Anti-Semites and Self Haters Gone Wild.

It must be the phases of the moon or the end of spring fever or something else.. But lately it seems like there has been a surge of nuttiness that is not just restricted to the Republicans in the U.S. who all of a sudden seem to absolutely hate the policies that President Bush put in place that are now being utilized by the Obama Administration. No, the stunning hypocrisy there is not the worst of it. 

Lately it seems like the anti-Semites are out in droves. Of course, they and their self hating allies in Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) are all in a flutter about the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions Movement… so what did they come up with? Camp BDS.

Where students will get:

• Extensive campaign development coaching
• Grassroots organizing skill building
• Media & Messaging trainings
• Anti-oppression analysis workshops
• Nonviolent direct action planning
• Historical overview of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
• Relationship building with activists on campuses nationwide
• Strategy sessions with BDS movement leaders
• Two tracks for existing and new campaigns

Plus: fun in a summer camp-like environment!

And just imagine… all of that PLUS – “fun in a summer camp-like environment”. Somehow, I think this would be different from the summer camps that I attended as a kid that stressed swimming, arts and crafts, sports, and generally getting along with your neighbors. I am not sure how messages of “Destroy Israel” and “Boycott Jews” are going to translate into a rollicking good time.

Perhaps though one of the first things they should do is probably pull their ad off the internet. After all, if they are boycotting Israel and Israeli goods they might not want to use those Intel chips in their computers (if they are using Microsoft). IF they are using Apple’s well… they better drop those too, as Apple is also involved with Israel. Oh well… should be an interesting camp. I would be looking forward to the parts of camp where they don’t use first aid kits, or cell phones, or Teh Google or a hundred other things all because well… they are boycotting Israel and companies that deal with Israel.

One thing comes to mind as well… How do they know that the buildings they are sleeping in, didn’t get built with Caterpillar equipment. I mean they should be boycotting that as well. Right? I mean if these guys are going to boycott… then let them really boycott.

Anyway, but that isn’t some of the rest of things about us pernicious JOOZ! Apparently we are everywhere. So here are some of the great things from around the intertoobz where the whack nut anti-Semites seem to be having a field day.

First, we have the Phil Weiss – proprietor of the hate site Mondoweiss (or better known as MondoFront since it combines all the elements of conspiracy theories with the rabid hate of the Neo-Nazi StormFront site) actually stating that the only reason that the Robert Kraft, Superbowl Ring, Vladimir Putin story resurfaced was… Because Israel hates Syria and we are beholden to Israel. Here is Weiss:

As for imputing an Israel motivation to Kraft’s decision, well, that’s the problem with the Israel lobby, it implicitly raises the question. And Kraft supports Israel in many ways. Riding through Jerusalem on the light rail, I often see the Robert Kraft stadium built to promote football. I have often gone to the Robert Kraft center for Jewish life at Columbia to see pro-Israel events. “A taste of home” is the promotional slogan at Nana, the cafeteria there that serves Israeli foods. Kraft’s late wife once said that her sons could fight for Israel, she wouldn’t want them in American uniforms.

Am I accusing Kraft of blabbing now because he’s trying to help Israel? I certainly wonder. Maybe Kraft will tell us, in another 8 years…

In short, everything in the world revolves around Israel and the Jews. And since Jews and Israel control the Western World we wanted Kraft to bring out this story so that we can stir up bad feelings for Russia because they don’t like Israel… or some such nonsense.

But Weiss is just someone running a small meeting site where haters of Jews, and their self hating Jewish sycophants can hang out and swap ideas about how Jews really run the U.S. and Israel runs the world. It’s not like he is a world leader or Head of State or anything.

No.. for that we have Ankara Mayor and close friend (and member of the PM’s Party) of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to play that role. In a note on Twitter – Ankara Mayor İbrahim Melih Gökçek, a member of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, claimed that the protests now raging in Turkey are part of an effort by the American “Jewish lobby” to undermine Turkey’s government.

Now to be fair to Erdogan (who had said that Zionism is the equivalent of “war crime” – he didn’t directly blame “The Jewish Lobby”, he simply used code words saying:

Addressing the crowd from atop a bus outside the airport, Erdogan accused speculators of encouraging the protests, saying that an “interest-rates lobby” is “threatening Turkey with speculation in the markets.” He said that “no power can stop Turkey’s rise except God,” while supporters chanted: “Open the way and we’ll crush Taksim.”

So far… Got a problem with Russia… Blame Israel or “the Jewish Lobby”, Got a problem in Turkey… why who else but the Jews are too blame? Is there anywhere else safe from the Jews or Israel? Any country, any place that is not susceptible to our world control. Well the answer of course is a resounding NO!!!!! Why do I say that? Well here you – from North Korea:

Senior North Korean officials received copies of “Mein Kampf,” Adolf Hitler’s rambling prison memoir, as gifts for Kim Jong Un’s birthday this January, according to a report by New Focus International, a North Korean news organization that sources from defectors and volunteer citizens within the country.

The famous Nazi autobiography was reportedly distributed as what’s called a “hundred-copy book,” which refers to Pyongyang’s practice of circulating an extremely limited number of copies among top officials, though most books are forbidden in North Korea. Gifts marking the leader’s birthday are typically imbued with special political significance.

The book was apparently not distributed to endorse Nazism so much as to draw attention to Germany’s economic and military reconstruction after World War One. A North Korean who works on behalf of the country in China told New Focus that Kim gave a speech endorsing Germany’s inter-war revival and encouraging officials to read “Mein Kampf.”

Because what better describes a nations “pulling itself up from its bootstraps” better than an inspirational tome regarding Hitler’s struggle against Jewish Oppression? I mean how much more simple can it get?

Anyway, maybe this is just a momentary upswing in lunacy caused by tides, the moon or some other environmental factor. BUT most likely, I don’t think that is it at all. I think it is a reflection of the difficult times we are living in and  I think that we can expect to see a lot more of this kind of nonsense to come as conflicts in the world heat up and people that have antipathy for the Jewish people look to blame all ills on Israel in order to “take eyes off” their own failings and policies – as has been the case throughout history

What does it mean to be a “Liberal / Progressive Zionist”?

Friends ask me this question with the caveat, “I don’t understand exactly what that means”. I was talking to a few Krav Maga friends (some Israeli, some American) and one of my American friends said, “You really are a Zionist – huh?” I answered back with a “Yep, but, I am a Liberal Zionist”. Which followed with the question “Hmmm what does that mean?”. So I gave him my standard answer and then I thought more on what it means to be a “Liberal / Progressive Zionist”.

Here is what I came up with.

As I wrote here the other day, I think that Zionism is the progressive position to take regarding Israel and the Jewish people. It is my opinion that Zionism is a large tent, but, first and foremost it is a simple concept at the root of it. Simply put, I believe Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a legitimate right to self determination in a Nation State in part of their ancestral homeland in the Middle East.

And here the Jewish Virtual Library states:

Zionism:

The national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel.  Has come to include the development of the State of Israel and the protection of the Jewish nation in Israel.

So in a lot of ways beyond this basic definition the term “Zionism” is a very broad term which includes people from people like Zahava Gal-On (Leader of the Leftist Israeli party – Meretz) to Michael Ben-Ari (Leader of the neo-Kahanist Otzma L’Yisrael), both of whom can legitimately be called “Zionists” (whether we like it or not). Now does this mean that people from Meretz and people from Otzma are the same? Of course it doesn’t mean that. Only a simpleton (and some goofy anti-Zionists) believe something like that.
No, because it’s a “big tent” Zionism allows for a great deal of divergence in its thought. There are Religious Zionists, Secular Zionists, Nationalist Zionists, Conservative Zionists, Centrist Zionists, and Liberal / Progressive Zionists, just to name a few varieties.

