A whisper from the distant shores of Down Under,
news drifts closer, a thunderous blunder.
Funding for our halls of thought and art,
slashed away, tearing hope apart.
If accusations ring of anti-semitism,
the definition bends, loses its rhythm.
It doesn't pass the pub test, you see,
where free speech whispers, "Let it be."
Under age and knowing well,
criticize Israel—dangerous spell.
Mention genocide, the blood-stained truth,
death chants in shadows, uncouth.
"Death to the IDF," echoes aloud,
forced to witness a genocide unbowed.
Out in the open, horrors unfold,
while governments collude, silent, cold.
In this tangled web of silence and shame,
the truth is burning, calling our name.
A plea for justice, a cry to see,
the human cost of tyranny.
G is for generalisation's claim
E is for echo chamber’s refrain
N stands for neoconservative’s might
O opens doors to truth and spite
C is for collusion’s dark embrace
I labels Israel a terrorist’s face
D for denial, a stubborn wall
E for extermination, camps cruel call
This poem was inspired by the news from Australia where special envoy Segal (an Isaraeli lobbyist) has proposed funding cuts for unis and arts foundations if they fail to crack down on anti-semitic speech. Whilst it has been criticised in mainstream media and there has been acknowledgment that anti-semitism has been equated to anti-Israel speech, there is still an impression given in some media out lets that there is an anit-semitism problem when it is in fact a fabrication. There is also none to little mention of the real underlying problem at all - which is Israel is being facilitated to carry out a genocide. Thanks for reading.
Example of some coverage -
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/11/australia-must-combat-antisemitism-but-not-simply-defer-to-demands-of-some-voices-ntwnfb