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Jun 7, 2010

Kevin MacDonald: Charles Krauthammer’s “Those Troublesome Jews”

 

http://theoccidentalobserver.net/tooblog/?p=2130

Kevin MacDonald: Charles Krauthammer's "Those Troublesome Jews"

Kevin MacDonald: Charles Krauthammer has always been extreme even by neocon standards. He was among the first to recommend that America seize the opportunity created by the fall of the Soviet Union to remake the entire Arab world in the interests of "democratic globalism."

Beyond power. Beyond interest. Beyond interest defined as power. That is the credo of democratic globalism. Which explains its political appeal: America is a nation uniquely built not on blood, race or consanguinity, but on a proposition—to which its sacred honor has been pledged for two centuries.

America as a country with no biological identity should go to war so that Israel can achieve its ethnic interests. Americans are wonderfully principled people who have no ethnic identity. So he pitches eternal war as a moral crusade for righteousness that America must be committed to because that's just how Americans are: Principled people who must be reminded once in a while that they need to wage holy war to uphold their lofty principles.

America is committed not to blood but to supporting democracy and freedom. America must defeat "the new global threat to freedom, the new existential enemy, the Arab-Islamic totalitarianism that has threatened us in both its secular and religious forms for the quarter-century since the Khomeini revolution of 1979."

He's probably had to rethink the rationale for war against the Arab and Islamic world since Hamas won the largest number of votes and parliamentary seats in democratic elections held in 2006.

Moral posturing is absolutely central to Krauthammer's modus operandi.  While the rest of the world remains horrified at the behavior of the Israeli military, his column on the 2009 Gaza invasion was titled "Moral clarity in Gaza":  "Some geopolitical conflicts are morally complicated. The Israel-Gaza war is not. It possesses a moral clarity not only rare but excruciating."

Krauthammer always knows who the good guys are and he knows Americans are suckers for arguments framed as moral imperatives.

So it's not surprising that he sees Israel as the hapless victim in the flotilla incident, condemned for simply "defending" itself. Andrew Sullivan is correct that to read Krauthammer is to enter into an alternate universe where aggressors are victims and where "forward defense" means invasion and murder of civilians. Krauthammer is the foremost exponent of the Israeli Derangement Syndrome: "This is a form of derangement, or of such a passionate commitment to a foreign country that any and all normal moral rules or even basic fairness are jettisoned."

What's different about Krauthammer is his willingness to play the anti-Semitism card — combined with the usual trademarked dose of moral posturing. His column on the flotilla is titled "Those Troublesome Jews" — troublesome in his view because Jews insist on defending themselves:

The world is tired of these troublesome Jews, 6 million — that number again — hard by the Mediterranean, refusing every invitation to national suicide. For which they are relentlessly demonized, ghettoized and constrained from defending themselves, even as the more committed anti-Zionists — Iranian in particular — openly prepare a more final solution.

Israel's problems don't stem from push back resulting from its aggressive ethnonationalism, they stem from the fact that the world–the entire world–wants another Holocaust, including "the supine Europeans who've had quite enough of the Jewish problem." While the rest of the world hates Jews because of Third Worldism, the Europeans hate Jews just as they have for the last millennium. They're all basically Nazis at heart.

This is not an exaggeration. His 2002 article "Please excuse the Jews for living" had the same logic. He recited the many sins of France, including the fact that Jean Marie LePen – "the modern incarnation of European fascism" — had enough votes to be a run-off candidate for president.

I don't recall Krauthammer condemning the many signs of fascism in Israel — particularly the present Israeli government and, most famously, its foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman. It's clear that Krauthammer thinks that European countries are proposition countries too. For Europeans, nationalism is a morally reprehensible reminder of National Socialism; for Israelis, it's simply Jews being assertive.

And what accounts for the fact that European governments join in the chorus of condemnation of Israel? Plain old-fashioned anti-Semitism. Europeans just don't like assertive Jews.

The explanation is not that difficult to find. What we are seeing is pent-up anti-Semitism, the release – with Israel as the trigger – of a millennium-old urge that powerfully infected and shaped European history.

What is odd is not the anti-Semitism of today, but its relative absence during the last half-century. That was the historical anomaly. Holocaust shame kept the demon corked for that half-century. But now the atonement is passed. The genie is out again.

This time, however, it is more sophisticated. It is not a blanket hatred of Jews. Jews can be tolerated, even accepted, but they must know their place. Jews are fine so long as they are powerless, passive and picturesque.

What is intolerable is Jewish assertiveness, the Jewish refusal to accept victimhood. And nothing so embodies that as the Jewish state. What so offends Europeans is the armed Jew, the Jew who refuses to sustain seven suicide bombings in the seven days of Passover and strikes back. That Jew has been demonized in the European press as never before since, well … since the '30s. …

Just when Europe had reconciled itself to tolerance for the passive Jew – the Holocaust survivor who could be pitied, lionized, perhaps awarded the occasional literary prize – along comes the Jewish state, crude and vital and above all unwilling to apologize for its own existence.

