Evangelical Christians supporting a US military intervention in Sudan under the Bush administration -- no surprise there. Neo-conservatives (Jewish and non-Jewish) supporting a US military intervention in Sudan under the Bush administration -- no surprise there. But other Jewish leaders? I was surprised to hear of this (I first learned it from Louis Proyect's posting to the Marxism list <http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/marxism/2006w17/msg00158.htm>).
Then, I looked into the "Save Darfur" campaign website and learned of the coalition's origin: "The Coalition began on July 14 when the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and American Jewish World Service organized a Darfur Emergency Summit at the CUNY Graduate Center in Manhattan featuring Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Elie Wiesel. Mr. Wiesel inspired the group with his impassioned remarks about the suffering being inflicted on Darfurians: 'How can I hope to move people from indifference if I remain indifferent to the plight of others? I cannot stand idly by or all my endeavors will be unworthy'" (at <http://www.savedarfur.org/about/>). Then, I look into signatories of the coalition's unity statement: <http://www.savedarfur.org/about/signatories>. There are others involved here, but the main force are established Jewish organizations. Then, I learn from a Washington Post article that "Organizers rushed this week to invite two Darfurians to address the rally after Sudanese immigrants objected that the original list of speakers included eight Western Christians, seven Jews, four politicians and assorted celebrities -- but no Muslims and no one from Darfur" (Alan Cooperman, "Groups Plan Rally on Mall To Protest Darfur Violence: Bush Administration Is Urged to Intervene in Sudan," Washington Post, 27 April 2006: A21).
Like many Jewish and non-Jewish leftists, I've spent quite a bit of time arguing against the myth that Jewish communities rooted for the Iraq War, by promulgating poll results that show higher levels of Jewish opposition to the Iraq War than the US average. Here's a new development: establishment Jews (who aren't neo-cons or other sorts of right-wing fringes) standing side by side with many Christians and only a few Muslims, taking leadership for a new US military intervention (on its own or through NATO) in a predominantly Muslim country.
It boggled my mind (in a way predictable evangelical involvement didn't): how could the Jewish leaders involved in this believe that this is good for Jewish communities? ?? ???
Later again, I looked into the speakers list and learned of a heavily Democrat lineup -- Pelosi, Obama, Sharpton, etc. -- and it made some "sense" in a narrow electoral sense; and I thought of Israel's stance toward Sudan, the way the Darfur conflict has been framed by the media, and other factors that may have led to this new development and make "sense" psychologically; but over all I still don't think that the Jewish leaders' initiative and central leadership in this campaign squares with material interests of ordinary Jews.
Hence my response: "Should we laugh or should we cry?"
-- Yoshie <http://montages.blogspot.com/> <http://mrzine.org> <http://monthlyreview.org/>