On Tuesday's The ReidOut, far-left MSNBC host Joy Reid gathered a panel of liberal entertainers who were pushing for Israel to halt its war against Hamas. As part of this panel, actor Wallace Shawn declared that his fellow Jews believed it was fine to have "no rules to guide them" in protecting themselves.
He further gave the lame excuse that he does not spend time condemning Hamas's October 7 terrorist attack because he did not pay taxes to the terrorist organization. "They don't care what I think," as he put it.
Reid opened the segment by recalling a letter signed by 200 entertainers to lobby President Joe Biden to push Israel for a cease-fire. Without mentioning that Hamas deliberately put Gaza civilians in danger, Palestinian American comedian Mo Amer complained:
And I also want to just acknowledge how absurd it is to even have to say it out loud that innocent killing (sic) of people is wrong, and you have to say this out loud. This is where we've reached. This is the point we've gotten to as a people where we -- it's almost controversial -- it is controversial to just ask for simply a ceasefire knowing that so many innocent civilians are dying.
He went on to claim that Gaza residents have no food or water, despite the fact Hamas was hoarding supplies.
Turning to Wallace, Reid posed:
And, Wallace, you know, as a Jewish American yourself, why do you think it is so hard for people to hold both of those two ideas at the same time? That it is wrong to kill civilians no matter whether they are, you know, Arab or Muslim or Jewish, but then also a ceasefire is not somehow a -- somehow supporting Hamas?
Ignoring Israel's history of applying the highest of moral standards in its military campaigns compared to other countries (including the U.S.), the liberal actor began:
Well, I think a lot of Jewish Americans are schooled in the idea that the murder of the Jews in Europe during the Second World War taught the lesson that Jews must protect themselves, and that there are no rules to guide them and to limit them or to restrain them -- they must do anything they feel they need to do to protect themselves. I am more drawn to the idea that we need to all protect ourselves against each other, and against the somewhat horrible side of our own nature which can be called upon at any time.
He then added:
So I think many of the people -- particularly as you say in Hollywood -- don't understand. People have asked me, "Why are you protesting against killing people in Gaza, but you didn't protest the massacre of Israelis in the October 7th?" And the reason is, I'm an American and I'm paying taxes to the American government. I don't pay taxes to Hamas, and they don't care what I think, but the American government is supposed to care if we're theoretically a democracy.
"Indeed," Reid agreed.
When Amer got to speak again, he repeated disproven claims that Israel had bombed hospitals and invoked the use of white phosphorus (WP) to questionably claim that Israel was committing a war crime by using it.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
MSNBC's The ReidOut
November 7, 2023
7:51 p.m. EasternJOY REID: Over the weekend, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets around the globe in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Chile, Greece, as well as in Washington, D.C., all demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
People of all races, religions, nationalities and professions have joined that call, including over 200 artists, actors and musicians who signed an open letter to President Biden, writing, in part: "We urge your administration, Congress and all world leaders to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay -- and end to the bombing of Gaza and the safe release of hostages. We refuse to tell future generations the story of our silence, that we stood by and did nothing. As Emergency Relief Chief Martin Griffiths told U.N. News, 'History is watching.'"
Joining me now are actors Wallace Shawn and Cynthia Nixon and standup comedian Mo Amer. All are activists who signed onto this open letter calling on President Biden to demand a ceasefire.
(...)
MO AMER, PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN COMEDIAN: And I also want to just acknowledge how absurd it is to even have to say it out loud that innocent killing (sic) of people is wrong, and you have to say this out loud. This is where we've reached. This is the point we've gotten to as a people where we -- it's almost controversial -- it is controversial to just ask for simply a ceasefire knowing that so many innocent civilians are dying.
REID: How is your family doing?
AMER: Yeah, in the West Bank is a day to day thing. I mean, there is a tremendous amount of settler violence coming from the -- coming from the illegal occupation that's there from the different settlements over there. Every day it's a -- it's a -- it's a -- it's terrifying. I'm constantly reaching out to see if they're okay -- how they're doing -- do they have enough food? Do they have enough water? Clearly the situation is much different there than it is in Gaza where they don't have any water -- don't have any food -- don't have any electricity -- which is a war crime. But it still continues to happen, which is absolutely mind-blowing. I don't know -- it just needs to stop. It just absolutely needs to stop.
REID: Yeah.
(...)
REID: And, Wallace, you know, as a Jewish American yourself, why do you think it is so hard for people to hold both of those two ideas at the same time? That it is wrong to kill civilians no matter whether they are, you know, Arab or Muslim or Jewish, but then also a ceasefire is not somehow a -- somehow supporting Hamas?
WALLACE SHAWN, ACTOR: Well, I think a lot of Jewish Americans are schooled in the idea that the murder of the Jews in Europe during the Second World War taught the lesson that Jews must protect themselves, and that there are no rules to guide them and to limit them or to restrain them -- they must do anything they feel they need to do to protect themselves. I am more drawn to the idea that we need to all protect ourselves against each other, and against the somewhat horrible side of our own nature which can be called upon at any time.
So I think many of the people -- particularly as you say in Hollywood -- don't understand. People have asked me, "Why are you protesting against killing people in Gaza, but you didn't protest the massacre of Israelis in the October 7th?" And the reason is, I'm an American and I'm paying taxes to the American government. I don't pay taxes to Hamas, and they don't care what I think, but the American government is supposed to care if we're theoretically a democracy.
REID: Indeed.
(...)
AMER: I'm a product of statelessness and being a refugee to America. I'm living the American dream. I am an extremely privileged refugee that had a dream and was able to accomplish what the children in Gaza don't have this chance. They are completely blocked in -- hospitals being bombed, religious, you know, from a church being bombed. I mean, like, there's not even a location that I can think of that hasn't been hit.
REID: Yeah.
AMER: White phosphorus is being used, which is illegal. It's an absolute war crime. I don't want to see any more people die.
REID: Yeah.
AMER: I don't want to see any more people -- they're writing their names on their children's babies. Imagine the scenario where you have to do this. They're separating their families to preserve their own lineage. I mean, that is insane to think about. And for us to come together as artists -- we'd rather be, you know, working and doing our thing, focusing on that, but it's impossible to sit still while something as egregious as this is happening.
REID: Well, I appreciate the fact that you all came together -- the artists and all came together across different religions, and I think that's important -- and ethnicities and everyone coming together because it's a message that should not be controversial. Peace is not controversial. It's actually a good thing.
