Sometimes you see something that is breathtaking, but also makes you realize some of the bigger truths out there. First, let’s remember that we are slowly being trained by people NOT to call antisemites on their antisemitism lest we be accused of chauvinism and a desire to restrict their speech. Under this rubric, you sometimes get people criticizing Jews, Jewish organizations and the Jewish state in open terms that single out Jews, Jewish organizations and the Jewish state egregiously but the response of calling them or their words antisemitic is deemed to be the true affront.
In this respect, some Jews and Jewish organizations should accept some of the blame in that we have to be judicious, precise and cautious before labeling anybody or their words antisemitic…but some of us haven’t been. For example, Will Smith makes a silly remark without meaning anything by it, and suddenly he is pounced on in the same way that a truly hateful person might be pounced on. This has weakened the term antisemite and permits antisemitism to grow precisely because the use of the term causes resentment when it is unfairly ascribed to people.
On the other hand, sometimes antisemite is fairly ascribed but those who support the views of that individual take offense and reject the term.
It is because of this that antisemite has become a word of refuge for many who seek to attack Jews, Jewish organizations or the Jewish state. One often sees a preamble to their statements that goes something like this: “I will be attacked as an antisemite for saying what I’m about to say, but I’m not one at all and what I’m about to say is the unvarnished truth and I will be victimized for no reason by attacks because I have spoken the truth.” They then proceed with their attack on Jews, Jewish organizations or the Jewish state using unfair or hateful standards or generalizations. Those who recognize the antisemitism are left in a bind. If they respond by calling the person an antisemite, they prove that he was right. If organizations take a stand, they prove that his conspiracy theories may be correct as well. If they do nothing, he gets away with it.
Well, here is an example of antisemitism as posted at the Washington Post:
Jewish Identity Can’t Depend on Violence
Jewish identity in the past has been locked into the holocaust experience — a German burden that the Jews have not been able to shed. It is a very good example of a community can overplay a historic experience to the point that it begins to repulse friends. The holocaust was the result of the warped mind of an individual who was able to influence his followers into doing something dreadful. But, it seems to me the Jews today not only want the Germans to feel guilty but the whole world must regret what happened to the Jews. The world did feel sorry for the episode but when an individual or a nation refuses to forgive and move on the regret turns into anger.The Jewish identity in the future appears bleak. Any nation that remains anchored to the past is unable to move ahead and, especially a nation that believes its survival can only be ensured by weapons and bombs. In Tel Aviv in 2004 I had the opportunity to speak to some Members of Parliament and Peace activists all of whom argued that the wall and the military build-up was necessary to protect the nation and the people. In other words, I asked, you believe that you can create a snake pit — with many deadly snakes in it — and expect to live in the pit secure and alive? What do you mean? they countered. Well, with your superior weapons and armaments and your attitude towards your neighbors would it not be right to say that you are creating a snake pit? How can anyone live peacefully in such an atmosphere? Would it not be better to befriend those who hate you? Can you not reach out and share your technological advancement with your neighbors and build a relationship?
Apparently, in the modern world, so determined to live by the bomb, this is an alien concept. You don’t befriend anyone, you dominate them. We have created a culture of violence (Israel and the Jews are the biggest players) and that Culture of Violence is eventually going to destroy humanity.
Who wrote this crap?
Arun Gandhi
President and co-founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, named for his grandfather, Mohandas K. “Mahatma†Gandhi.Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun Gandhi is the fifth grandson of India’s legendary leader, Mohandas K. “Mahatma†Gandhi. He is president and co-founder of the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, now at the University of Rochester in New York. He is a regular participant in Renaissance Weekend deliberations with President Clinton and other Rhodes Scholars. He worked for 30 years as a journalist for The Times of India. He is the author of several books, including “A Patch of White” (1949) and “The Forgotten Woman: The Untold Story of Kastur, the Wife of Mahatma Gandhi,” which he wrote with his late wife Sunanda.
So far, there are 385 comments in the discussion that follows this antisemitic post. It includes many loonies, but unfortunately also includes some normal people who consider this a legitimate post. We can thank people like Jimmy Carter, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt for taking the hateful bile from the fringes and putting it smack into the middle of the mainstream. If a former President and two scholars from top universities can cast aspersions on Jews – no, not Zionists and not Israel, but Jews – than why not M.K. Ghandi and the Washington Post?
