Benny Morris clearly sets out the position of the Palestinian propaganda relating to
the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) but fails completely to understand the Israeli position and the nature of the Palestinians themselves. First, the term "West Bank" refers to the west bank of the Jordan, not to ancient Israel, and so immediately begins to delegitimize Israels' rights to the area of Judea and Samaria. Next he refers to the "occupation". Many books, including "The Jewish People's Rights to the Land of Israel" by Torontonian Salomon BenZimra clearly show that under international law the land belongs to Israel and not to the Palestinians. Morris is of course correct in saying that there is an attempt by Arab countries and Europe to delegitimize Israel, but it is not the "occupation" that is responsible, but it is simply another Arab plan to destroy Israel since brute force did not work. Lastly it is pure anti-semitism that is really hindering a two-state solution. There is no reason other than anti-semitism to exclude Jews and Jewish towns and cities from a new Palestinian state. In ignoring the Arab's desire for all Islamic states to be Jew-free Morris is giving his consent to the exclusion of Jews from states and therefore to state-sponsored anti-semitism. Benny and many other post-Zionists assume that since the Palestinian Arabs are doing poorly it must be someone else's fault. But he is wrong. The reason for the Palestinians' poor situation is that they would rather produce anti-semitic propaganda than have co-operation with Israel. They would rather
have an intifada than 90% of the territory they desire. And lastly, they would rather have perpetual conflict and poverty
than renounce their anti-semitism and admit the legitimacy of the State of Israel.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Globe editorial -Nov 30th 2011
I don't understand why Canada should help pay for foreign doctors to train here and
then go back to their homelands. Should the U.S. reimburse Canada for all the trained
Canadian doctors and other professionals that we lose every year to the United States?
Does largess only go one way? Shouldn't we just tell the Sudan and other African nations
that if they want their doctors to return they have to offer them democracy, capitalism and other freedoms?
Our economy is based on a free market. If the African and other countries were to adopt our social,
economical and political freedoms, they wouldn't need our continuous support. So, especially in these
financially hard times, let's stop giving away the ship to foreign nations, especially those who do not
espouse our freedoms, democracy, and way of life
then go back to their homelands. Should the U.S. reimburse Canada for all the trained
Canadian doctors and other professionals that we lose every year to the United States?
Does largess only go one way? Shouldn't we just tell the Sudan and other African nations
that if they want their doctors to return they have to offer them democracy, capitalism and other freedoms?
Our economy is based on a free market. If the African and other countries were to adopt our social,
economical and political freedoms, they wouldn't need our continuous support. So, especially in these
financially hard times, let's stop giving away the ship to foreign nations, especially those who do not
espouse our freedoms, democracy, and way of life
NP Nov 30th -
Double Stabdards
When Iranian students attack the British embassy , it is assumed that Iran is responsible.
When American soldiers mistakenly kill Pakistani soldiers it is assumed that America
is responsible. Why is it not assumed that Lebanon-Syria is responsible for rockets fired
at Israel by their citizens and why is it not assumed that rockets fired
from Gaza are not ultimately the responsibility of Hamas? The double standard of
total responsibility for Israel, America and other strong countries versus no responsibility
for weak Middle-Eastern governments is the same double standard that we use in the West
for excusing immigrants for some abhorrent cultural practises by saying that it is their culture
and therefore "understandable". It's time to do away with all double standards.
When Iranian students attack the British embassy , it is assumed that Iran is responsible.
When American soldiers mistakenly kill Pakistani soldiers it is assumed that America
is responsible. Why is it not assumed that Lebanon-Syria is responsible for rockets fired
at Israel by their citizens and why is it not assumed that rockets fired
from Gaza are not ultimately the responsibility of Hamas? The double standard of
total responsibility for Israel, America and other strong countries versus no responsibility
for weak Middle-Eastern governments is the same double standard that we use in the West
for excusing immigrants for some abhorrent cultural practises by saying that it is their culture
and therefore "understandable". It's time to do away with all double standards.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Teaching history and the Holocaust NP Nov 28/11
The article on the Holocaust omits why we are forgetting about teaching history. History
isn't just a series of dates and numbers. We can study the Holocaust to compare the dangers
of Islamism to the danger of fascism, our reactions to each threat, the harm done to the Germans
and the world vs. the harm being done by Islamism, the importance in each case of freeedom of
speech and other basic freedoms, and the courage shown by individuals in trying to combat all
kinds of isms and evil cultural norms. In short, teaching history and the Holocaust can teach us
how we might deal with our world and the possible results of inaction. That is important.
Lastly teachers should not apologize for mind closures that students are learning at home.
They should ask why students' minds have not been opened at school.
isn't just a series of dates and numbers. We can study the Holocaust to compare the dangers
of Islamism to the danger of fascism, our reactions to each threat, the harm done to the Germans
and the world vs. the harm being done by Islamism, the importance in each case of freeedom of
speech and other basic freedoms, and the courage shown by individuals in trying to combat all
kinds of isms and evil cultural norms. In short, teaching history and the Holocaust can teach us
how we might deal with our world and the possible results of inaction. That is important.
Lastly teachers should not apologize for mind closures that students are learning at home.
