andie nachgeborenen wrote:
>
>
> In the context of the antiwar movement here and now,
> while Yoshie is right that we have to look beyond the
> specific short term goal of trying to stop the war,
> the issue is complicated by the short term goal, which
> is necessary even if unlikely. In this context,
> denunciations of Zionism as racism and insistance on
> maximalist button-pushing positions is not helpful.
> Probabvly in the circumstances, we have enouigh on out
> plates with the politically palatable positions: End
> the Occupation! Withdraw the Settlements! No
> Collective Punishments! Justice for Palestineans!
>
> jks
>
I more or less agree with this, but I have some reservations.
The initial question, who should and should not be "allowed" to speak at rallies, is also a question of how broad the anti-war coalition should be. And that can be phrased two ways. Should we allow anti-war Zionists into the Coalition? Yes. Should we allow anti-war _Anti-Zionists_ (of all degrees) into the coalition? The answer has to be Yes to that too.
Re speakers -- I don't think what they say makes a damn bit of difference because I'm more or less still convinced that most people at a rally have better things to do than try to hear what the speakers are saying. But probably in terms of establishing the "principles of unity" of the coalition in discussions prior to and after the rally it does make a difference. Hence there should be room on the platform both for those who argue that Israel must survive and for those who maintain that "Israel" must disappear into a state in which Jews and Palestinians are equal. In the long run (not too long) no state which defines citizenship in terms of religion or "blood" can survive. But for coalition purposes we must include both those who deny and those who accept that statement.
Max's arguments _could_ be interpreted as narrowing the coalition by not only insisting that certain views be included BUT insisting that certain other views be excluded. And to push that exclusion would simply dissove the movement rather than incorporate the "mainstream," whatever the hell that is.
Carrol