Mr. President and Staff,
My name is _____ and I blog under the name volleyboy1 at both Daily Kos and at my own blog http:progressivezionist.blogspot.com (the Progressive Zionist). On my site I constantly defend this administration against Right Wing members of the Jewish community. At Daily Kos I am one of the co-founders of "Jews for President Obama". This said....
At Netroots Nation 12 there is consideration for a panel on the Israel-Palestine conflict that would feature only those voices that would deny Israel's existence and force a One State solution on the area.
While it is important to recognize that the Palestinians DO indeed have a voice that needs to be heard, in this setting it is also important that Zionist voices are heard as well. For over 95% of American Jews, the existence of Israel is an important and vital part of our lives.
Any panel at this conference that did not include Zionist voices that support the full existence of the State of Israel would be a sure indicator that the delegitimization of the legitimate right of Jewish self-determination.
Were any Democrat to then speak at Netroots Nation with a panel that denied Israel and Jewish Self Determination I can't help but think that they would be supportive of that panel as well. As such I could not see myself supporting those particular politicians and in fact would speak out against them.
Therefore, I am asking that should Netroots Nation 12 take this path -the administration NOT support this by sending speakers or representatives. Can you imagine what FOX or Right Wing bloggers would do with tapes of this. It would destroy all of the hard work you have put in to show the Jewish community that you are our friend.
Mr. President, we support you. You have been a great friend to our community and to Israel. Please don't let this tarnish that friendship.
Please join me in sending the text of this letter (skip the first paragraph as it is not relevant to individual writers) to your representatives and the White House. I will be sending this to my Rep. John Garamendi as well as the offices of Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein. Hopefully they will not support nor send proxies to NN12 should the panel as discussed (a panel in which NO strong Zionist voices would be presented) go forward.
The goal here is not to shut down Netroots, I think it is a great conference. The goal is to make sure that Democrats are not supporting something that gives a platform for hatred and denial of the legitimate right of Jewish self determination.
The thing is that there are people (whether Paulistas or true lefties) that are trying to radicalize the Democratic party for whatever reason and there is no reason that we as Democrats should let them. Racism, has no place in our party. The Republicans and the Right have embraced that meme (just look at the Paul candidacy or "the Southern Strategy" or the speakers at CPAC etc...), let them have it. We don't need it, don't want it, and I for one won't stand for it. Not that what I say has any bearing on what people think.
All of us have a voice to fight racism. NN12 is proposing a racist panel. We can't just fight the racism that exists "across the aisle", we have to face what we see here as well.
SO... please keep an eye on this, and let our representatives know that participating in a conference that actively promotes anti-Jewish memes (destruction of Israel through BDS and the Palestinian One State Solution) is simply unacceptable to us as Democrats.
Shalom!
Will send a note to my Bobs. Brady and Casey. Thanks for taking this on, volley.
ReplyDeleteThis -
"All of us have a voice to fight racism. NN12 is proposing a racist panel. We can't just fight the racism that exists "across the aisle", we have to face what we see here as well."
!
Well Jay I think that not only can this be a potential nightmare for Democrats in November, but that not engaging this is simply the wrong thing to do. I have no issue with a panel that presents both sides, with strong Zionists to counter the bullshit from the JVP and One State people.
ReplyDeleteBut I think we have to remember that the racism exhibited by those on our side ALSO has to be countered by our own community. It's not like the Republicans have shown any better judgement and we that do have a President that is one of the most "friendly" to the Jewish people ever.
Were I a Republican, this would be a dream come true for this panel to happen and an administration Rep. show up. What the folks at NN12 are thinking is completely beyond me.
You'll certainly find no argument from me on this -
ReplyDelete"But I think we have to remember that the racism exhibited by those on our side ALSO has to be countered by our own community."
We are, indeed, the best ones to counter them.
And totally o/t, but does anyone know how to update your time zones in Blogger? Every blogspot blog I visit is on Pacific Time, can't figure out how to get them on Eastern. There's no option in the Google account. Argh.
