Al-Qaida's Latest Target - Understanding the Istanbul synagogue bombings (Hitchens)

Slate/MSN.com ^ | Nov. 17, 2003 | Christopher Hitchens

[veronica]

When I am at home, I never go near the synagogue unless, say, there is a bar or bat mitzvah involving the children of friends. But when I am traveling, in a country where Jewish life is scarce or endangered, I often make a visit to the shul. I always feel vaguely foolish doing this (the sensation of being a slight impostor is best conveyed in "Christian" terms by Philip Larkin's marvellous poem "Churchgoing") but as a result I have seen some fascinating evidences of survival in Damascus, in Havana, in Dubrovnik, in Sarajevo, and in Budapest, among other places. And more than a decade ago, I did go to the Neve Shalom synagogue in Istanbul.

[jalisco555]

Thanks for the post. Hitchens is great, isn't he.

[texas booster]

bump for later reading.

Hitchens is interesting. He often sounds like nails on a chalkboard, but I enjoy his perspective on politics.

[Senator Goldwater]

I enjoy Hitchens, and he gained my enduring admiration for his takedown of Blumenthal during impeachment.

[Rutles4Ever]

He lost my respect when he called Mother Theresa a fraud and "evil"... What an a*hole.

[PA Engineer]

Excellent post. Ignore the newbie. ;-)

[ken5050]

as usual, andother bravura Hitchens opus...truly amazing that perhaps thwe two best commentators on the US political scene...Hitchens and Steyn..are foreigners..

[jalisco555]

Hitchens is that rare phenomenon, the honest Leftist. He has been scathingly contemptuous of the hypocrisy of the anti-war types for years. Even when I disagree with him, which is often (particularly with the Israel-Palestinian issue) he is interesting and thought-provoking.

[eureka!]

bump for later read...

[adam_az]

He lost my respect when he called Mother Theresa a fraud and "evil"... What an a*hole.

...Good thing that he didn't let you in on the little secret that there is no Santa, or you'd really have been pissed.

[observer5]

If he thinks that Mother Theresa is evil, then he is an idiot...

[adam_az]

Well, depends on your definition of evil, and on Mother Theresa's actions, I suppose.

Hitchens made a good case IMO that Theresa was a Mother all right, but a Mother of a different sort.

You know, just because some people named her a saint, doesn't make all her actions saintly.

I suppose you supported her palling around with and accepting (stolen) money from repressive dictators, like the Duvaliers of Haiti, for example?

[observer5]

I think you have no idea what kind of work she has done. She may not be a saint in my eyes, but if she is evil, the Bush is also evil!!! get it?

[LibertarianInExile]

You should read his article on the subject, which is pretty informative. I bought the party line on MToC until I read what he had and some others with dissenting opinions had to say. Hitch is no angel himself, but deifying people who don't deserve it is truly Satanic.

[adam_az]

No, how is President Bush's good/evil quotient (whatever that is) affected by how an improperly sainted nun that he didn't know, lived?

[LibertarianInExile]

I don't get it. Explain it to me. What does Mother Teresa have to do with Bush? Are they intertwined in some way I don't know about?

[japaneseghost]

Yes, Hitchens is great because LITERACY RULES ...

IMO he is a heterosexual version of Gore Vidal with a drink in his hand.

[ChadGore]

Christopher Hitchens gets it.

[Allan]

A very good article by Hitchens.
I haven't seen him in print for a while.

[Allan]

ping