So what does it mean to be a “Liberal / Progressive” Zionist? In my mind it means a few things. Most important to me though it means that I support the concept of a National Homeland and State for the Jewish people that is also a Westernized, Democratic Nation State with separation between Synagogue and State. I believe in a State that respects true democracy. A State that respects all of its citizens no matter what race, religion, and or cultural background they may have. I support a State that embraces equality for Women and for its LGBT community. I also support a State that maintains the common cultural aspects of the Jewish community regardless of the level of religious observance. In short I support a State that is the a model of “Jewish Democracy”. I am heartened by the words of the Israeli Declaration of Establishment of Statehood when it states:

THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

I think that these are noble goals. Now, is it realistic that everything will be met… Of course not, we are after human beings. No one is perfect. At the same time I think it is important that we strive to be better than what we are. Isn’t that a goal of being a person, to always improve oneself?

At the same time, I believe very strongly that becoming like our enemies will destroy who we are as well as the “spirit” of our people. I believe we can be and should be better than our enemies who I believe often times exhibit the worst parts of human behavior. In my mind, if I engage in the same tactics as my enemy what exactly makes me better than him/her, and if I am not better… then what’s the point in the long run. Does this mean I advocate defenseless behavior? In now way, shape, or form do I advocate that. I believe in stoutly defending our safety and principles, I just don’t believe we have eject our values and principles to do so.

So what does this mean for Modern Day Israel and by extension the Modern Day Jewish Community?
It means coming to terms with how and what we support in our own political polities. In the U.S., it means supporting candidates who believe in Progressive / Liberal values for the American People. What are those values? See above. It means that despite Rightwing “hackery” (I just made this word up), it means voting for and supporting those candidates that support social and economic justice for all Americans, not just those in the top 2%. It means not using another nation’s politics as an excuse to not support candidates that support (relatively) social and economic justice in one’s own nation. And by no means does it mean supporting candidates that expressly vote against social and civil rights at home.

What does it mean for Israel and the Jewish Community? It means supporting those organizations that support social justice and democracy in Israel (being consistent after all is important). It means supporting the rights of Israelis no matter what their background (Jewish, Muslim, or Christian) to enjoy equal civil rights. It means supporting democracy in its truest form. It means supporting the rights of all members of the Jewish community with regards to worship and marriage.

What does it mean in terms of Israeli foreign policy and in particular how Israel deals with the issues of the West Bank and the Occupation? It means supporting a defensible State. As a Liberal / Progressive Zionist, I heartily applaud the efforts of President Obama and his agenda of working hand in hand with the Israelis to increase their security and well being. It also means supporting a viable Two State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It means supporting a solution where both Israelis AND Palestinians can realize their legitimate rights to self determination.

What a “liberal” does not support is either side’s version of a “One State Solution”, and the disenfranchisement or ethnic cleansing of citizens and residents of the area.

For me, it is fine to call oneself a Zionist as long as that person believes in the legitimate rights of self determination of the Jewish people. What is wrong is when Rightists try to steal the term “liberal” and instead support parties and groups which are strictly opposed to Democracy, and Civil Rights in any polity, whether it be here (in the U.S.) or abroad.

So, this is how I view what Zionism is and what I believe it should be. I believe that our people after 2,500 + years of oppression by others should reach to our “higher selves” and remember to maintain the humanity and sense of justice that has kept us going as a people for all this time. It by no means, means that we should be weak or allow others to take advantage of us, but, I do believe that we can be both strong as well as hold to our higher ideals as much as is humanely possible.

President Obama, America, and the Middle East… Pew Numbers are in.

There is a new Pew Poll out (dated 5/09/13) regarding the Middle East, America, President Obama and attitudes regarding the Peace Process.

Here are some of the highlights…

In Israel – Despite claims by the bigots on the Right and divestment people on the Left, Israel is indeed a friend of the U.S. Our nation (the U.S.) enjoys an 83% favorability rating in the eyes of Israelis. In contrast the U.S. only has a 16% favorability rating amongst Palestinians. This is important to point out since the anti-Semites and Lunatic Fringe inhabitants tend to think that Israelis are lukewarm to America at best, particularly since President Obama has been in the White House.

Of course there are more numbers than this. Despite the deranged bleating of our own (the Zionist) Right Wing a strong majority of Israelis (82%) feel that U.S. foreign policy is either Fair (47%) or Favors Israel (35%), not too bad a rating for an administration who (according to the Lunatic Fringe) supports the Muslim Brotherhood and Jihad against Jews.

But there’s more. According to the poll, President Obama enjoys a 61% Approval rating amongst Israelis with only 36% saying they don’t approve. Here are the Pew Findings:

“Israelis and Palestinians also differ on views of Obama. About six-in-ten (61%) Israelis express confidence in the American president to do the right thing regarding world affairs, up from 49% in 2011. In the Palestinian territories, just 15% have confidence in Obama, while 82% have little or no confidence in him.

In Israel, opinions of Obama are far more positive among Jews than among Arabs. More than six-in-ten (64%) Jews express confidence in the American president, compared with about half (48%) of Arabs.

Secular Jews in Israel are especially positive in their views of Obama. About seven-in-ten (71%) secular Jews have confidence in Obama to do the right thing when it comes to world affairs, compared with 56% of Israeli Jews who describe themselves as traditional, religious or ultra-Orthodox.”

Overall (as the numbers show) it seems that Israelis in general and Israelis Jews in particular understand that President Obama is a strong friend to Israel. But, here was an interesting number that I didn’t expect to see and was heartened by… Strong pluralities of both Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews feel that the Presidents role in peace negotiations… wait for it… SHOULD BE LARGER.

Now for some other numbers.




On the Peace process things are not quite as rosy. In answer to questions regarding favorability of Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad all three received favorable views but Islamic Jihad was favorably viewed by 56% of the Palestinian Polity. This is hardly encouraging since both Hamas and Islamic Jihad advocate for the elimination of Jews both in the Middle East and in the World.

Further, while 50% (50-38%)  of Israelis think that they can live peacefully with their Palestinian neighbors in a Two State relationship, only 14% of Palestinians think the same way. Moreover a plurality – 45% of Palestinians think that Armed Struggle is the best way to gain a state, they say this more than any other single option and given the favorability of Islamic Jihad – that is seemingly the way that they would go.

As for the settlements, a plurality of Israelis think that they harm Israeli security (42%) while a minority (27%) think that they help. Amongst the Arabs this number is (4% vs. 84% - help to hurt ratio). BUT one thing that they are doing, as can be seen from the numbers is contributing to Israel’s lack of favorable numbers with it’s E.U. trading partners.

 

Generally what we are seeing here is a strong trend of Pro-American favorability and sympathy amongst Israelis towards the U.S. while there is a growing antipathy amongst the Palestinian population. The disturbing numbers are the Palestinian numbers which reflect a turn back towards radical failed means to achieve statehood and a simple non-interest in seeing a compromise solution.

Still, it is heartening to see that BOTH Israelis and Palestinians favor a larger presence by the Obama Administration in particular and by the American government in general. As I have long maintained the current Administration is a strong friend to Israel and I believe now we can see that the Israelis are realizing this as well.

