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It’s a Freaking War, or Joining the Anti-Semites
The more I contemplated this story, the angrier I became. It’s the story of a Jewish champion cyclist, Leah Goldstein, who was uninvited from giving the keynote speech at International Women’s Day, because 30 years earlier she had served in the Israeli Defense Forces. This kind of stupid decision was bad enough. But when the sponsors elaborated on their reasons, they demonstrated what a pathetic and poor example they were for women. They explained that the invitation was revoked due to the Gazan war.
Okay. . .
But they added that supposedly other speakers had been attacked by “pro-Palestinian activists.” Really? Did they actually blame Leah Goldstein for those activists acting like idiots? And they said they were committed to creating “safe spaces”!
They cowered at those nasty activists, and then founder Heather Doughty of the organizing group, INSPIRE, issued this apology and made things worse:
‘We are equally upset,’ INSPIRE’ founder Heather Doughty said.
‘We’re just this tiny little not-for-profit that is trying to do a nice thing, and we were literally attacked. We had speakers [from INSPIRE] verbally attacked. They went to do their grocery shopping, and people came up and were attacking them.’
Goldstein’s critics were allegedly ‘demanding to know what Leah’s position was’ on the Israel-Hamas war.
The Israeli cyclist said that INSPIRE requested she make a statement – which she said was ‘ridiculous.’
The reactions of everyone involved (except Goldstein) are disgusting. First, the people who were challenged in their respective grocery stores, clearly blamed Goldstein for their being accosted, instead of challenging or ignoring the pro-Palestinian activists. Worse yet, instead of realizing that depraved people can show up anywhere, they complained to the organizers of the event.
And the organizers caved in to the bigots who had attacked the speakers, instead of backing the highly celebrated keynote speaker, who had served her obligation in the IDF.
Instead of making a statement that would somehow pacify her sponsors, she said this:
‘If I were to make a statement, I would say that I’m very proud of my training with the IDF, being the first woman to train the commando soldiers,’ she said.
‘So yes, if they want that kind of statement, I’d be happy to say it. But to dis Israel and say, it’s genocide, we’re killing 20,000 innocent children and women and whatnot — it’s a freaking war. That’s what happens.’
Good for Leah Goldstein.
I feel compelled to point out a number of despicable facts in this situation: that the pro-Palestinian activists were actually empowered by the response of INSPIRE; that the women who organized this event did nothing to demonstrate the resolve and empowerment of women; that it was more important for them to be politically correct than to honor their commitment to Goldstein and their organization.
And their actions demonstrate how anti-Semitism can show up under the auspices of “doing the right thing.”
Published in Culture
As much as I dispise antisemites, I am glad to see them showing themselves in the open. They are easier targets then. They aren’t pro-Gazan, as they would like us to believe. They are simply antisemites who attach their Jew-hatred to what ever cause is convenient at the time. The exposure of UNRWA was no surprise. The UN, in general, has been notable antisemitic for nearly as long as the existence of Israel. As they sit so comfortably in Turtle Bay in the beautiful building provided by the American people, and their various diplomats ignore New York parking and traffic laws on a regular basis, it has long been a question in my mind, anyway, why do we even bother? They do nothing to insure world peace which was their essential charter goal. They very selectively choose the target of their disapproval, mostly western democracies and Israel. Meanwhile they take gobs of dollars from the American government whether currently rule by Republicans or Democrats, and spit in our faces.
Other, so-called, international bodies, seem as questionable in their goals. The rise of petro-dollar fueled Arab/Muslim states and their willingness to throw around their moneys in support of sporting organizations for golf and cycling is beginning to have an effect. The old cui bono has a lot more to do with the directions these organizations flow than any concerns about human rights and morality.
Better in the long run to know who your enemies are and not to let down your guard.
I’m sure Christian Palestinians want Hamas gone. If not, then they aren’t “Christians” like the rest of us. As long as you are doing a broad brush, do you want us to paint all Muslims with a broad brush and assume they are like Hamas and the Palestinians?
The British and American bombing of Germany during WWII is well-known. Less-well-known is the Allied bombing of occupied *France*.
The bombing of this former ally was done first, to destroy factories that were serving the German war effort, and, secondly, to destroy transportation that could be used to move German troops against the planned invasion.
For this last effort alone…turning the relevant sections of France into a ‘railway desert’…the estimate of French civilians killed is around 10,000. The entire bombing campaign on occupied France killed something like 50,000 people.
This was not done out of any belief that French people were ‘subhuman’ or even that they deserved it for not having been successfully able to hold off the Germans.
Would it have been better to allow the invasion to fail, and/or the war to go on for another year or more?
Our targeting in WWII was to destroy Germany’s ability to wage war. Germany targeted British cities in part to spread terror. Hitler was no great war tactician. The Hamas raid deliberately targeted civilians for two reasons, spread terror and to sate their lust to commit brutal acts. They then used propaganda to get sympathy for their side from anti-Semites already predisposed to side against Israel and from insufferable moral preeners.
The Free Press has an article about the take over of the Parliament by Islamists. The sessions had to be cancelled due to threats of violence to members who support Israel. At some point there is going to be a counter reaction, and that is going to meet violence with even greater violence. I do think that the majority populations of western nations are not particularly interested in having their governments run by Islamists or even those prone to be supportive of Islamists. This nonsense is going to end, and, unfortunately, counterrevolutions tend to be pretty violent and indiscriminant in terms of who gets hurt. Just as Hamas had been pushing Israel and finally took a step too far, these radical morons are more than likely to do something just as likely to evince a reaction similar to the Israeli response in Gaza.
