What’s Really Happening On Campus
The JTA writes,
Common wisdom has it that Jewish students are facing a deep crisis as college campuses across the United States burn with anti-Israel fervor.
Certainly there has been an outpouring of anti-Israel agitation at many campuses since the Palestinian intifada began in September 2000. Faculty, especially in the field of Middle Eastern studies, often are anti-Israel, and student efforts to force schools to divest their holdings in companies that do business with Israel have garnered headlines, if not mass support.
Last fall, Israeli Cabinet minister Natan Sharansky visited 13 American college campuses and reported that he was horrified by what he found.
But aside from the most egregious cases, is the common wisdom true?
This seems to be no more than Hillel propaganda.
It’s been done.
A little late but a very well-done piece from NYC-Indy Media.
When I See Gaza, I think Warsaw: Why You Should Go to the Salute to Israel Parade
Leni Reifenstal’s “Triumph of the Will” featuring nearly two hours of Hitler. He is dynamic, poised, intent – personifying the will of ther German people and determining their fate. Mass rallies where all were united unquestionably behind the great leader, proud and strong, is one of the great horrors of fascism.
How could a strong-thinking people as the Germans so descend into madness? How could they take the strengths of a people and turn them to war and horror? How could we let this happen again?
Well, you don’t have to go to Kim’s video to pick up this horrorshow. It’s about to march through the streets of New York City. But this time it’s not the Germans, it’s fellow citizens of New York in a latter-day Brownshirt rally supporting the murderous regime of Ariel Sharon.
Many are tired of facile comparisons between German fascism and its Israeli companion. But after spending a couple of hours as the salute to Israel day parade it’s hard not to. The glee in brutality, the hundreds of genocidal signs saying “no arabs, no war;” the open participation of Kahane’s followers in the same line of march as New York’s liberal establishment. It is a blot on our city and an insult to the secularism and democratic spirit that have long defined New York.
Column after column of young Hebrew school students march with banners and signs commemerating Israeli military victories. Last year, Bank Leumi even featured a float with a bulldozer atop it to the adoration of the crowd. Thousands of Palestinians homes have been smashed to dust since Sharon’s visit to the Dome of the Rock sparked the Al-Aqsa intifada. And the crowd, indeed, went wild.
The greatest tragedy is the mandatory participation of the young. Socializing children to be racist and celebrate the death of conquered peoples takes work. And this parade is meant to instill pride, discipline and vision in the minds of these youths to serve permanent war and death. Watching a 10-year-old youth from Long Island holding a sign that says “Jerusalem is ours” is heart-breaking. It’s like, “kid, the BEACH is yours. Go swimming.”
The young are not to blame and it is for them, for the soul of our neighbors and fellow New Yorkers that anyone reading this should attend the counter-protest. When the Klan marched in New York to spread its racism and hatred of Jews, the people responded by running them out of town. But when it comes to the fascism of Israel, the local political elite turns out with blue stars and banners, demonstrating their fealty to the perceived wishes of one of New York’s largest and most active ethnicities.
But American Jews are not Israelis. There are no other parades in New York that celebrate the STATE of another country. This is no St. Patrick’s Day Parade or West Indian Carnival. It is a celebration of fascism. A demand contrary to the long struggle of Jews for democratic rights in secular societies all around the world. It is a treason to the lessons of the Nazi holocaust. Because “Never Again” mean just that. Not, “Next Time We’ll Wear the Jackboots.”
Can Jews be fascist? It should be obvious now that the answer is “yes.” So can black people, such as the followers of Khalid Muhamed. So can Indians as with freshly defeated “Hindu Nationalists” of the BJP. So can Americans in the name of “democracy” with our resident Le Pen Patrick Buchanan.
Fascism isn’t just a pejorative to throw around about bullies and racists. It’s a more particular idea with roots in Germany, and which long influenced the Zionist dystopia. It is the idea that a government can only serve one people, also called “blood and soil nationalism.”
