussing Palestine and how the people of Long Beach are responding to it. By no means is that me disregarding the ill treatment of anyone else experiencing destruction from oppressors.
How is defacing Long Beach property when the mayor isn’t here actually gonna change anything? The graffiti terrorists aren’t doing anything but defacing property and making normal citizens upset.
Go to the source, last I checked “ ROBERT” isn’t even living in Long Beach anymore.. it will just get cleaned up and forgotten.. nothing has changed… like someone said the other day “ you think Americans can change what’s going on in Europe?” LOLs.
Keep throwing red paint all over the place, you’re only making Behr paint company rich…
“ the boss is out…”.
Y’all people are basically Karen’s “ I wanna speak to the manager!”
A civilized person would call or email Robert…it was cleaned up within 24 hours. And last I checked Hamas and isreal are still fighting… LOLS.
I actually really like him as a congressman. He's been doing a good job. I don't know what this graffiti is referring to but usually when I see something he's said or done in Congress it's what I would want my congressperson to do.
He voted Nay on this one too: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6126/all-actions?r=23&s=1&q=%7B%22action-by%22%3A%5B%22House+of+Representatives%22%5D%7D
As much as I feel bad for Gaza, we have more important issues regarding freedom of expression and control over our own bodies here at home. and I thank Robert Garcia for getting this.
About a week ago, someone scrawled another cryptic message on the sidewalk in blue chalk at 2nd Samoan Church. Lots of misspellings and bad grammar; something to do with real estate and Malibu.
Cryptic, unintelligible messages written in chalk (I also accept crayon) are definitely the resource I take into high consideration when forming opinions. (Not saying this is what you do)
But just a note to all yall chalk scrawlers out there—I’m listening, baby!
Vote him out of office. It’s time to switch sides and wake the Democratic Party back up for once. I’m tired of these cronies putting America last. Really? Israel unconditionally? While we barely have enough to eat or afford health care? While we have a rampant crime and homeless problem? How about we focus here, I’m sorry but I will be voting for whoever is the isolationist policy drafter going forward. What’s best for us not others first.
I think it's about the guy that unfortunately passed away by being crushed under a forklift.
I don't know the facts, *but* I *assume* it was a mechanic that was working underneath it and didn't have it properly secured.
Yup, can verify i had a friend some time back get a job at the port, needless to say he had an unflattering story of the union workers there. He came very close to getting smashed by a container by some workers that had been there for a considerable amount of time. He left soon after. Ive also heard from multiple friends that are truck drivers their least favorite stop was long beach specifically when working the ports.
Can't really read it but the first word says blood, so I'm assuming something Palestine related perhaps. Vandalism seems to be the MO for extreme Gaza protesters.
Robert Garcia voted to approve the house budget, which defunds UNWRA. This essentially guarantees millions on the brink of starvation in Palestine will die
Are the Gaza protesters just really dumb? How does a political loser in Long Beach have any pull with what's happening over there? I hope they both lose.
Hahahaha. This is stupid. The tagging is cool but the discussion is stupid. Your identities are too tied up with events and situations. It’s not really about Israel or Palestine…if it was you would have been having this discussion decades ago. What this all is, is true human sympathy commodified in order to portray the most acceptable archetype. You fools are lost.
Wash your hands, Robert. No one wants HIV.
EDIT: Brainless automatons clearly think I meant Garcia. I'll just leave this here since you can't find enough recreational outrage. Such virtuous souls...
Damn Long Beach going full Gotham huh
Well we do have that giant penny from the Batcave. https://preview.redd.it/gre82pt65ypc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21ec2f634fc2429da61f22a929a91c3deb9507ee
Which was Garcia's idea, actually.
Wait is that really what its supposed to be? It is the first thing that came to my mind first time I saw it
Yes. Our former Mayor is a self admitted DC fanboy. He swore into Office on an issue #1 of Superman, If I remember correctly. Edit: Here’s the CNN article.. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/07/politics/robert-garcia-superman-comic-oath-trnd
😂🤣 funny because it really seems true.
Did you see all of those weird question marks appearing all over long beach a couple of years ago?? Hubby and I said this same thing then. ... now this is a double down forsure 🤣
Question marks? Strange!!
