> ****** Rabbi Lerner said, "I'm honored that some people wanted me to
> speak, and dismayed that the specific reason I'm not allowed to speak
> is my criticism of the anti-Israel bias of A.N.S.W.E.R. But I
> believe that the message of peace is far more pressing at the moment
> than the message of fighting the anti-Semitism among some of the
> march's organizers." *****
>
Now see, this is where I lose it: anti-Israeli bias or particularly anti much that currently defines Israel is NOT, in my opinion, the same as anti-Semitism, and I find it slimy and intellectually dishonest to conflate the two.
If this were a forum instead of a rally, I would call Rabbi Lerner on this instantly. In the world of Planet Rally, having him speak could be a GREAT way to keep him out of the TV studios and out getting ignored with all the rest of the speakers ;->>>
If he were to speak I would put him back to back with some widely respected Palestinian voice and HOPE the rally emcee has the wit to suggest that democracy and the struggle for peace require continuing dialogue among concerned forces. Spinning this imbroglio as part of the ongoing struggle for democracy in fact would be a line I think organizers should stick to like, well...
I do not doubt that there is anti-Semitism afoot in the anti-war movement. For myself I find endless blind defense of Israel tiresome. The best I can do is 1. try to speak to peace and human rights for all equally and 2. definitely consider Rabbi Lerner among the people in need of convincing about many topics talked about at a rally opposing THIS war.
DoreneC
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