Just in case you forgot already, what this antisemite actually said and the Washington Post published is, “We have created a culture of violence (Israel and the Jews are the biggest players) and that Culture of Violence is eventually going to destroy humanity.”
That, ladies and gents, is antisemitism.
May your underwear fail!
jews are nowadays world no1 terrorist.as dr mahateer puts,”jews are not merely hook nosed but also know money only.
u might have decisive edge and technolog.but for how long live under threats from neigbours.indians who
are a docile race craves for modern technolgy thats why they befriended israel from 1990,s onwards.why didnot they have good relations
with u.for a jewsih people we have no malice.but for zionists whose brain is full of their own evil agendas
and reeking with their modern technolgy they are enemy no1 for us.jews have long changes side despite being persecuted
for centuries by christians and being in good terms with muslims.they are now with big satan.they know how and when to change side.
Sydney, you didn’t offend me and I don’t believe you offended anybody else. If the previous posts look angry, it’s because a lot of people are getting killed all over the world and have been getting killed all over the world for a long time without a single Jew’s participation. So, when the Washington Post felt comfortable posting this entry that places Jews at the center of the world’s destruction and violence while all the while trying to make non-Jews feel guilty about the genocide of 6 million Jews, it is they who deserve the blame. Your first comment was actually fairly reasonable and your second comment was also lovely.
I will add, just so I can be clear, that Israel’s participation in “all of this” violence across the world is actually often more justified than many other countries’ violence. Israel has a legitimate claim for fearing for its existence. In the last couple of days it has killed quite a few Palestinians, for example, most of whom were terrorists. None of them would have been killed were they not shooting rockets – entirely unprovoked – into Israeli civilian communities daily. In that regard, I don’t see how Israel could be more moral. In fact, it did just as the original writer suggested and walked away from Gaza and gave it in its entirety to the Palestinians. The result has been the non-stop rocket firing and a massive buildup of arms even as their people are suffering from a poor economy.
Finally, you have absolutely no reason to apologize for your participation in this discussion. It was welcome and so are your comments on other issues here.
I apologize if I offended anyone, apparently my comment (which I thought was well thought out) has been misunderstood? I don’t know what is trying to be proven by quoting these numbers, but it’s obvious that we are, as human beings, in a culture of violence that we have all created, and Israel is not helping, and neither is anyone else. It’s very sad, and as this previous comment demonstrates, it would take anyone lots of space to include all the other (more numerous) acts of violence that have occured through time. I suppose that it saves authors space, sometimes, to just mention Israel’s participation in all this.
I guess I’m just trying to assume that the original WashPost author had the best of intentions. I suppose I’m getting off topic and obviously out of place in this debate on how severely the author did in fact insult the Jews as a people, so I’m sorry.
Here’s more for you to chew on. From his table in page 73:
Table 2
Deaths in Wars and Conflicts Since the End of World War II: 1945 to 2000
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Latin America
Argentina
1955 armed forces vs. Peron 2,000 2,000 4,000
1976–79 “disappearances†15–30,000 … 15–30,000