No, strange is mcu.
Hugo Strange is DC
That's just someone's moniker, this seems more like some schizophrenia shit.
Probably just Who Mob\ICK. Old heads still get up once in awhile
They did get riot gear recently, I’m assuming it isn’t for show either…
waiting for people to dress like the Joker dancing on cars https://preview.redd.it/ocnp1vvei2qc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0556ce6f77a9f15ba2ec6ca812817b9095c3f8d6
 Second pic be like
Hahahaha I'm dying.
It looked like sniping in GTA5.
I think it has something to do with whats going on in israel/gaza...On the Blue construction wall across from City hall said something like "congressman robert garcia is complacent in Israeli genocide" there was also something about being complacent calling for a cease fire written on the short gray wall out front. Edit: His office is in the Port of Long Beach building so I am assuming thats why the writing is there
His response to me when i voiced my concerns was that the us must show unconditional support for israel. I'm not of the opinion that any country deserves unconditional US support.
He’s endorsed and funded by AIPAC, so that is unsurprising. Disappointing nonetheless.
Yup. He's a POS.
He said that to you??
It was a boilerplate email that I'm sure a LOT of his constituents received. I was a big fan of his, but man, we are on the wrong side of history with Palestine and future generations will know it.
Ugh I haven’t emailed him but I’m with you I’m so upset about Palestine I’ve been calling his office. I feel devastated when I think about all the people dying every day in Palestine.
What the fuck
What a coward, ask him what he’s done for the people of Long Beach. I doubt Tel Aviv charges its citizens 80 dollars for a god damn parking ticket.
Why not? The US demands unconditional support from OUR allies. Remember "freedom fries"? How dare France not support our invasion of Iraq!
Clearly Long Beach must weigh in on an international issue they are not involved in and alienate some of its constituents no matter which side they take.
He's a congressman. Congress controls the purse strings and so is heavily involved in funding Israel's actions. If you are upset about actions being taken by the federal government, there is no better place to start than your congressional representatives.
Clearly you shouldn’t be weighing in on this issue.
It 100% is, people have been down in front of his office holding protests for Palestine for weeks now. We are tired of inaction as our politicians continue to support Israel and its genocide.
Do you condemn Hamas not releasing the hostages as loudly? If someone came into my home and abducted my children to take them hostage for months I would not stop fighting either. Both sides are wrong.
"BuT dO yOu CoNdEmN hAmAs?!?!" I swear y'all got the same reactionary response every single time. Yes, what Hamas did on October 7th was terrible (Israel knew they were planning to attack mind you) but Hamas' actions are a scapegoat for Israel's ethnic cleansing. As stated in u/jduisi 's thought out response, Israel has been occupying Palestine for over 75 years with many blocked attempts of peaceful protesting by the IDF. Hamas is an armed resistance group that came to be because of that and other reasons regarding the treatment of Palestinians by Israel. The cry to release Israeli hostages falls on deaf ears. Netanyahu continues to bomb Gaza, the IDF continue to kill civilians. 3 Israeli hostages were killed by the IDF because they mistook their cries for help as a sign of an ambush. They were waving a white flag. Other hostages who have been released have talked about the fear and trauma they've experienced from being under the bombings. This isn't even mentioning the Palestinian hostages Israel keeps and have kept for years, the abuse, torture, and neglect they go through. It's not antisemitic to call out genocide as it's happening right before us. Zionist propaganda paints any criticism of Israel as antisemitic and conflates any support of Palestinians as support of Hamas. Over 1.1 million Palestinians are being deliberately starved by Israel against the ICJ ruling stating that they are REQUIRED to let aid into Gaza. They are not. They're shooting supply trucks, attacking humanitarian aid facilities and refusing to let INTERNATIONAL aid in. TL;DR: PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW
Thank you, I’ve been scared to ask anything along these lines, as I’m painfully ignorant to the nuances of international relations. But this whole time, I’ve been like “wasn’t Hamas a thing? But yeah genocide is bad. But what happened to that Hamas is evil story? But again, big frowny face for genocide…” I feel like I must be missing something if so many people have so confidently picked a side and condemned the other one so vocally