Like a Bad meal…. UCSB Pro-Divestment Group at it again

There is a saying, “(insert name here) is like a bad meal… They keep on coming back.

No one seems to personify this adage more than the UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara) pro-divestment movement. Just one month after they were defeated in an all night session 10-11 with one abstention, and covered here, the Pro-Divestment people who seem convinced that Democracy only works when it works in their favor, as evidenced by this screed here ending with the line –

“The real talk won’t stop. It has been halted by your election system for long enough”

are back again and pushing for yet another vote on Divestment.

Here is the Resolution for Divestment.

Now notice a few things about it. Right away the Pro-Divestment side starts with a lie, saying:

“WHEREAS: this resolution does not take a stance on the Israeli-Palestinian issue; we are merely removing student fees from companies that profit off of violence; and,”

 This is interesting, particularly when the “UCSB Divest” movement has a Facebook page that features the phrase: “One day Palestine will be free” AND “From the River to the Sea”. That sounds very much that the UCSB Divest movement and their resolution absolutely DO take a stance on the Israel-Palestinian issue, a stance that advocates the elimination of Israel.

Then the go to say:

“WHEREAS: it is the University of California, Santa Barbara’s duty to maintain the values of intellectual curiosity, integrity, commitments, and empathy, which includes the promotion of human rights, equality, and dignity for all people; and,”

Well, they support everyone’s human rights except of course, for Jewish people and their legitimate rights of self-determination (see above with the Palestine, from River to Sea nonsense). Of course then, one would figure that because these “human rights advocates” are standing tall here they would call for University Divestment in all products from countries that oppress human rights. I mean, the U.S., Russian, Chinese, Iranian, Egyptian, Palestinian etc. governments all participate in some form of oppression. I guess these advocates are all for divesting from companies doing business with these countries. Right? What? They’re not? Only Israel? Gee, why is that?

But it gets even better. They claim not to take a stance YET:

“WHEREAS: the University of California, Santa Barbara is built on Chumash indigenous land, so has Israel been built on indigenous Palestinian land; and”

Ok.. Two things here.

1. IF UCSB really should be Chumash land… WHY are they attending school there? Isn’t their very presence aiding the Occupation and Oppression of the Chumash? This seems at a tad hypocritical to me. It seems to me that if this is the case, these students should be Divesting from UCSB and supporting the return of the land to it’s indigenous people.

2. They say they are not taking a stance on the Israeli-Palestinian issue but this statement says that Israel is not really a state for the Jewish people. That somehow the Jewish people there are “outsiders”. They are claiming Israel is illegitimate because it is built on “Palestinian land”. This alone proves that they are taking a stand on the issue.

So we see here a blatant disrespect for the truth as is evidenced by their lies regarding “not taking a stance”… Oh and by the way the stance that they claim to take – a One State Solution where Jews and Arabs live in a Democracy similar to the United States is only supported by 29.3% of the Palestinian population. BUT… why let facts like that get in the way. As we see by that Tweet from a UCSB Divest Senator, they don’t really care about Democracy – it’s their way or the highway.

But more than that we see what the UCSB Divest (and all Divestment groups) real goals are. They want to divest from companies that supply the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) so that Israel would be eventually unable to defend itself. They don’t like Apache Helicopters, and missiles that the IDF uses. They don’t like security camera systems that protect the settlements and the men, women and children that live there, as well as the borders of the nation.

They don’t want to just stop the Israelis from continuing the Occupation of the West Bank. No, they want to hamstring Israel and undo what they consider the real Occupation, the creation of the State of Israel.

Interestingly enough, why is it only THIS country that merits the attention of a Divestment movement. I mean, Saudi Arabia is one of the most restricted states and largest human rights violators in the world. Ditto, most every Arab nation. Iran, a nation that they say we should engage is a vicious theocracy that routinely violates human rights. YET… only Israel (a country that is amongst the least guilty in the world of Human Rights violations) comes up for Divestment. I wonder what it is that sets Israel apart and makes it so unique? I just can’t figure it out?

No wait… I can. It is a specter as old as when the Jews were slaves in Egypt. It is straight up “Jew hatred” better known as anti-Semitism. Just read the commentary on anti-Zionist and Neo-Nazi websites. It mirrors the language of the Divestment movement. There is nothing really concerning human rights, no other groups or violators of human rights are touched. In fact, other human rights violators are “lionized”. Only Israel. That’s it. The Divestment movement tolerates all kinds of hatred as long as it’s directed at Israel What else can one call it.

Please give your support to the Students of UCSB as they fight this scourge of hatred and bigotry.

THE BDS CIRCUS IS BACK IN TOWN

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT BLUE TRUTH BY DR. MIKE

 

The BDS circus pulled its caravan into UC Berkeley this week, and the show featured everything we've learned to expect from the Bullying, Defamation and Slander crew:  false assertions about Israel and the history of the conflict; simultaneous denial of their true goal of full divestment from Israel while cheering speakers who referenced that goal; polarization of the campus environment with poisonous denigration of their fellow students; and a "victory" that will accomplish nothing on the ground on Israel or the West Bank, but will encourage extremism and hatred. They should be quite proud of themselves, given their goal is rejection of peace with a Jewish state of Israel within any borders--they made sure that nothing happened that would help promote peace.

After a long, drawn-out session of the ASUC (Associated Students of the University of California) student senate earlier this week, the BDS-sponsored bill passed by a 1 vote margin.  The bill asked the University to divest its investments in 3 specific companies that were charged with abetting Israeli human rights violations in the occupied territories. The bill had the usual one-sided characterizations of Israel, though the sponsors made sure that they could claim it was "even handed" by denouncing attacks on civilians on both sides. (The BDSers even indicated their willingness to have the UC system divest from companies that supported Palestinian terror, but they were apparently saddened that they just couldn't find any.) I won't go through an extensive analysis of all the flaws in the document, as there's an excellent review posted here. Rather, I'd like to focus on what occurred in the room, as well as around it in cyberspace.  I was at one of the meetings held as part of the 2010 edition of the Berkeley BDS Circus, so was perhaps less shocked than others who had not experienced this performance previously.

I'm going to refer to the group in support of the resolution as the "BDS side".  The resolution and the arguments mirrored those used at other campuses and the entire rationale for the effort came straight from one of the BDS playbooks:  
“Divestment campaigns and requests for institutional divestment provide debate material that places Palestine solidarity groups in the most favorable position to present their case." The original text of the resolution even referenced the BDS movement's own website as a source. The UC Regents already had a standing statement that they were not going to change their investment policy based on ASUC resolutions, so there was not even a thought that this could have any practical effect.  So the only reason to bring up such a resolution is, exactly as stated, to provide a forum for Students for Justice in Palestine to lead a discussion to condemn Israel.   I will note that the final amended version of the bill apparently has clauses explicitly rejecting the BDS goal of the elimination of Israel. However, these amendments were inserted after the public comment period.

