1. Why does the "anti-Semitic"...
I would guess it is because of the type of language used, and the hate that is often apparent. Very few people talk against Israel from facts instead of hate.
And righties, pay attention--you rightly call out some people who bring up racism too often in the face of criticism of President Obama.
True, but there are some people who are racist. The people who attack him from policy differences probably are not racist, but it is an easy charge and it makes people act defensively.
2. Why is it sooo hard to have an honest conversation about Israel in America?
Because most people have an opinion that is formed emotionally, not intellectually. They don't have a true opinion, they have a feeling. When you attack that, they react.
Is it really 'cause they're the only Democratic ally we have in the region? Really?
It is true that they are an ally, and that they are in an important part of the world (all that damn oil in the area), shipping channels, etc.
Well, shit, for a gov't that uses similar styles of reprisals that the German gov't used against rebellious/resistant Jews in the shtetls, pre- and during the Jewish Holocaust, um, really, what kind of democracy is that? Really something to celebrate?
Yes. For all of their faults, and they have plenty, that are better than the neighboring countries. Do you believe that the Jews in Israel would be treated as well if the Arabs had won? Better question might be, if the Arabs had won, do you believe there would be a single Jew in the region that wasn't chained in a cell somewhere?
Okay, I'm sure I'm ignoring some very important issues, but Israel is hardly perfect. I so often feel that the Israel conversation, like some other topics in US politics, is too loaded for serious, balanced conversations.
I would say that the aggressor sets the rules, and that is what you are missing. There was a war, Israel won. When we fought the Brits, we kept what we won. Israel took land when they won. Instead of keeping it, the losers want it back, kind of a do-over. And if Israel gives it back, they will use that land to launch the next set of attacks.
For how many years now has Israel had homicide bombers and rocket attacks? Can you image how much of a police state we would be in this country if we had a 9-11 ever few months? If buses and schools were destroyed routinely? If Canada (those bastards) routinely launched hundreds of rocket attacks a month into our country?
But really, it's too easy to shout "anti-Semite" and shut down the conversation.
True, and sad. It is often easier to attack the person instead of the arguments. You get a lot of that here.
And no, I don't have a developed anti-Zionist stance,
I didn't think you did, which is why I tried to answer your questions, instead of just attacking you. LOL.
just questions about why we're so tightly tied to Israel, and so unwilling to call 'em out when they do something we disagree with or that we deem against security purposes.
A part of that is religious, to be fair. Christians and Jews are, well, 1/2 brothers or something. Just like all families, we may have our own fights and disagreements, but when someone starts beating on your little brother, you feel compelled to help defend them.
And yes, why do we hold them to different standards than we hold other countries in the region or the world?)
#51 | Posted by pragmatist
Because, for all their faults, they are a marked improvement over the other governments in the region.