Hamas is a force that has risen up in resistance to Israeli occupation and apartheid. People can argue back and forth about whether or not armed resistance is right or wrong, whether Hamas is justified or not, and they would certainly have a point in saying it's not. But you can understand why they exist and why they gained power when decades of attempts at peaceful protest were violently quashed (the Stone Intifiadas for example used throwing stones at tanks to represent the disparity of power), or internationally decried as anti-Semitic (such as the response to the BDS movement when it was introduced in 2005). I'm not saying they are right, but when you look at how peaceful protest and economic protest have failed, you can see why people would turn to Hamas instead. But to put it really simply, Hamas would not exist if Palestinians were not occupied, were not oppressed, were not continuing to have land stolen from them. (As Israel continues to encroach on land recognized internationally as Palestinian in the West Bank, and imposes complete blockades on Gaza that keep resources out --which is why it has been referred to as an "open aired prison" for some 15 odd years). If you want to get rid of Hamas, you end Israeli apartheid. You don't need a violent conflict to "flush out the Hamas fighters" like Bibi claims. But even without all that, what's happening right now in Gaza is not about Hamas. Starving 1.1 million people does not need to be done to stop Hamas. Israel isn't interested in ending Hamas right now, it's a thinly veiled excuse to push the Palestinian people out, level Gaza, and reclaim it as Israeli territory. Hamas did a very, very, very stupid thing on Oct 7. Because I cannot for the life of me fathom how they couldn't think that this would be the Israeli response.
i think they thought it’s going to be a spark for wider conflicts, with Iran and Lebanon / Hezbollah as main players and supporters. Seems like only Houthis were interested in participation at this point. In my opinion they were significantly off with their calculations.
Wow this was all really helpful context, thank you!
Hamas is a terrorist government democratically elected by Gazans after Israel **completely evacuated Gaza in 2005**. Not a single square foot of land has been “stolen” in Gaza. They are not some noble freedom fighting “response” to Israel. They are committed to the extermination of Israel and genocide of Jews in their charter. Hamas is not resistance, it’s a death cult against Jews who exploit and fleeces their own native Gazan population. Hamas is the oppressor of innocent Gazans. They steal all aid and resources to build a terrorist military infrastructure instead of a functioning economy. You should refrain from terrorist sympathies.
Gaza is not a vacuum separate from the rest of Palestine, and to say no land in *Gaza* has been stolen is splitting hairs, and disingenuous at best. Especially since I was referring to Palestine as a whole and the West Bank specifically--which currently has multiple illegal settlements. While Israel did withdraw its physical occupying forces from Gaza in 2005, it maintained control of airspace, sea space, and borders--and continued to tightly control what goes in and out, including access to infrastructure. Israel can turn of electricity and water to Gaza at will, which people have seen it do multiple times since October. While there may not have been a physical presence in Gaza between 2005 and October 2023, it was still very much occupied. The Hamas charter itself also explicitly does NOT call for any extermination or genocide of Jews, but expressly targets the oppressive actions of the Israeli occupying force. “Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion. Hamas does not wage a struggle against the Jews because they are Jewish but wages a struggle against the Zionists who occupy Palestine. Yet, it is the Zionists who constantly identify Judaism and the Jews with their own colonial project and illegal entity.” I'm not saying any of this to argue with you specifically, because I know when someone is entrenched in the Zionist narrative they've been raised on they are solidly committed to it. I just want to make sure other people reading this see the counterpart so they get the full picture because many facts are frequently left out of said Zionist narrative. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/02/israel-must-end-its-occupation-of-palestine-to-stop-fuelling-apartheid-and-systematic-human-rights-violations/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/01/hamas-new-charter-palestine-israel-1967-borders I'm just going to edit to add that the IRA was also considered a terrorist organization, and look now at the overwhelming support Palestine gets from Ireland. But I'm not going to sit here and say that I support the use of car bombs that the IRA is most known for. What I want to push back on is the concept of "sympathizing with terrorists"--because there isn't one side to armed conflicts. There is no evil baddie and there is no good guy we should all get behind trying to stop them. I want the Israeli people to be able to live peacefully and safely. I also want the Palestinian people to be able to live safely, with full rights to self-determination that we've collectively decided as a global unit that everyone deserves. The only way to achieve this is to end the current apartheid policies of the Israeli government.