Israel brags that it is a state of the “Jewish people,” and commits its crimes in all our names. But just as brave Germans fought the rise of Hitler arguing that German workers had more in common with the people of the world than in the mindless chauvinism of Hitler, so too with Jews today. People of conscience must speak now and loud against the brain-washing of the youth into the charnal-house of modern Zionism.
Racists of all stripes want nothing more than to use our fears to sell us war and conquest. But think: What is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Jew? The answer is obvious. Because Israel is built no in the “land of the Jews.” It is not a “land without people for a people without land.” It was a land without White people ready for conquest with the aid of the British, then Americans. It is a client-state founded on principles of racial exclusivity and at war every day of its existence.
The solution is not to “pick a side.” It is to choose humanity. And in this case, that means supporting Palestine’s right to exist as a multi-ethnic state on multi-ethnic land. One person, one vote. No matter how “liberal” or “socialist” you think you are, if you believe that democracy can work for anyone but Jews, you are an anti-Semite. So yes, the biggest purveyors of anti-Semitism in the world today aren’t Muslim fundamentalists or skinhead losers on the streets of Moscow. It’s Israel and the Zionist establishment right here in New York.
So come to the Parade. Bring a sign and speak your peace. Stand up for humanity and against the war-mongers and zionists who use and manipulate our justified concerns of persecution to become the new executioners.
When I see Gaza, I think Warsaw. Never Again.
i find this piece to be a bit generalizing of the zionist movements.
I find Indymedia to be a bit generalizing of the zionist movements.
Back to the origional topic and article, I’ll speak to what’s happening in Canada at our universities.
All around them Jewish students are being assailed with anti-Israel messages that border, if not outrightly involvke, antiSemitism. On the larger campuses that have large Jewish populations we see a heated polerized battle between extreemist groups on either side, leaving the average student feeling even more unsafe.
In smaller campuses Jewish students have begun to hide their ethnicity, while others have began to form pro-Israel groups to try to restore ballance to the debate.
Oh, and here’s the kicker: whenever a Jewish person or group reports and askes for help in fighting the antiJewish sentiment on their campus, you know what they hear from the university community? They hear, “oh, come on, it’s not like there are roving gangs of Nazis walking around”, but when any other group raises simmilar issues everyone comes running to help.
This is the sittuation, as i see it on Canadian University Campuses.
I’m sorry. I’m a progressive, but Johnny Autonomy’s post above made me ill. No one in world discusses any people but Jews like this. Just remember one thing, the world loves a dead Jew more than anything. Israel has the same right to exist as any other country and no other country continually has to justify its existence to the world. Peace is wonderful, but for Israeli, it’s the peace of the grave with the Arabs dancing on top.
Just saying . . .
I think that what’s happpened (and happening) in Berkeley is slightly more complex than the article presents. There are at least a few other reasons why the annti-Israel marches have gotten smaller
– The main campus marching location (Sproul Plaza) is closed for construction
– Students can be fickle; many have moved on from thinking about Israel
– While the local ‘activists’ tend to be rabidly anti-zionistic, most people probably oppose the killing of Palenstinians and their lack of national rights, but not Israel’s right to exist. As things go on (and on and on) these more moderate people tend to drift away
– Iraq; people are busy thinking about our own Mideast occupation
The main recent event in Berkeley that _did_ get people riled up was Daniel Pipes’ visit, which is probably more tied in with the AIPAC plan.
The JTA article, in general, equates ‘supporting Israel’ with ‘supporting the current policies of the Israeli [and American] government(s)’. The AIPAC supported student groups may be having some success in reducing a certain type of activism on campuses, but, IMO, getting more youngish Jewish people to connect constuctively and consistently with the Jewish nation will require breaking the aforementioned assumption.
Happy Shavuot…
Joel, I used to be a progressive too. But that was back when I thought it had something to do with progress.