It's a clever argument of the sort that appeals to those morally principled Westerners. Israeli nationalism and aggressiveness are good, and if you don't think so, you're an anti-Semite. Europeans have always hated Jews. In another column, Krauthammer writes of "a history of centuries of relentless, and at times savage, persecution of Jews in Christian lands."

One wonders if there are any examples of Israeli aggression that he would see as morally reprehensible. Probably not. He has rationalized every example of Israeli aggression to date and has denounced the Oslo Accords as  "the most catastrophic and self- inflicted wound by any state in modern history."

The existence of fanatical Jews like Krauthammer isn't a surprise given what we know about the massive ethnocentrism at the heart of Jewish identity. What is truly depressing is that he is published in the Washington Post and syndicated in over 200 other newspapers and websites, such as Townhall. He is a regular commentator on Fox News and Inside Washington.

The result is that Americans are continually subjected to pro-Israel chauvinism, towering Jewish ethnocentrism, and anti-European hatred in the most prestigious and popular media outlets. We internalize the double standard in which Krauthammer rationalizes Israeli racialism and apartheid but promotes and exploits the idea that America and European countries exist for the purpose of defending abstractions; any sign of White identity and sense of White interests are morally repugnant.

We come to take these ideas for granted–to the point that Krauthammer is eminently respectable, especially among conservatives. Other commentators, like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, seem to have internalized this mindset as well. Accepting people like Krauthammer is what it means to be a mainstream conservative.

It's a major part of the sickness we face.

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Dalton's Holocaust Radio Debate on April 24, 2010:

http://www.americanfreedomradio.com/Barrett_10.html

Peace.

Michael Santomauro
Editorial Director
Call anytime: 917-974-6367
ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

http://www.DebatingTheHolocaust.com

Amazon's: DEBATING THE HOLOCAUST: A New Look At Both Sides by Thomas Dalton

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Learning from the Left: PLUS Kevin MacDonald Blog on Charles Krauthammer

 




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Dalton's Holocaust Radio Debate on April 24, 2010:

http://www.americanfreedomradio.com/Barrett_10.html

Peace.

Michael Santomauro
Editorial Director
Call anytime: 917-974-6367
ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

http://www.DebatingTheHolocaust.com

Amazon's: DEBATING THE HOLOCAUST: A New Look At Both Sides by Thomas Dalton

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Baby born with two faces, four eyes, two noses, two mouths

 

Amazing...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbC04A9nUmU&feature=youtu.be


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Peace.

Michael Santomauro
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Call anytime: 917-974-6367
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Israel's Occupation: Who Profits and Who Doesn't? - London School of Economics

 

Israel's Occupation:
Who Profits and Who Doesn't?


19 Nov 2009, London School of Economics


On 19 November 2009 the London School of Economics (LSE) hosted a seminar on "Israel's Occupation of Palestine: Who profits and who doesn't". It was organised by the LSE Student Union and featured two activists from Israel talking about the the Israeli Occupation, its corporate supporters, and its effect on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The event was chaired by Daniel Machover, the chairperson of 'Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights'.


Dr Dalit Baum (Who Profits), Daniel Machover (Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights),
Salwa Alenat (Kav LaOved) [left to right]



The Seminar was in three parts

  • 1: Abuse of Palestinian Workers (19min)
    speaker: Salwa Alenat (Kav LaOved)

  • 2: Who profits from the occupation? (31min)
    speaker: Dr Dalit Baum (Who Profits)

  • 3: Question & Answer session (26min)

1: Abuse of Palestinian Workers


The first speaker, Salwa Alenat - a Palestinian with Israeli citizenship, reported on the abuse of Palestinian workers in the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Her presentation included the showing of 'Bitter Dates' a short documentary exposing the dangerous working conditions and abuse of Palestinian workers in Jordan Valley settlements date farms. Workers are forced to work with pesticides without even rudimentary protection, and are left hanging on Palm trees for hours on end. Salwa interviewed the workers, one had fallen off the tree when the support collapsed resulting in broken bones, another worker landed on his face resulting in broken teeth. He was sacked and left to pay $6000 medical costs by himself.



Salwa Alenat, Palestinian Projects Manager for Kav LaOved (Workers Hotline)

Salwa Alenat is the Palestinian Projects Manager for Kav LaOved (Workers Hotline). Kav LaOved is a non-profit NGO committed to protecting the rights of disadvantaged workers employed in Israel and by Israelis in the Occupied Territories, including Palestinians, migrant workers, subcontracted workers and new immigrants. Their website www.kavlaoved.org.il is a minefield of first hand information on the treatment of workers in Israel.

