tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28180806184832444322024-03-05T11:09:15.883-05:00Old World New IdeasMichael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-7289857867137761952011-03-26T19:11:00.004-04:002011-03-26T23:14:29.850-04:00Nations, Institutions, and Symbols<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">After a short tour through Mondoweiss, it has come apparent to me that anti-Zionists in the West are very persistent in their arguments about the illegitimacy of the national cause of the Jewish people (i.e. Zionism) as compared to the national cause of the Palestinian Arabs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In an attempt to counter their arguments, I will present to you a short overview of the institutions and symbols of the these two national movements.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">But first, I want to say the following: <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">While I view the Palestinian people as a real people with a common heritage and history deserving of at least some part of the historic British Mandate of Palestine, their national consciousness has come after the modern Zionist movement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But this is common to all national movements.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The main aim of this post isn't to show that the Palestinian national cause isn't as real as other national movements.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My aim is to show that Jewish nationalism isn't anymore artificial than the Palestinian one by virtue of its followers realizing it, building it, and expressing it sooner than the latter. I'm hoping to show anti-Zionists why the creation of the State of Israel was natural result of a real people expressing themselves and fighting towards self-determination.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">And now for the overview:</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">I. Institutions</b> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Political and Infrastructure - </b>I'm admitting ahead of time that my selection of organizations/institutions is debatable (some more than others). My criteria is that the organizations were significant vehicles or advocates within their movements.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></b></p> <table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="649" style="width:486.9pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes"> <td width="337" valign="top" style="width:252.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Israel<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> <td width="312" valign="top" style="width:3.25in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestine<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:1;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes;height:56.65pt"> <td width="337" valign="top" style="width:252.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;height:56.65pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">World Zionist Congress</b> (1897-present)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Jewish National Fund</b> (1901-present) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Jewish Agency</b> (1929-present)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Assembly of Representatives/Knesset</b> (1920-present)</p> </td> <td width="312" valign="top" style="width:3.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;height:56.65pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestinian Arab Congress</b> (1919-1928)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Arab Higher Committee</b> (1936-1948)<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestine Liberation Organization</b> (1964-present)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestinian National Authority</b> (1994-present) </p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Education </b>- I picked the top three based on size, prestige, and date of establishment. Not scientific.</p> <table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="649" style="width:486.9pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes"> <td width="337" valign="top" style="width:252.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Israel<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> <td width="312" valign="top" style="width:3.25in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestine<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:1;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes"> <td width="337" valign="top" style="width:252.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Technion</b> (1914)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Hebrew University</b> (1918)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Tel Aviv University</b> (1956)</p> </td> <td width="312" valign="top" style="width:3.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Islamic University of Gaza</b> (1978)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Birzeit University</b> (1953*)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Al-Quds University</b> (1984)</p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">*1953 is when the institution began offering first-year university level courses.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">II. Symbols and Documents<o:p></o:p></b></p> <table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="649" style="width:486.9pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes"> <td width="217" valign="top" style="width:162.