[lbo-talk] Law Student With a History of Taking Left Turns

[Dennis Perrin]

> I happen to support a 2 state
> solution. But I regard the old PLO demand fora
> secular socialist unified Palestine to be an ideal,
> and that would mean precisely that "from the River to
> the Sea, Palestine Will be Free." The P's aren't
> brutes or vengeance mad-animals. The Js are not
> innocent civilized victims. Lets look at our
> assumptions, please! jks

But let's also face grim reality. Israel's occupation and brutal forays into
Lebanon have helped to create a climate of death and despair. The
Palestinian leadership, save for a time in the late 70s-early 80s when the
PLO moderated and pushed for a two-state settlement, has grown corrupt and
inept, and has ultimately played into Sharon's hands. There are extremists
on both sides. There are cold-blooded killers on both sides. The young woman
in the piece we're discussing has far too romantic a vision of the
Palestinian resistance, and thus is unable, or unwilling, to denounce
suicide/homicide bombers who are not only criminal, but are criminally
stupid. Every exploding bus and pizzeria sets the Palestinian cause back;
and those on the Western left who romanticize such tactics are doing a
tremendous disservice to the people they claim to care about. If the woman
thinks so lightly of Jewish children being blown to bits, then perhaps she
should strap on some explosives and blast herself to socialist heaven. At
least then she'd be consistent.

People like her are an insult to the memory of Rachel Corrie, among others.

DP