Boy George reminds us why you can't reason with unreasonable Oct. 7 deniers - opinion

In this opinion piece, Rabbi and physician Jonathan Lieberman reflects on the backlash to Boy George's tribute song for the victims of the October 7 Supernova festival massacre. He recounts an anonymous comment denying the massacre, attributing deaths to Israeli helicopters. Drawing on a lesson from his medical training, he argues that reasoning with those who have emotionally invested in denial is futile. He explores three responses: retreat, fight every battle, or choose battles carefully, advocating for the latter, emphasizing building Jewish life over endless online arguments.

In this opinion piece, Rabbi and physician Jonathan Lieberman reflects on the backlash to Boy George's tribute song "We Will Dance Again," dedicated to those murdered at the Supernova music festival on October 7, 2023. He notes that while many praised Boy George for his courage, others mocked him, with one social media user sneering that Israel's only remaining supporters were "an aging 80s pop weirdo and Tommy Robinson." Lieberman is particularly struck by an anonymous comment asserting that the young people at the festival were killed by Israeli helicopters, not Hamas. He recalls a lesson from his medical training: "you can't reason with unreasonable people – so don't try." He argues that when people have emotionally invested in a belief, facts become irrelevant, and every new piece of evidence is reinterpreted to support their conclusion. He outlines three response options: retreat, fight every battle, or choose battles carefully. He advocates for the third, suggesting that the greatest response is not to defend Israel with words but to continue building Jewish life—raising families, teaching children, volunteering, and creating. He concludes that while you cannot reason with unreasonable people, you do not have to become unreasonable yourself, and the quiet determination to live truthfully is the greatest act of defiance.