I posted an article over on the UK website engage online, which was founded by academics to fight the proposed boycott of Israeli (and only Israeli) universities. Of course, such a boycott would be unlawful (and it's a liberal law, note), but when has that stopped the so-called left?
Anyway, I've been commenting and posting the occasional article there since the site started, in about 2004. What follows is an article that started as a talk to a group of Cambridge Jews (neither students nor academics [except possibly retired ones)], but residents of the place). The talk lasted 20 minutes and the discussion an hour, all very amicable.
Anyway, the article has attracted some attention on the website (i.e., I feel that I've come under attack from those who I would normally consider as allies). What do you think? Please feel free to add your comments at Engage. They're moderated, which means that a small group of editors scans them for relevance to the issue, whether they're advancing the debate, or whether, given British libel law, it might be safer not to publish(!). If you'd prefer to comment here, I'd be fascinated to know what you think.
If nothing else, I'd learn how to do it differently (and hopefully better) next time.
By: Brian Goldfarb
12 minutes ago
5 comments:
"I've come under attack from those who I would normally consider as allies"
I did not "attack" you, Brian. I tried to introduce a very different perspective that seems to escape the notice of the "anti-racist" Engage. I thought you would welcome this point of view and maybe even consider it a bit more deeply. It has become a very complicated subject, but it doesn't mean that we can't shift the frame and try to adjust the picture.
To re-cap: I don't see any reason why Jews, any Jew, would wish to distance himself from Israel. It just doesn't make sense to me. Therefore, putting this relationship Israel/Jews in the same binary category as Muslim/Jihadist, African/Mugabe is a grave mistake and one that is bound to explode in your hands. I understand why you are arguing this as a way of instructing the oblivious antisemites (or not so oblivious but just cynical) but I'm claiming that this is a wrong and self-defeating rationale. Is all I'm saying.
"I don't see any reason why Jews, any Jew, would wish to distance himself from Israel."
But I do, Noga. I can't believe you never met one or several of folks that will be loath to even confess their belonging to the tribe, not to mention to these uncouth Israelis.
I can assure you that I met quite a few.
I know, snoopy but what I meant was that "I don't see any reason why Jews, any Jew, would wish to distance himself from Israel."! Those who do are uncomfortable being Jews in the first place and they cannot be the one deciding the parameters of what is antisemitism, when all they do is try to appease their non Jewish antisemitic friends ...
I know, snoopy but what I meant was that "I don't see any reason why Jews, any Jew, would wish to distance himself from Israel."! Those who do are uncomfortable being Jews in the first place and they cannot be allowed to be ones deciding upon the parameters of what is/ is not antisemitism, when all they do is try to appease their non Jewish antisemitic friends ...
Noga, re that sentence about "appeasing their non-Jewish antisemitic friends..." I think i may have answered that in later comments (hopefully to be posted - I only put them on a few minutes ago (we were at a shiva house this evening).
Really, I'm aiming at N. Friedman, who I find difficult to fathom. You and I, I guess, would find common ground more easily. Perhaps we will, when (if) my latest comments get posted.
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