Criticizing Israel is not an act of bigotry

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Fri, 2007-03-02 13:02

Dr. Whom

quote:

Originally posted by Cueball:
[b]
Likewise, I would argue that the conditions in the Gaza Strip closely match the pre-Holocaust stage of the Nazi regieme
[ 01 March 2007: Message edited by: Cueball ][/b]

G-d, I certainly hope that there are no Holocaust survivors or children of survivors reading this board.

I have a general rule that says that unless someone is systematically murdering millions of people, Nazi comparisons are not appropriate.

Are Arabs being treated unfairly by the Israeli government? I think it's fair to say that they are. Can we think of any other governments throughout any other countries at any point in history that treated a segment of its population unfairly? Sadly, we can think of hundreds. So why is the default comparison to go straight to the Nazi comparison.

CAN things in Israel be compared to what happened in Nazi Germany? Certain things, yes. So could Canada for that matter. For example, the Nazis built roads, the Canadian government built roads so, therefore, teh Canadian government is acting like Nazis. Hitler had a mustache, Jack Layton has a mustache, ergo Jack Layton is just like Hitler. This is ludicrous. Layton may have a superficial resemblance to Hitler, but in terms of anything that actually matters, he does not and the comparison is ridiculous and offensive. When you can show me slave labour, concentration camps, gas chambers and 6 million dead bodies in Gaza, then I'll stop taking offense at the comparison.

Have a good Shabbos and Purim, everyone!

Fri, 2007-03-02 13:12

#103

Cueball

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Whom:
[b]
G-d, I certainly hope that there are no Holocaust survivors or children of survivors reading this board.[/b]

And I really hope that you brush up on your history and the evolution of the Holocaust. It does no service to the legacy of the survivors to distort it. There is no doubt in my mind that Holocaust survivors do not seperate the latter conditions of the Holocaust, with the earlier ones, and say that the mass deportations, and ghettoization was an essential part of the Holocaust.

Would you make a distincition.

I was clear. I said nothing about the gas chambers or the centraly planned exterminations, post Wansee, and made no comparison there -- I even called it "pre-holocaust." I specifically compared the Ghettoization of Paletinian to the ghetoization of Jews up until about 1940.

Do you assert that the transfer and forced ghetoization period in the lead up to the Holcaust is not part of the Holocaust, or do you think Holocaust only really embodies the centrally planned extermination period.

Be frank.

[ 02 March 2007: Message edited by: Cueball ]

Fri, 2007-03-02 13:39

#104

aka Mycroft

Nazi analogies produce more heat than light and are best avoided and in any discussion about Israel they appear as unnecessarily and unduly provocative.

Fri, 2007-03-02 13:52

#105

Cueball

Well, I agree, generally but the topic came up as part of JG's comments about the leader of the CAF, suggesting that he was objectively racist because he made comments comaring Israel's Palestinian treatement to the Holocaust. I was trying to show where such comparisons could arguably be made.

Such comparison are inflamatory, and may create more heat that light, as you say but that does not amount to racism. Objective or otherwise.

Sat, 2007-03-03 04:22

#106

ohara

In this case it may not amount to racism, but it is vile nonetheless.

Sat, 2007-03-03 04:29

#107

Unionist

quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Whom:
[b]
G-d, I certainly hope that there are no Holocaust survivors or children of survivors reading this board.
[/b]

Well, there are. My lesson from the Holocaust, though, was not that it was a once-in-history catastrophe that must be worshipped. The lesson I was taught was, "Never again!" It means eternal vigilance against all racism, fascism, aggression, and intolerance. Not just the kind that affects "my people".

Sat, 2007-03-03 06:04

#108

Michelle

A good post to end on.

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