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yardwork

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68. I first became aware of the watermelon motif yesterday.

Thu Nov 16, 2023, 01:45 PM

Nov 2023

Last edited Thu Nov 16, 2023, 03:38 PM - Edit history (1)

Various DUers were celebrating a TikToker who created a watermelon filter, supposedly to raise money for Palestinian children.

I had never heard of the watermelon as a symbol of Palestinian support, so I googled it. Most references popped up in the last few days. Interestingly, a pro-Palestine site dedicated to "challenging the bevy of pro-Israel myths" took a deep dive into the question and concluded that it is FAKE.

In other words, an actual pro-Palestine site says that there's no evidence of any widespread use of the watermelon as a pro-Palestinian resistance symbol. The stories about this are made up.

This is what we saw in 2015 and 2016. Fake stories spread by trolls on the internet pretending to be a grassroots movement. It's how Britain got fooled into voting for Brexit and Americans got Trump.

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AZSkiffyGeek Cha

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Why does this flyer have a watermelon on it? 🤔 [View all] sheshe2 Nov 2023 OP

What next? Are the people who made the flyer going to use minstrel show caricatures? sakabatou Nov 2023 #1

That was probably their first draft and considered to be "Too Soon" so an alternate was commissioned. TheBlackAdder Nov 2023 #29

This is from one of the comments..... RussellCattle Nov 2023 #2

Palestinian flag, okay. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #5

The Palestinian flag is not banned in the US Bettie Nov 2023 #31

It's a lot more than tone deaf, it's a straight up racist attack. comradebillyboy Nov 2023 #41

I agree. zanana1 Nov 2023 #57

Yes, it is.... Bettie Nov 2023 #67

Ultra classy DSA Kennah Nov 2023 #3

DSA piling racism on top of antisemitism. comradebillyboy Nov 2023 #42

The link that Russell has posted above explains the connection between a watermelon and the Palestinian Flag. MMBeilis Nov 2023 #4

Hesitate at will. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #6

I don't share your certainty. RussellCattle Nov 2023 #9

Alrighty then. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #10

To be fair, it's entirely possible that DSA is as clueless on this as they are with everything else. yardwork Nov 2023 #20

Your post is spot on, yardwork. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #87

Thanks for this thread! yardwork Nov 2023 #92

Sigh.. I just linked this post of yours to she, yardwork.. Cha Nov 2023 #100

Ignorance to excuse racist tropes? EllieBC Nov 2023 #25

I agree LetMyPeopleVote Nov 2023 #40

I'm not defending Goldwag but it seems that Ragnarok Lobster is mis-reading the tweet. progressoid Nov 2023 #77

Ragnarok is exactly right. yardwork Nov 2023 #79

OK. But that's not what I was commenting on. progressoid Nov 2023 #82

In context, that's beside the point. It's basically gaslighting. yardwork Nov 2023 #83

It may be gaslighting. Unfortunately, the example he used to prove his point was meaningless. progressoid Nov 2023 #103

Boom. Rec TY Cha Nov 2023 #106

Thank you. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #90

There were 3 Flyers.. Watermelon only on Hakeem Jeffries.. TY, LMPV Cha Nov 2023 #104

Do you live in the US? Bettie Nov 2023 #33

Because fried chicken was too hard to draw? catbyte Nov 2023 #7

".. Still giving it a side eye" Cha Nov 2023 #8

Well look at that. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #11

Well you're up Cha Nov 2023 #12

🙂🙂🙂 sheshe2 Nov 2023 #86

Hi she.. you might want to check out this Post from yardwork on anohter thread.. Cha Nov 2023 #98

Masks aren't coming off, they are being ripped off with pride! Behind the Aegis Nov 2023 #13

You are absolutely correct. sheshe2 Nov 2023 #93

Maybe not racist, but you went there! Aussie105 Nov 2023 #14

So if not racist, do tell babylonsister Nov 2023 #15

References to watermelon have historically been used in racist and derogatory ways, Oopsie Daisy Nov 2023 #17

Yes though the wrinkle here is that it also symbolizes treestar Nov 2023 #80

It's Obvious to me, treestar. Cha Nov 2023 #109

So many contortionists trying to defend it (or to explain it away as "innocent" and "harmless") Oopsie Daisy Nov 2023 #121

Yeah, DSA is "quite innocent".. The Org who Celebrated in Cha Nov 2023 #125

Yeah clap.. so classy. Cha Nov 2023 #107

If the watermelon is as bad a thing as some... TreasonousBastard Nov 2023 #16

Jeffries is a little busy right now, trying to keep the government open and things. yardwork Nov 2023 #22

I question who made this poster. Emile Nov 2023 #18

A wealthy white art major, probably. yardwork Nov 2023 #21

But whomever drew it it's without the "White Rind", Cha Nov 2023 #112

Hat tip to DUer Haele who noticed the absence of white rind. yardwork Nov 2023 #127

Uncle Tom elighdom Nov 2023 #19

meld of the two different symbols? treestar Nov 2023 #81

Watermelon 🍉 now a Palestinian symbol RainWalker Nov 2023 #23

Right. The "grassroots" movement on TikTok. yardwork Nov 2023 #24

Exactly. blm Nov 2023 #28

I immediately thought of support for Palestine! Yes!!! Goddessartist Nov 2023 #32

Ooh!!! It's so cute!! Go team!!! yardwork Nov 2023 #34

What exactly do you mean? Goddessartist Nov 2023 #35

I'm just trying to be enthusiastic for the cause! yardwork Nov 2023 #44

Right. Goddessartist Nov 2023 #50

"There's no excuse for using it in flyers against a Black New York politician." Cha Nov 2023 #111