The tone was set right at the beginning, when one of the Jewish students introducing their alternative resolution (calling for positive investment for peace) mentioned that the leadership of the organized Jewish community was present. A hiss went up from the BDS side that was quickly silenced, but the sentiment was clear.  The BDS side then introduced their featured speaker, the author Alice Walker; Walker has a lengthy history of flirtation with the line between legitimate political criticism of Israel and overt anti-Semitic ideology.  As the open comment period began, the BDS side couldn't quite decide whether their ASUC student fees were subsidizing Israel's occupation or whether they were profiting from it. Or both at the same time. Actually, it's more likely neither-- the student fees pay for student programs, and tuition and university investments pay for the operations of the university.  But like much of the rest of the debate, facts weren't really important here; emotion was. The argument was that they simply couldn't continue to have their student fees pay for (or profit from? or both at once?) Israel's actions. And there was no charge that was too vile for them to use to this end-- one speaker went as far as to suggest that Israel was inserting rats into Palestinian girls' genital tracts. Another claimed that the IDF specifically shot Palestinians in the eye so as to blind them but not kill them (must be a newly invented Zionist magic bullet that could be fired that precisely and then stop before entering the brain, which happens to be located right behind the eyes).  Other students invoked details of genocidal episodes that have occurred to other peoples, as if the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank was comparable to mass slaughters of populations.  It was reminiscent of the recent use (by a professor of Islamic studies at the University of North Carolina) of photos of Buchenwald to illustrate a story about Deir Yassin.

Just as in 2010, any BDS speaker was met with choreographed high volume cheers. At least this time the room was too small to allow them to gather en masse at the front to intimidate anyone who dared to oppose them, as they had done in 2010.  And just as in 2010, the loudest cheers were for the speakers who promoted the most radical anti-Israel line.  It was ironic that while the BDS side tried to claim that their resolution wasn't part of BDS, they were ecstatic when one of their speakers invoked the trinity of BDS demands: that Israel end its occupation of "all Arab lands", that Israel give equality to its Palestinian citizens, and that it recognize the fictional "right of return" that would eliminate Jewish national rights in the Jewish homeland.  They loudly cheered a student who had brought the unrepentant racist Louis Farrakhan to campus to speak. They insisted that the goal of the resolution wasn't divestment from Israel at all, yet they whooped even more loudly when a speaker stated that South Africa's ANC had endorsed divestment from Israel.   They claimed they were not anti-Israel, yet that very morning many of them had rallied in Sproul Plaza chanting the anti-Zionist anthem "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

One tactic that the BDS side used (which they also used at UC Riverside in their ultimately failed attempt there to pass a BDS resolution) was to claim that this resolution was the "neutral" position because it would also divest from companies involved in human rights abuses of Israelis--though they searched far and wide and couldn't find any. They clearly weren't neutral enough to look into any companies doing business with Iran-- the patron of Hamas and Hezbollah, and the source of the Fajr-5 missiles that rained down on Israel last year.  Given that all of those missiles were deliberately aimeed at Israeli cities, each constituted human rights abuses of Israelis on a massive scale.  They clearly weren't neutral enough to look into companies involved in other human rights abuses such as those doing business with Mauritania-- a country in which Arabs continue to hold black Africans as slaves. They certainly weren't neutral enough to find any other country in the world upon which to focus their attention, except for the one Jewish state, which the BDS movement targets for elimination.

What was quite telling was that many of the pro-Israel speakers indicated empathy with Palestinian suffering and stating that they too would like to see the occupation come to an end. Yet none of the student speakers on the BDS side (at least during the first 4 hours of the process when I was in the room) indicated any recognition that people on both sides of the conflict had experienced pain and loss and suffering. None of them indicated any recognition of the two offers by Israel within the past 13 years of a Palestinian state-- which would have ended the occupation against which they railed.  None of them indicated that they were doing this to promote peace between a Jewish state of Israel and a future Arab state of Palestine; when one Jewish student turned and directly asked the crowd "How many of you who are in favor of this resolution support peace between a Jewish state of Israel and an Arab state of Palestine?" only a few hands went up.  I'm not sure that those few fully understood the question.

But what went on inside the room was polite and restrained compared to what was happening in cyberspace. The two Twitter accounts being used by the BDS side (@Berkeley SJP --Students for Justice in Palestine; and @ucbdivest) are worth noting. Now many of the comments under their hashtag #UCBDivest came from elsewhere, and so these tweeters can legitimately claim that they're not responsible for them.  But they certainly give a sense of the sentiment of BDS supporters. And @UCBdivest at least, while making clear his/her biases, at least did report some of what the pro-Israel side had to say. Though by the end, while not too tired to continue reporting all of the speaking points of the BDS side, did let his/her guard slip a bit:

But that's really nothing compared to Cal's Students for Justice in Palestine, the sponsors of the shameful "Israel Apartheid Week" every year.

There's plenty more-- but you get the point. For those who aren't familiar with the term (and I wasn't until this) "zizi" might have several meanings.  Wiktionary lists it as "penis". But there's possibly a far more ominous meaning; according to the staff of the Anti-Defamation League, "zizi" is also used in extremist circles as shorthand for "Zio-Nazi". 

If you're responsible for maintaining a campus climate of respect for others, perhaps you'd want to consider the role that SJP and their resolution has played on campus this week.  Does their behavior uphold UC Berkeley's Principles of Community, which state that the university should "strive to uphold a just community in which discrimination and hate are not tolerated" , a phrase specifically included in this resolution? 

And this contribution from an SJP member at UC Riverside might be a sign for what's in store at other campuses that dance with BDS: 

Here's the tumblr post referenced in her tweet, just chock-full of trivialization of the deliberate, targeted murder of Jews: 

Ways to Get Rich During Divestment Livestreams

For this, you’ll need a jar (or piggy bank, whatever you’ll be keeping your cash in), a few friends, and your wallets.

• Put a quarter in the jar for every time someone refers to the barrier as a “security fence”.
• Put another quarter in for every time someone refers to suicide bombers in restaurants, cafes, or nightclubs in Tel Aviv.
• Put two quarters in every time someone makes a Holocaust reference.
• Put a dollar in every time someone says the bill makes them feel “marginalized”. Double this if they say this and “our campus has been divided” in the same two-minute time slot.

At the end of the night, after the vote has been handed down, use the earnings to treat yourselves for sitting through the hasbara.

Are Jewish students who have positive identification with Israel (the great majority) going to be automatically declared as "racist" by SJP and its supporters, especially if this biased and flawed resolution is upheld? For that matter, will committed Jewish and Zionist students even choose to attend Cal if the campus climate is marked by this type of organized hatred?  Whether this resolution is signed or vetoed by the ASUC president, the damage has been done.  The university administration immediately noted, in a statement by Chancellor Birgenau, "I sincerely hope we can avoid a recurrence of the rancor and divisiveness that arose in th wake of a previous ASUC vote in 2010." The DailyCal student newspaper recognized this when it wisely editorialized "Ultimately, the passage of the divestment bill leaves lingering tensions that the ASUC must work to resolve in some way. The impact of SB 160’s passage will be felt most immediately on campus, where many students already feel isolated and unwanted. Moving forward, the ASUC needs to make a proactive attempt to alleviate the ongoing friction among students that this divestment solicits. Until campus communities can find a way to come together, divestment will continue to drive us further and further apart."

In the end, Jewish students have choices.  There will be very few students for whom Cal is the only option. And while the BDS circus will move on to another town, not caring about the campus community it leaves in its wake, the university will be the one to suffer the consequences. 

Divestment isn't happening at UC Berkeley (as the Regents already made clear), but division is-- and so are delegimitization, demonization and double standards regarding Israel. And Natan Sharansky knows what those add up to.

Boycott U.C. Berkeley

Yep... you heard me (so to speak). I want to start a Boycott U.C. Berkeley movement. No more sending our kids to Berkeley, no more community support for the University. No more academic exchanges. Nothing, Nada, ZERO to do with U.C. Berkeley.

Why? Well last night the Berkeley ASUC (Associated Students of the University of California at Berkeley) took the symbolic move of asking the school to Divest from companies involved with Israel, in conjunction with the bigoted BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) Movement. In effect, the Students voted to accept a Boycott of only Israeli Jews.

