It looks like Jeremy Ben Ami may have a wanted poster in his future. The rightist pro-Israel truth squads are on his trail. They’ve practically placed a bounty on his head though they haven’t gone so far as to say: Wanted Dead or Alive!
Those idle pranksters Allyson Rowen Taylor (formerly associate director of Stand With Us) and Lori Lowenthal Marcus (one of Mort Klein’s ZOA acolytes) have announced to the world (or no one in particular) that they’re so jealous of J Street’s enormous success (and attendance yesterday at a White House meeting with Pres. Obama) that they’re forming a shadow group to hector J Street. Their group is going to be called Z Street for reasons no one understands and about which no one cares. The headline of their public announcement read: “Z Street is launched, Will end J Street Treason.”
When J Street holds its first big national conference in October, Allyson and will be there on a street corner in D.C. with her fellow screaming harpies telling the world of J Street’s treason against the Jewish people. This “treason” meme is interesting. Readers of my blog will note that Allyson’s bosom buddy is Rachel Neuwirth. The latter’s website asserts that (presumably) the founders of J Street, yours truly, and Israeli Jewish peace activists would be prosecuted at Nuremberg-like tribunals for crimes against the Jewish people:
It is the radical Jewish left that contributed to the immense moral and political corruption that pervades the Israeli government…The destructive influence of this Jewish “fifth column” has caused hundreds of thousands of patriotic Israelis, who had their fill of this corruption, to emigrate to other countries.
These individuals have long forfeited their claim to be considered legitimately Jewish and to live freely in the Jewish State of Israel…These Jewish “fifth columnists” are consciously malevolent and know full well what they are doing. They should each stand trial before a Nuremberg-style tribunal on the charge of perpetrating war crimes against the Jewish people and for crimes against humanity. Those found guilty should be given a near-term date to emigrate voluntarily, forfeiting only their real property, or face physical expulsion minus all their assets. This would be extremely lenient considering that many victims of their treasonous actions have been killed and wounded. Just as they vigorously supported the expulsion of Jews from Gaza, even under brutal conditions, in the name of peace and security, they cannot now object to their own removal, also, in the name of peace and security.
So I guess we should ask Allyson whether she has that in mind for poor Jeremy. Maybe he should move his assets to an offshore account just in case Allyson and the Jewish Furies come after him.
And just in case you doubt Allyson’s bona fides as a pro-Israel activist, she was the one responsible for Urban Outfitters pulling those pro-terrorist keffiyehs from its catalogue a few years ago. A few choice words from her gets corporate CEOs who are in bed with terrorists to sit up and take notice. So, Jeremy beware. She slays dragons!
But let’s get to the core of Z Street’s “mission,” such as it is:
“No more appeasement, no more negotiating with terrorists, no more enabling cowards who fear offending more than they fear another Holocaust.”
With enemies like this, J Street comes out smelling like a rose.
And these people are nothing if not grandiose:
Operating under the aegis of Taylor’s non-profit organization “People Against Hate Speech,” Z STREET has obtained permits for a huge rally in front of the White House on October 27th – the same week that the rabidly anti-Zionist J Street holds its first annual meeting in the nation’s capital.
If I were J Street I’d be quaking in my boots at the expectation of hordes of pro-Israel ranters running through the halls of the conference venue shouting about treason, appeasement and causing “another Holocaust.”
And just in case you ever doubted the need for yet another rightist pro-Israeli propaganda group (Stand With Us wasn’t enough, Allyson?), here’s proof aplenty:
There are many who ignore global threats to Israel’s existence, including the threatened dismemberment of Israel by her domestic and foreign enemies; Z STREET will become a leading-edge organization for educating and informing all Americans about the need for, and the facts that support, the Zionist mandate.
I’d link to Z Street’s website but the thought of sending even one reader their way is too much to bear.
Isn't there in USA already a Z Street, namely Z Street Brewing Company.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/228/
Well heck, tikunsters – why the misogyny? I thought you were at least supposed to be feminists.
But thanks for paying attention to us, you know how we harpies love that. And although I agree with Mort on most policy issues, I am not an acolyte – again, don't you realize us shriekers can develop our own views? Although you gave lots of background for Allyson, I suppose mine simply wouldn't support an effort to make me sound ridiculous to your readership. Besides, I was a classmate of Michelle's!
And one factual correction: our launch announcement stated only: Z Street is launched! Nothing about, you should pardon the expression, J Street.
Now let's see how you feel about criticism directed towards yourselves. I doubt I'll be seeing this comment on your site.
BTW simohurtta, tikun olam was already used before this entity used it. Without understanding the original meaning, she added with just a wee bit of religious self-righteousness.
Lori Lowenthal Marcus if there was peace in israel you, and all the “think tanks” would be out of a job.Im sure there are some NGO’s that would hire you
Exactly, prolonging this conflict has been a boom for the ‘think-tank’ industry. The Occupation is money. So is the pro-Israel movement in the US.
I am an avid supporter of J Street.
And will continue to be.
You don't even know what your own Z Street supporters are doing. “Jerry Gordon” spammed the entire Alef list with the announcement of your “launch” & it specifically refers to J Street a number of times including in the title. Doesn't the far-right hand know what your less far-right hand is doing??