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> </td> <td width="210" valign="top" style="width:157.5pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal;tab-stops:44.45pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Israel<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> <td width="222" valign="top" style="width:166.5pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palestine<o:p></o:p></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:1;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes"> <td width="217" valign="top" style="width:162.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Declaration of Independence</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">National Anthem (adopted)</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Flag</b> </p> </td> <td width="210" valign="top" style="width:157.5pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">1948</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">Hatikva (1897)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">First Zionist Congress (1897)</p> </td> <td width="222" valign="top" style="width:166.5pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">1988</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">Fida'i (1996)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal">PLO (1964)</p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><o:p> </o:p>If I missed any important institutions, symbols, or documents, please write below in the comment section.</p></div>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-11563009023610500992011-02-23T00:32:00.002-05:002011-02-23T01:22:42.127-05:00Peres lets the cat out of the bagSince Peres has already revealed the secret, <img src="http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.341637.1297008931!/image/1908433864.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/1908433864.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 171px;" border="0" alt="" />I might as well talk about it. We, the Jewish people, under the leadership of the Elders of Zion, are behind the recent uprisings in the Arab world. That's right, I said it. We did it!<div><br /><div>You must be thinking, "who the hell is this schmuck, and what is he smoking?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't worry, this is a drug-free blog, and there is no need to use pejoratives, so let me explain.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, President Shimon Peres <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/peres-google-and-facebook-will-bring-mideast-peace-1.345108">said that</a> the West should push Google and Facebook in the Arab to help Middle Easter countries reform. It is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/world/middleeast/08google.html?scp=1&sq=google%20facebook%20middle%20east&st=cse">undoubted </a>that Google and Facebook helped flame the heated protests in the Middle East.</div><div><br /></div><div>But so what, what does Google and Facebook have to do with Jews? Well who founded Google and Facebook? Instead of waiting for you to check Wikipedia, I'll just tell you. Behind Google, are Sergey Brin and Larry Page; behind Facebook are Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin. What do all four of these accomplished men have in common? They are all Jewish!</div><div><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJIoGBovXBvbswA0-_tex0gWQ3J6LyAKxrGdEsmLk2zMwK3xaa" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 237px;" border="0" alt="" /><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcSSk-qCUj8pyqPp-xIG0gyPOPcw96qBsTUuw6cNfGfupwye9LLg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 249px;" border="0" alt="" /><img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR2oQxfeE_WB40dD_Q5WapiYvXyPNDYFjkWMIEndHdXyiYHkSsI" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 181px;" border="0" alt="" /></div><br /></div>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-63563639741242811322011-02-23T00:29:00.003-05:002011-02-23T00:32:07.830-05:00613 mitzvot365 (the number of days in a year) + 206 (the number of bones in the human body) + 42 (the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything) = 613 (the number of mitzvot)Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-20005199964601907662009-11-04T16:20:00.003-05:002009-11-04T16:35:07.289-05:00Awakened from my slumberI wrote two new posts about the UNHRC and the Goldstone report at my new address <a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://ikibbitz.com/">here</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><ul><li><a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://ikibbitz.com/?p=112">By the Numbers:</a> the UNHRC vote on the Goldstone report<br /></li><li><a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://ikibbitz.com/?p=117">Statements by former</a> UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Louise Arbor from 2006<br /></li></ul>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-59089817060541919602009-09-21T01:44:00.002-04:002009-09-21T01:45:07.414-04:00Moving to iKibbitz>>>>If any of you are wondering, I'm trying to revive my blogging at <a href="http://ikibbitz.com/">iKibbitz.com </a>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-91758335914473579252009-09-07T18:06:00.003-04:002009-09-07T19:16:14.142-04:00Will Norman Finkelstein break the seige?A week ago, I read on <a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/08/31/who-is-norman-finkelstein/">Mideast Youth</a> that Norman Finkelstein is organizing a coalition to break the siege of Gaza through a mass demonstration on the 1st of January of next year hoping that it will attract significant world media attention. Finkelstein has always intrigued me because of his clash with establishment academia. He's definitely radical which highly contrasts with my shifting view towards the center.