SO... if this is the case, well then heck... we should boycott U.C. Berkeley. What does that mean? It means cut off our economic involvement with the school. Period. It means Jews shouldn't take jobs there, Jewish parents should not send their children there, Jewish students should look for alternative schools to go to.

Now, is this realistic... Not at the present time, but nonetheless this is what we SHOULD be doing. I mean the University has made it clear that they have no support for Jewish Students or the Jewish members of the community that have patronized and supported the University for years. This is telling us that as Jews, we are only welcome to give them our money or our expertise, but in turn simply don't won't support us as a community and instead suggest that we as Jews have no legitimate right to self-determination or a national homeland. To put it more bluntly, they suggest that Israel should simply not exist.

I realize that this would mean a lot of pain on our part - but, so what. It would have meant pain to disengage from Germany in 1933, yet, I think we can see in retrospect that we as a community probably should have done that. Am I comparing a symbolic vote by the ASUC of Berkeley to Nazi Germany? No... .They are obviously not at that point, but, they have taken big step in voting to legitimize bigotry, and the time for action is now rather than waiting for something worse later.

For me from this day forward, I can guarantee that unless this was reversed my sons will NOT attend U.C. Berkeley, (and one of them wants too though he is only 10 years old). I can guarantee that no Cal branded consumables will be in our house. I can guarantee that I will not be buying anything identified with Cal from here on in. I will not be conciously supporting businesses that advertise with Cal anymore. I will not be attending ANY Cal athletic events for the forseeable future.

As a local business owner, I will actively promote a boycott of Cal summer camps

Here is a note I am sending to my club:

Dear ******* Parents,

I do not want to bring politics to our club as this is not the place, but as a business owner I think this is important and my conscience calls for this. Last Night the ASUC at Cal Berkeley passed a measure supporting the boycott of Jewish businesses or any Jewish academics from Israel. I find this to be a bigoted measure by the ASUC.

Therefore, I am stating that until this policy is reversed, ******** Volleyball Club will not support ANYTHING that has to do with Cal including attending Cal sporting events or attending volleyball camps. If the ASUC feels that they can boycott a group of people based on ethnicity, then I hope that you will all join me in standing up to this hatred and letting the University know that your money will go to places that do not support this kind of bigotry.

I want to urge you all to find other camps to go to. I urge that you do not attend any more Cal sporting events. There are plenty of high quality volleyball camps and events in our area that we do not need to give a single dime to U.C. Berkeley.

FURTHER, please let businesses that work with U.C.B that you cannot support them IF they continue to do business with this bigoted institution

Only by taking a stand against hatred can we support a better world for all of our kids regardless of ethnicity. The Administration of ******* Volleyball Club will be taking this stand and we hope that you as members of the club will join us.

Thank You

I hope everyone here will take this to heart. U.C. Berkeley is (or was) a world class institution. Now it is a school that actively supports Bigotry.

I imagine that this will hurt most with Cal Alumni, and I can understand that. But because of this vote, every time you support the Golden Bears with money, you are supporting an institution that has endorsed bigotry, plain and simple. This is sad and this painful, however, isn't it more painful to see this once great school reduced to an institution that supports the destruction of Israel and the denial of Israel as the National Homeland and State of the Jewish people.

Sometimes it is necessary to take a stand against hate. Now is that time.

Go Gauchos.. .UCSB defeats anti-Semitic Divestment Movement!

Breaking....

I have always been proud to be a graduate of what I consider one of the finest schools in the United States: The University of California at Santa Barbara, but never have I been more proud than today when my school Senate turned back the anti-Semitic BDS / Divestment movement. According to the UCSB Divest facebook page which features the slogan "From the River to the Sea" and a Palestinian Flag, the ballot which needed a 2/3 majority fell well short with 10 votes FOR divestment, 11 votes AGAINST divestment and one abstention.

Now, just this facebook page alone should show the very racist notion of BDS and the worldwide "Divest Movement". The Divestment movement claims that they simply want Israel out of the Occupied West Bank. When talking to their deluded friends in the West they never talk about end goals. Rather they simply lie and say that their whole goal is ending the "Occupation". Of course, what we in the West consider "Occupation" and what they consider "Occupation" are two very different things. For them, "Occupied Territory" is all of the original Palestine Mandate from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. For us, Occupied territory is most of the territory gained in the 1967 War (a war that the Arab forces wanted in the first place, but that is for another article).

But, let's get to the proof that this movement really is an anti-Semitic movement meant to dissolve Israel and deny the Jewish people their legitimate rights to self determination in their ancestral homeland. After all, it is not like this movement is going away anytime soon.

First of all, why is the concept of divestment as portrayed by the Divest UCSB movement racist? Well look at the imagery... It is a Palestinian Flag and Palestinian "artwork" with the slogan "From the River to the sea". There is nothing there to acknowledge the Jewish presence in the Jewish peoples ancestral homeland. No blue and white (the colors of the Israeli flag), no Magen David, nothing... Just Palestinian imagery. In effect, they support the Palestinian peoples legitimate - and I think it is legitimate right, to a homeland, YET they refuse to recognize the legitimate rights of the Jewish people to a homeland. By claiming "from the river to the sea" they demand all of the territory for Palestinians.

But why else is the BDS movement an anti-Semitic movement? Well first of all it only boycotts Jews in Israel. The movement supports doing business with Arab Israelis and increasing ties to all Palestinians, citizens or not in Israel. So really, in effect it is a boycott of Jews. Period. No one else. What else can that be called if not anti-Semitic?

But another reason this is anti-Semitic is that while this movement focuses on the actions that the Israeli Government takes, it refuses to look the nature of the Palestinian Polity. The BDS movement claims to support a One State Democratic, United States of America in Palestine concept. One that they are trying to achieve through their actions now. The only problem (aside from the denial of the legitimate right to Jewish self-determination) here (sarcasm) is that the Palestinian polity has absolutely ZERO interest in living in that kind of State.

This solution has absolutely no support from the vast majority of Palestinians YET strangely enough the Divest UCSB and BSD movement in general doesn't seem to care about that. The majority of Palestinians do support a One State solution however, they don't particularly want a State where Jews are residents of that One State.

Why do I say that? Well in poll after poll the Palestinian polity still mostly supports a Two State solution. However, along with that support they also support "Palestinian Right of Return" to Israel. This "Right of Return" would then create a Palestinian majority inside Israel and thus would eliminate through demographics the Jewish nature of Israel, essentially creating a de facto One State Solution.

So while the BDS movement claims this, they only hold one side (the Israelis) accountable for their goals, they refuse to hold the other side accountable for anything. They seem to be ok with Hamas' genocidal charter and holocaust denial. Sure they weakly claim not to be, but, then again none of them ever actually outright condemn it or even discuss it. And in discussing this, don't they know that Hamas WON the last Palestinian election? Do they care that Ambassador Areikat of the Palestinian Authority stated that were there to be a Two State Solution that Jews would NOT be welcome to live in the Palestinian State until relations smoothed out (and how long that would be would be dependent on the Palestinian government)?

Where are the demands for accountability from the Palestinian polity there? They don't exist. All they are doing is looking at the Israeli polity and Israel in general. They care nothing about what the Palestinian Polity wants or would enact. In my mind, this makes them anti-Semitic. They only care that the Palestinians get to exercise self determination BUT they would deny that same legitimate right to the Jewish people.

