[lbo-talk] Alex Cockburn on Ted Honderich

Luke Benjamin Weiger lweiger at umich.edu
Sat Aug 16 10:58:11 PDT 2003


Justin wrote:


> Jewish is defined by ancestry, not faith.

Well, as in Nazi Germany, ancestry or faith. I believe you said before that, if you're a convert, it's sometimes difficult to immigrate, but sincere converts can eventually get in, right? Also, I suppose an exclusionary immigration policy is by definition racist, but (as I mentioned before) there are countries like present-day Germany that have such policies and aren't typically considered to be racist states.


> It drove the natives off the land, marginalized them on Bantustans,
> settles the Bantustans, and oppresses them far worse than the old
> SA govt did blacks in the old times.

Of course, you fail to mention that there is no South African analogue for the Israeli Palestinians, who (although they are discriminated against) enjoy de jure equality and are (to my knowledge) treated better far better than South African blacks.


> It is inconceivable that any sane non-Zionsit person could
> deny this. You are dumber than I thought. This is a
> disappointment. jks

I guess you have a limited imagination. Although I may be wrong, I am not insane, a Zionist, or dumb. And even if I'm wrong, the Zionism=racism rhetoric doesn't pay, because it alienates people who might well otherwise agree with us that (say) collective punishment is an unacceptable response to terror and (more generally) that the occupation places unconscienable burdens on the backs of the Palestians.

BTW, please show a modicum of respect for whoever it is that you happen to be having a conversation with. It might help if you imagined that you were speaking to them face-to-face.

-- Luke



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