2: Who profits from the occupation?


The second speaker, Dr Dalit Baum was from 'The Coalition of Women for Peace' which runs the research project 'Who Profits from the Occupation' which exposes the companies profiting from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The project website www.whoprofits.org contains a database of nearly 400 companies that support the occupation. Whilst the focus is only on those companies supporting the 1967 occupation, it is never the less an excellent resource and a highly commendable achievement. Dr Dalit Baum explained that Whoprofits works with many international campaigns for BDS, feeding them with the vital information needed to expose the culprit companies, resulting is some spectacular successes. These include the Belgian bank Dexia which they exposed as funding settlement projects in the West Bank. Following the revelation, a sustained grass roots campaign in Belgium resulted in Dexia announcing it will no longer finance Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.



Dr Dalit Baum (of Who Profits) explaining how to use their database
of companies supporting the occupation

3: Question & Answer session




Migrant Workers in Israel

In order to reduce its dependence on Palestinian labour, Israel has over the years increased its use of migrant workers from all over the world including the Thailand, Philippines, China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. About 30,000 of them work on Israeli farms, others in construction, as cleaners and caregivers. These workers have few rights and are systematically abused. Whilst this was beyond the scope of the seminar which focused on the abuse of Palestinians, Kav LaOved's web site (www.kavlaoved.org.il) catalogs some of these abuses.

Thai farm workers are payed below minimum wage and forced to work extra hours without any pay, and what pay they do get is withheld for months at a time. They are allowed only one day off per month, with no paid vacation, and their passports are withheld by their employers. Some 20,000 Chinese are employed in the construction industry, Israeli employers in order to save money expect the workers to live at the construction sites where they work, in the first storey of the building in which they are constructing the second! Filthy places with no hot water and everything open. Then there was the recent case (July 14, 2009) of an Indian caregiver. Among her catalog of abuses, she was not even supplied with enough food to eat which resulted in drastic weight loss, and she was deprived of sleep for long periods of time. Her salary was very low and frequently late and she was forced to clean the employers son's apartment without pay. When she tended her notice to quit her job the Israeli Court, without even seeing her, issued a court order forcing her to continue working for the Israeli employer.

In the question - answer session following the two talks Dr Baum explained that because of political considerations due to their location (in Israel) Whoprofits project is limited in that they only investigate corporate involvement in the occupation of 1967. However she made it clear that she personally did not believe that you can separate the occupation from Israel and that their research proved this because "the entire Israeli economy is complicit" in the occupation.

With regards to boycotts of Israel, Dr Baum explained "all actions in this case are good, of course we want to reach wide academic boycotts and cultural boycotts.. everything we can do because the situation is dire, presently on the ground in the Israeli public opinion level there is no motivation to change. So we need to change it from within but we need the outside pressure in order to have some traction."

Salwa Alenat raised the issue of migrant workers in Israel and their abuse - see box. She did not see change coming from the Israeli state with regards to the abuse of workers and whilst Israeli public opinion towards migrant workers has helped win small concessions like the freezing of the expulsion of children of migrant workers who are born in Israel, with regards to Palestinians she was not at all optimistic that the Israeli public would care enough for Palestinian human rights to exert any pressure on the state.

So both Israeli citizens, Jew and Arab, point to the same conclusion that Israel is incapable of change. It is only through sustained pressure from outside, ie a strong BDS campaign, that we can ever hope to see any change, so the ball is clearly in our court..




MP3 Podcast of Seminar


Related Items
  • Who Profits The Occupation Industry Research Project exposing the companies and corporations involved in the occupation
  • Kav LaOved - Workers Hotline A non-profit NGO committed to protecting the rights of disadvantaged workers employed in Israel and by Israelis in the Occupied Territories, including Palestinians, migrant workers, subcontracted workers and new immigrants.
  • Boycott Israeli Dates Campaign page includes videos, leaflets, letters, etc.
  • Shopping Can Kill Boycott Israeli Goods 2009 campaign

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Elvis Costello cancels concerts in Israel in protest at treatment of Palestinians

 


Elvis Costello cancels concerts in Israel in protest at treatment of Palestinians


Vikram Dodd, and Rory McCarthy, The Guardian
18 May 2010

Singer says he acted on 'conscience', as he joins a list of performers who have boycotted Israel for political reason



Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello has cancelled two concerts he was scheduled to play in Israel in protest at its treatment of Palestinians.

Costello, one of the most gifted British songwriters of his generation, was due to play on 30 June and 1 July but says his "conscience" dictated that he pull out of the performances.

He joins a list of performers who have decided not to play in Israel, including Gil Scott-Heron and Santana.

