On appeasement of Israel ... [1]
Accompanying the onset of a Canadian McCarthyism dressed up as anti-discrimination, the mainstream left in Canada has been unwilling to take a clear political and moral stance on Palestine. Instead it has sought the approach of least resistance [2], trying to appease rather than take a stand against the silencing of Palestinian voices in Canada and Israel.
Writing in NOW Magazine [3], a progressive Toronto weekly newspaper, news editor Ellie Kirzner contended that Palestinians and their supporters should simply drop the term "apartheid". "It's a vulnerability the movement doesn't need," she wrote.
McCaskell, on the other hand, says QuAIA is bringing the fight against Israeli apartheid to pride because that is what Palestinian LGBT organisations have requested, and because Israel tries to present itself as queer-tolerant in an attempt to distract from its ill-treatment of Palestinians.
Links:
[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/17/canada-support-israel
[2] http://rabble.ca/../../../babble/central-canada/ontario-mpps-including-ndp-condemn-israeli-apartheid-week-legislature
[3] http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=175200
[4] http://rabble.ca/print/babble/international-news-and-politics/guardian-calls-out-canadas-left#comment-1153640
[5] http://www.alqaws.org/q/
[6] http://www.aswatgroup.org/english/activities.php?article=450
[7] http://rabble.ca/print/babble/international-news-and-politics/guardian-calls-out-canadas-left#comment-1153687
[8] http://rabble.ca/print/babble/international-news-and-politics/guardian-calls-out-canadas-left#comment-1153692
[9] http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-bans-arab-parties-from-running-in-upcoming-elections-1.267987
[10] http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/head-of-palestinian-rights-group-banned-from-travelling-to-accept-award-1.271451
[11] http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/elections-2009-arab-reporters-banned-from-campaign-meet-of-lieberman-s-far-right-party-1.269759
[12] http://www.haaretz.com/news/ashkelon-public-figures-demand-arabs-banned-from-city-1.127462
[13] http://apjp.org/israel-police-ban-arab-culture/
[14] http://www.counterpunch.org/cook05192006.html
[15] http://rabble.ca/print/babble/international-news-and-politics/guardian-calls-out-canadas-left#comment-1153769
[16] http://rabble.ca/user
[17] http://rabble.ca/user/register
That's odd. Were there black LGBT groups in South Africa during the apartheid era?
thanks for posting this, nice to see the view here from outside....and it's true, canada is the most pro-israel country in the world right now, even ahead of the US....
That's odd. Were there black LGBT groups in South Africa during the apartheid era?
Nice catch there Fidel. I notice about 20 rednecks caught that "nuanced" Zionist talking point in the comments section under that article as well..
It's interesting that Arab Lesbian and Gay groups operating in Israel, seem actually to be allowed more freedom to denouce the Israeli occupation than other Arab organizations, which are routinely harrassed and persecuted, and even prosecuted for sedition when they speak out against the occupation.
Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections [9]
Head of Palestinian rights group banned from travelling to accept award [10]
Elections 2009 / Arab reporters banned from campaign meet of Lieberman's far-right party [11]
Ashkelon public figures demand Arabs banned from city [12]
Israel police ban Arab culture day in Jerusalem [13]
Marriage Ban Closes the Gates to Palestinians [14]
What's not to like?
My guess is that being a useful talking point for idiot savants to chat up on message boards offers a certain amount of protection from the ever image conscious Israeli government and the Shin Bet.
That's odd. Were there black LGBT groups in South Africa during the apartheid era?
Problematic... Of the major groups in the 70s and early 80s, the Gay Association of South Africa was predominantly white and initially avoided taking an official position on apartheid. The Rand Gay Organization, on the other hand, was founded as being multi-racial and in opposition apartheid. Groups forming later were almost always tied into the anti-apartheid struggle and consequently ideologically committed to being multi-racial - with the decision (in the late 80s) by the ANC leadership to incorporate equality on the basis of sexual orientation in any future constitution the issue became moot.