An Assyrian and a pro-Palestine protestor walk into a bar

Caught in the middle of the Israel-Palestine debate is the last place I wanted to be at a nightclub. Yet somehow, that’s exactly where I’ve found myself. I’ve stepped off the dance floor for some ‘fresh’ air in a crowded, outdoor smoking section. Stuck in the corner amidst a sea of people, I tune into the conversation happening right in front of me.  

A young Australian woman is asking a young Middle Eastern man where he’s from.  

“I’m Assyrian,” he tells her.  

“Oh, Syrian?” she replies, mishearing him. “I speak a bit of Arabic, Habibi!”  

“No Assyrian,” he corrects her. “I don’t like Arabs. They stole our land.”