As far as I knew, “Zionist” as a negative was primarily used by the Nazis for all that blood libel stuff. I think it may have been used under Stalinist communism as well. The KKK and other white supremacist groups use it. You also see Zion in hymns, usually as a reference to heaven.
FWIW, I’m not a supporter of Israel or the ongoing Palestinian genocide. I also think that most of the Muslim states are terrible as well. Organized religion and its involvement in the state is a cancer and it doesn’t much matter if it’s Judaism, Islam, or Christianity. Fundamentalism is terrible.
Anyhow, when I see “Zionism” to refer to support of Israel, it pings my bullshit detector. It isn’t a part of normal discourse as I know it in the US. It feels like whomever is spouting it has been propagandized when I see it. It seems to be accompanied by varying degrees of jingoism and anger. Tends to be a very black and white worldview, almost naive. Reminds me of Qanon brainwashing but for the Left.
As this is Lemmy, it’s not coming from neo-nazis.
What is driving this?
Is it tankies? (Which I don’t know a lot about, but they seem to be heavily propagandized and unpleasant.)
Is it Muslims?
Some sort of Left ideology that isn’t common in the US?
Is it politically naive kids that have been fed talking points?
Is it Russian, Chinese, or some other state level disinfo/propaganda?
Zionism is support for a sovereign Jewish state - I’m personally opposed to zionism because I don’t believe in fundamentalism or officially embraced national religions.
It sounds like you also disapprove of zionism but may have bought into propaganda spread by the ADL and AIPAC that try and equate antizionism and antisemitism - this has been a pretty long running political game in the US and deeply harmed a lot of ethnically Jewish folks.
I’d suggest reading up on what zionism is so you can dispel what seem to be a lot of deep seated misconceptions about the term.
I don’t really have a problem with the term. Its frequent usage here is unusual to me. It feels like it’s some sort of ‘tell.’ You hear someone talking about illegal aliens in the US and you know you’re probably dealing with a magat. If they call them undocumented workers, you’re most likely dealing with a leftist of some stripe.
I very well could have a propagandized view of the Zion terms. However, it’s also not something I ever run into in real life.
What country are you from and how would you describe yourself politically?
I’m somewhat familiar with the ADL and their bullshit. Not so much with AIPAC.
I grew up in the states (Massachusetts w/ university in Vermont) and immigrated to Canada (Vancouver) a few years after graduating.
I’ve also lived for short terms (90 days) in Spain twice - once in Barcelona and once in Puerto de Santa Maria.
AIPAC is much worse than ADL. It’s the American-Isreali Political Action Committee and those are the folks that frequently fund primary opponents in US elections for anyone who doesn’t support US aide to Isreal and other Israeli interests like not calling what’s happening in Palestine a genocide.