The US’s targeting was, but not necessarily Britain’s. Arthur “Bomber” Harris was their air commander and he wanted to destroy the German cities first, often having conflicts with US generals who wanted to target railroads and factories. See Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller.
A huge exception is the 20-year gap between the two nominal World Wars and its mechanism.
Because “civilized” people remembered the first one, they stuck their heads in the sand and facilitated the second war.
At some point the phrase “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees” comes back into fashion.
If they were really anti-colonialist they would support the return of the people who built the civilization there 3500 years ago.
But they aren’t.
It’s Leah Goldstein, not Goldman.
The Americans bombed during the day; the Brits at night, when they couldn’t hit anything smaller than a city. They couldn’t bomb during the day because they couldn’t produce replacement bombers that fast.
BTW, I first learned of this from British and American World War II movies.
As retold by Bruce Lowitt
A Chinese man and his Jewish friend are walking along one day when the Jewish man suddenly slugs the Chinese man in the mouth.
“What was that for?” the Chinese man asks.
“That was for Pearl Harbor!”
“Pearl Harbor? That was the Japanese. I’m Chinese.”
“Chinese, Japanese, what’s the difference?”
They continue walking in silence, then the Chinese man punches the Jew in the face.
“What’s that all about?” the Jew asks.
“That was for the Titanic!”
“The Titanic? That was an iceberg.”
“Iceberg, Goldberg, what’s the difference?”.
This is just my amateur opinion.
Iran is where we should be really careful because the citizens hate the leadership. I don’t see that with Gaza and the Palestinians.
I could be talked out of it, but this is my view.
Yeah, that would be me.
The best person in my life was definitely a Muslim, but in general, I’m not enthused.
Exactly. The Jews were civilized 1000 years before everybody else.
I like Jews and I like Israel. Everybody I know feels the same way.
Well, I say momentarily and almost. But the First World seems to be guiding Israel into a less and less deft handling of the war. And it is a war. They are forcing Israel to use the most heavy-handed means of winning — whether they know it or not, and I’m sure they do.
I am coming around to the theory that World War I and World War II may not have been two distinctly separate events but very much connected. World War I didn’t really “solve” any of the underlying issues. If It had I don’t think World War II would have happened and it would have followed the cycle I described. What was actually operative, whether the combatants knew it or not was a 20 year ceasefire where both sides had an opportunity to rearm.
Except living on your knees isn’t and option for the Islamists, nor is conversion btw, The want to kill so your options really are die on your feet or on your knees.
We have established elsewhere that anti-colonialist either means one of two things.
a) Everything belongs to the last conqueror (before the current conqueror).
b) Everything belongs to the non White European looking, or perceived to be European looking people.
BTW option b includes Europe and America.
It depends: Once you have accepted subjugation you become an ostensibly protected dhimmi and are only occasionally in danger of recreational murder at the hands of mobs incited during Friday prayers at the local mosque or at the hands of random righteous thugs when you failed to step into the gutter quickly enough at the approach of a noble and holy Muslim. Of course, you will have to endure daily humiliations, ruinous taxes, and unendurable restrictions on your freedom.
I worked for a Muslim, and he was an excellent boss and human being. Having said that, the only time I ever saw him sort of uncomfortable or flustered is when he said that there were people in his own religion that wanted to kill him.
I forget the guys name, I think his last name is Spencer, I have listened to him extensively, and I’ve listened to the other side of it, and, basically, those guys don’t belong in this country. People complain about other religions, but there is nothing on the level of Islam if you really look at it.
At this moment, Dennis Prager is talking about how Islamists are taking over the British political system. The podcast is free.
Dhimmitude isn’t really available to Jews or Israelis Christians. It also is not completely available to non-ethic Palestinians, or in early stages of the establishment of a caliphate. It is something that can become available once the secular authorities have established a certain level of control over the religious institutions and need a certain level of expertise that can be gained from dhimmi’s.
Robert Spencer of the Jihad Watch blog?
Yes. He is really good.
When you look at what the Koran says, Islam is just too integrated into the state, and what Mohamed literally tells people to do is pretty nutty.
Having said that, Pakistanis very strongly tend to be excellent citizens when they get here.
I have no idea what to do about this.
In practice Islam was subordinated to the secular authorities to provide for a successful running state. In that way it was a lot more like other state religions than it is today. Islamic Sultans tended to be pragmatic and more secular than religious, although they still at least professed fealty to Islam, much as Christian monarchs in the Middle ages as well. This isn’t to say that spreading the faith wasn’t important to both groups and that they weren’t committed to a world wide caliphate; however, It was to be largely a secular run project. The religious leaders were subordinate to the secular authority. Pakistan had the same arrangement until fairly recently, although it is always somewhat tenuous. Modern Islam has tended to lean in most places more religious and therein lies the problem. I was listening to an political science discussion by an Islamic scholar who argued that the real problem was getting back to the point where pragmatic secular authorities have the whip hand again.
Not all Muslims are a problem. We need to confine our concern to the radicals. For example, I highly respect Dr Zuhdi Jasser. We love the crew on Holland America ships. Most are from Indonesia, a Sunni country. We take up to $200 cash to tip cabin stewards and wait staff. I would welcome them as neighbors. I despise the radical groups that engage in terrorism all over the world. Israel can destroy all of Hamas. Muslims left afterwards would have a better life.
Go with Raxxalan, I am definitely limited on this topic.
Again, my knowledge and interest in this area is limited, but he is literally who I’m talking about. I have listened closely to him versus Spencer, and Spencer wins.
Hamas is a menace and they have a grip on those guys. What is it like 5 million Palestinians? There are 450 million Arabs and none of them want any of them even if they are all split up.