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

Never heard of it before.

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 🍉 which has the green, black, red, and white of the Palestinian flag.

No.

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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?

I've seen it in bios with Palestinian flags but never had it explained that the two were linked.

watermelon

are watermelons grown in palestine? isnt it water intesive.

Where have you been for the past three years?

“I don’t know if that’s the point of the discussion,” Farber said.

It's not, but it is related to a far more important one.

The current discussion is if a watermelon pin is appropriate attire for a professional. The larger, more important discussion is "What causes are appropriate for someone to publicly support?", and further "Who gets to decide what causes are approved?"

It is, they're just evil.

An analogy about the discussion isn't the point of the discussion? No shit.

Farber is definitely German.

Legit. All these people commenting like just cause morally you are right doesn't change the nonpolitical expectation. The more I read the article the more clearly it was this person was baiting them. That's fine way to make a statement but saying an organization is singling you out is a bit like being upset for getting hit in the face when you were the one that hit yourself.

1. Israel is not Judaism, even though its fascist state claims ownership over it (did you think the Star of David is the same thing as the Israeli flag?)

2. A star of David does not have the same meaning to it as the watermelon pin. One is a religious symbol, the other is a symbol of solidarity with a nation and people who have been fighting against genocide for a century that is abstracted from the Palestinian flag exactly because of how complacent our settler-colonial system is with that genocide.

3. I reckon you haven't had to deal with medical professionals as a member of a vulnerable group, because there is a very wide range of political opinions that these people will openly express with impunity when it is consistent with hegemonic values. To start actually firing these fucks when one is criticizing genocide is hardly a principled choice.

On top of all that, I'm fine with my doctors wearing fucking religious symbols because, guess what, they can simply not wear one and have their views effect their ability as physicians anyway. Restricting religious identity would be disproportionately enforced on vulnerable groups like Muslims again.

This isn't about the patient-physician relationship however. It's about a meeting of their professional association.

I wouldn't be uncomfortable with either, you're here to be an expert on my body and as long as you're good at that idgaf about your opinions or beliefs... That said, I agree that consistency is better than inconsistency on these things

I want my dr to wear gloves.

The problem is that some people have wildly differing ideas on what counts as "just politics". As an example, the doctor brings up the question "would a pride flag be banned if it make a homophobic person uncomfortable?". To the homophobe, gender identity is "just politics". To the gay/trans/etc person it very much is not politics.

Hard disagree. Lower-p politics absolutely has its place in the AGM of a professional association. That's why we have professional associations.

The ethics of the caring professions may not have political intent in that they are not concerned with pursuit of power, but they cannot help becoming political in circumstances where politics and pursuit of power threaten people deserving of care.

Not so hard

Politics is just politics until your own life, or the lives of your loved ones, are at grave risk

Then, it's no longer a political statement, it's a requirement for survival

In his case, ask yourself the question:

Is it a political statement to say you're against genocide?