<br /><br />I believe he's mostly known to Arab activists in North America and Europe but not a frequent speaker in the Middle East. Ali Dahmash of Mideast Youth writes: <blockquote>It is disappointing that he doesn’t get any attention from Arab media or officials. I would love to see him touring our Universities and addressing our youth but I won’t be surprised if he was harassed by Arab governments as well. Let’s wait for January 1st and see what Mubarak will do?</blockquote>I would have thought that he'll more likely get in trouble with Hamas in Gaza and not with Mubarak because one of the first details one learns about him is that he's the son of Holocaust survivors, and the Holocaust is one thing <a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1111110.html">Hamas believes</a> to be a "Zionist lie".<br /><br />Unfortunately for Finkelstein, from the statement he recently posted on <a tooltip="linkalert-tip" href="http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/">his website</a>, it seems that the coalition and organization of the march has been hijacked.<span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span> The statement isn't long so I think it is worth for me to reprint it in its entirety:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Why I resigned from the Gaza Freedom March coalition</b>:<br /><br />The original consensus of the International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza was that we would limit our statement to a pair of uncontroversial, basic and complementary principles that would have the broadest possible appeal: the march to break the siege would be <u>nonviolent</u> and anchored in <u>international law</u>. I agreed with this approach and consequent statement and decided to remove myself from the steering committee in order to invest my full energies in mobilizing for the march. During the week beginning August 30, 2009 and <span style="font-weight: bold;">in a matter of days an entirely new sectarian agenda dubbed "the political context" was foisted on those who originally signed on</span> and worked tirelessly for three months. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Because it drags in contentious issues that--however precious to different constituencies--are wholly extraneous to the narrow but critical goal of breaking the siege this new agenda is gratuitously divisive and it is almost certain that it will drastically reduce the potential reach of our original appeal</span>. It should perhaps be stressed that the point of dispute was not whether one personally supported a particular Palestinian right or strategy to end the occupation. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It was whether inclusion in the coalition's statement of a particular right or strategy was necessary if it was both unrelated to the immediate objective of breaking the siege and dimmed the prospect of a truly mass demonstration. In addition the tactics by which this new agenda was imposed do not bode well for the future of the coalition's work and will likely move the coalition in an increasingly sectarian direction.</span> I joined the coalition because I believed that an unprecedented opportunity now exists to mobilize a broad public whereby we could make a substantive and not just symbolic contribution towards breaking the illegal and immoral siege of Gaza and, accordingly, realize a genuine and not just token gesture of solidarity with the people of Gaza. <span style="font-weight: bold;">In its present political configuration I no longer believe the coalition can achieve such a goal.</span> Because I would loathe getting bogged down in a petty and squalid public brawl I will not comment further on this matter unless the sequence of events climaxing in my decision to resign are misrepresented by interested parties. However I would be remiss in my moral obligations were I not humbly to apologize to those who, either coaxed by me or encouraged by my participation, gave selflessly of themselves to make the march a historic event and now feel aggrieved at the abrupt turn of events. It can only be said in extenuation that I along with many others desperately fought to preserve the ecumenical vision that originally inspired the march but the obstacles thrown in our path ultimately proved insurmountable.<br /></span></blockquote>I highlighted the important phrases above.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-59360714182836780162009-07-06T09:18:00.002-04:002009-07-06T09:28:31.295-04:00Some sanity from Avigdor Lieberman?<span class="t13">Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman <a href="http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1098190.html">said </a>that he will avoid negotiating West Bank policy.<br /><blockquote><span class="t13">"As far as I am concerned, there is a conflict of interest when someone who lives in a settlement, in an isolate town that is not even counted among the settlements, takes part in the issue," he said. </span></blockquote>At least he's not as <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1097411.html">stupid </a>as the Shas MK heading the Housing Ministry.<br /></span>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-40291965314049629042009-06-29T09:29:00.002-04:002009-06-29T09:44:48.262-04:00Adler's Analysis of MondoweissYaacov Lozowick <a href="http://yaacovlozowick.blogspot.com/2009/06/mondowiess-expose.html">linked </a>on his blog to a very <a href="http://sadredearth.com/the-malice-of-mondoweiss/">lengthy and detailed analysis</a> of the folks of Mondoweiss (Philip Weiss and Adam Horowitz) and Max Blumenthal by Jay Adler. Adler clearly shows what their cause really is. I easily discovered their intentions just by reading the comments below Mondoweiss blog posts. I left a comment on Adler's post asking him to write an analysis of Richard Silverstein because Silverstein was once said that he doesn't see any antisemitism in the comments on Mondoweiss.