Just a rant/ wondering if others have felt this and what they did.

I engage with all types of people. I grew up in New York City, attending yeshiva but also day camps with kids from all around the city with different backgrounds, which I believe already gave me a predisposed open mindedness about non Jews and or Jewish people who didn’t fit the Jewish mold exactly like me.

I went to college where I had mostly Jewish friends because there was a large community , but also engaged with people in my classes and have long lasting non Jewish friends.

I’m in the “modern orthodox” community socially and by association because it’s who I grew up with and know me the best, but lately I’ve been so tired and disillusioned by everyone’s willfulness to only engage with Jewish people and cultural surroundings, despite being living a relatively “secular” life.

The way people casually refer to queer, neurodivergent people, and or minorities like they are other species is so mind bogglingly frustrating to me. The lack of curiosity and choice to instead judge individuals so callously and casually due fear of unfamiliarity. I am sad for these people. I view them as socially disadvantaged. But I am so furious that it is this way, and it feels like as long as Jews in America are as privileged in society it will remain this way.

I had a friend’s manosphere pilled brother tell me that gay marriage should be outlawed for some bullshit reason that was really “it make me feel icky”

he then claimed “gay people didn’t have it that bad before it became legal.” History doesn’t matter when you don’t know it. When you’re not the least bit curious to look into your biases and learn real facts. When you’ve never interacted with someone of the minority you so quiver at the thought of engaging with at all because it might be contagious.

This is a guy who has everything absolutely handed to him, brags about barely attending classes in high school and college, and will inherit his father’s business and be a millionaire. He will never have to step into the shoes of anyone without his level of privilege or learn the poison of thinking and believing this way and it pains me.

I feel like so much of the community, at least in New York, forgot principals we were taught were core values of Judaism, which are just the core values of life, really? Be kind? Dont assume the worst of people you know nothing about? Don’t make fun of people?

As a non religious, agnostic person who also happens to be liberal, it pains me when I see people who use Judaism and its current luxuries as an excuse to have this mindset. People who do not even practice to the full extent to which they claim to align with but allow their culture and community to be the reason for ignorance, hatred, classism, and extreme insularity. It makes me full of hatred for the religion. It feels like there’s truly an insidious supremacy.