"Well, you see son, the perpetrators of that genocide were the victims of the largest genocide of the 20th Century, so nobody felt comfortable doing or saying anything."

Grandson: What were you doing during the genocide?

Me: Probably making shitty memes about it.

I understand the frustration, but blaming individuals for a government’s actions, especially in 2024, feels misplaced. The reality is, many of us feel powerless to influence our own governments, let alone foreign policies, especially when it comes to complex international conflicts like the one in Gaza.

The U.S. government has entrenched interests and a long history of unconditional support for Israel, sustained by billions in taxpayer dollars. Despite widespread protests and public outcry, these policies seem nearly immune to change. It’s disheartening, but the truth is, most citizens have little say in how their tax money is used, especially on issues where both major political parties are largely aligned.

Voting every four years feels inadequate when the system itself limits real choices and perpetuates the status quo. Yes, we can protest, but even that has its limits. The mechanisms of government and foreign policy are beyond our direct control, leaving many feeling like we’re just along for the ride—forced to watch, speak out, and hope for change that rarely comes.

So while we share the outrage, it’s unrealistic to act as if we, as ordinary people, have the power to stop a war machine fueled by vested interests. The whole system feels like it’s rigged to keep us eating the consequences, whether we like it or not.

I really wish people would learn the difference between begging the question and raising the question.

I've been thinking about this exact question recently.

My Austrian grandmother and her sister were working class teenagers during the war. They couldn't realistically have done anything to stop the Nazis. They didn't really do much to help but since they were seamstresses they secretly snuck the Jewish family in the building some sewing supplies. It wasn't much and they stopped when they were told that someone had reported them to the Gestapo. Their experience during the war was dodging bombs and trying to find something to eat.

None of that matters. When I was a kid growing up in the US people regularly made Nazi jokes as soon as they found out about my heritage. Nobody was willing to entertain any ideas that maybe those civilians shouldn't have been held accountable.

History judged all of Germany and Austria harshly. It judged the civilians harshly and it judged their descendants harshly.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144717
The world is watching.

When people ask "What would I have done during [insert genocide or apartheid]?" Your answer is what you are doing now with swapped ethnic situations. Also, the same "they won't come for me next" alliance of corrupt Sunni despotisms are behind the genocide in Sudan as part of an ill-conceived scheme to like, do this insane Africa to India corridor thing Netanyahu raged about like a madman to an empty theater at the UN a month ago, so anyone with solidarity for Palestine should extend it to Sudan as it's literally part of the same WWII-era-style global domination scheme by evil men.

Tanked the reputation of the Genocidal Apartheid regime as fast as possible.

I know this is not the point, but "begs this question" is the oddest construction of that phrase I've heard yet.

I don't know, I still want to do something but I don't think street protests are enough. And I am against violence.

With Ukraine I donate money, early on I donated for buying drones. With Palestine it's so bad that I think donations won't reach them.

Source: I grew up in 3rd world countries where pacific protests for teachers salary are common place but won't solve anything. I've also lived in another 3rd world country with strong unions where at least once a month there was a 1000 people protest in the main street in the capital, plus ad hoc protests that are much bigger, and that country is still sinking very fast.

the real question is what did you do to make it worse?

I wonder how future historians will compare the October 7th, 2023 and the April 19th, 1943 events.