Time to Awaken to the Danger of “Woke”

Merav Michaeli, chairwoman of the Labor party, condemned international women’s organizations for ignoring Hamas atrocities, calling it a major betrayal: “I can’t remember ever hearing such deafening silence in the face of such heinous crimes.” Gal Gadot published a similar demand to her 109 million followers. Women’s organizations are silent, and so are human rights activists.

In an embarrassing hearing, the Presidents of three leading universities appeared before the American Congress and were asked if calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes a violation of their universities’ code of conduct. Shockingly, the Presidents said the answer is complex and context dependent and stressed their commitment to free speech. America is tolerant of the freedom to express antisemitic bile. Liz Magill, the President of UPenn, resigned in wake of the backlash – proving she did not anticipate the response.

Social media shows young Europeans and Americans tearing down pictures of hostages and sharing “the truth” about Palestine; anti-Jewish graffiti is appearing around the globe and we cannot comprehend why the world hesitates to condemn, chooses neutrality and shows empathy if not downright sympathy, for vile terrorists.

The phenomenon we’re witnessing is the rotten fruit borne of “woke” ideology, a post-post-progressive creed. The woke worldview presents a rigid good-evil dichotomy. The “good” is left, queer, feminist, environmental and anti-colonial. The “evil” is homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, racist and sexist.

“Woke” sanctifies empathy and solidarity with marginalized communities, especially those affected by oppression and discrimination, and enforces respect for diverse cultures by the demand to be aware of marginal groups’ narratives.

On surface level, woke thought is based on liberty, peace and equality, but it is in fact a violent and dangerous worldview revealed now as supportive of Hamas terrorism. Under woke doctrine, all means are justified, no consistency is necessary, and both sides of an argument can be used in service of supporting the “oppressed” in the war on their “oppressors”. Woke culture protects its own and any person or group deviating from the party line is erased.

According to woke perspective, the Oct 7 massacre was carried out by the unfortunate oppressed. Young people who came to dance were murdered – but they were colonialists; women were raped – but they were privileged whites. The line between good and evil runs between Israel and the Palestinians – and Israel is on the evil side. The distinction between good and evil is not based on a group or individual’s values, actions or beliefs, but on the power dynamics of a given situation, in which the weaker are the victims and due to the wrong done to them, all-deserving saints, while the stronger are the perpetrators, who fully deserve anything done to them. The understanding granted to Hamas cruelty is a direct extension of the moral bankruptcy led by the woke left who refuse to open their eyes.  

First published in Hebrew in Israel HaYom