On his website, Costello wrote: "Then there are occasions when merely having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act that resonates more than anything that might be sung and it may be assumed that one has no mind for the suffering of the innocent.


More:  

http://www.inminds.com/article.php?id=10393

--


Dalton's Holocaust Radio Debate on April 24, 2010:

http://www.americanfreedomradio.com/Barrett_10.html

Peace.

Michael Santomauro
Editorial Director
Call anytime: 917-974-6367
ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

http://www.DebatingTheHolocaust.com

Amazon's: DEBATING THE HOLOCAUST: A New Look At Both Sides by Thomas Dalton

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The "Self-Hating Jew" Myth: Debunked

 

Memo: Richard Greener is Jewish! And is so accurate for this topic.

Richard Greener

Richard Greener

Posted: March 30, 2010 03:53 PM

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Helen Thomas Is Out Of Work - Good Thing We've Got A "Free" Press Here [1 Attachment]



 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-greener/helen-thomas-is-out-of-wo_b_603618.html

 


Re: PHOTOS ISRAEL DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE

 



From: Cherifa Sirry <cherifasirry@yahoo.com>
Date: June 7, 2010 4:34:16 PM EDT 

Yes::)) The activists aboard.. after having been shot at and after having suffered casualties managed to grab the "mighty" Israeli commandos once they landed on the ship.  They then arrested them and disarmed them... and as usual... the "mighty Israeli commandos who are "mighty" only when they are protected by their tanks or Apatches... were sobbing like kids...  exactly as they did during the 2006 war against Lebanon.  Hezbollah even recorded them sobbing, crying and calling for mama..  Of course that never made it to US news:)  The Israeli "commandos" that landed on the Mavi Marmara are supposed to be the elite of the Israeli forces...  not spoiled brats...

What is interesting is that Israel has over 300 cameras with film footage in them covering the Israeli attack from beginning until they landed and the fighting started.  WHY IS ISRAEL HIDING THIS FOOTAGE????????????????????  There were many news correspondents aboard the Flotilla and they all filmed the events...  WHY IS ISRAEL NOT GIVING THEM BACK THEIR CAMERAS AND FOOTAGE??  Israel has no legal claim to this material... and besides, if Israel wants us to believe its ludicrous version of "the story", why doesn't it release the footage which should undoubtedly reflect Israel's words?????????????  Some footage was already released today... in a gesture of good-will in order for Israel to avoid an international investigation which would no doubt reflect the kind of lying-machine Israel is.  The new footage shows the activists fighting the commandos with water hoses...  Are those the "missiles" or heavy weapons Israel claims they used against their "poor" special killing forces?????

Over 700 testimonies contradict Israel... and yet, Israel imagines that the world will believe it.  Israel is collapsing my friend.  The question is who will it take down with it... because Israel will not go down alone.  These people are crazy..

--- On Mon, 6/7/10, Michael <RePorterNoteBook@Gmail.com> wrote:

From: Michael <RePorterNoteBook@Gmail.com>
Subject: PHOTOS ISRAEL DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE
To: "reportersnotebook" <RePortersNoteBook@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Monday, June 7, 2010, 10:06 PM

 



PHOTOS ISRAEL DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE

desertpeace | June 7, 2010 at 19:47 | Categories: Cover Up, Gaza, Israel, Photography, War Crimes | URL: http://wp.me/ pahWK-3x3

Hurriyet photos of disarmed Israeli commandos receiving medical care

by Paul Woodward


(Photo via
Ali Abunimah)

On the Mavi Marmara, the ship that Benjamin Netanyahu has dubbed "the hate boat", Israeli soldiers who had been hurt were given medical aid. But some of the civilians who had been shot ended up dying because the Israelis refused to have them evacuated.

Accounts provided by activists on board claim that the first Israeli commandos to land on the ship were forcibly disarmed and then taken below deck for their own safety. Photographs now published by Turkey's leading newspaper, Hürriyet, support this claim.

Soldiers from any military force rely on their weaponry to maintain their image of power. The Israeli military is no different from any other in wanting to avoid having the vulnerability of its own elite soldiers highlighted. What these photographs reveal, however, is that once these particular soldiers were no longer able to defend themselves, they were not lynched. On the contrary, they were taken out of harms way.

Given the terror that Israelis experience when faced with the risk of having soldiers taken hostage, it appears that one element in the over-reaction of the remaining armed commandos was that they thought it inconceivable that any of their comrades could be held without coming to further harm.

Humiliation and fear.

Was this the context in which enraged soldiers decided that they would then set about teaching their adversaries a lesson?

Did nine men, many of whom were well past an age where it seems at all likely they were engaged in any kind of combat, then become scapegoats?

Were the deaths on the Mavi Marmara the result of a few soldiers demonstrating their military muscle in a desperate effort to restore their tattered pride?






Source

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