Greta Thunberg Wants Everyone to Stand with Gaza (What is That in the Photo?)

Twenty year old climate activists Greta Thunberg has thoughts about the war between Israel and Gaza. She posted this on X today making clear she is standing with Gaza.

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As Guy Benson pointed out, Thunberg has said nothing about the attack on Israel by Hamas.

Another reaction with some very dark humor.

Anyway, it turns out that wasn’t Greta’s first attempt at posting this tweet. She deleted the first version which looked like this:

It’s nearly the same but notice the little stuffed animal on the right. People were quick to point out this seemed like a reference to a very old anti-Semitic trope about Jews controlling the world:

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So because people thought this was meant as a symbol, she deleted the first post and put up the 2nd one without the octopus. She also offered this explanation:

It has come to my knowledge that the stuffed animal shown in my earlier post can be interpreted as a symbol for antisemitism, which I was completely unaware of. The toy in the picture is a tool often used by autistic people as a way to communicate feelings.

We are of course against any type of discrimination, and condemn antisemitism in all forms and shapes. This is non-negotiable. That is why I deleted the last post.

Is it possible Thunberg was unfamiliar with that trope/image? I guess so. She is only 20 and she is autistic. This particular stuffed animal is apparently intended to help people communicate their emotions. Here’s one just like it on Amazon:

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  • Finally, an easy (and cuddly) tool for effective emotional communication. Relieve stress by letting the Reversible Plushie tell friends, family, or coworkers how you are feeling.
  • The perfect work-from-home tool to let friends and family know when not to bother you! Happy= come on in, and Angry= come back later!

Thunberg has it angry side out, showing her displeasure with Israel I guess. But not everyone is buying her explanation.

I don’t actually see the tag on the toy. It was definitely placed in the original photo on purpose but since it does seem to be an emotional communication tool, I guess her explanation is at least plausible.

Still, let’s not miss the forest for the trees here. She’s saying stand with Gaza but the war is against Hamas. Does she have anything to say about that? Also, the other sign in both images which reads “Free Palestine” is vague but suggestive. Free them to go where and do what exactly?

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Even if we give her a pass on the plushie, she’s obviously ignorant which is not a great look. She’s taking a one-sided progressive stance on a topic she’s not known for having any real familiarity with. Does she even know why Israel feels compelled to bomb and go into Gaza? Does she care about the Israeli loss of life? Isn’t caring deeply about things her whole brand?

For me this is just one more example why everyone should pay far less attention to this person and not just on this issue. And yes, I’d love to pay her less attention myself but so long as she continues to be a regular in world forums and a leftist celebrity wherever she turns up, I think the criticism is necessary.

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David Strom 11:20 AM | November 21, 2024
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