ReplyDeleteI am going to update this to a general statement along the lines of "Politicians: Don't Attend Netroots Nation If Antisemitic Panel Is Included" and create a change.org petition about it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent fizziks - I will help distribute it.
DeleteJust a bit ago our resident Right Wing apologist and Republican stopped in with a pithy remark. That remark was deleted before I got the chance to answer it BUT I will still answer it point by point. Here is Part I
ReplyDeleteIt started with this line:
Perhaps it is appropriate to acknowledge from where comes most of the "hatred and denial of the legitimate right of Jewish self determination."
To answer... "most" is an interesting word. I mean there certainly is a fair amount of delegitimization in the Radical Left but, I am not sure that it is any more than the Conservative Right. If one looks at the political process it is the Republican Party and Libertarian standard bearer Ron Paul that commands 10-15% of the party's votes. In 2008 no Democrat that stated that Israel should not exist or should have it's aid cut came anywhere close to that number.
Now to say that the Radical Left does not trade in delegitimization would be foolish. It certainly does. However, is it the only part of the polity that does (as the statement was posed)? The answer is certainly "NO" the extreme Right, which contains elements of White Supremacy, and hardcore anti-Semitism matches the lunatic Left pound for pound.
If the issue is as stated, "right wingers" are not the problem
Ahh but as we from above they are just as much of a problem. Further, they come with a whole other litany of issues - however, in this case I would say the problem of recognizing Jewish self determination is mixed with both Right and Left.
Republicans use this because it exists among a significant share of those who self-define as Progressive.
No, Republicans are trying to frame the argument this way because they want to defame anyone who is not conservative. This is politics and everyone tries to "frame" their arguments to provide advantage.
Further, just because some jackass who supports BDS claims (or Republicans who go along with it)to be progressive doesn't make it so. I can show a great deal of anti-progressive racism amongst the posters at MondoFront. They claim to be progressive and they are the furthest thing from progressive imaginable.
Or is this more for appearance, to save face politically? I was unclear.
This was just a silly cheap shot that didn't need to be included.
Part II in the next comment
Part II
DeleteAnd what happens if Obama and the rest embrace NN12, as is foreseeable?
Well if the panel happens and it is balanced as we ask... nothing happens. If the panel never happens nothing happens either. IF the panel is fully accepted with the participants suggested and the President sends staff to "embrace" NN but denounces or ignores the panel, then I would say that this would be distressing but for me personally it wouldn't change my vote for the President. The Republicans are so noxious on so many different levels if I disagree with him on this it is just one thing that I don't like against 100000000 things that his opponents stand for.
What gets me here is that why in the world would anyone assume the President or his administration lend active support to a racist panel? The President has proven time and time again that he is one of greatest friends of Israel to sit in the Whitehouse. Culturally, he has included Jewish Americans at all levels of the government. He celebrates Passover with his staff (the first President to hold a seder in the Whitehouse). He named May 2011 Jewish History month. He has had two Jewish Chiefs of Staff.
Politically he has supported Israel "up and down the line". It was his budget that INCREASED aid to Israel and his budget that funded Iron Dome - NOT the Bush as has been claimed. It was the Obama Administration that has voted with Israel at the U.N. against Palestinian unilateral attempts to force a solution to the conflict. Even today it was the Obama administration that was the lone vote in the UNHRC to stop them from their hypocritical investigation of Israel.
So why in the world would it be forseeable that President Obama would "embrace" an NN12 that featured a racist panel?
It would be a welcome surprise to see him repudiate the anti-Israel faction among his supporters, not because of appearances, but just because it is right.
President Obama has spoken forcefully against anti-Israel forces on both the left and the Right. He did it in his Cairo Speech and he has continued to do so throughout his administration. Further, his actions in support of Israel are numerous. He not only talks the talk but he walks the walk.
The President has been an active supporter of Israel and the Jewish people. He doesn't have to dance new and different tunes the Republicans try to play when each of their talking points fails. He just has to keep on doing what he has been doing.