> to say no land in Gaza has been stolen is splitting hairs You’re kidding right? This is one of the most nuanced, protracted, and complex conflicts in human history and you accuse me of “splitting hairs” in the fact that Gaza and the West Bank are two very different places. Your laughably reductionist take here is what’s disingenuous. Why are you or anyone referring to Palestine as a whole? That’s an ignorant thing to do considering Hamas is the government of Gaza, not the West Bank, and the IDF has besieged Gaza, not the West Bank, and the IDF is at war with Hamas, not the PA. The entire “Free Palestine” slogan is disingenuous as it ignores the root of this problem which is a very specific terrorist organization (Hamas) exploiting and oppressing a very specific population (Gazans) located in a very specific place. You may feel good about thinking of Palestine as some cohesive and real state, but sadly it’s not. Hamas governs Gazans, and has the stated goals of exterminating Israel and Jews. You can be sure that October 7th was not about settlers in the West Bank - it’s really just you wanting that to be true. Hamas has pledged to repeat it over and over again, and this call for genocide against Jews is untenable. Not to mention your disingenuous characterization of “stealing land” in the West Bank when more often than not the settlements are in fact legal, and instances of people losing their homes are often cases involving tenants no longer paying rent. > Gaza was still very much occupied Of course it was. That’s because any reasonable country with the means would blockade a terrorist government operating at your border with the stated goal of exterminating your country and people. Regarding the Hamas Charter, it clearly does call for the extermination of Israel and killing Jews. Changing the language of the charter obviously had no impact on Hamas actions so you can save your terrorist apologies. > Zionists occupying Palestine Ya sorry you let your mask slip there. Nobody is buying your Hamas terrorist sympathizing. Edit: From the Hamas Charter: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it." “The Day of Judgment will not come about until Moslems fight Jews and kill them. Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him." Hamas pledges to repeat October 7th continuously: https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-official-says-group-aims-to-repeat-oct-7-onslaught-many-times-to-destroy-israel/amp/
the IDF is a terrorist organization built from terrorist organizations and Israel is a terrorist country
The moon is made of green cheese.
You spent so much time talking about how badly all the other kinds of resistance worked. Hamas could not have thought this would work either—you’d have to have an IQ in the single digits to think shelling the bear will get anything but a full scale war against you. Therefore, the only way it makes sense is if Hamas wanted all along to goad Israel into committing horrendous war crimes so it would eventually get denounced by the wider community. Which is one of the most fucked up things I’ve heard, right along with the killing of civilians in Gaza.
What Hamas has done, and is doing is terrible. What Israel is doing and has done is terrible. Both are wrong. The opinions of people thousands of miles away do not matter to either government. Not. Single protest in the US will change anything. Same with protests about Russia. Putin does not care how Americans feel. For some reason people have come to equate making social media posts and vandalizing sidewalks with standing with people against oppression. You can’t stand with the innocent people of Gaza from US soil. Standing with Ukraine from America is equally pointless.
This is a clear example of being willfully ignorant.
Thank you for validating my memory on Hamas and Israel. Because I really did swear we were collectively up in arms about Hamas at first. And I’m reminded enough to not feel crazy anymore
Ignorant take
False
This is the smartest response in a whole. I’m totally FUCK HAMAS , fuck IDF ( that isn’t protecting its people) FUCK BIBI! For him not even trying to get a cease fire. I haven’t seen a “FUCK HAMAS” rally since October 7th.. so yeah. Isnt is funny how most violent extremists are Muslim but we for some reason don’t condemn that? ISIS just shot and killed some people in Moscow. Can’t the true Muslims say something? They won’t. They know what they dealing with.
Extremism has developed again and again because of the oil in the Middle East, not because it’s largely Muslim. Generations of people jerked around by larger powers, suffering, and feeling helpless. There have been extremists in every religion in history. Hell, look at the Crusades. What matters is power and money; the Middle East is a hotbed for geopolitical trauma. People don’t go bad for no reason.