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-11611926719618192672009-06-22T09:45:00.002-04:002009-06-22T09:54:24.571-04:00The International Campaign to Scapegoat IsraelThe title above is a great <a href="http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/06/trader_joes_update_plus_what_i.php">line </a>from Jeffrey Goldberg describing the efforts of those who try to delegitimize Israel through the lens of double-standards and prejudice.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-69228955331325986702009-06-12T20:56:00.004-04:002009-06-12T21:34:06.240-04:00Richard Silverstein and James von Brunn share at least one beliefHarry's Place has an excellent <a href="http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/06/12/how-not-to-make-the-world-a-better-place/">blog post </a>by guest <a href="http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/warpedmirror/">Petra Marquardt-Bigman</a> reviewing Richard Silverstein's atrocious piece in the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/jun/11/holocaust-museum-shooting-washington">Cif </a>(Guardian) about the horrible attack on the Holocaust Museum by white supremacist James von Brunn.<br /><br />Silverstein said this:<br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>People like <a href="http://www.adl.org/education/holocaust/foxman_bio.asp">Abe Foxman</a>, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, live for tragedies like this. You wait. Tomorrow or the next day he'll be holding a press conference with the security guard's wife telling the world that African-Americans and Jews must make common cause against the vast antisemitic conspiracy. If he’s really feeling his oats that day he might even work in a reference to an evil Iranian president who denies the Holocaust as well. Mark my words, it’s coming.”</blockquote><br />As Petra points out, Foxman did not act that way. He acted like any decent human being would, saying this:<br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>“The shooting at the United States Holocaust Museum, in which a security guard was critically wounded, is a very sad and tragic event which reminds us, as the Museum itself does every day, in the starkest way, where the spread of hatred can lead. […]Brunn’s evil attack, at the very place that was created to remember and teach about evil in the world, is an immediate reminder that words of hate matter, that we can never afford to ignore hate because words of hate can easily become acts of hate, no matter the place, no matter the age of the hatemonger. […]”</blockquote>I would expect this from Silverstein, but where is Cif's journalistic standards.<br /><br />Richard Silverstein, it is you who live for these moments making snide remarks against people and institutions you don't like.<br /><br />One of Harry's Place' readers pointed one more thing - Brunn and Silverstein share at least one false and hate-filled idea - that African Americans are the tools of the Jews. That's right, go scroll back up and look at the excerpt. Notice in Silverstein's description of the theoratical press confrence by Abe Foxman and the presense of Officer John's widow and the rallying of African Americans? I wonder what his response will be to this? Perhaps he ment <a href="http://www.hurryupharry.org/2009/06/12/whoops-i-meant-to-say-zionists-not-jews/">Zionists</a>?Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-35756712784841340992009-06-10T17:15:00.002-04:002009-06-10T17:22:48.014-04:00Refugee Camps in LebanonUnder Michael Totten's <a href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/totten/69132">article </a>about the recent election in Lebanon, I noticed this comment about the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon:<br /><blockquote>What have been called “Refugee Camps” for 3 generations would be termed “Illegal Settlements” if they were populated by Jews.</blockquote>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-6180902738123199482009-06-09T15:43:00.003-04:002009-06-09T16:18:21.107-04:00Who is the most open and democratic country in the ME?According to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpgBgoEkYn8&feature=channel_page">Al Jazeera</a>, Lebanon is the most democratic country in the region. The country where the President has to be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of the Parliament has to be a Shi'a Muslim, is <span style="font-style: italic;">sooo</span> much more democratic than Israel.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vesotnrAN5g&feature=channel_page">Also</a> according <cough><cough>to Al Jazeera, Lebanon is the most open country in the region, even though it trails both Israel and Kuwait in freedom of press according to <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1">Freedom House</a>.<br /></cough></cough>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-89709854426081908912009-05-29T10:16:00.000-04:002009-05-29T11:39:14.359-04:00Something a little different<span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b>"Burning Bright" by Shinedown</b><br /><br />I feel like there is no need for conversation<br />Some questions are better left without a reason<br />And I would rather reveal myself than my situation<br />Now and then I consider, my hesitation<br />The more the light shines through me<br />I pretend to close my eyes<br />The more the dark consumes me<br />I pretend I'm burning, burning bright<br /><br />I wonder if the things I did were just to be different<br />To spare myself of the constant shame of my existence<br />And I would surely redeem myself in my desperation<br />Here and now I'll express, my situation<br /><br /><i>[CHORUS (2)]</i><br /><br />There's nothing ever wrong but nothing's ever right<br />Such a cruel contradiction<br />I know I cross the lines its not easy to define<br />I'm born to indecision<br />There's always something new some path I'm supposed to choose<br />With no particular rhyme or reason<br /><br /><i>[CHORUS (2)]</i></span></span>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-18108261252217194822009-05-18T12:02:00.003-04:002009-05-18T19:41:38.259-04:00Reading ...It's been awhile.