They should ask why students' minds have not been opened at school.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
"occupiers"
Are they really "occupiers"?
Originally the word to occupy meant that a foreign power, through war took command over a foreign land. Within Canada the word "occupy" has come to have an interesting meaning. For Native Canadians it means to claim land that you believe you have a legal claim to and to do so by illegal means including the use of illegal force and intimidation. For protesters of our economic system it means to illegally stay in a park, preventing it from being used for normal use by other citizens. For Palestinians it refers to Israelis livin or having villages in an area in which the Palestinians have some rights, but legally, probably no political rights (see The Jewish People's Rights to the Land of Israel, Amazon on Kindle, for the argument that legally the West Bank is Samaria and belongs to Israel). So to occupy now means either to illegally live on land, or illegally stay on land, or to live on land when others don't want you to be there. I suggest your readers' question what the Canadian occupiers really meant to imply when they chose to define themselves as occupiers of a park.
Originally the word to occupy meant that a foreign power, through war took command over a foreign land. Within Canada the word "occupy" has come to have an interesting meaning. For Native Canadians it means to claim land that you believe you have a legal claim to and to do so by illegal means including the use of illegal force and intimidation. For protesters of our economic system it means to illegally stay in a park, preventing it from being used for normal use by other citizens. For Palestinians it refers to Israelis livin or having villages in an area in which the Palestinians have some rights, but legally, probably no political rights (see The Jewish People's Rights to the Land of Israel, Amazon on Kindle, for the argument that legally the West Bank is Samaria and belongs to Israel). So to occupy now means either to illegally live on land, or illegally stay on land, or to live on land when others don't want you to be there. I suggest your readers' question what the Canadian occupiers really meant to imply when they chose to define themselves as occupiers of a park.
Africentric schools and standing by
Standing by, and Africentric schools.
When I was studying to be an ESL teacher about 10 years ago, one of the class assignments was to chose a topic that the other students could discuss and to lead that discussion. The only Black student in the class chose the topic of "recognizing our prejudices about Black people". None of the other students, who were all white, admitted to having any prejudices or to ever having acted in any way against Black people. If I had not stood up and admitted my prejudices, the student would have failed. The other white future teachers didn't have enough courage or self-knowledge to admit their prejudices. They just stood by and would have let the Black student fail the course. With teachers like this, I suggest that an Africentric school is an excellent idea.
When I was studying to be an ESL teacher about 10 years ago, one of the class assignments was to chose a topic that the other students could discuss and to lead that discussion. The only Black student in the class chose the topic of "recognizing our prejudices about Black people". None of the other students, who were all white, admitted to having any prejudices or to ever having acted in any way against Black people. If I had not stood up and admitted my prejudices, the student would have failed. The other white future teachers didn't have enough courage or self-knowledge to admit their prejudices. They just stood by and would have let the Black student fail the course. With teachers like this, I suggest that an Africentric school is an excellent idea.
Anti-Semitism or Judeophobia
Anti-Semitism or Judeophobia
The word anti-Semitism is confusing as, in its usual usage, it means prejudice against Jews. Occasionally it means bigotry against those that speak a Semitic language, but this is not its common use. It would be better, if used at all, to spell it antisemitism as it is not usually meant to refer to Semites at all.
The word originated in Germany in the late 1800’s when Jews were beginning to be thought of as a race rather than a religion. The distinction is important because with the beginning of the enlightenment Jews were now considered a race. This meant that Jews could no longer simply convert to Christianity to become part of the majority and easily participate in the secular lifestyle available to Christians.
With a little research into the history of Judaism, it is impossible to define a Jew as a member of a race or as a Semite. Even the Exodus from Egypt included many slaves that were not related to Abraham, and were not necessarily Semitic, and yet were soon included in the Nation of Israel. Now of course there are Indian, Black, Chinese, Japanese and blond and blue eyed white Jews. This has developed because of conversions and intermarriage. The result is a mixture of peoples, races, and cultures all of whom are considered to be equal by Jewish law. It is therefore hard to call this group of varied people either a race or Semitic.
So it seems that we are now using the word anti-semitic to apply to a group that is not semitic. As long as everyone knew what people meant was there any harm done?
I suggest there was. By branding Jews as Semites, Christian Europe could easily say they
were culturally and socially different from themselves so make them out to be “the other”. In fact they originally were a different cultural group but more and more they were the same cultural group with a different religion and different rituals. Unless Jews were expelled from a country, as happened with Spain, Portugal and England among others, they would live in the same country for sometimes a thousand years, intermarry and pick up most of the cultural traits and ideas of that country. There was often virtually no difference between an enlightened Jew and an enlightened Christian. So to call one
a Semite made no sense except to discriminate against him. Jews may be a religious group, a cultural group, or a national group, but what they are not, as a group, is Semitic.
