******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. *****************************************************************
What is "simple" about that? Do you really not get the concept that when members of an ethnic group - ANY ethnic group = are criticized in public by other members of the same group, those comments are taken more seriously that those of outsiders? It's all about being on the inside giving one a better vantage point. This has nothing to do with "Zionist racism" or any other bogeyman you choose to summon because you're frustrated. On Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 5:58 PM, A.R. G <amithrgu...@gmail.com> wrote: > "Identifying Chabon's ethnicity simply means his criticisms of Israel are > to be taken more seriously than that of a Gentile (who might be > anti-Semitic) in the eyes of the general public. " > > What is "simple" about that? That is the central part of Zionist racism: > That political decision-making in Palestine is the exclusive provenance of > Jews from anywhere in the world and that opposition generally should be > seen as "anti-Semitic". Her entire point is that that isn't so "simple". > > I'm not sure what you mean to compare Jews in America or elsewhere to > black people in America. The analogy (if one is necessary) would be to > white people in America. Following your logic (admittedly this is a cheap > analogy) it would mean that we should promote white people's voices because > they have greater legitimacy and are less likely to be written off as black > hatred of the white, or due to "fears of a black planet," or because Glenn > Beck and Alex Jones' moronic followers believe that blacks are out to get > them. > > In the short run, it might be a simpler way to convince racists, but in > the long term it reaffirms that blacks (and Palestinians) are secondary and > that solidarity with them is limited to those who are racially approved by > the states in question. It's like a form-vs-content contradiction. > > - Amith > > On Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 2:32 PM, Sheldon Ranz <sran...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> "Yet there is an inevitable risk associated with the ongoing privileging >> of Jewish voices denouncing Israel. >> This is because by privileging their voices, we are implicitly accepting >> the Zionist narrative of Israel representing all Jews, with very few >> exceptions. " >> >> Here, the writer stumbles. Identifying Chabon's ethnicity simply means >> his criticisms of Israel are to be taken more seriously than that of a >> Gentile (who might be anti-Semitic) in the eyes of the general public. >> It's the same as 'privileging' the criticisms by Black Agenda Report of the >> US Black Establishment over those made by white people, or "privileging" >> the criticisms of Nada Elia of the Palestine Authority over mine, a >> non-Palestinian. >> >> On Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 12:36 PM, A.R. G via Marxism < >> marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote: >> >>> ******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** >>> #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. >>> #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. >>> #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. >>> ***************************************************************** >>> >>> >>> Nada Elia making precisely the point about Jewish privilege and >>> chauvinism >>> that the assholes from Jews Without Borders (the cult that attacked Lou >>> and >>> I over the Alison Weir debacle) keep trying to promote. >>> >>> One of several very good articles by this scholar. >>> >>> >>> http://mondoweiss.net/2016/04/it-is-time-to-stop-celebrating-jewish-dissent-in-the-palestine-solidarity-movement/ >>> >>> The list of BDS successes seems to grow longer every day. More >>> professional associations are endorsing the academic boycott of Israel, >>> cultural workers continue to denounce Israeli abuses, and labor unions, >>> churches, even cities are divesting from companies that benefit from >>> Israel’s illegal practices. These are all wonderful manifestations of the >>> advances we are making. Ultimately, however, BDS is not economic >>> warfare. >>> If it were, we would be doomed to fail, because we can successfully >>> boycott >>> every Israeli item in every grocery store in the entire country, we would >>> still not be making a dent in the US funding of Israel’s war crimes. >>> Indeed, the Obama Administration has just announced that it would give >>> Israel the largest aid package yet. Our biggest BDS victory achieved so >>> far by activists for Palestinian rights may well be the discourse change >>> that BDS has produced in the West. >>> >>> Judged by that criterion, it is absolutely clear that we are winning. We >>> have not yet achieved our goals, namely justice for Palestine, and indeed >>> the situation on the ground in Palestine seems to have worsened as home >>> demolitions and extra-judicial executions are daily occurrences, even as >>> the siege on Gaza continues to choke that part of the country, reminding >>> us >>> of the urgency of our activism here. But the change on the ground cannot >>> happen without a change in the global narrative that misrepresented >>> Palestine. And that change, the shattering of the once iron-clad Zionist >>> narrative, is happening, as we regularly hear and read denunciations of >>> Israel’s abuses in various forums. This was most obvious when US >>> presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke at a nationally televised >>> electoral debate about Palestinian rights, and Israel’s “disproportionate >>> response.” Only days later, Pulitzer Prize laureate Michael Chabon gave >>> a >>> powerful interview in which he describes the horrors he witnessed while >>> on >>> a