And don't talk to me about not understanding the original meaning of the term “tikun olam.” I know more about the phrase and Judaism in general than you ever learned whereever you picked up your minimal level of knowledge, unless that is you have a few degrees in Hebrew literature, one of which is from a Jewish institution of higher learning.
Richard, it anyone needs tikun it is you! When you have gone through real tikun join Z Street; until then please remain in J Street where you and like you belong.
Thanks, join the fan club!
Thanks for the PR!!! Love the attention, Good Job Richard!
Shalom! Am Yisrael Chai!
Let me explain how this blog thing works, Allyson. I write a blog. I write a nasty blog piece about Z Street. 1,000 people visit my blog today. They’re here because they like something about what I write. They read what I wrote about you. They say: “Ewwww” or “Feh.” They then go and tell five or 10 of there friends about what they read about you. Just think about all the people in the world who wouldn’t have known you from Eve and now think you’re orbiting politically outside Neptune. So if that’s the type of PR you’re seeking then knock yrself out. I’m happy to give it to you.
In defense of Allyson, I will respond to Silverstein’s statement that “1000 people” visit his blog daily “because they like something about what [he writes].”
I may be counted in that 1000 who visit, but I certainly like nothing he writes. Mostly I visit this blog to get my blood pumping.
I don’t care why you visit. If you have a circulation problem & I serve as a good therapy to keep your body & brain functioning properly then that’s great. But I assure you that you are in a minority and that the vast majority of people who read this blog support my views. Not that I have anything against people reading me who don’t (and there are some in that category & I value their involvement).
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The definition of Jewish identity is described religiously as “IF you keep my commandments, I will give you the rain in its time…”
Expansionist Zionism then creates a dilemma for a daily praying, practicing Jew, in that there is NO COMMANDMENT (except to Joshua and followers in a SINGLE mythical/historical context) to take the land by force.
There are many commandments that relate to property rights and attitudes towards property.
“Thou shalt have no other Gods before me”
“Thou shalt not steal”
“Thou shalt not bear false witness”
“Thou shalt not COVET (combination of desiring and actively scheming) thy neighbor’s possession, ANYTHING that is thy neighbors”
It creates a paradox for the land-lust of expansionist Zionism, that DOES scheme to transfer title by means of gradual and separated multiple transfers from military usage eventually to private civilian leasehold (land owned by Jewish Agency).
But, there is a Zionism that desires “enough”. We didn’t have enough, and rationally and assertively sought our own community survival (and beyond that sadly). But, NOW, we have enough.
And, from that attitude of absence of land-lust, those individuals that are drawn to live in the West Bank, could have a non-abusive path to do so, but as Palestinian citizens.
The scheming of the some of the ultra-orthodox and the neo-orthodox to take land, presuming to be affirming Torah, risk actually adopting a Golden Calf approach, a lust for a thing.
Its dangerous spiritually. I would hope for more thought, than just action.
I also think that Richard applies only a portion of what is tikkun olam, to the point of violating it overtly periodically. Mostly, for the tone and similarly “certain” approach applied politically. And, also for the dismissal of the small and intimate in the transformation of broken to whole (how one treats one’s neighbor in all respects), in favor of only the political and judgementally so.
It looks like Us jews are not only breaking gods commandments.. Hmmm its Funny the laws we enforce on the world dont apply to zionist ,or israel..A country who lets 70% of its holocaust survivors live in poverty is morally bankrupt in my books
ZAs to the name: Z stands for Zionism? Very original.
Oy, how could I not have thought of that! Of course you’re right.
The Jewish left has lost their argument.
Read the Olmert offer.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1100313.html
The problem with the Jewish right and people like you is that you cherry pick an article here or there & say: “Gotcha!” Well, not so fast. First, Olmert is attempting to rewrite history to make himself look good. The “deal” he worked out was never written down on paper. It was oral. Second, the deal offered Palestinians refugees a Right of Return to Palestine, but not Israel. That would never be sufficient for the Palestinians who expect a serious acknowledgement of their displacement. Jerusalem as an issue was never addressed in this alleged deal. So what Olmert presented was the vague outline of a deal which, in hindsight, has become a full-fledge plan to solve the conflict which Abbas foolheartedly spurned. NIce try. That’s the same thing Barak tried to do to Arafat. Didn’t work then, won’t work now.
Instead of finding a single article that proves yr alleged pt. do some research and find other sources dealing with the same subject that contradict this one and then try to figure out a balanced perspective. But why waste my breath on someone who’s got all the angles figured.
The question is not whether our nation can or should lead, but how it will lead in the 21st century. Rigid ideologies and old formulas don’t apply. We need a new mindset about how America will use its power to safeguard our nation, expand shared prosperity, and help more people in more places live up to their God-given potential.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Foreign Policy Address at the Council on Foreign Relations
Washington, DC
July 15, 2009
Hi, Lori – You need to check the definition of misogynist – being female doesn’t render you exempt from criticism.
You can shriek all you want, just remember not to embarrass any of your buddies with illegal acts – it could get you dropped from the alumni news.
And re: amateur cyperterrorism… it is being investigated, you know. Doesn’t matter how much power a group has, dirty tricks will out once multiplied past a certain point.
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If you want to continue commenting here read them carefully and respect them.
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