? not sure if I understand what you mean.... is political use of christian and other religious icons to be prohibited? if folks can compare jesus with campesinos, why can't they compare him with palestinians? ***********************************
I have to admit that Heartfield and you, whoever the hell you are (sorry, but anonymous email addresses on listserv's bug me), have a point.
No Christian could be criticized for likening a victim of oppression to the suffering of Jesus on the cross, in and of itself. The problem of course is the coincidental intersection of this particular victim's oppressors with an ancient prejudice. The justaposition of Israeli soldiers with Jesus on the cross reflects this duality vividly. Sure it's about the IDF oppressing Palestine, but it's also about jews and the death of Christ, whether you want it to be or not. One could question the judgement underlying display of the mural in this regard, though as I suggested before, I think it is more in the vein of unfortunate error than deliberate malice.
I disagree with Greg that such old notions as jewish guilt for the crucifixion have died away. One of our leading Christian fundies is still writing goofy, vicious stuff about jews to little public disapprobation. I agree with JH that anti-semitism in the U.S. is far down the list of important social problems.
I would caution Greg that the absence of jews can have little to do with the extent of prevailing prejudice towards them. I doubt anti-semitism in Scotland amounts to much. On the other hand, there are few minorities in Idaho, but that state is notorious as a home to extremist bigots.
mbs