1982 Falklands/Malvinas 0 1,000 1,000
Bolivia
1952 revolution vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
1955–67 guerrilla insurgency … … 200,000
Brazil
1980 rightist terrorism … … 1,000
Chile
1973 military coup vs. Allende government … … 5,000
1974 executions by military junta 20,000 0 20,000
Colombia
1948 conservatives vs. government … … 1,000
1949–62 liberals vs. conservatives 200,000 100,000 300,000
1980–89 government vs. left opposition 8,000 0 8,000
Costa Rica
1948 National Union vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
Cuba
1958–59 Cuban revolution 2,000 3,000 5,000
Dominican Republic
1965 civil war/U.S. intervention 1,000 2,000 3,000
El Salvador
1979–89 FMLN vs. government 50,000 23,000 73,000
Guatemala
1954 conservatives vs. government/ … … 1,000
U.S. intervention
1966–89 government vs. URNG vs. 200,000 17,500 212,500
military opposition
1990–95 slaughter of indigenous peoplesb 10,000 … 10,000
Honduras
1969 Soccer War with El Salvador 3,000 2,000 5,000
Jamaica
1980 election violence 1,000 0 1,000
74
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Nicaragua
1978–79 civil war vs. Somoza government 25,000 10,000 35,000
Peru
1980–92 Sendero Luminoso vs. government 62,000 7,000 69,000
Middle East
Cyprus
1974 National Guard/Turkish invasion 3,000 2,000 5,000
Egypt
1955 Suez invasion/France, Israel, UK 1,000 3,000 4,000
1967–70 Six-Day War; War of Attrition 50,000 25,000 75,000
Iran
1979–89 Government vs. opposition (esp. Kurds) … 0 17,000
1980–88 Iran-Iraq war 0 1,000,000 1,000,000
Iraq
1959 Shammar tribe vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
1961–74 Kurds vs. government … … 200,000
1980–88 Iran-Iraq Warb … 800,000 800,000
1988 “Anfall†killings of Kurds 100,000 0 100,000
1980–89 government vs. Kurds (KDP, PUK) … … 67,000
1991 Gulf Warb … … 75,000
1991–95 Shia/Southb 50,000 … 50,000
1982–2002 additional political killings by Iraq 350,000 … 350,000
government
Israel
1948 Arab League vs. Israel 0 8,000 8,000
1973 Yom Kippur War vs. Egypt, Syria 0 16,000 16,000
1987–2000 Intifadab 13,000 0 13,000
Jordan
1970 Palestinians/Syrians vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
Lebanon
1958 civil war 1,000 1,000 2,000
1975–89 civil war/Syrian and Israeli interventions … … 131,000
Syria
1981 government massacre of Muslim 10,000 0 10,000
Brotherhood at Hamah
Turkey
1984–2000 government vs. Kurdish Workers’ 30,000 0 30,000
Party (PKK)
75
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Yemen, Republic of
1948 Yahya family vs. government 2,000 2,000 4,000
1962–69 civil war, including Egyptian intervention … … 10,000
1994 Border war vs government of Yemen PDRb … 4,000 4,000
Yemen, (former) People’s Democratic Republic of
1986 civil war … … 10,000
South Asia
Afghanistan
1978–89 civil war/Soviet interventionb … … 1,000,000
1990–2000b civil war … … 1,000,000c
Bangladesh
1971 civil war/Indian intervention 1,000,000 500,000 1,500,000
1975–89 autonomy struggle in Chittagong … … 1,000
India
1946–48 partition-related strife 800,000 0 800,000
1947–49 India vs. Pakistan over Kashmir 1,000 2,000 3,000
1948 India vs. Hyderabad 1,000 1,000 2,000
1962 Sino-Indian war 1,000 1,000 2,000
1965 India vs. Pakistan/Rann of Kutch war 13,000 7,000 20,000
1971 India vs. Pakistan (associated with 0 11,000 11,000
Pakistani civil war)
1983 Assam election violence 3,000 … 3,000
1983–2000 Sikh autonomy campaignb … … 25,200
1990–2000 Kashmirb 9,000 20,000 29,000
Nepal
1996- Maoist insurgency vs. government … … 5,000
Pakistan
1973–77 Baluchis vs. government/Afghan 6,000 3,000 9,000
intervention
Sri Lanka
1971 Maoists vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
1983–89 Government vs. Tamil Elam separatists/Indian… … 15,000
intervention/Singhalese People’s Liberation
Front intervention
1990–2002 Government vs Tamil Elam (LTTE) b … … 50,000
Far East
Burma
1948–51 Karens vs. government/Chinese intervention … … 8,000
1980 Burma Communist Party vs. government … … 5,000
1981–93 Government vs. opposition (mostly Karen) 0 9,000 9,000
76
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Cambodia
1970–75 Civil war/Indochina conflict … … 156,000
1975–78 Pol Pot government vs. civilians 1,770,000 … 1,770,000
1978–90 Vietnamese invasion and civil war 20,000 50,000 70,000
1990–94 government vs Khmer Rougeb … … 25,000
China
1946–50 Civil warb 5,000,000 1,200,000 6,200,000
1950–51 takeover of Tibet 0 1,000 1,000
1951–53 Chinese PLA mortality in Korean
war listed together with Korean war
1956–59 Tibetan revoltb … … 200,000
1983–84 government executions 5,000 0 5,000
1989 Tiananmen Square 1,000 0 1,000
Indonesia
1945–46 independence struggle 4,000 1,000 5,000
1950 Moluccans vs. government … … 5,000
1953 Darul Islam vs. government … … 1,000
1956–60 Communists vs. government … … 30,000
1965–66 massacres following attempted coup 500,000 0 500,000
1975–89 annexation of East Timor 120,000 11,000 131,000
2000 post-Timor plebisciteb 2–3,000 … 2–3,000
2000 Aceh province insurgencyb 2,000 … 2,000
Korea (North and South)
1948 Yosu Rebellion 0 1,000 1,000
1950–53 Korean Warb (includes Chinese 2,828,000 1,672,000 4,500,000
PLA, U.S. and UN mortality)
Laos
1960–73 civil war/Indochina conflict 12,000 12,000 24,000
1975–87 government/Vietnam vs. National 30,000 10,000 40,000
Liberation Front
Malaya (now Malaysia)
1950–60 UK intervention in civil war … … 13,000
Philippines
1950–52 Hukbalahop vs. government 5,000 4,000 9,000
1972–2000 Muslims (MNLF, MILF), and New 100,000 20,000 120,000
People’s Army vs. government;
Muslims (MNLF, MILF), and New
People’s Army vs. governmentb
Taiwan (China)
1954–55 civil strife … … 5,000
77
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Vietnam
1945–54 independence struggle vs. Franceb 300,000 300,000 600,000
1960–75 N. Vietnam vs. S. Vietnam/United 1,200,000 1,158,000 2,358,000
Statesb
1979 China vs. Vietnam 0 56,000 56,000
1979 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia … 25,300 25,300
1980–88 China vs. Vietnam/border 0 1,000 1,000
Sub-Saharan Africa
Angola
1961–75 Independence struggle vs. Portugal 300,000 300,000 600,000
1980–95 Civil war/Cuban-South African interventionb … … 1,000,000
1995–2000 Civil War continuedb … … 100,000
Burundi
1972 Hutus vs. government/massacre 80,000 20,000 100,000
1988 civil strife 200,000 0 200,000
10–12/1993b civil strife 200,000 0 200,000
Cameroon
1955–60 independence struggle vs. France … … 32,000
Chad
1965–89 government vs. opposition/Libyan … … 28,000
intervention
Ethiopia
1978 Somalian invasionb … … 150,000
1962–89 Eritrean and other opposition vs. … … 1,000,000
governmentb
1998 Ethiopia-Eritrea War … 100,000 100,000
Ghana
1981 Konkomba vs. Nanumba … … 1,000
Guinea-Bissau
1962–74 independence struggle vs. Portugal 5,000 10,000 15,000
Kenya
1952–63 independence struggle vs. UK … …100–300,000
Liberia
1990–95 civil warb 100,000 … 100,000
Madagascar
1947–48 independence struggle vs. France 3,000 2,000 5,000
Mozambique
1965–75 independence struggle vs. Portugal … … 30,000
1981–88 civil warb … … 900,000
78
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Namibia
1967–89 SWAPO independence vs. South Africa … … 13,000
Nigeria
1967–70 civil war 1,000,000 1,000,000 2,000,000
1980–81 fundamentalist Muslims vs. government … … 5,000
1984 fundamentalist Muslims vs. government … … 1,000
1999- regional civil unrest 10,000 … 10,000
Rwanda
1956–65 Tutsis vs. government/massacre 102,000 3,000 105,000
1990–95b civil strife and genocide … … 1,000,000
Sierra Leone
1991–2000 government vs. insurgentsb 50,000 … 50,000
Somalia
1980–90 civil strife 5,000 5,000 10,000
1990–93b civil strife … … 300,000
South Africa
1985–89 African National Congress vs. Inkathab 5,000 0 5,000
Sudan
1955–72 civil warb … … 750,000
1983–90 civil warb 500,000 10,000 510,000
1990–95 civil warb … … 500,000
1995–2000 civil warb … … 1,000,000
Uganda
1966 Bungandans vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
1971–78 Idi Amin massacres 300,000 0 300,000
1978–79 Tanzanian invasion … 3,000 3,000
1981–85 Obote government massacresb 300,000 0 300,000
1981–88 National Resistance Army vs. 100,000 6,000 106,000
government/NRA vs. opposition
1990 Lord’s Resistance Army vs. government 50,000 … 50,000
West Sahara
1975–89 Polisario vs. Morocco 4,000 8,000 12,000
Zaire/Congo
1960–65 civil war … … 100,000
1996–97 Hutu refugees in Zaire 200,000 0 200,000
1998–2000 civil warb … … 1,500,000
Zambia
1964 civil strife … … 1,000
79
Deathsa
Region Conflict Civilian Military Total
Zimbabwe
1972–79 struggle for majority rule … … 12,000
1979–87 government vs. ZAPU, MNR 2,000 0 2,000
Northern Africa
Algeria
1954–62 independence struggle vs. France … … 1,000,000
1962–63 rebel leaders vs. government 1,000 1,000 2,000
1990–95 government vs Muslim extremistsb … … 30,000
1993–2000 government vs Muslim extremistsb … … 100,000
Morocco
1953–56 independence struggle vs. France 3,000 0 3,000
Tunisia
1952–54 independence struggle vs. France 3,000 0 3,000
Russia, Balkan and CIS States
Armenia/Azerbaijan
1992–94 war over Nagorno-Karabakhb … 10,000 10,000
Chechnya
1994–96 Russia vs. Chechen insurgentsb … … (Chechens) 80,000
… 15,000 (Russians) 15,000
1999–2000 Russia vs. Chechen insurgentsb … … (Chechens) 15,000
… 3,500 (Russians) 3,500
“Former Yugoslavia†(Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina)
1991–96 civil warb … … 300,000
Georgia
1994 Civil War vs. Abkhaziab … 2,500 2,500
Kosovo
1998–99 Serbia vs Kosovo insurgentsb 10,000 … 10,000
Tajikistan
1992–96 civil warb … … 100,000
Total approximately 40,968,000,
Here are more stats from that paper:
Table 1
War-Related Deaths, 1955 – 2000, Selected Countries
Country Years Estimated Deaths
Sudan 1955–1972 750,000
Indonesia 1965 ca. 400,000–450,000
Nigeria/Biafra 1967–1970 1 million civilian plus 1 million military
Bangladesh/East Pakistan 1971 1 million civilian plus 500,000 military
Uganda [Idi Amin] 1971–1978 ca. 300,000
Burundi 1972 ca. 250,000
Indonesia/East Timor 1975–1980 ca 100,000 (out of a population of 2 million)
Cambodia/Khmer Rouge 1975–1978 1.77 million, of which ca. 90,000 murdered
Angola 1980–1988 ca. 700,000
Mozambique 1980–1988 ca. 1 million (1989 UN figure was 900,000)
Uganda [Obote] 1981–1985 ca. 300,000
Sudan 1983–2000 2 million (as of April 2001)
Iraq/Kurds first half 1988 ca. 100,000 killed in a pure WWII Nazi mobile unitstyle
extermination campaign (Since 1970, the
campaign destroyed 3,000 Kurdish villages and
displaced 1.5 million Kurds.)
Somalia 1991–1992 350,000 died due to starvation and warfare; 1.5
million refugees
Bosnia/Yugoslavia 1992–1995 ca. 200,000
Angola 1993–1994 over 100,000. In September 1994, a UN Secretary
General’s Report quoted a “death rate†of 1,000/day,
or over 300,000/year, “the highest of any conflict in
the world.†Two million refugees.
Burundi October 1993 ca. 200,000
Rwanda 1994 800,000; 4 million refugees (In December 2001 the
Rwandan government reported this number to have
been 1.07 million.)
Zaire/Congo 1997–April 2003 1.75 million (Between 3.3 and 4.7 million have been
killed or died of starvation due to fighting in the
Congo in the time span indicated: to remain within
“the 20th Century,†only a portion of that sum is
counted here.)
TOTAL DEATHS Approximately 15 million
Take a look at what China has brought about in this period:
Do you think you would find this man’s racism to be overt enough, Sydney, if he wrote: “We have created a culture of violence (China and the Chinese are the biggest players) and that Culture of Violence is eventually going to destroy humanity.”
Criticism of Israel is not the issue here, Sydney. We criticize Israel on Jewlicious quite a bit. It’s the type of criticism and the singling out of Israel that becomes suspect.
Furthermore, he wasn’t just speaking about Israel but about all Jews and about Jews’ supposed manipulation of the Holocaust to their own ends. He then concludes by placing Jews and the Jewish state at the head of the blame list for world violence which he predicts will lead to the world’s demise.
To reflect on this a bit more, I encourage you to visit this site and this site and read up on whether Israel or Jews are at the “biggest players” in world violence.
From the second link:
That last statistic is important because Israel was founded in 1948. Since that time, even with the inflated numbers of dead this scholar counts in his conflicts, the Israel-Arab conflict represents about 110,000 dead.
I’m glad that we’re all discussing this issue, and I’m not Jewish so I admit I don’t have the same feelings and investment in the issue as some of you do. But I do think that the author in the Washington Post does not deserve quite so much criticism. I’m not referring at all to the more subtle details of his writing, such as the “Israeli government” vs. “Jews as a people” argument or anything similar, but I think that overall his general thesis had some truth to it: that Israel as a state is perhaps holding on to a much too aggressive stance and, through this perpetuation of violence, is not necessarily helping the situation.
But I think that the original author could have added more to this, and perhaps he thought that this was implied. But he should have added that we are all at fault, and by this I mean the US, European nations, even the Palestinian territories. Israel has every right to defend itself, but everyone involved needs to realize that there is a fine line between defending your right to exist and robbing others of their rights. I think that Israel, at times, is so caught up in its frantic struggle to ward off what it sees–totally justifiably–as a never ending wave of aggression, that it pushes occasionally too far over this fine line.
But Israel should not have the burden of fixing this situation alone, and neither should Israel and Palestine be forced to fix it alone, together. Every country involved (i.e. power players in the Middle East, plus the USA) needs to come to terms with this difficult situation, and realize that no solution is going to happen with people attacking each other. Unfortunately, I don’t see that this will be possible at all, and I have no suggestions as to how to make it happen. I’m not really arguing against anyone’s points, I just want to remind everyone that situations like this need to be viewed from all sides, however difficult that can be.
This must be the day after troll spam night. The last 4 messages all have different user names, different email addresses and the same IP.
People often forget that anti-Semitism includes the Arabs, our (unfortunately) Semitic brethren. As for Pakistan, it is not Arabic, but it is certainly a few steps away from a Jihadi explosion. I think pre-emptive action is our only viable option.
People often forget that anti-Semitism includes the Arabs, our (unfortunately) Semitic brethren. As for Pakistan, it is not Arabic, but it is certainly a few steps away from a Jihadi explosion. I think pre-emptive action is our only viable option.
People often forget that anti-Semitism includes the Arabs, our (unfortunately) Semitic brethren. As for Pakistan, it is not Arabic, but it is certainly a few steps away from a Jihadi explosion. I think pre-emptive action is our only viable option.
We often forget that anti-Semitism includes the Arabs, our Semitic brethren. As for Pakistan, it is not Arabic, but it is certainly a hotbed ready to explode. I think pre-emptive action is our only viable option.
Had we known before, we could have promoted it as an event.
This must be troll spam night.
Osama bin laden lives in pakistan
Pakistan supports and shelters osama.
Osama bin laden calls for the destruction of ISrael
Al queda supports Hamas
Pakistan shelters Alqueda.
therfore
Pakistan = HATRED TOWARDS ISRAEL
man.. even common pakistani’s hate jews.
ISRALE Cant even open an embassy in pakistan..
so much for MUSHARAF … he is gonna get wiped out by some idiots too.
forget palestine..
PAKISTAN ARMED WITH NUKES IS ISRAELS NIGHTMARE WAITING TO HAPPEN..
and these jews worry about a fringe element 77 year old arun gandhi.. wtf???
Sheela, my comment re Pakistan was in jest and related to comments in the (preceding) post on the JBA. My apologies for the confusing intertextuality.
No offense toward Pakistan intended, either. Surely one can have no more sagacious, consistent, and stable an ally than General Musharraf.
I think it was the #5 post “time for an alliance with the Pakistanis” that prompted “Wake Up”‘s response. No offense to Tom Morrissey but yeah, that was sorta inappropriate.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone views Arun Ghandi or even his grandfather as the official spokesperson of India or those of the Indian Diaspora. And it pretty much goes without saying (I hope) that this has no bearing whatsoever on Indian-Jewish relations (hell, I didn’t even know Ghandi HAD a grandson until now) any more than, say, Mel Gibson’s remarks affects relations between Jews and non-Jewish Australians.
Anyway, I thought “themiddle’s” original post was a thoughtful and well-put response to the W.P. article and I appreciate the respectful and insightful comments as well. I think I’ll visit this sight more often.
p.s. As far as I know Jews don’t have any beef with Pakistan, either.
I think it’s quite absurd that a so-called “pacifist” would hound the Jews into giving up their arms, yet remain ever so silent on the Palestinian leadership’s willingness to send youth into market places as suicide bombers.
Likewise, his attempt to say he was talking about Israel and not the people hardly flies. The Israeli government, whether people will ever realize this or not, must represent the needs of the Jews. Ergo, if the Israeli government is accused of failure on a massive scale, one must only assume that the Jews are likewise responsible – it is, afterall, their interests that are being represented. If the Jews don’t like what the Israeli government is doing, they can easily oust them at elections, yet they never do. Thus, any fault placed on the government is inevitably placed on the Jews.
I would venture further, however, to say that most of the criticism levied against the Israeli government is only aimed that direction simply because it is Jews who are in power. The world remains silent when other nations commit gross human rights violations against their own people, but if an Israeli soldier dares to kill a suicide bomber, then Israel must pay.
Finally, to the original statement of the article – the Jewish people are not holding onto the Holocaust as a trump card. The Holocaust is merely (and I use the word “merely” for effect, not to underscore the Holocaust) the worst and most recent attack against the Jews by Europe. It was the culmination of 1,900 years of persecution by European powers. The reason the Holocaust is constantly brought up is to help remind the world the ramification of blaming the Jews for problems. Yet, here we are, blaming the Jews for the violence in the world. The vicious cycle has one again begun.
I shall never understand why the world hates Jews so much – as a people the Jews have accomplished much and without their contribution (albeit indirect, though direct in some instances) to society, the Western world would be much different and in a worse way.
Uh, WAKE UP, all of the above doesn’t change anything and it’s your perspective that seems to be off.
You can have a wonderful country, with its wonderful one billion people and its wonderful culture, its wonderful hospitality, its wonderful relationship with Israel but Arun Ghandi would still have written an antisemitic diatribe.
As you can see, I did not associate Arun Ghandi with all Indians or even with a single other Indian. He is his own person and he is responsible for what he wrote. If there are racists in America, that doesn’t mean that all Americans are racists. If there are racists in your neighborhood, that doesn’t mean everybody in your neighborhood is racist.
So let’s leave the Indians out of this. This antisemitism was the product of Arun Ghandi and the Washington Post.
Look ppl first of all. Take this in perspective.
1) for all the people who call him an anti-semite.. think what ur saying.
India is the biggest ally Israel has outside of the United States in the Eastern World.
Israel’s biggest arms market is India.
the only thing standing between turkey and pakistan is one billion indians.
the highest and most visited tourist destination of young Israeli nationals today is not Europe or the states, it is INDIA.
ISRAEL-INDIA are natural allies due to the nature of judaism and hinduism.
the israeli govt is taking its citizens for a ride.
its ridiculous that the young israleis who serve their mandatory army term, have to go all the way to northern indian to cool of and enjoy.
they cant do it in their own country and are not rich enough to go to the west.,
INDIA has always loved judaism and jewish people.
IT is the only place in the world for the last 2500 years continously been a place of refuge of JEWS. AND NEVER HAVE THEY BEEN DISCRIMINATED
even today.. the desecendants of the lost tribe of israel..
LIVES IN INDIA as indians.
indians love jews.
to criticize a man.. like arun gandhi.. for being anti-semtic is outrageous.
every indian growing up..loves israel then some israelis themselves.
REMEMMBER THAT MY JEWISH FRIENDS
SHALOM
While we must strive for a future of peace that rejects violence, it is also important not to forget the past, lest we fail to learn from it.
What exactly was the lesson of the past that we were supposed to learn? What was the lesson of the Holocaust for Jews?
I agree with Tom (comment 21). If what he said about marching Palestinians in from Jordan, to suffer a few deaths but make a point, is really how he feels about it, he seems to accept that violence can be committed against people to allow others to learn from that violence. Only the people who had the violence done against them are supposed to have a problem with this. Nice.
His apology perpetuates his initial approach of selectively condemning “violence”. If he was a pacifist who categorically opposed the use of force by anyone, one could at least respect his point of view.
I can’t figure it out?
He’s a frivolous, vain, not-especially-smart person whose minimal prominence derives solely from dining out on his grandfather’s fame. You can’t figure it out because he still doesn’t have a lucid point.
That he’s just wiped out his sources of funding — that I think he’s bright enough to have realized.
Arun Ghandi’s “apology.”
Did he shift to the “I only meant Zionists” or “I was just talking about Israel” slimy evasion tactic? I can’t figure it out.
tm,
looks like Gandhi apologized this morning.
not much of an apology, though. he’s obviously still confused and ignorant of Jewish history.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/arun_gandhi/2008/01/my_apology_for_my_poorly_worde.html
Actually, the highlighted phrase originally said, “(and Israel and the Jews are the prime instigators)”. The WaPo subtly changed it, without any notice.
That and drinking his own urine.
The grandson of Gandhi. Bad seed, bad plant.
“This manslaughter must be stopped. You are losing; if you persist, it will only result in greater bloodshed. Hitler is not a bad man.†~ G.D. Birla’s “In the Shadow of the Mahatma,†p. 276
“Hitler killed five million Jews. It is the greatest crime of our time. But the Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher’s knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs.†~ George Orwell’s “Reflections on Gandhi,†Partisan Review, Jan. 1949
Gandhi is one of the most overrated figures in history.
Ramon, don’t overdo it – I wasn’t looking for pin-up quality. 🙂
Sarah – gosh… I’m blushing… the buildup is (making me do tons of pushups) killing me…
Ramon, you mean the photo shooting, don’t you? 😉
Well Rabbi, we don’t… but I do. So do you and ck and Jewlicious. We own our computers, hence we own our little space on the intraweb.
Please tell the TV and film studios this so I can get back to work.
Yes! Yes! Another Zionist plotz!
I am saddened truly that Washington Post would publish this antisemitic crap. BUT it does help prove that we don’t own the media. Or do we…
Just to illustrate Friar Yid’s point about Ghandi’s lack of understanding of cultures other than his own. This viewpoint is neither dated nor unique. Just another example of non-Jews of even the best intentions wanting to decide for us what our aspirations should be:
http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/mideast.htm
Sorry folks, I’ve rewritten the post.
Not too surprising; this isn’t the first time Arun Gandhi has tossed his voice into the Israel-Palestine fray.
There was this in 2004:
The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi has urged Palestinian refugees to march home from Jordan en masse, even if the Israelis opened fire and killed protesters, to shock the world into taking notice.
Arun Gandhi… proposed to the Palestinian Parliament a peaceful march of 50,000 refugees across the Jordan River and said MPs should lead the way.
“What would happen? Maybe the Israeli army would shoot and kill several. They may kill 100. They may kill 200 men, women and children. And that would shock the world. The world will get up and say, ‘What is going on?’ ” he said.
The one bright side of Gandhi’s proposals to the Palestinians has been that he seems to be committed to his grandfather’s views of non-violent resistance. The down side is that, like Gandhi Sr., he does not seem to have too much sympathy for Israel/Zionism- and, despite him trying to distinguish between them, for Jews in general, either.
Perhaps the real take-home message is that, as with so many larger-than-life personalities of modern history, the Gandhis, too, don’t measure up to their hype.
Time for an alliance with the Pakistanis.
Where is the JBA when you need them?!
Just kidding! Just kidding!
If world Jewish leaders had only flown to Berlin in April, 1945, to say, “all is forgiven!”, our world would be violence-free. Or something.
Clearly shows that a big name doesn’t make for a great mind.
Looks like academic, lefty anti-Semitism has a South Asian branch. Or perhaps Mr. Gandhi’s viewpoint more closely reflects his South African background.
An example of that sub-genre of anti-Semitic literature that’s incoherent even on its own terms.
Is this on the Post’s website? In the paper?