The Divestment movement also uses the language of delegitimization when it comes to the existence of Israel. By using the false comparisons of Israel to the former Republic of South Africa and claiming that Israel is an "apartheid" state, as discussed in this piece at The Times of Israel. As that Op-Ed clearly explains that this comparison is merely a rhetorical trick in an attempt to "delegitimize" the State. Aside from the many false comparisons that the Divestment movement makes there is one other glaring miss. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela was very strong in his affirmation that Whites and Blacks could and should live together, AND in this he had the support of the majority of the Black population. That is not the case in the present Palestinian polity. There may be the occasional calls for democracy  but there is no one leader that has mass public support that talks in these terms at all. AND... the divestment movement doesn't demand that they have this while enacting their policies.

SO... Kol Ha'Kvod to the the Student Senate at UCSB for turning back this anti-Semitic proposal from the anti-Semitic Divestment movement.

I will say this.. One proposal that was of interest (at least to me) was a counter proposal that RATHER than people Divest from companies doing business with Israel, the University also invest in business that would build up the Palestinian economy. Now that is a proposal that I could get behind. A positive solution that not only supports the Jewish people's legitimate right to self-determination but also helps the Palestinian people in their quest for self determination and economic solvency.

I don't know what happened to this proposal but I could very much see supporting that.

Nonetheless, I am now a very proud alum of UCSB, a school that fought against hatred and supports the legitimate rights of the Jewish people to a State in their ancestral homeland. I can hold my head high as a former Gaucho and say that the place I got my degree from just said "NO" to hatred and bigotry.

Apparently, I Have Nazi Tendencies

Yep... apparently I have "Nazi Tendencies"...

Silly me, A guy who lived in Israel for a year, was part of many Zionist Youth Groups, speaks a bit of Hebrew, practices the Israeli Martial Art of Krav Maga, goes to services on the High Holidays (Rosh Hashannah and Yom HaKippur), co-founded Team Shalom AND Jews for President Obama here at Daily Kos... well I didn't know this but... I have "Nazi" tendencies.

Just what are these tendencies? Here I will let you read the Facebook conversation that got me called this and you can see for yourselves. This was in response to my saying that the richest Americans should pay their fair share:

xxxx Fair share? I busted my arse 16 hours a day, holidays, Saturdays, Sundays, sun up to sun down for 35 years...and you have the audacity to tell me I am not paying my fair share? All said and done, the Government is in my pocket for over 50 percent!!! You my friend, have Nazi tendencies (vb1 emphasis) and have drank the whole jug of poison. 

xxxx 50 percent of so called "Americans" DO NOT, DO NOT PAY TAXES! Are you effin' kidding me?

ME: Ummm Nazi Tendencies??? I am Jewish just FYI! Wow... And yeah pay fair share. I bust my ass too, at my job AND I run a small business. But I want schools, and roads, and social security that I paid into, and Medicare and all those things. And that is bullshit that 50% of Americans Don't pay taxes. They don't pay Federal Income Taxes but they pay everything else.... Look, only the Nazi's were the Nazi's and Government spending DOES NOT make one a "Nazi". Learn the fucking history man. Ok.. that's it.. this conversation is going nowhere... NAZI's for G-d's sake..

xxxx: Read about Austria, they voted for Hitler. 98% of Austrian's voted for Mr Hitler to rescue Austria from 33% unemployment, 25% inflation and 25% interest rates. So YES NAZI tendencies.

Me: Ok... look xxxx... I'm done here... I know more about the history of the Weimar Republic and the Nazi Movement (the Reich) that followed it than you apparently will ever know. I don't mean to be an ass to you, but honestly this Nazi thing is way out of bounds. So look you may have the last word but I am going to suggest you do a little reading up from real historians abut what actually happened in Germany following WWI. It is nothing like what is happening here and nothing like that is being proposed. SO... have a good day and please drop the Nazi Stuff.. That is like saying: "Well the sky was blue over Germany and so it is over the U.S" - There is absolutely ZERO comparison between the two situations. Not too mention what the Nazi's proposed and did. Just leaving out that. Sigh......

xxxx Our schools are doing fantastic (run by the Feds)...Our roads are the best in the world (run by the Feds)...Social Security - is yours there (run by the feds)...Medicare is solid as a rock (run by the Feds). Shall I go on? The Government can't run anything but the Government. Have you seen the PORK PORK PORK in the bill to HELP SANDY VICTIMS? Get it? Yes, Nazi tendencies? Keep giving the drug addict money! Keep giving power to the Nazis...it is what the Jews did. You do NOT understand history.

yyyyy: How about the new medical device tax.2.3% on anything used in the medical field. Most small companies operate at a 2 to 4 % profit margin. And this is on gross sales not profits. This will cost companies millions, and will sink small companies.A michigan co. already laid off 10,000 employees.My wifes co. is considering taking their manufacturing out of the US and i don't blame them!!!

xxxx: "After America, there is no place left to go"

xxxx: (volleyboy1 - my name was here), "No Nazi comparisons? Sounds like something Hitler would say?"

So what are my Nazi tendencies that he cited... Well it stems from this comment:

Then raise revenue... That means taxes on the $ 250,000 level and cut defense. We spend 6-7 times the amount of the rest of the world combined on outdated and wasteful weapons systems. Let's take care of our own citizens, with strengthening social security, medicare, veterans benefits, etc. We have the money, but, business likes its corporate welfare. Oh yeah, and cut subsides to big oil and close tax loopholes for the rich..... 

I don't hate corporations... but I think they need to pay their fair share AND I don't want to live in a corporate society. So... it's a difference in perspective. BUT I guarantee you that for all the complaining you do about Obama... The real Socialists hate him a lot more than you do. And yes, they really do.

Apparently, according to the wingnuts, a strong social safety net, strengthening medicare, supporting VETERANS RIGHTS, cutting subsidies to Big Oil, and closing loopholes for the rich.. well those are "Nazi Tendencies". Of course, according to the genius I was talking too... Most Jews in Germany (or Austria) at the time supported the Nazi's as well... Who knew.

THIS is what we are dealing with out in the Grassroots of the Republican Party. This is what gets people like Michelle Bachman and other teahadists elected. It is amazing in it's incredible pride in lack of anything that resembles any kind of knowledge. These people's pages are all full of "Support the Troops", "We Love Guns", "Obama is Teh Ebilz, Kenyan, Mooslim, Socialist, Nazi, Communist" type postings. Oh, and these people are not a small group. They certainly are not the majority in the U.S. but not for FOX News, Glen Beck and a whole lot of other people trying.

How crazy is this... these people are from NY (I grew up with these guys). Our town was literally almost destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. AND YET... these folks stand up for the Republican Party despite the fact the people they voted torched Sandy Relief.

And what makes it worse... they think there was "too much pork" in the Sandy Bill so they are happy to wait for a new bill without pork (like that will ever happen) and WITH Offsets because while they get their aid (which is Good Government Aid, they can pay for it on the backs of the Poor who are just a bunch of "lucky Welfare Abusing, Food Stamp collecting, lazy people".

SO... We need to understand that this is what we are dealing with. I can tell you that this is NOT an anamoly. I have heard it before. There is no real rational discourse (or very limited amounts). When supporting a strong social safety net, a just economic policy, support for veterans, makes one have "Nazi Tendencies"... well... what's next?

So.... Now What? A Personal Perspective....

So... What now? Last night... the question asked of me by a good friend. What now? The President was re-elected, CA has a super-majority of Dems. running the show, he said, "What do you think?" and I had to think on that for a few minutes. And then I had to think for a few minutes more.

