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The Adam Friedland Show - US Congressman Ritchie Torres Interview (AIPAC politician)
(www.youtube.com)
Ritchie Torres is a huge AIPAC recipient. He is a US congressman in the House of Representative, representing the South Bronx district of NY.
This is a hostile interview. From 40 minutes to the end of the video, Adam Friedland tells Ritchie Torres that supporting Israel is antisemitic. He tells Ritchie Torres that by Democrats promoting Israel's Genocide of Gaza and claiming that all Jewish people want to do Genocide, that Zionists are creating hatred of Jewish people.
Isn't it kind of toxic to interpret being emotional as a weakness? Watching the video, Ritchie Torres is a soulless cold-blooded ghoul, feeding out talking points like a robot. By comparison, Adam choking up a bit shows he actually cares about what he is saying.
Adam tells Ritchie Torres that he was indoctrinated as a child to support Israel and even forced to go on the birthright trip to Israel. He says that he still chose to be against Israel because he saw the discrimination against Palestinians.
Adam tells Ritchie Torres that members his own family will resent him for speaking out against Israel in this interview. He's sacrificing relationships with his own family to speak out against Zionism.
Adam tells Ritchie Torres that he's considered abandoning his religion because he's afraid he will be associated with Zionism.
This is not to say that Adam is the victim here. The victim of Zionism is the Palestinians. However, I think it's pretty reasonable to become a bit emotional when you know that your own family will try to hurt you for speaking out against injustice.
I didn't say being emotional is weak. In fact, I think his willing to be emotionally vulnerable is the strongest part of the interview. The problem is he didn't communicate any of those ideas you mentioned in a way that someone who didn't already agree could understand.
As someone who generally agrees with Adam I can easily fill in the gaps and understand what he means but if you put yourself in the shoes of someone who feels differently it really comes off as "why won't you change your mind about what's right? Can't you see I'm distressed about your position?"