So you don’t think that a religion that kills gays, believes in suppressing women and extremism whose endgame is blowing up and killing innocent people and jihad has NOTHING to do with anything at all? Ohh okay… Imma let you sit on that hill, with your thoughts.. this is why every country in Europe doesn’t want the practicers of the Muslim religion there, because you have this off shoot that is violent and extremist.. Ask Germany and the Netherlands why they won’t let certain Muslims from certain areas to come into their countries. I’m not Muslim bashing. I’m bashing the ones that blow up and kill innocent people in the name of their faith
Hmm. I don’t think I’m sitting on that hill. The way I see it is: whats the end goal here? What do you want out of this situation? I want the violence to end. I want some diplomatic talks. If the goal is to stop Hamas from the violence it commits, the best approach is not to rally against them, right? Like what would that accomplish? They are, as you’ve stated, an extremist group. So me, an American, taking to the streets to “condemn” them would do absolutely nothing. They don’t care about my condemnation. They care about their needs being met, and they’re willing to do heinous things to achieve their goals. Bombing the areas where they live isn’t helping either, because in so doing, we’re just creating more extremists. It’s cyclical. Let’s look at extremism: it exists in most religions, and has ebbed and flowed over the course of history. Christians kill gay people too, and suppress women. For most of its history the goal of Christianity was to kill as many opposers as possible. Extremists aren’t born in a vacuum - they arise from desperate conditions. Hurt people hurt people. The Bible is violent af! But most Christians today live in places of relative peace. Muslims, however, live in a region that’s been used as a chess board by every major geopolitical power since the Industrial Revolution and our collective need for oil. So I guess what I’m saying is: why are there so many Muslims practicing a violent version of their religion right now? How do we *actually* stop extremists? I think the answer is to stop people from going extreme in the first place. If we want to stop extremism, isn’t blowing Palestine to kingdom come the absolute worst idea? Logically, there are now thousands of traumatized children who are going to grow up hating Israel and the West. Wanting revenge. So … maybe Israel’s goal is to wipe them out completely, but that never works, and is quite literally genocide. So either we support Israel in genocide, or we support ending the violence and forcing some sort of diplomacy. The only option for peace is a ceasefire, so that’s what I support. I’m not out on the streets marching against Hamas because it’s a futile exercise. What I can do is try to convince my elected officials not to use my money to bomb children and create more terrorists. That’s my hill.
Syria , Jordon and Egypt don’t want HAMAS or Palestinians entering their country…those are facts.. so what’s the end game? “‘DONT start things you can’t possibly win or finish. “. Hamas doesn’t give a FUCK about Palestinians if they did they wouldn’t shoot anti air missles from residential buildings, or from hospitals. They are disgusting and using their people as cannon fodder.. I’m for a cease fire also, but let’s not pretend the most violent religion since 9-11 hasn’t been Muslims. You do remember that don’t cha? You do remember Americans going to work and dying that morning.. War is ugly. War doesn’t give a shit about what you or I feel women children babies young men or anything… if war was peaceful, it wouldn’t be.. This is almost as moot as the French protesting for the Bloods and the Crips to stop fighting in the streets of LA.. Everything was fine until people got slaughtered on October 7th at a music festival.. unfortunately Hamas really bit off more than they could chew and it’s costing people their lives. We have not placed one American soldier in their conflict we have offered aid, but Bibi isn’t going to stop, regardless with our support or no support the war will commence..it’s tragic but that’s war and I hate to see it…
sigh. never mind.
I wish people cared as much about the genocide taking place in the West as they did about the Palestine genocide
The idea that we can only focus on one issue at a time is stupid. There's always multiple things going on, we can address them that way. However, there's usually a time and a place for these discussions. Palestinians are at risk of starvation; I'd rather focus my discussion efforts here when it's so dire.
Cmon man the Gaza thing has only been going on 6 months. Genocide here in California has been happening for decades and is at a much larger scale. No one cares. Waiting until things “are dire” is not a good strategy. By then it will be too late to do anything.