<br /><br />1. Excellent <a href="http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2009/05/therapists-to-the-jews-psychologizing-the-jewish-question-by-shalom-lappin.html">article </a>posted on normblog - Therapists to the Jews: Psychologizing the 'Jewish Question' (by Shalom Lappin).<br /><br />2. JPost blog post- An <a href="http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/persianabyss/entry/an_iranian_in_tel_aviv">Iranian </a>in Tel-Aviv.<br /><br />3. NYTimes <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/world/middleeast/18israel.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast">article </a>- On Fiery Birth of Israel, Memories of 2 Sides Speak.<br /><br />4. Israeli <a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212401210&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">launches </a>on-line tuition-free university.<br /><br />5. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212372123&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">Arabs </a>in the IDF, conflict of identity.<br /><br />6. The excellent Khaled Abu <a href="http://www.hudsonny.org/2009/05/islam-today-1.php">Toameh </a>on the failure of Oslo and Western intervention on behalf of the Palestinians, and the terrible state of Palestinian politics.<br /><br />Update: 7. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212406809&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">Hinduism</a>, just like Zionism?Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-68158440166108173202009-05-17T15:37:00.002-04:002009-05-17T15:45:52.296-04:00In the newsFadi Eyadat of Haaretz <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1086115.html">reports</a>:<br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><p>Some 40.5 percent of Israeli Arabs believe the Holocaust never occurred, according to the results of a University of Haifa poll released Sunday. </p><p>The survey shows that Holocaust denial among Israeli Arabs has become more prevalent in recent years. In 2006, 28 percent of Israeli Arabs polled denied that the Holocaust occurred. </p><p>The annual poll of Jewish-Arab relations, which was conducted by Professor Sami Samuha, also found that only 41 percent of Israel's Arab minority recognize the country's right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, as opposed to 65.6 percent in 2003. </p><p>Moreover, only 53.7 percent of the Israeli Arab public believe Israel has a right to exist just as an independent country, according to the poll, down from 81.1 percent in 2003.</p><p>"This radicalization in the positions of Arabs was caused by a series of factors such as the Second Lebanon War, the stalemate in the negotiations with the Palestinians, the failure to implement the conclusions of the Or committee, closing the case against the Border Police troops who shot dead the Israeli Arab protesters in October 2000, and more," Samuha said. </p><p>700 Israeli Arab men and women participated in the survey, which will be published in its entirety on Monday. </p></blockquote><br />Last week I <a href="http://oldworldnewideas.blogspot.com/2009/05/evolving-zionist-narrative.html">wrote </a>about the evolving Zionist narrative accepting certain parts of the Palestinian narrative.<br /><br />Stupidity and the dumbing down of the populace is prevalent in politics everywhere. Changing that will bring peace.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-72150338156229460082009-05-17T15:03:00.002-04:002009-05-17T15:24:38.427-04:00Are neoconservatives ahead of their time?<p>I'm listening to the NPR program on the Star Trek franchise. The program notes that as much as neoconservatism has gotten a bad rap in the last 8 years, Gene Roddenerry's (the creator of Star Trek) vision of the future is neoconservative where a Federation of Planets, a "coalition of the willing" if you will, is socially liberal and <strong>interventionist</strong>. In the new movie, Captain Peko calls it a "humanitarian and peace-keeping armada." </p><p>Star Trek is liberal and progressive. Nichelle Nicholes was perhaps the first black woman to be featured in a major television series not playing a maid. The franchise series regularly portray women as major shapers in human history, such as having women captains and admirals (Condi?). It also portrays other races, or species in this case, as equals and allies in the progressive development of the world or galaxy. Captain Kirk, played by the Jewish William Shatner, regularly kisses characters of other specie and race. </p>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-53107152860629583662009-05-17T12:51:00.007-04:002009-05-17T15:24:51.746-04:00Star Trek, Israel, and Palestine[<strong>Spoiler Alert!</strong> This post will discuss some of the movie's plot so don't read this till after you watch the movie, unless you don't care or don't plan to watch the movie.]<br /><br />I watched JJ Abram's new Star Trek movie yesterday. It was pretty good, not excellent. I think it was made with the goal of expanding the appeal of the franchise to a wider audience instead of recreating the old appeal the franchise has to the usual fans such as myself. Yes, I love Star Trek, but in a cheap Jewish way, meaning I don't buy anything. You couldn't tell what movies I like by looking at the walls of my rooms.