I would also point out that most of the world is not on Israel's side on this one and has always been much more sympathetic to the Palestinians than the U.S. International public opinion (calls to divest and boycott) helped bring down the apartheid government of South Africa, which the U.S. strongly supported until the last moments, as I recall. So, yes, U.S. voters have a ways to go but they've come a long way, too, and against great odds considering the media war-whores and their one-sided reporting (why can't they ever say that, "Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself, AND so do the Palestinians have a right to defend themselves," etc. So, educate, agitate, organize, demonstrate, boycott, go on strike, etc., until the situation changes, whenever that will be; AND, all that will only be more difficult and possibly meaningless with Trump in office.
Rationality rarely works. I think marching around the Administration building chanting From The River to The Sea is probably the best and fastest way to end the war, no? I am sorry to say but it is MY IMPRESSION that a lot of younggins do not think Israel has a right to defend itself. They have adopted the colonial settler mind frame and therefore Israel is not a legit state. That a majority of Israelis are Mizrahi, of Arab Jewish origin and refugees from from ani semitic Arab regimes does not enter the calculation. Too complicated for a slogan.
I could probably agree with your first sentence. I mean, just look at the history of humanity in general. But, what else does "work" if not a good dose of rationality? Dogmatic slogans aren't rational, unless the goal is to make things worse (which isn't rational to a humanist like me or you). But my appeal is to people who really want peace or who might be persuaded to want it by speaking to their repressed rationality. What else can one do?
I agree with your analysis. Yes it is appalling to see Biden/Harris continue to send arms to Israel and make only token protests to the genocide against Palestinians. But…consider two points: US ties to Israel are so deeply embedded in our foreign policy that to expect any quick change is foolish. This is a long struggle as you point out and so we must persevere while electing political leadership at least marginally more likely to move in the right direction. And that is Harris/Walz, definitely not the fascist Trump who will pursue a policy of maximum chaos and destruction at home and abroad. As an early boomer (1947) I was raised with the warm feelings of admiration and identification with the brave citizens of Israel trying to make a life after the horrors of the Holocaust. I wasn’t very aware at all of the brutal treatment of Palestinians involved in achieving that goal. Now I know better, but the empire’s course changes only slowly and with great effort. Let’s all hang in there with leadership at least susceptible of making that change. That’s Kamala Harris.
I would also point out that most of the world is not on Israel's side on this one and has always been much more sympathetic to the Palestinians than the U.S. International public opinion (calls to divest and boycott) helped bring down the apartheid government of South Africa, which the U.S. strongly supported until the last moments, as I recall. So, yes, U.S. voters have a ways to go but they've come a long way, too, and against great odds considering the media war-whores and their one-sided reporting (why can't they ever say that, "Yes, Israel has a right to defend itself, AND so do the Palestinians have a right to defend themselves," etc. So, educate, agitate, organize, demonstrate, boycott, go on strike, etc., until the situation changes, whenever that will be; AND, all that will only be more difficult and possibly meaningless with Trump in office.
Rationality rarely works. I think marching around the Administration building chanting From The River to The Sea is probably the best and fastest way to end the war, no? I am sorry to say but it is MY IMPRESSION that a lot of younggins do not think Israel has a right to defend itself. They have adopted the colonial settler mind frame and therefore Israel is not a legit state. That a majority of Israelis are Mizrahi, of Arab Jewish origin and refugees from from ani semitic Arab regimes does not enter the calculation. Too complicated for a slogan.
I could probably agree with your first sentence. I mean, just look at the history of humanity in general. But, what else does "work" if not a good dose of rationality? Dogmatic slogans aren't rational, unless the goal is to make things worse (which isn't rational to a humanist like me or you). But my appeal is to people who really want peace or who might be persuaded to want it by speaking to their repressed rationality. What else can one do?
I agree with your analysis. Yes it is appalling to see Biden/Harris continue to send arms to Israel and make only token protests to the genocide against Palestinians. But…consider two points: US ties to Israel are so deeply embedded in our foreign policy that to expect any quick change is foolish. This is a long struggle as you point out and so we must persevere while electing political leadership at least marginally more likely to move in the right direction. And that is Harris/Walz, definitely not the fascist Trump who will pursue a policy of maximum chaos and destruction at home and abroad. As an early boomer (1947) I was raised with the warm feelings of admiration and identification with the brave citizens of Israel trying to make a life after the horrors of the Holocaust. I wasn’t very aware at all of the brutal treatment of Palestinians involved in achieving that goal. Now I know better, but the empire’s course changes only slowly and with great effort. Let’s all hang in there with leadership at least susceptible of making that change. That’s Kamala Harris.
100% agreement Jeff!