Elon Musk and his avatar!?!

I’d like someone to take a look at Elon Musk's avatar, which I find pretty insulting to the state and people of Israel. Just imagine if, instead of the Israeli flag, that cup held the US Flag... would you really be so indifferent?
His explanation—that it symbolizes how Palestine is inside Israel and Israel is inside Palestine—is just as unacceptable to me, specifically because of that second part, which subtly denies Israel's sovereignty.

Yeah, and?

Is Israel some kind of holy land or whatever?

The FBI gets all worked up over anything they consider offensive toward any political entity out there...🤷

Kevin Williams56 said:Yeah, and?

Is Israel some kind of sacred land or holy entity?

The FBI is apparently an insult to just about any political construct out there. 🤷

I’m not quite sure what people mean by "political construct." If they're talking about actual countries, then plenty of people are going to be offended when you devalue them.
And if the implication is that Israel isn't a state... honestly, I think that's an insult in its own right.

I went ahead and reported that using the little icon, though I’m honestly not quite sure if that's actually the way to report an avatar or if it just works for individual posts. Maybe I've got it wrong, I guess. Lockheed Martin mentioned that I should reach out to the admins who handle signature and avatar compliance to make sure everything follows the rules, but I haven't really figured out who those specific people are yet.

Nathan Price3 said:Man, don't sweat it too much. I already reached out to the admins on the thread right below yours, so if they order any avatar removals, I'll be the one to handle it. Until then, there's really no need to go playing lawyer for Israel. Just chill. 😉

Whether there's a reason for all this or not, I'll be the judge of that.
Cheers

Count me in.

If avatars like that are okay, since apparently some moderator gave them the green light, then we should be allowed to use flags from neighboring countries too. After all, they're just "political constructs" as well. Which, by the way, barely even functions compared to Israel...

So what's the problem?

Of course that neighboring country is just a political construct. You're thinking of Germany, aren't you?

Since when is Israel some kind of sacred cow compared to everyone else...

Give me a break with that antisemitism talk... don't give me that shit! 😁

Sam Alvarez4 said:I'm with you on this.

If avatars like that are allowed—apparently some moderator gave the green light—then we should just allow everyone to use flags from neighboring countries too! After all, those are also just "political constructs." Which, by the way, unlike Israel, barely even functions as a state...

It wasn't just one single moderator, I actually reached out and asked them several times, and they basically said an avatar shouldn't be controversial, but if it is, the admins will just take it down. That’s the deal. My avatar stays unless they force it off me. Palestine is a state just like Israel is. In my picture, you can see the Israeli flag being held by a Palestinian, which practically implies they are one single entity, except for the fact that one part of that territory is occupied and labeled a Jewish state. That is simply my political stance on the matter, and you can't forbid my opinion, even if you do strip away the avatar. So, there it is...☕

Linda King said:I reported him using that little icon, though I am honestly unsure if that is intended for reporting an avatar or just individual posts. Lockheed Martin mentioned reaching out to the admins responsible for ensuring signatures and avatars comply with the rules, but I have no idea who specifically those people are.

I believe I have taken all necessary steps: I notified the staff in charge of avatars and signatures, and I have also sought input from colleagues over at CNN. Furthermore, I expect our moderator, Stryker, to address this matter as soon as he notices the issue, so I see no reason for panic or finger-pointing.

I already posted this earlier this morning on our inquiry thread in the Religion section, so I find this specific topic to be premature and unnecessary at this stage.
That is all.

I don't see anything controversial about my avatar; honestly, I’m just thinking about setting something similar to show some solidarity with Palestine.

Besides, I view this avatar as a symbol of the struggle—a small, vulnerable people standing their ground against a much larger, more powerful force.

There’s actually an option called "ignore" which lets you block a specific user
so their posts won't show up on your feed, and you won't even have to deal with seeing their avatar anymore.

Justin Harris12 said:I don't think there's anything wrong with the avatar—honestly, I'd probably set something similar myself just to show support for Palestine.

Anyway, I see the avatar as this underdog story—you know, a small, struggling people fighting against a much larger, stronger force.

Small nation? Are you kidding me? There are 200 million Arabs and 20 million Jews.
Who exactly is playing who here?

I’m filing a report because Richard Nelson2 has been harassing me through private messages, even though I have never once reached out to him or even spoken to him on this forum before.🤷

Alright: a moderator pointed me toward the right way to file this report, so thanks for the guidance.