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, the reason I want to talk about this movie is because the narrative reminded me of the narrative of Jews and Palestinian Arabs. In the movie, two races lose their homeworlds, sort of. Nero of Ramulus, the villian, loses his homeworld but subsequently goes back in time. He hunts Spock of Vulcan, the hero, was supposed to save Ramulus but failed because of no fault of his own. Nero, seeking retribution, makes Spock watch the destruction of Vulcan instead of working to prevent the destruction of Ramulus in the future.<br /><br />Like Nero, Zionists partially blame Palestinians for the Holocaust and dispossed the majority of them. Unlike Spoke, the Palestinians in the 30's and 40's fought hard against what could have saved millions of Jews, as evident by the White Paper. Like Nero, the Palestinians fought for the destruction of their enemy's homeland, Israel, instead of trying to build a new one. Like Spoke, after the Holocaust Zionists built a place to perserve the Jews.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-76773041779314157082009-05-12T00:53:00.003-04:002009-05-12T02:20:56.076-04:00New interest in legal/philosophical theories and principlesToday is the second time in the last couple of weeks I found my self going through dozens wikipedia pages and online articles regarding legal and philosphopical theories and principles. I like to apply thought from these ideas to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since there are so many, I'll try to discuss a limited amount of them and what its analytical application to the conflict might produce and my critic of all this. It will be hard to limit how much I discuss each day because they are all related.<br /><br />So here is my first attempt at the task I mentioned above.<br /><br />Many activists critical of Israel cite numerous UN resolutions and "international law." I and many Israelis have come to the conclusion that the UN and the many of the bodies within are not worthy of the conformity of individuals and the governments that represent them. Here is why:<br /><ol><li>The United Nations is a collection of governments. Such organization has its strengths and its weaknesses. One of these weaknesses is that not every member is truly represenatitive of the people residing under its sovereignty. In simpler terms, they are not democratic.</li><li>In order for me to respect the UN as an authority, I must see some proof that this "social contract" will provide social and political order. I have not seen the UN attempt to secure these things sufficiently in all member states.<br /></li><li>The UN uses language of rights to cloak political goals giving them positive connotations. For example, the UN Human Rights Council and Anti-Racism confrences where human rights violations and racism were not condemned but were displayed front and center.<br /></li></ol>I haven't cited any specific theories yet but the last two points above come from my reading of this wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rights#Debate">article</a> (regarding point 2) and this wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_generations_of_human_rights#Criticism">article</a>(regarding piont 3).Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-2830549125827528242009-05-12T00:02:00.003-04:002009-05-12T00:16:35.602-04:00My diagnosis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dissocial personality disorder</span> (as <a href="http://apps.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/index.htm?gf60.htm+">described </a>by WHO) - personality disorder characterized by disregard for social obligations, and callous unconcern for the feelings of others. There is gross disparity between behavior and the prevailing social norms. Behavior is not readily modifiable by adverse experience, including punishment. There is a low tolerance to frustration and a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence; there is a tendency to blame others, or to offer plausible rationalizations for the behavior bringing the patient into conflict with society.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-41641566538760920872009-05-11T11:06:00.003-04:002009-05-11T11:18:06.082-04:00Two Nazi soldiers arrested for stealing credit card from a Jew in Warsaw GhettoAnshel Pfeffer of Haaretz <a href="http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1084713.html">reports</a>:<br /><blockquote><span class="t13">Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were arrested for allegedly looting the home of a Palestinian in Gaza during the army's offensive against Hamas earlier this year.<br /><br />The soldiers, who serve in the patrol battalion of the Givati infantry brigade, are suspected of stealing a credit card belonging to a Palestinian whose home they entered during the fighting.<br /><br />The two soldiers are alleged to have used the card to purchase goods worth thousands of shekels. </span><span class="t13">The army's police investigative unit launched a probe into the allegations last month after receiving a complaint. A Palestinian residing in the northern Gaza Strip claimed his credit card was stolen during Operation Cast Lead. A short time later, his credit card statement revealed that a number of products were purchased in Israel.<br /><br />As per the orders of a military judge, authorities have yet to release details of the investigation so as not to prejudice the outcome. The two soldiers have been ordered to remain in military jail for fear that they would try to tamper with evidence. A hearing in the matter is scheduled for Wednesday.