Recently Eddie posted that “ Israel is far more invasive in US politics than all other countries. IT own Congress (Both parities), and most presidents, beginning with LBJ.” Israel’s influence might be an off topic debate but saying Israel owns the US government is off course crazy and clearly antisemitic. At least Eddie did not say the Jews own the media and Hollywood. My point is that the off topic cops were nowhere to be seen. Very disappointing and the fact that no other member pointed out the sickness of eddie’s post was telling.
Comments
Looks like the Coalition of Single Issue Voters is feeling the pressure from within. It is a matter of time before each of their selfish agendas are in conflict.
There are way too many threads in Discussions for any one to read all the threads let alone all the posts to flag all offending posts. My suggestion is flag the posts you find objectionable and whoever the cops are can take appropriate action.
As always, all members must know inflation in anything is injurious to societal health. Said plainly, pigs get fed hogs get … Do not blame the cops!
IMO, the quoted text in your OP is based on a hunch and reflects lazy intellectualism but that is what you get when you have a forum that allows amplification of every thought that comes into one’s mind. If you want better, then let us pay for an Ignore button.
Eddie (whoever you are),
There is no denying that the US government is not very difficult to be captured and influenced by any small group as long as the majority are passive about that group. E.g., there is a group that includes both Christians and Jews (I am guessing more Christians than Jews) that are overzionists who are in favor of Israel’s expansion and use the US government's world power to further their cause. There are plenty of Jews who oppose that cause but not active enough that the first group gets their way. There are plenty of small groups that use the US government to do their dirty job. If not, we would not have so many people working in media or lobbying, producing very little useful to humanity. The group you are opposed to is closer to you than you know. Always look within first. Good luck.
The Occupation began after the Six Day War. 1967. A very long time ago. The Separation Wall served to grab even more Palestinian land, and separates farmers and orchardists from their crops. With the US as an ally, Israel holds all the leverage. The US cannot be trusted to serve as an honest broker in negotiations. And the Israelis forever just find a pretext to kill negotiations.
Hamas is not a bunch of angels, for sure. Over in Ramallah, the Palestinian National Authority has zero credibility. Those are internal issues that Palestinians must un-screw-up for themselves. There has been a viable, reasonable Arab Peace Plan available since 2002. The Israeli leaders just ignore it.
The conflict goes back all the way to 1917 with the Balfour Declaration. Both Israel and Palestine have been living with the fallout ever since. ...This is not antisemitism. This is political. You will surely believe me when I assert that I have nothing against anyone for being Jewish, anywhere in the world.
And, nevertheless: AIPAC pretty much gets whatever they ask for, from the US gov't. Lots of Christian Zionists are in key positions, or in the process of getting confirmed. (M. Huckabee.)
I've stopped responding to Edmond, anyhow. He is afflicted with tunnel vision, a MAGA troll, in here. Bye for now.
I might add that I have a number of Jewish friends and acquaintances who feel exactly as
I do regarding the appalling treatment of the Palestinians over many, many years. And if there were ever a people who should know better, it's surely the Jewish people, who have through history suffered the same treatment from others.
For those who raise the anti-Semitism flag, there are any number of videos on YT interviewing Jeffrey Sachs, and Norm Finkelstein --- you can infer their heritage/ background, who are quite more direct than I have been about this topic.
I believe what the OP and others who frequently disagree with me on Offtopic threads -- which they invariable start -- is to squelch the free exchange of ideas.
Is criticism of Israel "verboten" on anything? Does Israel get a "veto" on political discourse in the US? Does Israel's editorial policy trump the Bill of Rights? Whatever standard you choose to apply to criticism of Israel, will you apply it equally to criticism of other nations? Like Russia? Or does Israel merit "special" rules, applicable to no other nation? I think they should be treated no differently. I believe the Bill of Rights applies to political speech for all countries,... not for all countries except one.
Someone a long time ago, mentioned that if we lived in 17th century Europe, would could not criticize the King. If we lived in Caesarian Rome, we could not criticize the emperor. If we had been chattel slaves on a plantation in 17the century planations in the American South, we could not criticize the plantation owner.. And you deem that among the nations of the world, no criticism of Israel dare be uttered? Hmm?
Just go visit wikipedia. or use google. Norm's parents/family were deleted in the concentration camps. He is an open book about his background. Its not a secret. He is one of the most eloquent/educated people on the topic of Gaza there is.
Jeff Sachs, is an esteemed academic. I consider him a 'maestro' on most global topics. I respect them both greatly. And suspect my views are very much in alignment with both, including the systemic interference by Israel in American elections/politics.
Presumably, no one would slander them with an anti-semitic label, as the OP is trying to do with me.
Yeah, got it.
In the 21st century, I've only made one political/campaign donation. (I was too broke in the prior century to make any donations). That one donation was in the 2024 Dem primary cycle for Florida. It was made to defeat a rabid AIPAC supporter, Congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. My donation was to Jan Perelman. Jan ran loudly on an anti-AIPAC platform. Am curious if the dude making slanderous insinuations against me here thinks Jan Perelman is 'anti-Semitic'?
No surprise, Jan lost the primary. I was mildly shocked when I received a phone call a few days after donating online. The call was from Jan personally, thanking me for my donation to her campaign. My donation was.. modest. I certainly would never have expected a call from her campaign, let alone the candidate. I was greatly impressed that she personally took the time to call me. (and a bit tongue-tied when she called me) If she runs for any office again, I will donate again. I cannot cast my vote for her, as I don't live in her district (nor her state).
Bernie Sanders too is very critical of Israel and its political intervention in US politics -- and its occupation of Arab lands. If Hillary had not defeated him in the 2016 primary, I'd probably have voted for him. Is Bernie anti-Semitic? He is critical of Israeli policies, so if that is the standard for anti-Semitic speech, then that would make Bernie anti-Semitic, correct?
And if so, if I had had the opportunity to cast my vote for Bernie for President, would that constitute anti-Semitism on my part? I mean if Bernie utters 'anti-semitic' (i.e. statments critical of a foreign state) remarks, presumably every voter for Bernie is anti-Semitic by association... so voting for the (Jewish-) Bernie would be anti-Semitic, is that how that works?
Are Bernie, and Jen, and Norm, and Jeff entitled to freer political speech than you or I?