This part is particularly amusing: There are no other parades in New York that celebrate the STATE of another country. It almost sounds like one of those anti-Zionist articles of faith — although Google, of course, would disagree. Although the Indymedia author does admit that racists of all stripes want nothing more than to use our fears to sell us war and conquest. Indeed. And naked hatred itself.
8opus,
“Anti-Zionist articles of faith….” I LOVE it! Perhaps by now anti-Zionism has developed enough of a mystical component to qualify for faith-based initiative programs.
Gut Yontif all!
Uh… “the open participation of Kahane’s followers in the same line of march as New York’s liberal establishment. It is a blot on our city and an insult to the secularism and democratic spirit that have long defined New York.”
Actually isn’t this precisely the spirit of democracy in action? People with varying viewpoints assembling freely to voice support for a particular cause despite their differences? How does the participation of both a religous group AND a liberal group (as you describe) challenge “secular and democratic” values? Also, secular does not equal ‘democratic’ or ‘free.’ Just as ‘religious’ does not equal ‘fascist.’ In fact, as one counter-example, it was when Europe’s “Christian character” began to truly be replaced by a ‘secular’ ethic, early in the 20th century, that fascism rose to prominence (not that the two trends are necessarily related).
Though I find the views of Kahanists distasteful, I hardly think it ‘undemocratic’ for them to march in support of Israel. If anything, the problem is that perhaps the Kahanists could have been barred from marching, but that would be far more of a ‘fascist’ act.
Secondly, you mention a number of differing positions represented at the march, which scarcely resembles your opening description of, “Mass rallies where all were united unquestionably behind the great leader, proud and strong.” Your own words betray your ‘point.’
Finally, I would like to discuss the term “fascism,” which does not apply to every country which is organized along ethnic lines or, as you believe (of Israel), does horrible things to others based on that ethnic identity. Fascism is a particular form of government which, although I am not an expert on the subject, Israel is most certainly not. If you think that Israel is ‘wrong,’ or ‘evil,’ say so. Don’t use dishonest and misleading terminology.
When I read your (Johnny’s) post, I do not hear the righteously indignant clarion bell of Reason, but the petulant polemic of either an ignorant rhetorician or a bigot.
ethan, as a supporter of free speech i support the neo-nazi’s and fascist’s rights to march down the streets of nyc. on the other hand, if there was a Germany Day Parade, and these neo-nazis marched within the parade – then (if i was a german) i would really be disgused of the fact that such a thing could happen. it doesnt mean i would support banning the neo-nazis from the Germany Parade.
same goes with kahane. i even support their right to be in israel’s government. but give me the benefit to vomit at the thought. That is the difference between a moral judgement and an aesthetic one 🙂
regarding your term fascism – israel as a state is not fascist, but there are definitely growing trends of fascism. when the state is a value in and of itself, this is a step towards fascism. thus, talking about the demographic problem is, for instance, a fascist inclination because the demographic problem is a problem the state has with its citizens, not vice versa.
ethan, as a supporter of free speech i support the neo-nazi’s and fascist’s rights to march down the streets of nyc. on the other hand, if there was a Germany Day Parade, and these neo-nazis marched within the parade – then (if i was a german) i would really be disgused of the fact that such a thing could happen. it doesnt mean i would support banning the neo-nazis from the Germany Parade.
same goes with kahane. i even support their right to be in israel’s government. but give me the benefit to vomit at the thought. That is the difference between a moral judgement and an aesthetic one 🙂
regarding your term fascism – israel as a state is not fascist, but there are definitely growing trends of fascism. when the state is a value in and of itself, this is a step towards fascism. thus, talking about the demographic problem is, for instance, a fascist inclination because the demographic problem is a problem the state has with its citizens, not vice versa.
