Comments for Judaism Without Borders

Comment on R2-D2 + Divinity = Win by C7

C7 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:25:02 +0000

Ha nice

Comment on Hamas is not a moral “Get Out of Jail Free” card for Israel by Kung Fu Jew 18

Kung Fu Jew 18 — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:26:48 +0000

Thanks for visiting, m.

One line was excerpted and forwarded as proof that I am anti-Israel. I fight for a two-state, negotiated solution with a secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, with as minimal use of violence as possible. I abhor civilians deaths and suffering. Particularly because it builds support for the extremists. I am not anti-Israel by any stretch.

Let me clarify my point lest you still harbor confusion:

Neither Hamas nor Israel come out of Cast Lead looking anything like heroes. Hamas had been targeting civilians for years. Olmert and Barak chose a scope of armament that killed (at the most conservative estimates, say by the IDF) a hundred times more Palestinians than Israelis. To me, the ends don’t justify the means. Just because we’re fighting Hamas doesn’t liberate us from morality.

Comment on Hamas is not a moral “Get Out of Jail Free” card for Israel by m

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:45:46 +0000

“but not provide slander for others to -claim- that I put the IDF and Hamas on equal footing”

Claim? Uhm… but you did.

Comment on Why I don’t think a one-state solution is a solution by Kung Fu Jew 18

Kung Fu Jew 18 — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:21:04 +0000

Physically, uprooting the settlements is just a matter of politics. The major blocs will stay, the outposts will come down, the roads will be turned over to the PA, and a sliver of extremists will opt for showy resistance. The Israeli public does not want to be in the West Bank, it just takes a Prime Minister determined to do it. And Bibi Netanyahu is no such minister.

Comment on Why I don’t think a one-state solution is a solution by Drew

Drew — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:03:13 +0000

On my recent trip to Poland, I was struck by seeing Israeli flags marking mass-graves of Polish Jews. In the place where ethnic nationalism led to the greatest tragedy ever to befall our people, we respond with more ethnic nationalism. To me, the whole idea of an ethnic nationalist state is inherently immoral - we’re creating a situation from the beginning where racism is sanctioned by law. Additionally, I don’t know how one salvages a two-state solution from the checkpoints, settlements, and apartheid road system that Israel has built in the west bank.

http://anarchia.wordpress.com/2009/01/10/no-state-solution-in-gaza/

Comment on Articles will not save Israelis and Palestinians by Kung Fu Jew 18

Kung Fu Jew 18 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Treyfe! Buddy! To be clear, I’m impugning the forwarding of articles between the choir kids, so to speak. Some of the forwarding offenders in my life send along 2-3 articles a day. To read that much would necessitate being unemployed or not getting work done. The recipients like yours truly already agree with them. That’s irritating.

Writing a blog (or launching a new blog; mazel tov, by they way) can reach new audiences and spark public conversations. Same with Facebook and Twitter. But being deluged with articles is definitely slacktivism.

Sue, the judicious forwarding of really good articles is different. Like Bradley Burston’s amazing piece on disappointment with Israel is truly outstanding, way above average, and speaks to so many of us. But those articles are rare. That’s all I’m saying.

Comment on Articles will not save Israelis and Palestinians by Sue Swartz

Sue Swartz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:35:30 +0000

You’ve done it again, KFJ. Slack-tivism - love it! Probably what used to be called armchair liberalism. Much more fun, in a perverse way, to angst over the latest news tidbit, but it doesn’t build a movement. Does make us feel like we’re doing something, kind of, but mostly, we’re not. Bummer.

Comment on Articles will not save Israelis and Palestinians by treyfe

treyfe — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:01:24 +0000

Wow, this was good timing for me to read this post! Being that I just co-launched a group blog and wrote my first HuffPo article (which I promptly forwarded to my known universe.) I would meet most people’s definition of activist, but I am currently assessing whether I can keep up all my current commitments with the workload of the blog. I used to be an inveterate article forwarder too. One thing I love about FB is that it allows you just to post articles without deluging people with them. But I really did have to learn at some point that a well-placed email forward was NOT the best outlet for my anger, hopes, or sense of justice. So seductive though…So in sum, I am wrestling with the appeal of blogging and if it just email forwarding writ large (in nice wordpress format.)

Comment on I and all the things I stand for are under attack by Sue Swartz

Sue Swartz — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:31:19 +0000

Amen brother. I was so enraged about this swipe at democratic values and overall truth-telling that my own blogging bordered on irrational & had to be edited and edited and edited. Thank you for saying what needs to be said. Keep up the good fight - you know you’re not alone.

Comment on I and all the things I stand for are under attack by littlerose

littlerose — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:18:43 +0000

Just finished reading Im Tirtzu’s report on us–it’s not that bad, actually. Recounts all the many, many submissions we made to the Goldstone report. Basically exactly the same summary we all did right after it was published–HaMoked was mentioned about 20 times, several of which were in the body text, just in case you were wondering :). The only difference is that all the stuff we think is good (like telling the truth about IDF policies and violations of human rights) they think is bad. Hm. Interesting.

Everybody’s going after our funding this year. It’s a theme.

I say amen: Goldstone would have happened without us, but he wouldn’t have had real information from organizations on the ground, and his report would have been all the worse for it. If Im Tirtzu has a problem with protecting human rights, which they clearly do, then they have a problem with me. And with you. Amen.