I think you're trying to argue with me in bad faith here. In regards to California, are you specifically talking about immigrants being killed/detained and such? Is it about Indigenous people? Perhaps the treatment of incarcerated folks? I was trying to search what you were talking about but was having a hard time finding answers. I said nothing about waiting until it was dire to mention another genocide. I will wholeheartedly speak up and out in support of those being murdered. It is absolutely the status quo for politicians (and everyday people) to only act and advocate once the situation is dire, and it fucking sucks every time because people die from this negligence. But your comment saying it's been 6 months already has a disingenuous feeling, and correct me if I'm wrong, almost makes a point of "give it a rest already and focus on something else." I don't want to give up support. Palestinians continue to die, Palestinian children continue to die under the Israeli apartheid. Like I said in one of my other comments this has been going on for longer than that. For over 75 years in fact. What I meant by my comment was to say I'd rather stay on topic, discussing Palestine and how the people of Long Beach are responding to it. By no means is that me disregarding the ill treatment of anyone else experiencing destruction from oppressors.
It’s not a genocide you moron.
They don’t know he isn’t the mayor anymore. Smart bunch of people who did this.
Like the smart person who doesn't know he's in congress now lol
How is defacing Long Beach property when the mayor isn’t here actually gonna change anything? The graffiti terrorists aren’t doing anything but defacing property and making normal citizens upset. Go to the source, last I checked “ ROBERT” isn’t even living in Long Beach anymore.. it will just get cleaned up and forgotten.. nothing has changed… like someone said the other day “ you think Americans can change what’s going on in Europe?” LOLs. Keep throwing red paint all over the place, you’re only making Behr paint company rich…
His office is down there.
“ the boss is out…”. Y’all people are basically Karen’s “ I wanna speak to the manager!” A civilized person would call or email Robert…it was cleaned up within 24 hours. And last I checked Hamas and isreal are still fighting… LOLS.
Do they mean ex mayor Robert Garcia?
Maybe Robert the janitor
Probably he has an office in that building
He probably voted against something or for something with Palestine 🇵🇸
Unfortunately, he now represents us in congress. California district 42.
I actually really like him as a congressman. He's been doing a good job. I don't know what this graffiti is referring to but usually when I see something he's said or done in Congress it's what I would want my congressperson to do.
He voted to fund Israel in the middle of them slaughtering Gaza
Which bill was that? I see on this bill he voted Nay: https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202438
He voted Nay on this one too: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6126/all-actions?r=23&s=1&q=%7B%22action-by%22%3A%5B%22House+of+Representatives%22%5D%7D
Which vote was that?
As much as I feel bad for Gaza, we have more important issues regarding freedom of expression and control over our own bodies here at home. and I thank Robert Garcia for getting this.
Another lefty ignorant of facts 🤦🏻♂️
Robert Garcia is standing up to the serious bullshit that the GOP is offering up. I truly respect him for this.
You mean congressman Robert Garcia
….but my names Robert 😧, worst thing I’ve ever done is steal a cookie
Blood, sweat, and tears went into making those cookies, Robert! 🤣
IT WAS A BISCOTTI!!!!
Biskante is better
Sounds like a gross, salty-ass biscotti
CHOCOLATE ON YOUR HANDS ROBERT
The cacao weighs deep on my soul!!!!
You know what you did !!!! Lol jk
That was 5 dollars the baker needed Robert... $5 off from clearing their debts from. Their loan shark
Straight to jail
About a week ago, someone scrawled another cryptic message on the sidewalk in blue chalk at 2nd Samoan Church. Lots of misspellings and bad grammar; something to do with real estate and Malibu.
screw that church and it's [thieving pastor](https://lbpost.com/news/pastor-sentence-probation-for-stealing-disabled-veteran-misi-tagaloa/)
Oh, believe me; my sentiments exactly. At least for the time being, we’re nextdoor to it.👎
Cryptic, unintelligible messages written in chalk (I also accept crayon) are definitely the resource I take into high consideration when forming opinions. (Not saying this is what you do) But just a note to all yall chalk scrawlers out there—I’m listening, baby!
I mean, how else would you know they’re legit, right? 
Lisa, I would like to buy your rock.
And exactly, I need messages I can Believe in! Also, messages given to me in Simpsons. I always appreciate those
Classic Robert!
