The Antiwar Anti-Semites: Peace protest organizers tolerate no dissent.

Wall St Journal ^ | February 12, 2003 | MICHAEL LERNER

[SJackson]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Imagine my surprise when I found out that I am banned from speaking at a peace rally here this Sunday. As editor of Tikkun, the largest-circulation liberal Jewish magazine in the world, I have been an outspoken critic of the proposed war in Iraq. I have also unequivocally condemned Saddam Hussein's brutality and called for the world community to bring him to justice for crimes against humanity. But we at Tikkun do not believe that this war -- in which thousands of Iraqi civilians are likely to die -- will bring democracy to the Middle East. Instead, it is bound to increase the threat of terrorism to American citizens and provoke more violence. It will also fuel American fantasies of world economic and political domination.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Diogenesis]

1. The Left LOVES hugging those who would murder them.

2. NATO? What a joke. Just ask Turkey.

[Catspaw]

Why should we have to choose? Tikkun will be bringing thousands of our supporters to the demonstration Sunday.

Let's see--this guy gets anti-semitism shoved in his face AND he's still bringing people to this rally? He's a bigger fool than anyone thought previously.

[veronica]

Imagine my surprise when I found out that I am banned from speaking at a peace rally here this Sunday.

Imagine my disgust at the naiveté of this silly man.

[section9]

No, what Lerner does not want to believe is that he got buffaloed into supporting the moral equivalent of the Hitlerjugend.

That's what's going on here. The "peace movement" has become a cover for some of the most vicious anti-Semitism to hit the streets since the Brownshirts decided to hold a kristallnacht.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Alouette]

Please, please! Don't hate me! I'm your friend! I'm not like those other Jews--those kikes in the settlements! I'm a good Jew! Don't gas me, gas them! I'm your friend!

[Slings and Arrows]

Little Mikey Lerner gets a whack from a Clue-by-Four, and manages to shake it off entirely.

Some days, natural selection is a mite too slow for my tastes.

FReegards,
Slings and Arrows

[Catspaw]

For years, those of us who want democratic rights for Palestinians have been dubbed "self-hating Jews" by right-wingers in the Jewish world.

I'd say dubbing him a "self-hating Jew" is pretty damn apt. I wonder if he gets a warm, cozy feeling when he sees Hamas and Hezbollah flags flying at these rallies--or when he sees an Israeli flag with a swaztika instead of a Star of David burned along with the US flag.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Let's see--this guy gets anti-semitism shoved in his face AND he's still bringing people to this rally? He's a bigger fool than anyone thought previously.

"Let's go, my friends, they're preparing ovens for us"

[KC_for_Freedom]

The most painful thing has been watching other anti-war groups make unprincipled compromises with A.N.S.W.E.R. As a result, there is support on the left for self-determination for every group in the world except the Jewish people. Fellow progressive Jews, some anxious to speak at these rallies, have urged me to keep quiet about anti-Semitism on the left. After all, they say, stopping the war against Iraq is so much more important.

Again the left must select which members of its coalition will survive going forward. It looks like it will include some really clueless Jews if this guy has anything to say about it.

Reminds me of why I left the Sierra Club so many years back when they could not see that communists had taken over the environmental movement. Well, they took over reform Judaism too, but it seems the pacifists want no more jewish support. Ok by me.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

But just as we fought against the sexism and homophobia that once infected the left, we will challenge anti-Semitism and Israel-bashing on the left, even as we say "no" to a war with Iraq.

Militant queerism, kookism, slutism, socialism, Islam and anti-semitism are all components of pure evil!

[Catspaw]

Just how are they going to challenge anti-semitism and Israel bashing when they're barred from speaking at these rallies because they're Jewish?

What a twink.

[judicial meanz]

He was a firm supporter of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War and is still a rabid socialist.

Firm supporter of Saddam Hussein. It figures

[Catspaw]

Yup, you know Lerner is Adam Shapiro (International Solidarity Movement) role model.

[mollynme]

As a result, there is support on the left for self-determination for every group in the world except the Jewish people.
And Christians, and conservatives and white males and.....

[judicial meanz]

He is a future Darwin award winner, guaranteed. Poor guy doesnt ahve the sense to come in out of the rain.

[Catspaw]

I just have this vision of Lerner at the rally holding a sign that says, "You hate Jews, but we support you!"

I figure he'll last about 3 minutes before he's set upon and beaten to a pulp by the peaceniks.

[jalisco555]

This foolish Rabbi was Hillary's "spiritual adviser" during the first Clinton term. He coined the phrase "the politics of meaning".

[Valin]

Yet it is inconceivable that these anti-war coalitions would let A.N.S.W.E.R. ban a speaker if he accused that group of racism, sexism or homophobia. Why should anti-Semitism be treated differently, as the acceptable -ism?


Short answer...YES it is.