Ahad Ha'am's consolation

[pistoff democrat]

In writing recent articles on anti-Semitism, I felt as if I were forced to swim through a river of filth: the new blood libels in the Egyptian, Saudi and Syrian press; "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," coming back to life again and again; the final scene of the Egyptian television series "Horseman Without a Horse," which calls for the murder of Jews (but not babies); old-time anti-Semitic writings reappearing under the new guise of anti-Zionism; hysterically irrational articles against Israel, such as the report in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, under the headline "Israel against the Palestinians - three years of walls of shame," that Israeli soldiers carved a Star of David on an Arab's arms, or the reports in the Spanish-language El Pais of an Arab girl who "died of fear" because of the Israel Defense Forces and of an Arab "activist," as it calls him, who killed a nameless Jewish baby near Hebron; newspapers that totally ignore Palestinian terror as the reason for the construction of the fence; an exhibition in Athens devoted to female Palestinian suicide bombers, exhibiting an explosive belt made of macrame.

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After all, Zionism arose in order to do away with all that - to provide the Jews with a safe asylum in Zion as well as to enable them to live in dignity throughout the Diaspora. And now we are seeing just the opposite happening, and we are once forced to grasp at the consolation that Ahad Ha'am drew from the blood libels at the end of the 19th century - that by their very spuriousness, they counter the suspicion that there could be anything to the accusations against the Jews. When I read the groundless accusations about Israeli society in the Belgian Le Soir, I took consolation in Ahad Ha'am, but I was unable to find the consolation that Zionism had put an end to this kind of hatred.

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True, Israel needs international support, and without the West's support it would find itself in genuine existential danger. But despite that, and despite the daily dangers posed to our lives, we do not need the favors of strangers, and we do not live in the constant fear of what they will say about us behind our backs or of the way the waiter/ salesperson/ newspaper editor/ president will respond if our behavior does not meet with his or her approval.

The claims that cruelty and arrogance are characteristics of the Jews are nonsense and lies, but it is true that we are a stubborn people. With all the faults of our government, and they are many and intolerable, with all the internal dissent, and despite the wave of Islamo-fascist-leftist hatred, we will continue to cling to the idea of a Jewish state - with all the evils of other countries, but without their favors.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/370742.html

[bluesoul]

1. "Islamo-fascist-leftist" hatred?!?

Haaretz just lost some good points it had in my book. Ah well, no one is perfect...

[pistoff democrat]

2. uh oh

Does this mean HaAretz has now been deemed as evil as the Jersalem Post?

BTW, happy to know you don't think anyone is perfect...refreshing!

[bluesoul]

4. No, comparing it to Jpost

is insulting Haaretz. They're still much better (Amira Hass, Avnery), but sometimes even they have people posting RW rants against "leftists"...

[drdon326]

3. OUCH !!

"With all the faults of our government, and they are many and intolerable, with all the internal dissent, and despite the wave of Islamo-fascist-leftist hatred, we will continue to cling to the idea of a Jewish state - with all the evils of other countries, but without their favors."

Islamofascist hatred?? nahhh.....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/031211/481/jrl13112111640

[pistoff democrat]

5. Don, I

recognize a couple of those men in the pic; you must as well or else why post it?

:yourock:

[bluesoul]

6. Why not post a nice picture

of "man of peace" Sharon himself..

[drdon326]

8. bluesoul...

you'll appreciate this one...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?p=news&g=events/wl/080601mideast&e=1&tmpl=sl

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluesoul]

12. LOL

Guilty conscience? Why should I have guilty conscience, I have never supported terrorism or done any harm to anyone. Which could be hardly said for the people I oppose...

[drdon326]

13. Nice try...

did i say that??

i said "appreciate"...not in favor.

[bluesoul]

14. What do I "appreciate"?

Explain or apologize!

[drdon326]

15. lol

ap·pre·ci·ate ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-prsh-t)
v. ap·pre·ci·at·ed, ap·pre·ci·at·ing, ap·pre·ci·ates
v. tr.
To recognize the quality, significance, or magnitude of: appreciated their freedom.
To be fully aware of or sensitive to; realize: I appreciate your problems.
To be thankful or show gratitude for: I really appreciate your help.
To admire greatly; value.
To raise in value or price, especially over time.

...........................................................

you didnt recognize the "quality,significance or the magnitude of??

[drdon326]

16. Ok...

see if you like this article better...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/wl/080601mideast&a=&tmpl=sl&ns=&l=&e=6&a=0&t=&prev=5

[bluesoul]

17. Are you telling me I appreciate

such acts? You are ignoring my questions! I would like a clear answer.

[drdon326]

18. Dude...are you ok??

i said "quality,significance or the magnitude of"...

Simple question...do you recognize the "quality,significance or the magnitude (read appreciate) of terrorism??

sheeesh

[bluesoul]

19. Yes, I know terrorism exists

I also know it's not only in form of suicide bombers but also state terrorism. Happy?

[drdon326]

20. No...

just in shock. thanks anyway.

[Violet_Crumble]

23. That's not what you said at all...

If you'd said "quality, significane or the magnitude of"... we'd be able to see those words in the post where what you actually said was 'you'll appreciate this one'. The word appreciate in the way you used it is defined by yr dictionary definition as:

To be thankful or show gratitude for: I really appreciate your help.
To admire greatly; value.

I don't know why you'd be shocked that someone would read a post as meaning what the dictionary says it means in the context it was posted in...

Violet...

[drdon326]

7. No....They're "Peace Activists"

lol

:crazy:

[pistoff democrat]

9. Well, they are...

only the IDF and Sharon could push them to do this...if, in fact, you have proof that this isn't in fact the IDF and Sharon :eyes: !

[GabysPoppy]

21. Similar editorial by A. M. Rosenthal today

Hate goes to videotape

Syria packages ancient anti-Semitic lies in two new TV films

At one point while I was writing this column, I thought I might discard it in disgust. The feeling came over me while I was copying out a few paragraphs taken from some documents that were before me. Documents containing vile distortions masquerading as Jewish history, lies foully stretching for centuries.
There are, of course, hundreds and hundreds of documents that are aimed at vilifying Jewish history, vicious distortions made up by those who hope to besmirch and twist the face of God until it becomes their own evil creation.

Almost all my friends who have heard of these documents generally think they are dealing with the Protocols of Elders of Zion, that mountain of hatred that is purportedly the secret Jewish plan to take over the world but is actually a forgery concocted nearly a century ago by Czarist Russian anti-Semites.

The truth, however, is that the collection of documents continues to grow and grow. Only now the manufacturers of hate employ the technology and techniques of mass communications.

snip

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/144999p-128181c.html

[pistoff democrat]

22. Good article as well!

:yourock: