Guest Post by Scott Piro
To my pro-Obama and very-active-about-it-on-Facebook-friends (particularly the gay, NY ones), today I mailed in my absentee ballot for Barack Obama, Kristen Gillibrand (Senator) & Charles Rangel (Representative). Despite that fact that the Democratic Party only recognized my other country Israel’s capital as Jerusalem b/c of embarrassing criticism during the DNC, Obama referred to my Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s warnings about Iranian, genocidal aggression directed against Israel as “noise,” and many other examples from this administration that project distance between the US & Israel and send a signal to our Arab neighbors that American support of Israel is not always guaranteed, I did not throw America under the bus by voting for the candidate and party that is more vocal in its support of pro-Israeli policies. You helped convince me that a strong America is what’s best for the world, and it’s Barack Obama and the Democrats who will continue policies that help the US economy recover faster, and preserve more freedoms for more Americans, especially among minorities like LGBTs and people without health insurance. I hope you will be more visible and vocal showing your support for America’s strongest ally in the Middle East – Israel. A rally was held yesterday outside the US Embassy in Tel Aviv – a pro-American rally. When many other countries in the region have recently burned US flags, killed Americans and shown aggression, hatred and disrespect for America and western values & freedoms, only Israelis gathered to show America the opposite – how much we love and support the United States.
I know many of you are energized by courageous activism – fighting for marriage equality and fair taxation policies for example. You’re doing great work, I agree with. I wouldn’t expect you to work as hard for pro-Israeli issues – it’s not your turf. But showing pro-Israel support and defending Israel occasionally would be very appreciated – especially when LGBT groups like Queers Against Israeli Apartheid become more visible trying to make anti-Zionism a queer value. Please. I’ve got your back. Please think about whether you have mine. I voted for Barack Obama today not so I could say this message to you. I did it because it’s the right thing for me. But if you believe being pro-Israel is in your best interests as an American, don’t forget to show it when the chance presents itself.
– Scotty
Scott Piro is an American citizen and a resident of Tel Aviv. You can follow his Instagram Feed here.
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Excellent post!
The queer anti-Israel movement is either naive (you're in bed with people who would kill you solely for your sexual orientation – yes, they do it to their own children to protect family honor) or disingenuous (you are just a bigoted anti-Semite). I do not doubt for a moment that the Obama Administration is pro-Israel – it is just that they have made mistakes in their efforts to deal with issues in the Middle East.
Really though. I feel for you. What a Sisyphean task. What, with Obama's Administration doing things like this: http://freebeacon.com/state-stands-by-its-man/.
Oh, I thought jewlicious was a different kind of site. Very disappointing.
Different? Alexander is free to pen any reasonable anti-Obama or whatever post and I will put it up as is.
Oh gawd. Logic trumped again.
Charlie Rangel? Really?
no choice – he won the dem primary in my district. i don't want to vote GOP
Great post Scott. Thanks for contributing it to Jewlicious!
Anyone living in Israel who votes for Obama has an empty brain!
Then I guess I have an empty brain! Oh wait. I'm Canadian. I don't vote in US elections. Doh!
I always liked Ray Bolger's number from The Wizard of Oz. Now, I know why.
Well, I think anyone who blindly votes only on one issue is not helping anyone. To simply vote against Obama because he isn't willing to take a blind eye to Bebe's actions is the empty headed one.
If you read the post, you would see that Scott is voting for those who support who he is and what he believes. There maybe some conflict on a few issues, and Israel is a big one. But taken as a whole, as indicated, the other guy wouldn't address the big issues that face the USA, and thus the world as a whole. In the end, a stable, and economically sound USA will aid Israel. Simply rubber stamping the actions of the right wing/Ultra Orthodox/Settlers isn't in the US's interest. It might be Israel's, but that's not the US's problem at the moment.
To believe that Mr. Romney is going to help Israel fix its problems is ignoring reality. Israel is the only one who can fix its problems. Stop allowing growth of settlements. Move back to the moral high ground instead of the strategic high ground. Elect another General who will know that war is never the answer and all efforts for peace must be made. When Israel does this, they will be able to move forward.
I have yet to see anything substantive from the right to demonstrate clearly how one can characterize Obama as anti-Israel in any substantive way at all. Meanwhile, over in loony left land, Obama is characterized as extremely pro-Israel, and in the pocket of the International Zionist Conspiracy.
Since I mistrust both extremes, I use my brain to make an objective analysis and it turns out that on issues that matter, Obama has actually been pretty protective and supportive of Israel. So… yeah. Don't believe the hype yo!