Prior to the election I had really been into Middle East politics. Some friends and I founded Team Shalom here, along with other Jewish advocacy groups. This interest took the form of creating a weekly news series dedicated to multiple perspectives on the news called "Fry'd Daze". We ran it for over two years and decided that since no one was much interested after a time, that there was no real point in continuing. So I thought to myself; "Why not get back into that issue?", I mean I have friends and family there, I semi-know the language, I practice Israeli Martial Arts, I read their on-line newspapers (Haaretz and Ynet) every day, I get polling updates from Israel on a regular basis.

But then I was dissuaded in two ways. The first was by the situation itself. It is a mess (belagan in Hebrew). I am not happy with the Israeli Right, who not only pursue policies that I simply don't agree with, but helped form a coalition of racists, crazy people and morons (who simply can't discern fact from fiction and have even stated that Republicans are hippies compared to the people that President Obama supports) to push their cause in the U.S. And arguing against them is fine BUT from all I can see, and according to all of the polls coming out of Israel, they will retain power and do it rather easily. At the same time, I certainly have absolutely ZERO in common with those that support trashing Israel publicly to prove what "good Jews they are" along with I don't see anything that I can support coming from the Palestinian side. So, while I would love to advocate for the Israeli Center and Center-Left (Meretz, Avodah, Yesh-Atid and Tzipi Livni - whatever she is doing), they can't even get themselves together so what the heck am I advocating for?
 
The second thing that dissuaded me are my Israeli friends. They don't understand U.S. individual advocacy for their cause. They appreciate that I feel a connection to them but honestly, I never went through what they have been through and they have not been through what I went through. They care about Jews and Jewish identity, but to them, unless we are moving there or giving them money, honestly... it is not a big deal. It really is this... that convinced me that while I still have an interest in things, honestly... it is not and should not be my main focus. They are right, I am an American. I should worry about my own country before thinking about any other. Watching the Presidents brilliant victory speech brought a complete welling of national pride for our great nation. We did the right thing this year and for that I am grateful. Of course, I will still write on the subject but it is not up to me to tell Israelis what to do. Not from my happy little perch in beautiful California.
 
So... Now what? I think it is to help push the President's agenda forward in a progressive manner. NOT to become bitter at the incremental progress he makes but, to try to make sure that things like sane budgeting, environmental improvement, education enhancement continue on the path that the President has started.
Making sure that we get the reasonable healthcare that the Affordable Care Act is supposed to provide. Making sure that the President knows NOT to cave in to Speaker Boehner and the failed policy proposals of the Teahaddists. Making sure, that we as Americans get renewables front and center in our energy policy, and finally making sure that Seniors and those who need assistance the most don't lose their social safety net and have the ability to live their lives with dignity.

I want to see the President that I voted for, and what President Obama became in the last year and a half and that is my cause. A liberal/progressive system of government that allows for the better nature of Americans to shine through. Because of this election I have that hope. Now, it's time to make that real.

THIS is what I want:

Jewish Americans Break Hard for President Obama, the Lunatic Fringe Scratch their Heads

This year one of the biggest pushes by the Republicans (contextually not literally) was with Jewish American voters. In a highly negative attack campaign, The Republican Jewish Committee and the Emergency Committee for Israel have literally spent YEARS and millions and millions of dollars all to warn all of us Jewish voters that President Obama was a Muslim Brotherhood loving, Jihadi Sympathizer who wanted nothing more than to bring destruction down upon our brothers and sisters in Israel as well as eventually submit the U.S. to Sharia Law.

They pulled out well known racist Pamela Geller to go around calling Muslims "savages", and talked about siding with Israel and "civilization". They even borrowed images of Israeli Prime Minister talking about Nukes in Iran to attack President Obama and on their websites talked about the President actually helping Iran get nukes.

They downplayed President Obama's true friendship with the nation of Israel and it's people. They downplayed the fact that America bankrolled Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense system. They downplayed the fact that America and Israeli security cooperation are at an all time high. They did everything they could to minimize the words of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israeli President Shimon Peres who called President Obama an "exceptional friend".

But worse than that... They played their game on the racist assumption that American Jews were not really interested in America. They assumed all we cared about was Israel and stopping "Teh Islamic Menace". They simply NEVER figured out that despite what every poll showed, Jewish American voters are Liberal and Jewish American voters prioritize their own country over any other. These folks simply played the racist Dual Loyalty Canard WITHIN our own community.

All of this, the racism, the lies and the hatred were all to swing two or three states that were going to be close to the Republican column.

But in their delusions and derangement over President Obama (and his middle name as well as his upbringing), they simply never really understood American Jewish voters and honestly... Still don't. That is why they are sitting there today in a state of shock. They simply thought things like this:

Whatever good Obama may have done, none of it comes close to the damage that he is doing with his embrace and acceptance of political Islam.  This is not just damage to the state of Israel, nor the Jewish people, it is damage done to the United States and to the west, in general.

and

Most American Jews, thankfully, are not ultra-super sophisticated progressive-left genius Jews, but it is the genius Jews that most loudly sing the praises of an administration that is friendly toward political Islam.  Political Islam, needless to say, seeks to oppress women, commit genocide upon the Jewish people, slaughter Gay people outright, and impose Islamic Supremacy, via sharia, upon the west.

and the propagandists thought THIS drivel is what would bring Jewish Americans to support Mitt Romney. And that is where they failed, and failed completely. Why? Because Jewish American voters are concerned with the well being of their fellow Americans first and foremost. We saw Paul Ryan's Medicare killing budget that would have put American seniors into a voucher system. We saw Mitt Romney's lie after lie where he never defined a plan outside of various catch phrases and slogans. We saw the Republicans run TWO candidates for Senate that talked about things like "Legitimate Rape" and "Pregnancy from Rape as G-d's will". If that were not enough, we saw Republicans running on platforms to deny LGBT Americans their equal rights, and do all of the things they were so worried about happening in the Islamic world.

As American Jews and Liberals, it's not that we didn't/don't see what happens in Islamic nations, and it's not like we think the blending of religion with the state is not dangerous... BUT we were much more concerned with what was happening here in our own nation. We were concerned with American children that would have faced incredible hardships brought on by Republican Policies. We were concerned for Women's Health and Reproductive Rights. We were concerned with all of the civil rights that would have been at risk in a Republican / Teahaddist America.

Oh and as for Israel which is important to us but not on the level that the Republicans or their ODS (Obama Derangement Syndrome) suffering friends think... We see President Obama as a strong friend to Israel and to Jews worldwide. Because, you see, not all of us buy into the Right Wing narrative that is threatening to destroy Israel. Most of us understand that the Right's reliance and fear and hatred is just that. We can see that the President is a man who cares about our community and nation.

In the end all of that hate and $ 40 million dollars could do nothing to stop the 70% of Jewish Americans that stood up and were counted to support our friend and President, Barack Obama. Sure the Republicans siphoned off 8% of the Jewish vote from 2008, but the country as a whole was off from it's previous level of popular support.

As Jay Michelson in the Forward put it so well:

Well, turns out a lot of people, including most Jews. The Jewish bubble, like other conservative bubbles, was burst yesterday. Not only did America vote for the Kenyan Socialist, but American Jews did as well. And they even elected “anti-Semites” who support moving slowly (but resolutely) on Iran and moving deliberately (but securely) toward a Palestinian state. 