tour of Hebron. >>> >>> Chabon’s interview circulated amongst Palestinian-rights activists like >>> brush fire on a scorching day, most often prefaced with an explanation >>> that >>> he is a “Jewish-American writer.” This information, certainly offered >>> with >>> the best intentions, is nevertheless treacherous, in that it can uphold >>> an >>> oppressive dynamic. >>> >>> Jewish voices are welcome, of course, in the global denunciation of >>> Zionism >>> as a racist ideology. Identifying oneself as Jewish when one speaks out >>> against Israel’s policies also helps dismantle the accusation that >>> seeking >>> justice for Palestinians is anti-Semitic. Yet there is an inevitable >>> risk >>> associated with the ongoing privileging of Jewish voices denouncing >>> Israel. >>> This is because by privileging their voices, we are implicitly accepting >>> the Zionist narrative of Israel representing all Jews, with very few >>> exceptions. It is these “exceptions,” then, that Palestinian rights >>> activists place on a pedestal. >>> >>> The privileging of Jewish voices is more serious than whites denouncing >>> anti-Black racism. Because when whites denounce racism, there is no >>> suggestion that they too are victimized by the structural system. White >>> allies generally acknowledge the privilege they are born into. Those >>> whites who claim “All Lives Matter” are not considered allies. >>> >>> The dynamics between Jewish and Palestinian voices around the Question of >>> Palestine, however, are different precisely because of the attempt at >>> normalization that have plagued this issue for decades. The Zionist >>> discourse had started out as one of exclusive Jewish victimhood, as if >>> the >>> Palestinians did not exist, were not wronged. This is different from the >>> black-white dynamics, where there was never a credible, widely-accepted >>> narrative of white victimhood. Similarly, there is no credible, >>> widely-accepted narrative of male victimhood when it comes to a >>> discussion >>> of sexism. Even when one acknowledges the oppressive aspects of the >>> gendering of masculinity, there is general recognition that while men are >>> denied some emotional outlets, they are nevertheless the undisputed >>> beneficiaries of social gendering. >>> >>> But when it comes to the Question of Palestine, we have been plagued for >>> decades with a narrative of Jewish victimhood that completely erased any >>> mention of Palestinian loss, the ongoing Nakba. When Palestinian voices >>> finally broke through the censorship, the dynamics changed. Because >>> Palestinian voices were no longer contained, a new development took >>> place, >>> namely the concerted Zionist effort to make this into a “two sides” >>> issue—yes, the Palestinians have been wronged, but let us not forget the >>> centuries of anti-Semitism. Let us have “dialogue” about it, because >>> there >>> are two valid perspectives that must be heard… >>> >>> Except that the pain of the Israelis, born or choosing to emigrate into >>> institutionalized privilege, does not in anyway compare with that of the >>> Palestinians. There is no equivalency, no equal footing, no “we need to >>> hear from both sides.” >>> >>> Because of this background, every time we continue to privilege Jewish >>> voices, we are empowering the Zionist narrative. Even those Jewish >>> allies >>> who are doing stellar and effective work can unwittingly contribute to >>> this >>> “normalizing,” when their narrative, their statements, their witnessing, >>> is >>> given greater validity because they are Jewish. >>> >>> BDS is a call for solidarity, and solidarity, by definition, hinges on >>> the >>> participation of allies, rather than those whose bodies are on the line. >>> It is absolutely normal, then, that there would be more non-Palestinians >>> than Palestinians participating in BDS, in solidarity work, in organizing >>> and even leading campaigns. But the work must center Palestinian >>> concerns, >>> Palestinian voices, Palestinian experiences. And because these have been >>> silenced, censored, dismissed as biased or even hateful for too long, >>> Palestinians absolutely must be given center stage now. When conferences >>> have an equal number of Jewish and Palestinian speakers (or, as is >>> sometimes the case, more Jewish speakers than Palestinians), something is >>> wrong. When criticism of Israel is given more weight because it is >>> expressed by a Jew than a Palestinian, something is wrong. As we >>> privilege >>> Jewish voices, we are allowing them to eclipse the Palestinian ones. >>> >>> We need a multiplicity of voices, a multiplicity of narratives. Jewish >>> voices play an extremely important role within that chorus. But if we >>> agree >>> that the discourse has changed, that the Zionist narrative has been >>> punctured, then statements by our Jewish allies should not necessarily >>> begin with “As a Jew,” and the solidarity Jews offer us should not be >>> valued differently from the solidarity offered us by other communities. >>> >>> Israel does not now, and indeed never did, speak for all Jews. It is >>> time >>> we put an end to that myth by putting an end to the celebration of Jewish >>> voices denouncing Zionism as “exceptional,” or “heroic.” They belong with >>> all other such voices, and must magnify, rather than occupy, the >>> Palestinian narrative. >>> >>> - See more at: >>> >>> http://mondoweiss.net/2016/04/it-is-time-to-stop-celebrating-jewish-dissent-in-the-palestine-solidarity-movement/#sthash.JgcqlJaz.dpuf >>> _________________________________________________________ >>> Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm >>> Set your options at: >>> http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/sranz18%40gmail.com >> >> >> > _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