<br /><br />"Recently the Military Advocate General has received a small number of complaints from human rights organizations and private attorneys, including claims that private property belonging to Gaza Strip residents was taken during Operation Cast Lead," the IDF spokesperson's office said. "Given the credibility of the complaint military prosecutors ordered the military police to open an investigation during which testimony will be heard for purposes of examining the claims." </span></blockquote>If you are still confused by my title, it is a joke on how people compare Israel to Nazi Germany.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-75838509368450306832009-05-11T09:46:00.003-04:002009-05-11T11:04:26.752-04:00The Evolving Zionist Narrative"Poll: many Israelis no longer accept key part of the Zionist narrative" - That's the title the blogger of Realistic Dove gave to the <a href="http://www.realisticdove.org/archives/326">post </a>about this <a href="http://jta.org/news/article/2009/05/07/1005003/study-israeli-jews-more-critical-of-conflict-role">study</a>.<br /><blockquote><p>A total of 47 percent of Israeli Jews believe that Palestinians were expelled from Israel during the 1948 war, with 39 percent saying that "The refugees left due to fear, calls of leaders and expulsion by the Jews," and another 8 percent saying the refugees left due only to expulsion by the Jews. Another 41 percent said that the refugees left "due to fear and calls of leaders to leave," the traditional "Zionist narrative."</p> <p>Some 46 percent believe that Israel and the Palestinians are equally responsible for the outbreak and continuation of the conflict, while 4 percent blame only the Jews. Some 43 percent primarily blame the Palestinians.</p> <p>In a question about who bears responsibility for the outbreak of the 1987 intafada, 23.6 percent of respondents said it was "Mainly natural hatred towards Israel," and another 17.2 percent said it was "somewhat due to hatred." Some 32 percent responded that the 1987 intifada was caused "More or less equally due to hatred and other reasons (such as unwillingness to be controlled and harsh treatment by Israel)."<br /></p></blockquote>I don't think that many Israeli Jews no longer believe in a key part of the Zionist narrative. It is just that the Zionist narrative has evolved to better reflect historical research.<br /><br />Let's not forget that there are many different kinds of Zionism, each providing its own perspective on history. The study is a reflection of that.<br /><br />When historians go through historical archives, interview people, or gather any kind of evidence, they choose what is relevant and what is not. Journalists do the same and they are at their best when they are objective. But of course, journalists and historians are still human and will never be objective in everything that they do.<br /><br />The first time I heard about the "conflict of narratives", it was during my high school trip to Israel. The speaker was a smart American-born historian with a best seller book about the 1967 war. I am of course talking about Michael Oren who is now the new ambassador to the US.<br /><br />I believe that the Zionist narrative's greatest strength, as compared to the Arab Palestinian narrative, is that its a lot more open to discourse and debate. This of course, comes from the environment the observers live in. Anti-Zionists and critics of Israel hold the faith or nationality of their spokespersons front and center when they are Jewish or Israeli. The implication is that since some of the other side believe in their narrative, it must have merit over the other. But as my psychology teacher said, "correlation does not imply causation." I am implying that the society of many anti-Zionists (i.e. the Arab and Muslim world) is totalitarian to an extent as this <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1084570.html">report </a>about 88% of Palestinians in Palestinian jails being held with out trial indicates. But I might fall to my own biases and correlate without looking at the causation.<br /><br />I am no authority to say who is a good historian and who is not. I didn't read Oren's book on the 6 Day War but I did read his other book on America in the Middle East, "Power, Faith, and Fantasy...", a book I highly recommend.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-91325679533895503892009-05-10T21:03:00.002-04:002009-05-10T21:05:18.216-04:00Rabbi Reuven Firestone: An Introduction to Islam for JewsA friend pointed me to this very interesting video.<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="400" height="264"><param name="flashvars" value="webhost=fora.tv&clipid=7056&cliptype=full"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="movie" value="http://fora.tv/embedded_player"><embed flashvars="webhost=fora.tv&clipid=7056&cliptype=full" src="http://fora.tv/embedded_player" width="400" height="264" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-32090056699103481812009-05-04T06:41:00.001-04:002009-05-04T11:25:40.075-04:00Progressive except PalestineProgressive Except on Palestine (PEP) is a phrase and acronym coined by blogger Philip Weiss. People of Weiss' crowd use this term or acronym to refer to liberals, especially Jewish American liberals, who hold "progressive" positions on every issue except on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It stands for people who usually raise their voices, something that Jews do best, for causes for freedom and justice, but are unwilling to criticize Israel when it becomes aggressive towards Palestinians and its neighbors. I'm bringing this up because I think this expression is narrow minded.<br /><br />PEP is what they would call me. I am a liberal Jewish American (though I lived much of my youth in Israel) who doesn't confrom to their "assimilationist" hard left. Over the last two years, I have become aware of certain faults of the Left of which I still identify as. But I still disagree with many of right-wing people on Israel and other issues. I am very much against the settler movement.