This happened not because of ignorance, and not because of Jewish self-hatred, but because outside of the right-wing echo chamber, mainstream American Jews voted their values, and didn’t believe the incredibly heavily funded propaganda that tried to scare them on Israel and other issues. Most Jews simply do not live in the bubble of the professional-Jewish ‘consensus.’

And that is the truth

J Street ad from after Obama won.

So expect liberal
Shalom!

Breaking: President Obama Gains with Jewish Voters - Now at 70%

While perusing stories over at Haaretz (an Israeli Daily) I came across this happy news:

According to the polling data taken between July 1 and September 10th, 70 percent of registered Jewish voters plan to vote for President Obama. Only 25 percent of voters stated they were planning to vote for Mitt Romney, with 5 percent undecided. These results indicate a decline from earlier this spring, when 64 percent of registered Jewish voters said they would vote for Obama and 29 percent said they would support his Republican contender

and at Buzzfeed:

President Barack Obama is closing extending his lead with Jewish voters, leading among registered voters 70-25 percent according to unreleased Gallup daily tracking poll data . The data, obtained through a Democratic source, shows Obama up from leading 64-29 in polling this spring — and on par with his 2008 performance at this point when he led 69-25 over John McCain in Gallup polling. The data is drawn from tracking polls taken between July 1 and September 10th.

Despite a heated debate on Israel, most Jewish voters are Democrats and align closely with the Democratic Party on domestic issues from abortion to taxes and spending, and Republicans have tried without success for years to pry the group away from the Democratic Party. The Israel debate, meanwhile, often aims at a broad national audience that sees Israel as an ally, rather than specifically at American Jews.

As the Haaretz article goes on to state...

The rise in Jewish support for Obama, seems to indicate that the American Jews are less concerned with Israel than might be thought as accusations Romney has been making charging Obama with "throwing allies like Israel under the bus," and with failure in dealing with Iran's nuclear program don't seem to be helping garner Jewish support for the Republican candidate.

Two things:

The first is that first and foremost American Jews are American citizens. We vote for things that are in the interests of America. A more fair tax system, better education, better infrastructure, a better environment, a social safety net that works are in the interests of all Americans Jewish or otherwise. Also, the Presidents support for the Jewish community here as well as in Israel has been exemplary.

Second, the assumption that only the Hard Right in Israel represents Jewish interests in the U.S. is nonsense. Thinking that not agreeing to the YESHA policy and the concept of an Israeli One State solution is somehow against Israel is complete and utter bullshit. Just because President Obama doesn't subscribe to that doesn't mean he is "rolling Israel under the bus", it means that he (and most American and Israeli Jews) don't buy into a meme promoted by right wingers - and that is pretty much it.

The Republicans and their supporters just don't get this. At worst they assume (like many on the Far-Left as well) that Jewish Americans hold some sort of loyalty to Israel above all else and vote only that way. AND it is true that there are a small minority of people that do feel this way, but they are only a small minority. I personally resent this implication.

Well here is some cold hard advice. We are Americans, not Israelis and while we overwhelmingly support (and I think love) Israel and it's people we vote on issues that primarily serve Americans (both Jewish and non-Jewish). This poll and others like it show that the Israeli Right and Christian Zionists ARE not speaking in American Jewish interests but rather their own.

Until the Republicans can realize that their reactionary and heartless economic, social, and destructive environmental policy positions are at odds with American Jewish voters, they will never, ever, ever earn our votes.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova!

In a night of great speeches Robert Wexler reaches out to Jewish Americans on Israel

Last night the Democratic National Convention of 2012 got off to a rousing start. Reminiscent of the All-Star game in Baseball, speaker after speaker hit rhetorical home run after home run. Honestly, as a Democratic partisan, I have to say that some of the great speeches (not in order) from Duval Patrick to Julian Castro to Ted Strickland, to Michelle Obama all struck a strong cord with me and gave me hope for this election season.

But even more than the speeches, I was so impressed with the diversity of the crowd. I was impressed with how ALL Americans were represented at this convention, not just White Christian Americans. Looking at the crowd I felt heartened by the fact that there people of all races and creeds participating and supporting the candidates and the party. More than that... as Howard Fineman observed on MSNBC with Chris Matthews, Democrats didn't have to try to show they were with the Middle Class, it was obvious that they WERE from the Middle Class. They didn't have to try to be something they weren't.

All in all it was a great night.

As part of that night I got a chance to hear former House Member and President of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace Robert Wexler speak in an outreach to Jewish voters with regards to President Obama's friendship and America's strong alliance to one of our greatest friends in the world, Israel. As many here who read my diaries are aware that American Jewish politics and our friendship with Israel are two of my strong issues. SO... I thought that addressing this issue on the first night of the convention was telling particularly as the Republican LIE Machine is working overtime in key states like Florida and Pennsylvania to sway Jewish voters away from the President.

Anyway, here are some of Wexlers words:

Over the past four years, the president has proven this commitment time and again, in both word and deed. And the Democratic platform reflects the president's unflinching commitment to Israel's security and future as a Jewish state.

To strengthen Israel's qualitative military advantage, the president has increased security assistance to Israel to record levels-- more than any other president.

When he visited Sderot in 2008—an Israeli town along the Gaza border besieged by constant rocket attacks, President Obama saw for himself the toll terrorism takes on Israelis. And that's why he secured the funds to deploy the iron dome anti-rocket defense system which has already saved countless Israeli lives.

And under President Obama, the U.S. and Israel are firmly committed to stopping one of the gravest threats to international security: Iran's quest for nuclear weapons. The president has explicitly stated that an Iranian nuclear weapon is "unacceptable" And that He will mobilize all instruments of U.S. power-- economic, diplomatic, Intelligence, And military-- to prevent, not contain, a nuclear Iran.

While the Republicans dither about whether or not the Democratic Platform should call Jerusalem Israel's capital, the President shows his true friendship to the Jewish people through concrete actions.He doesn't need to rely on distortion or deception to make his point, he simply shows his friendship through his actions. 

Moreover (and Wexler left this out), the President shows his friendship everyday whether it is creating a Kosher Kitchen for staffers during Pesach or actually hosting a Seder at the White House, or affirming Jewish History month, or actually having strong Jewish advisers (including his Chief of Staff), or showing his friendship at the many Jewish Political functions around the U.S.  

And how are Jewish Americans responding to the President? Well, as of the last Gallup poll, Jewish American voters were committed 64%-29 % for the President (which when matched up to the same time in 2008 represents a stronger margin). That margin is only increasing and as of late July, a survey of Jewish voters showed the President leading 68%-25%.

The Republicans are serious about trying for the "Jewish vote" this time around. Mitt Romney is specifically focused on it:

Next week, the Republican Jewish Coalition will conduct a voter outreach drive in South Florida, Cleveland and Philadelphia. The blitz, part of an overall $6.5 million RJC effort to sway Jewish voters, will be based on prior polling that will “micro-target” Jewish undecideds. 

So to have a guy like Wexler taking "a swing" at this issue on the first night of the convention shows just how important the President thinks this is. 

I too think it is important and it is important that as supporters of the President we are out there countering the Republican lies and distortions about the Presidents statements and actions. Moreover, we should demand from them (the Republicans) what they would do differently and how that would make a positive difference, because for all their bullshit... they can't (or won't) articulate their own plan.

Most important however is working within the community and spreading the word that President Obama really is a one of the best friends Israel and the Jewish people have had in the White House. We don't have to lie, distort, or deceive to do it. We simply have to tell the truth and as Wexler so aptly did, show the record.