Letters to the Editor
-
dayenu, i always treat people as if they were sincere
till i don't believe it any more. (alex's first sentence: "As someone raised in the Jewish community, I spent most of my life really wanting to believe in Israel's cause, if for no other reason that it would make things a lot easier between me and my family.") i don't believe him any more. he's not jewish. he's just another lefty out to get your goat. it's america, live and let live, but don't even *attempt* to convince him. it's impossible. if you *must*, make your posts shorter. if you edit, you'll find you can say anything you want, and better, in one third the space. you don't have to schedule an eternity for an impossiblity. besides, i'd like to hear from some others, like rakhia (whom i was honest towards) and particularly dr gnu, who's an arab and directly involved.
-
you type too fucking much, dayenu
and now you've scared off dr gnu. why did you go on a rant towards someone who was just pulling your prick? (sorry, but your foolishness amazes me). don't get paranoid about the arabs! they just aren't so bad. the europeans are so much worse it's no comparison. america, could it happen here? of course! why hasn't it then? yes why. because the native americans were the ones slated for extinction and the blacks for oppression. without them it would have been us. (one reason for sympathy for black people and amerindian people(mexicans racially at present) - and a bit of forgiveness if they act hostilely). argentina's jews were *singled* out. and torture died in a far far greater proportion that all the jewish losses from arabs - and for NO REASON! (the palestinians *have* a reason - you might not like it, or say it's sufficient, but it is A reason - and one they were not used to. jews were used to "Wandering" and that is the situation most of the white people want the jews back in, but the palestinan's weren't. they didn't like having to leave the neighborhood because *jews* those disreputable dogs that the masters used to kick are now lording it over them. it's going to take a while. give that while to them. at least as far as you can. verbally. electronically - and at a distance. (from my sojourn in the West Bank i've developed a motto, "i'll have dinner with any arab - but i'll only eat my own food" - still he had the access, i could have been given cholera or typhoid not merely intestinal worms, yukch!. this really types it - he could have killed me, but he chose merely to humiliate me. why? for no reason other than Isaac, but that's enough. and yes, i have proof - his expression when he ate with me(i insisted - foolish me, i figured if he ate it, it wasn't poisoned)
-
final response to Dayenu
Unfortunately I can't continue this much longer, but I think I've at least dug a little deeper.
I still find your insurance policy argument ridiculous. Do you really believe that it's even remotely possible that some sort of anti-semitic dictator would seize power in America? If you do, then you are not living in reality. Hey, why don't we build a giant flying airship for Jews in case every continent on Earth sinks into the ocean? (Though if you're religious, that probably doesn't sound that ridiculous to you)
Of course, in the meantime, the existence of Israel is merrily helping along this little scenario.
I have a theory that people like you and David to some extent NEED the threat of continued persecution because you have based your entire identities on it so much. You will continue to look for it everywhere and anywhere, long after it has become little more than a joke in the western world. Only someone who has been completely sheltered by the Jewish community can claim that anti-Semitism has any kind of significant influence in the States. I'd worry more about the Christian right that you guys and your neocons have chosen to ally yourselves with.
Now, for this little gem:
"Your argument here bothers me, because you're critiquing Israel for basically being like many first world nations, not being perfect, whereas the ones who you want to get in to not make even a minimal effort towards the civil rights you are describing. Is there some reason Jews cannot go into the Palestian Authority territories without being murdered? And why? Shouldn't a Jew be allowed to live in Jenin if he so desires? But if he goes there, he'll be killed. And the Palestinian state constantly has to be reassured that they'll be Judenrein. Why is there not even a hint of suggestion that jews should be allowed to live in the Palestinian authority? Maybe even allowed to vote or run for office?"
How hard is it to understand that first-world democracies should indeed be held to higher standards than developing nations, if they want to be treated as such, or that nations with greater military power have a greater responsibility to use it wisely? And yes, it would have actually been possible in the 1940's and before that for Jews to live peacefully as a minority among Arabs, which they did. But if you expect people that have been colonized, oppressed, and stateless for their entire existence to suddenly trust their oppressors' claims of equality and let them in to live amongst them after all that, you're rather naive. Yes, due to the historical and political circumstances of the past 50 years, Palestinians have indeed become anti-semitic. This could have been avoided and could still be deconstructed within a few generations, but of course you don't like to think that. You prefer to envision anti-semitism as having some kind of eternal metaphysical existence independent of any historical roots or causes, because you define your whole identity in response to it. Well, good luck with that. Good luck waiting for the next American Holocaust. I'm going to be busy living my life in the meantime.
P.S. The position of the Grand Mufti was created by the British government, which of course also collaborated with Hitler early on. What's your point?