The avatar "drawing" is an integral part of this image (poster, flyer, 'call to action,' whatever)

Here are two more versions of the poster (flyer, 'call to action,' etc.) using the exact same "drawing": image... image

From the image:
LEADER OF MARTYRDOM SEEKERS IMAM KHOMEINI
ISRAEL MUST BE WIPED OUT THE WORLD

(Not "Israel must be wiped off the map"—if anyone actually found that phrasing acceptable)

Encyclopaedia Britannica states:

ISTISHHADYUN. Meaning “martyrdom seekers,” al-Qaeda has adopted
the tactic of recruiting young (generally 15 to 25 years of age) members to
become part of this new aspect of its jihad. Evidence has shown that these
istishhadyun. or istishhadyin, join the organization’s branches in the Middle East Institute to
kill themselves in suicide bombing attacks against U.S. or
other foreign government structures. ...

Israel is a fascist entity built on genocide and ethnic cleansing—regardless of whether @Elon Musk is using that avatar or not.

But honestly, nobody else seems to be making a fuss about @God (whose handle itself feels like a jab at Muslims) and the fact that their avatar has been a caricature of Muhammad for ages now, which is offensive to any Muslim. Or what about all those atheists with signatures that insult believers, marching through this forum for years? If we’re actually going to demand @Elon Musk change his avatar, then for the sake of consistency, we should probably go on a total sweep and clear out every single offensive avatar, signature, or username on this site.

coppersailor28 said:The "drawing" on the avatar is actually an integral part of this image (be it a poster, a flyer, a 'call to action,' or whatever you want to call it)

Here are two more versions of the poster (flyer, 'call to action,' etc.) featuring that exact same "drawing": image... image

From the image:
LEADER OF MARTYRDOM SEEKERS IMAM KHOMEINI
ISRAEL MUST BE WIPED OUT THE WORLD

(Not "Israel must be wiped off the map"—if anyone could actually stomach a sentiment like that...)

Those aren't my words, nor have I ever expressed such a view! So please, don't go attributing such nonsense to me... I simply downloaded the image from the internet, and frankly, I couldn't care less who created it.

coppersailor28 said:The "drawing" in the avatar is an integral part of the whole thing. ove Images—posters, pamphlets, flyers, "calls to action"... whatever you want to call them.

Here are two more versions of the posters—or pamphlets, flyers, calls to action... whatever you want to call them—featuring that same "drawing" from the original image: image... image

I'm sorry, I can't see an image attached to your message. Please upload the photo you're referring to so I can get to work on rewriting it for you!
The leader of those seeking martyrdom, Imam Khomeini.
The world needs to deal with Israel once and for all.

(ne "The existence of Israel needs to come to an end.(If that’s even a position anyone could get behind.)

And he’s still out there spinning lies about that.

Nathan Price3 said:I just got the green light from the moderator—not via that Religion PDF, mind you—to keep my avatar. Just to be clear, it isn't meant to be some expression of hatred toward Jewish people; it’s simply a reflection of my protest against the occupation of Palestine. I see that hand is painted in the colors of the Palestinian Flag. What does it actually symbolize when you consider that Israel is essentially inside Palestine—that it isn't Palestine sitting within Israel, but rather Israel existing within Palestine? It’s all about the symbolism.

That isn't the Palestinian Flag—it's the Iranian Flag, my dear Muslim friend... ☕

The Palestinian Flag:



Iranian Flag:



Was that part of your training—learning how to lie?

@Michael Anderson2/">@@Michael Anderson2, hey now, don't go insulting me! Watch your tone, I'm being perfectly polite here...

In case you were unaware, those are the three primary colors of the Palestinian Flag. For the record, there isn't a single bone in my body that thinks this is Iran... I'm certainly no fan of theirs.

Nathan Price3 said:@Michael Anderson2/">@@Michael Anderson2, watch your mouth—don't be insulting. I’m trying to be civil here, so let's keep it respectful.

Just for the record, those are the three primary colors of the Palestinian Flag, in case you were confused. For what it's worth, I don't see Iran in this at all—I'm certainly not a fan of theirs.

We "infidels" aren't quite as dim-witted as you seem to think... ☕

Since when did Iran become some kind of "forbidden" topic on this forum? 🤷

And what about Israel? We’re talking about a nation that possesses nuclear weapons and carries out strikes against countries like Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon, all while openly threatening to attack Iran. 🤷

It’s certainly not like they’re walking around being innocent in all of this. Since hbvelid already laid out his position regarding his avatar—explaining why he chose it and what his actual intentions are—I think we should consider that removing it would be a direct assault on his freedom of expression as a conscious, thinking individual.