Asaf,
I am careful in my post to say that I also find distasteful (aesthetcally displeasing, to use your moral-relativist terminology) the participation of Kahane supporters in the march. While Israel may sometimes exhibit characteristics that resemble the acts of historical fascist governments, Johnny was making a specific point, that this march was a manifestation of fascism. That analogy was flawed on a number of levels, several of which I pointed out. I’m not sure what in my post you are arguing with on this point.
Secondly, whether one believes the ‘demographic problem’ to be a morally legitimate concern I understand to be arguable, but if it is seen as a problem by a majority of the voting population then it is imminently democratic. I think the majority of Israelis (judging from polls) are concerned about the issue. Therefore the government is representing the concerns of its people in a highly democratic process. Again, I would like to perhaps point out a moralist tendency in leftist writing (on this site and elsewhere) to assume that “democracy”=”good.” Whereas democracy and democratic values (I believe) are an optimal system for supporting moral/ethical/tasteful decisions; democratically made decisions are themselves morally neutral except in their specifics as individual cases. In other words, a democratic decision can be just as wrong as a fascist one. I see your post as another case of seeing a democratic decision that you dislike, and calling it fascist because “fascism” is a dirty word. Again my point is, if you think something is wrong/incorrect/distasteful/whatever, say so, and why.
Asaf,
I am careful in my post to say that I also find distasteful (aesthetcally displeasing, to use your moral-relativist terminology) the participation of Kahane supporters in the march. While Israel may sometimes exhibit characteristics that resemble the acts of historical fascist governments, Johnny was making a specific point, that this march was a manifestation of fascism. That analogy was flawed on a number of levels, several of which I pointed out. I’m not sure what in my post you are arguing with on this point.
Secondly, whether one believes the ‘demographic problem’ to be a morally legitimate concern I understand to be arguable, but if it is seen as a problem by a majority of the voting population then it is imminently democratic. I think the majority of Israelis (judging from polls) are concerned about the issue. Therefore the government is representing the concerns of its people in a highly democratic process. Again, I would like to perhaps point out a moralist tendency in leftist writing (on this site and elsewhere) to assume that “democracy”=”good.” Whereas democracy and democratic values (I believe) are an optimal system for supporting moral/ethical/tasteful decisions; democratically made decisions are themselves morally neutral except in their specifics as individual cases. In other words, a democratic decision can be just as wrong as a fascist one. I see your post as another case of seeing a democratic decision that you dislike, and calling it fascist because “fascism” is a dirty word. Again my point is, if you think something is wrong/incorrect/distasteful/whatever, say so, and why.
Asaf: “when the state is a value in and of itself, this is a step towards fascism.”
If that is true, then what ISN’T a step toward fascism? Must we all be anarchists in order not to be considered fascism-enablers?
Further, if discussing demographic concerns represents a fascist inclination, then what are we to conclude from the far more noxious policies of Israel’s neighboring Arab states?
All these progressive ideals and anarchist philosophies advanced in forums like this seem plagued with the notion that Israel must somehow take the lead in establishing politically utopian practices. Why can’t we just begin with a far more practicable equanimity among a family of nations, which we have hardly begun to consistently apply as a technologically, economically, and ecologically interdependent civilization?
when the state is a value in and of itself, this is a step towards fascism.
Uh, no. The goal of democratisation and transformation of state policy, for example, involves stepping away from fascism.
talking about the demographic problem is, for instance, a fascist inclination because the demographic problem is a problem the state has with its citizens
Neither. (Note to self: remember to tell Quebec government officials who incorporated the “baby bonus” that they are, in fact, fascists. This will no doubt be surprising.)
The idea that Israel can only survive if its majority is Jewish is idiotic, of course. But a Jewish state with a mostly non-Jewish citizenry is a transformation that is certainly worth talking about, because it throws nicely into relief the direction in which policy goals in Israel — and every other nation-state — should be headed: acknowledging state responsibility towards cultures, without conflating the state and said culture.
That’s not so complicated, is it?