Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumThe racism of the Israel-bashers
The Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement against Israel is often seen as progressive so its astounding to see its supporters turn to racism.
The latest target: Chloé Simone Valdary, an African-American undergraduate at the University of New Orleans and founder of the Allies of Israel Association.
Valdary recently wrote an article criticizing the Jewish Museums decision to invite Judith Butler, a University of California, Berkeley professor and outspoken BDS supporter to speak an invitation Butler at first accepted, then declined.
BDS supporters response to Valdary was vile. Activist Zaid Jilani tweeted, Non-jew [Chloé Valdary] smears famous Jewish academic as ally of Hitler, then mocked her outspoken stand against anti-Semitism. (Jilani, by the way, was ousted from a liberal think tank last year for use of what his boss called terrible anti-Semitic language.)
Then there was Max Blumenthal, a former writer for the pro-Hezbollah Al Akhbar newspaper. (The Nation found Blumenthals recent book notable for its equation of Israel with Nazis.) He tweeted that Valdary is beyond sickening and irrationally hateful and a non-Jew who represents the future of Zionism.
And Richard Silverstein of Tikun Olam, a blog focused on exposing the excesses of the Israeli national-security state, posted on his Facebook page, with a link to her piece: They finally did it: found a Negro Zionist: Uncle Tom is dancin for joy!
http://nypost.com/2014/04/11/the-racism-of-the-israel-bashers/
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)This was covered in I/P back in march.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/113459368
I would advise against hailing the likes of Valdary as an icon for your cause.
shaayecanaan
(6,068 posts)According to Silverstein she gets 6k from CAMERA a year. Not huge but that's just one organization plus she's been on three junkets to Israel. I guess she gets to keep whatever money she raises on indiegogo to fund her concert which may or may not materialize.
I really should have explored this opportunity to pay my way through university. I'm Lebanese so I should get a fetch a pretty good price for being a campus Zionist I think.
King_David
(14,851 posts)BTW there's much more Saudi Money available to bloggers blogging against Israel and premium to those who are Jewish themselves or anti Iranian.
There's also plenty more money to Apartheid era activists labeling the Jewish State as an Apartheid state.
shaayecanaan
(6,068 posts)King_David
(14,851 posts)Mentioned in the article is interesting and not so surprising .
I have found a lot of the anti-Israel bunch claim to be "progressive" but are homophobic in a big way at the same time.
Even the AntiSemitism is not that surprising so why would we be surprised at their overt racism?
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)And whatever racist shit is said against her, at least it's not apologetics for ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
King_David
(14,851 posts)I never defended that scum.
I did comment on the racists who critiqued her tho.
intaglio
(8,170 posts)Does this apply to the Haredim who deny the Israeli state has a right to exist? What of the reform Jews who loathe the actions and policies of the Israeli state. Oh, and Noam Chomski, of course, do you class him as a self hating Jew?
Ri-i-i-ght
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)If they would just pipe down and follow Israel's lead on setting the narrative, that Palestinians are terrorists, then everything would be okey-dokey.
mylye2222
(2,992 posts)the same right as everyone to get a sovereignty and existing as a nation... so I am antisemitic too???????
Crap. Nonsense.
R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)Then, once the realization sets in that critics of Israel are actually critics and not anti-Semites perhaps we can have a dialog.
Oh, but don't get me wrong, there are plenty of racists out there of all stripes. I can bet that there are plenty of them in Israeli government, the IDF and amongst the 500k illegal Israeli squatters on Palestinian land.
Heck, there's even some that post the usual "Everybody is an anti-Semite" threads looking to dismiss the valid criticisms Israel attracts.
Ya dig?