VIDEO: What The Right Gets Wrong About Zionism

Finding a third perspective on a polarized issue with civil liberties attorney Jenin Younes.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of today’s most tribalized, contentious political divides. It’s not just dividing the Left and Right, it’s causing fractures within the Right itself.

Many newly ardent supporters of Zionism have dismissed these divisions by mischaracterizing right-leaning anti-Zionists as leftists or bigots—the same slandering strategy the Left uses against its own black sheep.

Over-simplifying complex issues to neatly fit into “us vs them” or “good vs evil” frameworks is the opposite of what The Black Sheep does; these strategies are meant to control the narrative, not seek understanding.

If you’ve found the loudest voices on this issue unhelpful, listening to a less polarized perspective will give you solace. In our conversation with civil liberties attorney and writer Jenin Younes, you’ll get a deep dive into a history-rich, principled argument for why Zionism leads to the same destructive outcomes as other forms of identity politics. Jake and I explain how classical liberalism, libertarianism, and individualism have led us to our views opposing Zionism, and Jake shares his personal experience of being raised in Orthodox Judaism and educated in American-Zionist schools.

Regardless of what side of the issue you’re on, this conversation will give you the steelman argument both the Right and Left have largely failed to engage with.

We invite your questions and please leave a supportive comment on Jenin’s fresh new YouTube channel. She’s done amazing work fighting COVID authoritarianism and I’d love to send her support as she amplifies thoughtful, nuanced conversations. You can also catch the audio version of our conversation via her podcast.

Video Chapters:

0:01:20 How Jake Came to Anti-Zionism
0:08:08 How Salomé Came to Anti-Zionism
0:14:08 The Psychology of Political Thinking
0:20:43 The Underlying Facts of the Conflict
0:30:54 The Right vs. Left Divide On Israel
0:44:07 Jake’s Dissident Dialogues Debate
1:01:29 Thinking Ethically About War Casualties
1:07:41 Zionism as Secular Judaism
1:10:45 Closing