Warren Goldstein: Better to tell truth than parrot propaganda

Sometimes Arabs give me a look or a comment implying - how can you be married to a Jew, have Jewish in-laws, when they do what they do to us?

This history professor's impassioned plea echoes what I hear from my Jewish friends, husband, mother-in-law: Warren Goldstein: Better to tell truth than parrot propaganda.

I am a Jew, and I am an American. I am in anguish over both identities right now.

In my name, my country has been supporting -- with armaments and its remaining diplomatic clout -- the reckless killing of civilians whose only crime is to live in a country that cannot control its own fate. (How supporting? By not exercising its immense influence over Israeli policy and weaponry.)

The country that considers itself a Jewish homeland has effectively declared Lebanon a "free-fire zone" and believes that if its military drops enough bombs on apartment buildings in Beirut (Hezbollah "strongholds") and empties enough southern Lebanese cities, it will destroy Hezbollah as a political and fighting force. The mass grave in Tyre is now burned into Lebanese consciousness, along with Sabra and Chatila.

When I visit the website of Reform Judaism, I see a propaganda effort on behalf of the Israeli bombs. "What can I and my congregation do now to help the people of Israel?" asks a headline. The answer: "Now is the time to stand with Israel in solidarity." I could, the website suggests, "Post a 'We Stand With Israel' lawn sign and proudly fly an Israeli flag at your congregation." After all, "Israel is a home for every Reform Jew."

This is moral and religious nonsense.

And it is silencing Jews who know better, because the Israel propaganda machine works most effectively through Jewish organizations, where any hint that the lives of Lebanese children matter as much as the lives of Jewish children is treated as (1) a refusal to recognize the demands of realpolitik, (2) slippery-slope "moral equivalency" reasoning, or (3) treason. By these efforts Judaism has been reduced to political cheerleading, an international equivalent to what the American religious right has done to Christianity. Too many American Jews are putting their religion on the shelf while they take up the impoverished language of strategy and tactics and realpolitik.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah does not distinguish between Israeli and Lebanese children.

There's more. Read it.

And remember that no matter how many Israelis and Americans cheer on the massacre of Arabs in Lebanon and Palestine, Judaism is not at fault. Being Jewish is not the same as being jingoistic, callous to murder, and bloodthirsty. Judaism as a religion, and Jewish culture in all its diversity, possess great riches and beauty (as do Islam and Christianity).

Please don't judge all Jews by the actions of the IDF. Please don't judge all Muslims by the actions of Hizbullah. Please don't judge all Christians by the actions of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Blair and Harper.

Hat tip to Haitham Sabbah.

Comments

[SAID]

jews are to be blamed for everything that is happening in the world the pushed the stupied amircans to war in iraq and afganistan they are responciable for 9/11 and you kno it i am a muslim arab and i see what is happening in my counties and i hate anyone who hates becouse of who i am and i HATE jews

[Leila]

The above comment could be transposed to the Israeli side - I have received similar messages before, only with Muslims and "Islamofascists" inserted for Jews.

War makes people insane.

Said, I am sorry for your pain, and I hope one day you can rise above your reaction and think clearly. Human beings destroy each other. If we want to build peace we must look our enemy in the face, understand him, and know that his mistakes and sins resemble our own.

[Amanda]

Thanks for the link to Goldstein's editorial -- excellent and on point. My only addition would be to make it stronger -- as Juan Cole (found your site via his, btw) has pointed out recently, the Isreali govt is systematically destroying Lebanon's ability to exist by destroying the entirety of the civilian infrastructure (and many civilians with it). This is appalling & should anger every thinking human regardless of race, creed, religious affiliation. Defending oneself is one thing. Annihalating an entire nation is another matter entirely. It's called a war crime.

I'm not Jewish or Muslim (Unitarian, actually) but I think we can all get on board with the idea that what the Israeli govt is doing, with the acquiesence of the US govt, will lead to more hatred and terrorism -- witness Said's unfortunate but understandable comments. We are living in tragic times.

[Stephen Frug]

Leila, thank you for posting this. It's a wonderful and powerful article that expresses what many of us have been feeling since this whole horror began.

So what can I say but "amen".

[SAID]

how can i one day you can rise above my reaction and think clearly. ever since i can remember jew have mad me and my peoples life very ver hard. they f***d my life up and for that i never can forgive them!!! tell today they are killing our children and womem
and the hole world is turning away 900 of my people DIED!! "FOR WHAT?????" i realy dont think i can ever forgive the jews tell they leave my land and stop the Massacre of our women and childrn and i dont think that will ever happen and i PRAY that you and the world see what jew realy are and what muslims realy are

you kno its not fair that fredom fighters are caled "Islamofascists" and the jew that are killing Hundreds of women and children are call the opressed,Subjugated and exploited

[Kevin]

Good news! Nasrallah is whining for help in achieving a cease-fire now that he has been beaten like a dog. I predict that sometime in the next few days, Lebanon can get rid of that warmaking Iranian lapdog and be truly free.