I get why people are upset RainWalker Nov 2023 #36

I would think that they'd have done their research Goddessartist Nov 2023 #37

That's like the Twitter and TikTok kids trying EllieBC Nov 2023 #38

Sorry but I don't believe that RainWalker Nov 2023 #39

You don't believe that watermelons are racist tropes? yardwork Nov 2023 #43

You don't believe watermelons are a racist trope? EllieBC Nov 2023 #45

I expect that the watermelon image may be quietly retired, at least in the U.S. yardwork Nov 2023 #46

Not that. This. RainWalker Nov 2023 #47

A prolific terrorist supporter who is no longer with us here made that exact argument after the 10/8 protests AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #52

I'm not tracking RainWalker Nov 2023 #54

Prolific pro-Hamas poster claiming we shouldn't be offended by a swastika at anti-Israel rallies nt AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #56

Strange that when those users get booted EllieBC Nov 2023 #58

Whoever said that needs their head examined RainWalker Nov 2023 #59

Right, the swastika got retired, around the time the little Hamas parachuter was retired. yardwork Nov 2023 #60

Remember the excuse that it was a paraCHUTE and not a paraGLIDER? AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #61

Yeah, that didn't fly - so to speak. yardwork Nov 2023 #62

Rats? AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #63

I have seen rats. Also references to insects. yardwork Nov 2023 #64

My favorite was the one saying Palestinians need to start chanting "Jews will not replace us" nt AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #65

Don't believer it.. Doesn't make it not TRUE.. Cha Nov 2023 #114

Not the watermelon RainWalker Nov 2023 #123

We should ban the watermelon flag? Sneederbunk Nov 2023 #66

White Nationalists showed up at Floyd protests, too. blm Nov 2023 #26

Oh cute. calimary Nov 2023 #27

Clearly with benign intent dalton99a Nov 2023 #30

It is benign and not what you think RainWalker Nov 2023 #49

All these articles popped up in the past several days. yardwork Nov 2023 #72

It was documented in 2021; certainly going by 2007. One version dates it to 1993 muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #89

Yes, the website I consulted acknowledged that there were a few references over the years. yardwork Nov 2023 #91

Meh - no, there's no sign it's "astroturfing". That's just denying agency to people muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #94

Skepticism is good but I see echoes of 2015-2016 and I'm hyper-alert. yardwork Nov 2023 #95

You're American-centric muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #96

I think you're misunderstanding my point. yardwork Nov 2023 #97

Again, your 2nd sentence is American-centric. muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #99

I don't know how I can say any more clearly that I am American-centric. yardwork Nov 2023 #108

Boom. Rec TY Cha Nov 2023 #118

You talked of a "global PR campiagn". Yes, the feeling is global. That's why it's not about the US elections next year muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #120

Pointing out, there's no white inner rind on that watermelon picture. haele Nov 2023 #75

The white ring is also missing in the poster held by the white dude. yardwork Nov 2023 #76

If republicans put out anything similar Mountainguy Nov 2023 #48

WOW. Truly awful people. bamagal62 Nov 2023 #51

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2023 #53

I've followed the conflict pretty close AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #55

I first became aware of the watermelon motif yesterday. yardwork Nov 2023 #68

I think Tuesday was the first I saw it AZSkiffyGeek Nov 2023 #71

I guess it could have been worse BannonsLiver Nov 2023 #69

The watermelon isn't racist, it's aspirational mcar Nov 2023 #70

Like happy paragliders! yardwork Nov 2023 #73

And friendly swastikas mcar Nov 2023 #74

+1. Watermelon has to be eaten respectfully lest you insult the dignity of Hamas dalton99a Nov 2023 #78

... mcar Nov 2023 #84

I would say I am surprised by their ad, but I am not. Behind the Aegis Nov 2023 #85

It's another miserable fail by the DSA. yardwork Nov 2023 #88

Perfect dogwhistle: accuse Jeffries of "shuckin and jivin", fall back on "oh, new symbol for solidarity" mathematic Nov 2023 #101

That's possible but I'm not sure they deserve that much credit. yardwork Nov 2023 #105

It may not be intentionally racist DBoon Nov 2023 #102

Apparently a "watermelon" is a long-time symbol of Palestinian solidarity and resistance. I had no idea. honest.abe Nov 2023 #110

Read through the thread... sheshe2 Nov 2023 #113

I dont know how it can be disputed. It seems to be a fact with articles and images from all over. honest.abe Nov 2023 #115

And the dispute is wrong. We have 2 examples from 2007 muriel_volestrangler Nov 2023 #122

Yeah that very well could be what is going on here. honest.abe Nov 2023 #129

the 'dispute' claiming it has not been a Palestinian symbol of resistance for 5 plus decades is illegitimate Celerity Nov 2023 #131

It's been used longer as a racist trope against EllieBC Nov 2023 #116

I get that is but was it intentional?? honest.abe Nov 2023 #117

Is the DSA that culturally ignorant? EllieBC Nov 2023 #119

I go back and forth on this. yardwork Nov 2023 #126

Well yeah its also really stupid if they did it on purpose. honest.abe Nov 2023 #128

It's DSA the Org who Celebrated in Times Square The Day Cha Nov 2023 #124

I've known of this symbol for years. Goddessartist Nov 2023 #130

Good Grief! What is wrong with some people?? Rhiannon12866 Nov 2023 #132