Posted on 02/21/2003 7:15:36 PM PST by SeenTheLight
I’ve asked myself on many occasions: “When there are so many other countries in the world that do injustice both to their own people and to others, why does the Left focus so exclusively on Israel?”
What about China’s occupation of Tibet or Syria’s occupation of Lebanon? What about the repression and tyranny of the Arab nations surrounding democratic Israel, including the Palestinians who, let’s not forget, practice honor killings, lynch “collaborators,” suppress the media, and whose leaders funnel funds meant for the people to terrorists?
The real reason the left hates Israel is two-fold. First of all, they have been hijacked by Palestinian Nationalism and secondly, they don’t like uppity Jews. And to mollify those who will immediately claim that anti-Israel sentiments do not amount to anti-Semitism, let me just say that I don’t buy it.
I’m not sure when Palestinian Nationalism began to seep into the Left’s dogma, but it appears to have been in the last 15 years or so. I first noticed this trend during a protest of the Gulf War, where I saw pro-Palestinian propaganda with a distinctly anti-Semitic edge to it. It was around this time that the term “Zionists” began to be used as a fill-in for all Jews who simply supported the continuing existence of the state of Israel and as such, were deserving of contempt. In short, “Zionist” became the politically correct term for “Hebe.” The years since have only solidified this pattern and these days, the anti-war protesters are more hateful than ever.
I’ve had the unique experience, while taking part recently in counter-protests, of witnessing the wrath of the Palestinian Nationalists up close and personal. The graying hippies wearing Intifada T-shirts and spitting in my face, women in burkas unfurling Palestinian flags in front of my signs, Arab-American teenagers telling me they want to “kill all the Jews,” and being called a “Zionist Pig,” are just a few of the precious moments I’ve taken home from “peace” rallies. This is the ugly side of the anti-war movement, among others, and they don’t want it publicized.
Indeed, the formerly celebrated Jewish liberal Michael Lerner, has recently been excommunicated for daring to criticize A.N.S.W.E.R., the main organizer of the anti-war protests. This is apparently a no-no among a movement that doesn’t tolerate dissent. Lerner also committed the crime of refusing to consign Israel to the dustbin of history. He didn’t go along with the program and for that, he became persona non grata.
The Left only likes Jews as long as they’re victims, passively marching to the Nazi death camps, or in this case, to the Mediterranean Sea. They can deny that they’re anti-Semitic by pointing to their loyal Jewish comrades, who fail to recognize their enemies. These Jews are acceptable because they either want the destruction of Israel too or at the very least, won’t stand in the way. But give a Jew a gun or God forbid, a tank, and suddenly they become the enemy. The Left, it seems, prefers suicidal Jews to tough ones.
The Left demands nothing of the Palestinians and everything of the Israelis. What, besides anti-Semitism, accounts for this double-standard? The anti-war crowd can continue to try and claim the moral high ground when it comes to questions of war and peace, but none of it will ring true, so long as their blatant hatred for Jews festers in the background.
Some of us are trying to change that trend. The Republican Jewish Coalition comes to mind, among others. Just like African-Americans, Jews need to wake up and cross over to the light. BTW, all this hatred from the left and their Democratic buddies is only helping the cause!
They didn't like him till he got into office and realized that force actually worked.
One told me that the reason that Christians are supporting the Jews in Israel is because he's sure they want someone ELSE to hate. (Good thing there aren't any Jewish bigots, eh?) When I said, "no, perhaps they have a 'problem' with people MURDERING innocent people, do you think?", he was speechless (as he SHOULD have been).
Anyway, another said, "ohh, but they [the Israelis] have sooo much land in Israel, can't they share it?" (I'm NOT kidding; my eyes must've dilated in sync with my head shaking in disbelief at that logic). I (nicely) said, "what?!" So much land?! They have a patch! Look at Egypt and Saudi Arabia!" She smiled, sweetly, and said, "oh, yes, I guess so." Duh. And, she started talking about how 'lovely' and nicey-nice Buddhism is.
I had a (Jewish) boyfriend who couldn't STAND my supporting Israel's right (and moral duty) to protect itself against the homicide-bombers. The closer we would get to discussing Judaism AND the situation in Israel TODAY, the more he would 'run' with his new-found lovefest with Buddhism (yet, he had not the calm that one would expect if he actually WAS Buddhist). We actually broke up over it!
I'd take out a hundred Palis for every suicide bomber. I'm not Jewish. My message to those with an axe to grind would be meet me on the battlefield or at negotiating table, but never take it to innocents.
Terrorists are not warriors, they are a cancer and should be dealt with accordingly.
P.S. - Oh yes, he IS your President.
Weep not for that loser (although to be honest, that description could have fit me as little as two years ago!)
Good psychological insight in your comment, in my opinion.
The "cycle of violence" you mention is another falsehood. The Palestinians commit terrorist acts and the Israelis respond. Notice how suicide bombings stop when the IDF gets tough?
And why should the "speaker" or writer, as you say, retract her blanket claim of anti-Semitism? Did you not read the experiences the writer described from the so-called peace rallies? Perhaps it is a generalization, but when no one speaks out about the anti-Semitism from within the movement, it can be inferred that they're going along with it. And that's not good enough.
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