Get ready Lebanon! Your chance for peace, prosperity, and a return of the jewel of the Mediteranean is at hand. Do not allow Hezbollah to rearm and restart this war. Never let them start a war again. Do not allow the evil lapdog Nasrallah to exist in Lebanon anymore!

Long live Lebanon. Long live Israel. Get rid of Hezbollah, and never have to fight again.

[thebizofknowledge]

I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research.
I'm not sure there's a group or ethnicity whose history does not include war, imperialism, genocide, and a host of other wrongs. We should not judge others lest we be judged as well.

[susan mo]

I don't think too many Israelis or Americans are cheering deaths of Lebanese Deaths. Don't like thast pawrt of your commentary......shows you are out of touch

[Richard Silverstein]

Thanks Laila for those generous words in the midst of such a terrible hate-provoking crisis. We all have to remember this. Being a Jew, at my site I don't hear much fr. folks like Said (though I do hear some); mostly I get the crowd you pointed out in yr comment above: the hateful Jews who believe that Arabs are evil incarnate.

They are perfect mirros of ea. other. Only peace will tone down the lunacy of people like this & let moderation & tranquility work their magic. May it be soon & in our day (to quote a Hebrew prayer).

[Richard Silverstein]

"I don't think too many Israelis or Americans are cheering deaths of Lebanese Deaths."

Susan Mo: Then you haven't been reading the partisan pro-Israel blogs. The level of hatred of Arabs & Lebanese is through the roof. As for Americans, George Bush, Dick Cheney, most of the neocons & Aipac & its supporters are delighted with every Hezbollah fighter killed & they have no sympathy whatsoever for any civilians killed. Maybe they're not jumping up & down specifically at the killing of civilians, but they're not condemning it, not stopping it. That's just about the same as cheering it on esp. since they (Bush, Cheney) have the power to stop the mess dead in its tracks.

[Pierre Tristam/Candide's Notebooks]

Leila... The last series of posts is a great service (I'm linking to them Sunday). I also appreciate the fact that the comments, such as the rather vile one about Jews that begins this thread, aren't deleted: It's important to know and face bigotry head on. As often as not it self-destructs, though often enough it festers and blooms. Either way, better keep it in the sunshine, where it can be tackled, then let it fungify underground.

[Donna]

Leila - thank you for these posts. I pray for an immediate end to this latest horrific war.

[Leila]

Thank you, Pierre, and I'm honored for the link.

[Kevin]

My prayer is for a longer term peace. I pray for an immediate surrender of Hezbollah to end this horrific war.

[Mick Williams]

I don't agree with your cavalier characterization of civilian deaths in Lebanon as 'reckless killings'. Webster's Dictionary defines the adjective 'reckless' as follows: 1)marked by lack of proper caution and 2) irresponsible. The use of Katyushas by Hezbollah that are deliberately aimed at Israeli cities (civilian population centers) has only one goal: to KILL as many innocent Israeli civilians as possible; could that be defined as 'reckless' killings? It is not propaganda to say that the IDF goes to great lengths to avoid innocent Lebanese civilian casualties, i.e. leaflet warnings and cancelled operations because of civilian concern. Who do you think that you are kidding? This is the truth and I think that you know it to be true. You rufuse to admit this because it does not fit into your anti-Israel rhetoric. Indeed, you are being intellectually dishonest. If the IDF didn't care about Lebanese civilian casualties, they would have bombed Southern Lebanon back into the Stone Age 3 weeks ago. It is precisely the reason to avoid civilian casualties that has actually caused more Israeli IDF Soldiers to die in the battlefield. On the other hand, Hezbollah has NO QUALMS about hiding themselves and their Iranian made rocket launchers in civilian population centers, knowing that when there are civilian deaths, it can be used as propaganda. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. What kind of people STAGE SCENES OF DEAD CHILDREN in order to disseminate propaganda films with the sole purpose as to inflame passions to their cause?

[TonyGuitar]

People of Lebanon made fatal errors just by standing by and doing nothing.

Lebonese people stood by and did nothing while Hamas posted websites enticing 9 and 10 year olds to become walking bomb martyrs for Allah.

Lebonese stood by while Hamas paid money to families whose children were inspired to become martyrs and thus expired.

Lebonese stood by while Hezbollah embedded rockets and weapons for years.

Lebanon citizens did a lot of standing by and protesting nothing.

Now the Lebonese people are suffering the rewards for those who witness great evil and do nothing.

Canadians including the liberals and MSM are not going to just stand by and do nothing. Are they? =TG