I confess that I have tried to discourage this subject. I have the feeling that 1/2 of the progressive community in the U.S. is zionist and the other half side with the plight of the indigenous people. Since the region is so confusing, there is probably another 1/2 that disagree with both sides. If the Arabs were to disappear from the face of the world, I suspect that the Israelis would devour each other in fights between the secular and the religious. From what I understand the Palestinians are also pretty factious. We could talk about Apartheid in S. Africa on the left. We pretty much agreed that the system was evil. Discussions on Israeli politics are so contentious that I suspect that they would consume most of our energies and turn off most of the people on the list. In the end, I do not think that anyone would learn anything. Now to a related subject: the postings of S. Tell. Most penners, Barkley excepted, have not commented on these postings. As a result, I have not found them to be disruptive. Some people have told me that they find these postings informative. Others on the list have said otherwise. What I do find distateful is the tendency to attack the poster personally. I wish that we could avoid that tendency. I have also seen the debate about the Labor Party becoming overly personal. I would like to see pen-l be an enjoyable space where we can do good work. Personal attacks will undermine what we are trying to accomplish. What was it that Rodney King was trying to say? By the way, I did not attend the Republican meeting in Chico where Dole fell down off the stage, but the railing was unattached to prevent terrorists from vaulting off the stage after doing something bad. Instead, poor Bob leaned on the railing .... Who says that this anti-terrorism stuff is all bad? -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