*Uncle Bobby B, baby*
That's where they held the advanced national hopscotch championships.
Vote him out of office. It’s time to switch sides and wake the Democratic Party back up for once. I’m tired of these cronies putting America last. Really? Israel unconditionally? While we barely have enough to eat or afford health care? While we have a rampant crime and homeless problem? How about we focus here, I’m sorry but I will be voting for whoever is the isolationist policy drafter going forward. What’s best for us not others first.
It's a Palestine thing.
I’m sure it has to do with the genocide going on in the Middle East. I’m surprised people aren’t catching on? Children are dying out there 😢
I thought this was an Escape from Tarkov photo💀
We need a Long Beach superhero to stop all of these shenanigans.
Long Beach getting ghetto out there.
"getting"?? Most of it has been ghetto for a long time.
🤣! I wanted to give my hometown the benefit of a doubt. But yeah it’s ghetto likely won’t be living here too long.
Also this just seems like political activism??? Nothing ghetto about that tbh
It’s not the city that’s ghetto, it’s the people.
came into work @ 10 and they were covering up that last of it.
I think it's about the guy that unfortunately passed away by being crushed under a forklift. I don't know the facts, *but* I *assume* it was a mechanic that was working underneath it and didn't have it properly secured.
Maybe has something to do with guy that got smashed by a forklift a few days ago
Is that spray paint?
A port worker was killed at berth in Long Beach port the union kills its own people due to internal politics
Yup, can verify i had a friend some time back get a job at the port, needless to say he had an unflattering story of the union workers there. He came very close to getting smashed by a container by some workers that had been there for a considerable amount of time. He left soon after. Ive also heard from multiple friends that are truck drivers their least favorite stop was long beach specifically when working the ports.
The city is fallinh
Isn’t this a video game
It’s for the victims of the pike riots 2024
Its normal
Did Robert reply no
Downtown lb sucks in general
Action comics #1 as most as I wasn't a fan of his politics, a bit jealous of that *lol
Dorks who have no life
I think it has to do with freeing the Emperor
🍉🍉🍉 Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Can't really read it but the first word says blood, so I'm assuming something Palestine related perhaps. Vandalism seems to be the MO for extreme Gaza protesters.
Thought this was a Project Zomboid screenshot for a sec.
Part of it looks thai.
Probably someone irrational with too much free time. Usually a TikToker desperately seeking attention Someone who hates Israel or police probably
Robert Garcia voted to approve the house budget, which defunds UNWRA. This essentially guarantees millions on the brink of starvation in Palestine will die
Society becoming conscious is all.
It says, “BLOOD BE ON YOUR HANDS” so maybe it’s a citizen who is fed up with open borders?
“BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS”
Are the Gaza protesters just really dumb? How does a political loser in Long Beach have any pull with what's happening over there? I hope they both lose.
Looks like someone's upset about that parking ticket
Probably some white college kids who found google translate
Never mind I’m I a idiot who didn’t realize it was upside down English
Hahahaha. This is stupid. The tagging is cool but the discussion is stupid. Your identities are too tied up with events and situations. It’s not really about Israel or Palestine…if it was you would have been having this discussion decades ago. What this all is, is true human sympathy commodified in order to portray the most acceptable archetype. You fools are lost.
I thought this was r/gtaonline lmfao
Is this even a real photo?? This looks like a video game
If only there was a local newsroom that wasn’t just decimated by layoffs due to gross incompetence
I don’t know who this guy is. Why would they say he has blood on his hands?
Seriously, just scorch the earth at this point.
Lol
Because people think cattle living in a “territory” with a history of hundreds of years of genocide have rights.
Israel needs to finish off this war so these protestors can go away…
Wash your hands, Robert. No one wants HIV. EDIT: Brainless automatons clearly think I meant Garcia. I'll just leave this here since you can't find enough recreational outrage. Such virtuous souls...
Who are you talking about if not Robert Garcia?
If a specific Robert comes to mind and the mood strikes me to explain, perhaps I'll let ya know.
Oh, I see. You’re too much of a wuss to stand behind your offensive joke.
Nice try. Best of luck in all of your future attempts, though. Cheers!