tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233033210838592831.post1851868838986110812..comments2020-03-28T06:27:50.033-07:00Comments on Daylight between America and Israel: Two views on ZionismClif Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17561437041148734569noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233033210838592831.post-15693310553285586952010-11-21T12:59:52.561-08:002010-11-21T12:59:52.561-08:00Greg, my goal is to distance the United States fro...Greg, my goal is to distance the United States from Israel, specifically to reduce support for Israel as I believe that is the only way to end the occupation. I believe Zionism has nothing in common with our "liberty and justice for all" and I used these two views as evidence to support that.<br /><br />I think that eventually Israel will accept others and drop the Jewish exclusivity, simply because that kind of nationalism is an anachronism and will have more trouble surviving as time goes on. I've run into many U.S. Jews who are very disturbed about the direction Israel is taking. They, as Americans, are the folks I am hoping to influence.Clif Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17561437041148734569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233033210838592831.post-47711825433720828932010-11-20T21:47:32.787-08:002010-11-20T21:47:32.787-08:00One of your two commentors ended with
"Pleas...One of your two commentors ended with<br /><br />"Please Jerry, do get out of the ivory tower now and then and talk to the taxi drivers, the secretaries, the sales people, the insurance agents, the health care workers, the people on the buses. Talk to them and ask how they feel about blacks, about arabs, about non-Jews, and yes, about christians. And Obama. Let's not forget to ask how they feel about Obama. The kind of deeply-embedded, ideologically implanted contempt for others, is not "merely" tribal. It is tinged, to its core with the sense of superiority you seem to deny. And that, according to later' definition make it racist, no?"<br /><br />Are we, then, to tell these people that their State is founded in evil? Will they embrace this view, decide to change, convert to us? There are Israelis who fight apartheid. If we satisfiy ourselves by condemning the historical processes which produced the present will not others do the same, to different end? The battle is within Israel, and absolute condemnation will not aid your allies therein. We must, I think, rather turn some of the ideas of the opposition to other end. One will not thereby convert the opponent. But there is a mass of others which may be swayed.<br /><br />In the best of circumstances Israel will not accept pure equation of Zionism and Racism. I remain of the view that the Declaration of Independence offers a third way, a wedge within Israeli nationalism.<br /><br />Consider the nationalsim resurgent in the United States, underlying the Tea Party and Republicans generally. Consider who these thereby silence through this patriotism. The same is happening in Israel. Words must be used to new end. I think it can be done, albeit precariously. If you want to condemn nationalism as such, you will lose. I believe we can take the character of the Declaration to advocate something new. As I said in a different forum, Clif, one can condemn Manifest Destiny only because it is over. Do not leave those who love Israel and support your views hopeless. Pure Zionism bashing I truly believe does this. Force Zionists, rather, to take their State founding seriously.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com