This could be an interesting discussion. So...who wants to DEFINE what "Zionism" is?
I will give it a shot. In general, and being raised in a very pro-Israel Jewish-American family in New York, it depends on the context because the term "Zionism" can break down into uselessness. A Zionist as I was growing up was someone who was Jewish-American and actively supporting, politically defending, contributing too, the State of Israel and its existence as a political entity. I still use it this way. However, the problem arises when asked "Do you support the continued existence of a Jewish homeland in Israel"? Most Jewish-American (please note that hyphenated-American thing is MY upbringing, not "Jewish" because that would impart a religious stance that I now totally reject) and I'm not a Jewish-Canadian, or a Jewish-Mexican (yes, there are many) or from any other country. I think it is probably close to a large majority maybe close to 80 or 90% of Jewish-Americans who broadly support the establishment of the State of Israel. If you define being a Zionist in that way but only apply it to Jewish-Americans then something is quite wrong. A "Zionist" then could be a Christian as many do...far more in absolute numbers than there Jewish-Americans in total. But we don't really see or hear people accusing Christian defenders of Israel as being "Zionist". So it needs to be discussed in a calm manner. Politically and personally, I would like to use my original definition and not the passive "Yes, I support Israel" definition of Zionism. I think Zionism is both a program and...and ideology and if we narrow it down this way, fewer people are actually true Zionists. I believe now with the campus occupations the term is being used far too casually and is causing problems. What do folks think? David -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#30110): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/30110 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/105740767/21656 -=-=- 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. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: marxmail+ow...@groups.io Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/8674936/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [arch...@mail-archive.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