<br /><br />Foreign critics of Israel complain about the most insignificant things. I accept criticism of the settlements, but when they start talking about Israeli immigration policy and marriage laws, it starts to become hate. People who use the term PEP become PEP. They don't think Arabs can, or at least don't have to, become progressive.<br /><br />Double-standard, everybody uses that term in regards to Israel. Israel activists say that critics of Israel hold Israel to a standard that they themselves don't follow and definetly don't hold that standard to Israel's enemies. Palestinian activists say that the West lets Israel regress punishing the Arabs while holding them to a harder standard. But if the UN is any guide, the latter faults.<br /><br />Bret Stephens in the WSJ <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124027104509836989.html">shows </a>how bad the Left's coverage and perception of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become. It's selective moral outrage. Instead of loving Israel for being progressive and for its potential, people hate her for being old fashioned, using Western models such as nationalism and nation-state. Perhaps that is why liberals gravitate to this conflict. In the West, that's what liberals do, change, fix, destory, remold, and reform the state. They view Israel as a Western expression. Unfortunately, the West doesn't have a very good history with those of the Jewish character.<br /><br />Zionism isn't like the 1960's civil rights movement in the US. That movement encompassed all of America. Zionism on the other hand is exclusive. It is specific for the Jewish people. But in its own rights it has given Israel's Arab citizens rights and freedoms like none other in the Middle East. But by not striving to help Arabs seek their own freedom and security, it has failed to show the Arabs the attributes of the movement. There were other forces at play. Pan-Arab nationalism was headed by dictators, and Islamist movements followed. The political freedom activist just hasn't been able to operate in the region.<br /><br />Many lefties are now calling for a one-state, to encompass all Jews and Arabs from the river to the sea. But why only there? They say it is the only way to ensure freedom for all. If the Lebanon, Yugoslavia, and India-Pakistan is any guide, it is doomed to fail. I know that they advocate for this because it would mean Israel's destruction. These people hate exceptionalism. If one person loses, everybody loses. That's basic liberal ideology. Welfare, that's one issue I moved more to the center. We have to show everybody the path to succeed, but artificially lifting those that can't at the expense of others is wrong. Like I mentioned earlier, Zionism didn't show Arabs the path to gain their own freedom and security. And a one-state solution won't either. The West would have to be exteremely hostile towards Israel and the Jews to implement this, and with the already hostile environment, it is a receipy for disaster.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-66643331841748556082009-05-03T22:24:00.002-04:002009-05-03T22:28:20.183-04:00Secular HaredismGideon Levy had another one of his anti-occupation anti-war <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1082567.html">rants</a>. I call it a rant because he uses every spin in the book to make his argument. He is so detached from reality I don't know where to start.<br /><br />Someone that goes by the name of Mike left this comment on the online version of the rant:<br /><blockquote>The imagination that one should not respond to lethal attacks in their country against fellow civilians because of morality is distorted thinking.<br />This is the secular version of Haredism where one seeks purity through separation from reality.<br />Cheap spirituality at the expense of others</blockquote>I couldn't say it any better.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2818080618483244432.post-78556763640593159662009-05-03T21:53:00.002-04:002009-05-03T22:18:10.625-04:00The week that wasI went to a Lutheran Church with my father and grandmother this afternoon for a concert of Bach's Mass in b-minor. There was a lecture in the beginning given by Prof. Wolf who teaches at Harvard and speaks with a German accent. Even though the church wasn't even 60 years old, it still had that church feeling with the color-stained windows depicting biblical scenes and the massive organs. Surprisingly, there wasn't a massive cross with a carved dead Jesus on it. Maybe because it was Lutheran. But it was still one of those places that you <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_Their_Lies">don't feel comfortable </a>till you hear two people with Jewish accents talk about <span style="font-style: italic;">Tanakh </span>behind you. Yup, the cantor of a local synagogue and his family were there as well. The only thing that would have topped it was if the choir sang "Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh" instead of "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus".<br /><br />The concert was all my father and grandmother hyped it to be. I am familiar with Bach but this "Mass" was very good, with 4 soloists, a full choir, and a small orchestra. Sure, I closed my eyes a few times, and it took them forever to go through just four words, but I was awake when it counted.<br /><br />On another matter, I volunteered at a local community playground construction. You can read the Jewish Times article about it <a href="http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/cover_story/fallstaff_playground_build_draws_500/12098">here</a>. It's amazing what a shovel and some dirt can do to the soul sometimes.Michael W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00510512694213419859noreply@blogger.com1