Blogger Mobius at Jewschool seems to be bothered by the fact that Israel is not an 100% perfect country, yet American Jews have the audacity to throw a parade to celebrate its independence. He contrasts a quote from the Israeli Supreme Court president, stating that Israel has a number of problems, with a picture of Americans with Israeli flags. See, see?
No, I don't.
Does this mean before going to the St. Patrick's day parade we must first read up on Ireland and make sure nothing unfair ever happens in that part of the world? Or how about July 4--America, too, has "experienced failure, social inequality, growing poverty in wide class circles, and lack of faith in all institutions the public is in need of." So is it disgusting that we don't all spend the American independence day filling out forms to head to Canada, or perhaps wiring bombs to place in the nearest McDonalds?
Mobius makes the now-classic mistake of not knowing the difference between criticizing Israeli policy and denying Israel's right to exist. American Jews are celebrating that there is a Jewish state. What precisely does Mobius know about critiques these very paraders do or don't make of Israeli policies? What many of these "Zionists" want is just for Israel to get judged by the same standard as other states, and not told every two seconds to remove itself from the world map.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Ugh
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2 comments:
Just came back from Israel (and the West Bank), and whatever the President of the Supreme Court has to say - Israel was thriving.
It is a young country still - and yes, since it is a country, it has problems with governance, levels of corruption, public trust in public institutions, etc... And - it's in the Middle East (shocker!) - it's not in North America or Europe - it has a different set of issues to deal with that we just cannot fathom and continually take for granted.
Israel is not, and never will be, perfect. It continues to be amazing. Witness Winograd - there were massive protests against Olmert - as there should have been. Try protesting against the head of state in Egypt, Saudi A., Syria - even Jordan - and see what happens.
People participate in the process, and, being mostly Jews, they kvetch, and yet life goes on - all the doom and gloom I read about how bad things are supposedly there - I just didn't see it at all. Coffee houses, restaurants, bars - the beach - all packed. Rabin Square? Packed to protest Olmert.
Imperfect yet thriving. And long will it continue.
Well I really hate St. Patricks Day, but probably because I grew up an Italian-Jew hybrid and was forced into Irish Catholic school at a young age where I couldn't help but notice how un-Irish I am.
And I say Thank God.
Plus it is kind of a Catholicism thing, not an Irish thing. those people ruin everything
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