UPDATE: I declined a spot on Team USA

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/ultimate/comments/1hdtbiq/i_declined_a_spot_on_team_usa/

Hey r/ultimate,

Turns out all your complaining really changed my mind. I’ve asked to be reinstated as a team manager.

/s

Actually though, I didn’t realize this would be so triggering to some of the more vitriolic posters out there. In a way that I think says more about you all than it does about me.

That said, I’m not really here to argue with anyone but I wanted to clarify my position on a few things and share some actions folks could take. It’s hard to tell who’s trying to engage in good faith and who isn’t so this will probably be my last post on the topic. Although if you find me IRL, please feel free to ask me about it (and forgive me if I’m caught off-guard, I’m easily startled).

First off, thanks to everyone who reached out and shared stories about where they’re at and their experiences. I appreciate the solidarity and encourage you all on your journey to whatever action feels possible to you. 

Second, generally I’m happy to let folks live their lives and believe what they want. Hopefully people that know me feel that.  This is not that time. u/pastasala said in the comments “people in the comments don’t get it’s not politics to him it’s human rights”. That’s probably the best encapsulation of my stance here. I cannot understand how anyone can look at the daily annihilation of entire bloodlines and the destruction of once plentiful land and not feel that a ceasefire is a reasonable single step towards a better outcome. If you are conflating that with violence towards Israelis or the Jewish people that is something you need to examine within yourself.

Finally, this is all about USAU’s official position as an organization. Not some theoretical argument. People within our global ultimate community are asking for help and awareness from areas that are now decimated and USAU chose to ignore it.

One way to engage is to vote in the ongoing board elections (ending 12/31). If anyone knows the candidates and/or can speak to their positions, please share (comments and DMs open). 

Another is to write to the board and new CEO and demand action on this matter. You can find their emails here and here.

Here's the Ultimate Palestine Giving Guide if you can contribute financially.

Please let me know if you can think of anything else

PS - As long as everyone is opining, I’ll take a moment to do the same.

It is asinine to me that people would complain about “everything getting politicized these days” and then politicize a clearly documented and internationally called out genocide by pretending there are two sides to this.

For those of you saying that “this doesn’t matter”. In some sense you’re right. I have no illusions that declining my spot and posting about it will have a direct impact on the way things play out. But I guess I believe in trying to make the world a better place in the ways that I can and that building collective power, conscience, and consciousness is more important than being able to have a beer with someone who thinks genocide is okay. And that’s a heck of a lot better than complaining about how pointless everything is. What a crazy idea.