Comments on: Tennessee Republicans Claim Obama Will ‘Put Israel into Crosshairs of Anti-Jewish Left’

By: Jan P

Jan P — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:47:56 +0000

[comment removed per comment rules--neither extreme Islamophobic nor extreme anti-Israel rhetoric will be published here; nor is Campus Watch an acceptable or reliable source]

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:54:15 +0000

Yes, of course you’re right & they’re referring to the Naqba (or Nakba) or Catastrophe. But the pt. is we don’t even know whether this Arab group ever did such a thing. And even if they did there’s nothing intrinsically anti-Semitic in the phrase.

We Jews have the destruction of our two Temples which we call the churban bayit. Imagine if marking such a sad day (Tisha B’Av) meant we were in favor of genocide against the Romans or Assyrians who destroyed our sacred houses?

By: Donald Johnson

Donald Johnson — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:03:55 +0000

I don’t know about this particular group, but I thought the “catastrophe” reference was simply referring to the Nabqa (sp?), which is how the Palestinians refer to 1948 and their expulsion. It was a catastrophe for them. One should be able to recognize that Palestinians are going to feel this way without having to commit to the idea that, for instance, a one state solution is the only way to go forwards.

By: khaled Hamid

khaled Hamid — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:00:06 +0000

Hi Ellen:
I like how he handled it so far. He is right to assert who he is, and as for Muslims around me, I never got the impression any one feels hurt by that. He is popular within my group if friend, Muslims and non-Muslims alike simply because he doe not come across as in anyone’s pocket (yet!!).
By the way, Keith Ellison is a great example because of the very diverse nature of the coalition behind his success. So, you are right, some progress is happening – but considering that the dream of MLJ Jr is 40 years old now, how many millennia will it take before it becomes reality.
khaled

By: ellen

ellen — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:54:05 +0000

Khaled,
I understand why Obama would want people to know the truth of who he is, also he wants to be elected, so he states, “I am not Muslim, I am Christian.”

Still, every time I hear it, I wonder how a Muslim feels, knowing that Obama has to deny being a Muslim, because that would be the “kiss of death” in American politics.

I remember many years ago, a person said to me that he would vote for Barry Goldwater [a conservative who ran a few decades ago] except for the fact that Goldwater was Jewish.
I replied to him, that Goldwater wasn’t Jewish, but I am.

While I don’t criticize Barack for how he responds…after all we all want to assert the truth of who we are, I feel sad that to many, the implication must be that to be Muslim is such a negative.

Ah well – I guess we can point to some progress on that front – Congressperson Keith Ellison.

–ellen

By: j.c.

j.c. — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:37:19 +0000

Who cares whether he is good for iSRAEL or not ?
My ONLY concern is whether he is good for America and Americans!
And iSRAEL can take the hindmost !

[link removed per comment rules]

By: n123rog

n123rog — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:59:19 +0000

this is the sort of thing I’d expect from guys like Jacobs, Pipes and that other guy M. Thomas Eisenstadt who also all ‘consulted’ for Giuliani. Fat lot of good it did him.

By: khaled hamid

khaled hamid — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:48:37 +0000

As usual, a great post, and intelligent comments.
Still, this is an issue that is getting to me. I am a Muslim, and I support Obama, not because of his middle name, but because the spirit that could eventually get him in the white house is what would like to see prevail for a change in this country, my country. But I am scared to death that the stupid tactics of the likes of Tennessee republicans, may actually not only give us 4 (or 8) more years of the same, but will actually kill the spirit of so many who feel they finally have a voice.
Scare tactics work especially where ignorance is king.
Just for fun, and recalling some photos I have seen in the distant past, i did some Google search and easily found the follwing:
http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/images/ethiopian_jews_photos_6.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/yalop/image/23648323
http://www.pbase.com/yalop/image/23648329
http://www.pbase.com/yalop/image/23648306
Who knows. May be someone can use these to convince those upset by Obama in ‘Muslim’ attire that it was actually ‘Jewish’ attire.
In reality, I think some (esp. republicans, and – may be – the Clinton camp) want to hurt him for their own ‘electoral’ gains, but others (.e.g., right wing pro-Likud Jews are not happy with progressive Jews behind Obama, and want to cripple him by blackmailing him into committing to certain policies now – practically tying his hands in case he gets elected.
khaled