Recently the word Islamophobic has become common. Now phobic means that in some way the person is acting irrationally. In this case the implication is that anyone that dislikes Islam or Muslims is in some way irrational. There is no such implication
in the word anti-Semite. I therefore suggest that people that dislike Judaism or Jews should be called Judeophobic. Their dislike of Jews and Judaism is usually irrational, and originally based on the erroneous Christian idea that Jews were Christ killers or on the verses in the Koran or Hadith encouraging Muslims to kill and oppress Jews and other infidels. Today antisemitism is mostly fueled by the irrational Islamic hatred of Jews and supported by a left over Christian antisemitism. Let’s call this irrational thought by its true name, Judeophobia, as it has nothing to do with the semitic Arabs, nor is it more than simply being irrationally opposed to Jews and Judaism
The word anti-Semitism is confusing as, in its usual usage, it means prejudice against Jews. Occasionally it means bigotry against those that speak a Semitic language, but this is not its common use. It would be better, if used at all, to spell it antisemitism as it is not usually meant to refer to Semites at all.
The word originated in Germany in the late 1800’s when Jews were beginning to be thought of as a race rather than a religion. The distinction is important because with the beginning of the enlightenment Jews were now considered a race. This meant that Jews could no longer simply convert to Christianity to become part of the majority and easily participate in the secular lifestyle available to Christians.
With a little research into the history of Judaism, it is impossible to define a Jew as a member of a race or as a Semite. Even the Exodus from Egypt included many slaves that were not related to Abraham, and were not necessarily Semitic, and yet were soon included in the Nation of Israel. Now of course there are Indian, Black, Chinese, Japanese and blond and blue eyed white Jews. This has developed because of conversions and intermarriage. The result is a mixture of peoples, races, and cultures all of whom are considered to be equal by Jewish law. It is therefore hard to call this group of varied people either a race or Semitic.
So it seems that we are now using the word anti-semitic to apply to a group that is not semitic. As long as everyone knew what people meant was there any harm done?
I suggest there was. By branding Jews as Semites, Christian Europe could easily say they
were culturally and socially different from themselves so make them out to be “the other”. In fact they originally were a different cultural group but more and more they were the same cultural group with a different religion and different rituals. Unless Jews were expelled from a country, as happened with Spain, Portugal and England among others, they would live in the same country for sometimes a thousand years, intermarry and pick up most of the cultural traits and ideas of that country. There was often virtually no difference between an enlightened Jew and an enlightened Christian. So to call one
a Semite made no sense except to discriminate against him. Jews may be a religious group, a cultural group, or a national group, but what they are not, as a group, is Semitic.
Recently the word Islamophobic has become common. Now phobic means that in some way the person is acting irrationally. In this case the implication is that anyone that dislikes Islam or Muslims is in some way irrational. There is no such implication
in the word anti-Semite. I therefore suggest that people that dislike Judaism or Jews should be called Judeophobic. Their dislike of Jews and Judaism is usually irrational, and originally based on the erroneous Christian idea that Jews were Christ killers or on the verses in the Koran or Hadith encouraging Muslims to kill and oppress Jews and other infidels. Today antisemitism is mostly fueled by the irrational Islamic hatred of Jews and supported by a left over Christian antisemitism. Let’s call this irrational thought by its true name, Judeophobia, as it has nothing to do with the semitic Arabs, nor is it more than simply being irrationally opposed to Jews and Judaism
Monday, November 14, 2011
Re: Mexican soldiers - Globe and Mail Nov 14th
Soldiers, including Mexican soldiers, are hired to protect a country from war, not for internal service.If they are conscripted to fight crime, then it should be understood that civil rules apply, but that soldiers will not be prosecuted when their dealings with death, drugs, and evil people prompts them to go
past the line set up for dealing with normal citizens in normal times. Proven criminals and those thatdisobey the law should have no right to benefit from the laws that they themselves have decidedto ignore and tried to destroy. Let those who live by the sword, die by the sword.
past the line set up for dealing with normal citizens in normal times. Proven criminals and those thatdisobey the law should have no right to benefit from the laws that they themselves have decidedto ignore and tried to destroy. Let those who live by the sword, die by the sword.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Letters to Globe re editorials Nov 12, 2011
1. No Consequences, no Justice
The case of Singh Saran indicates that our judges are two lax on sentencing. They seem to follow the current elitist philosophy that everyone is nice and it is better and easier not to punish wrongdoers. Unfortunately this philosophy has also leaked into our whole judicial system where we rarely punish cultural or religious wrongdoers who practice anything from polygamy to female circumcision. Even honour killings, although punished, seem to be prosecuted with some sympathy for the wrongdoers. Prime Minister Harper's attempt to stop some of the damage by having minimum sentences is a start. It would be better to change the lax culture of our legal system but that seems like a difficult if not impossible task.
2. Nukes on Notice
Despite dire predictions of enormous negative consequences, Israel has successfully destroyed nuclear facilities in Iraq and Syria with only positive consequences. Similarly the U.S. has successfully attacked Iraq and Afghanistan, despite warnings of dire losses. The immediate attacks were both very successful although the long-term results remain to be determined.There is no indication that an attack on Iran now will have anything but positive consequences.There are always worries and worryworts, but the consequences of doing nothing and appeasementhave always been negative and should be avoided at all costs.
The case of Singh Saran indicates that our judges are two lax on sentencing. They seem to follow the current elitist philosophy that everyone is nice and it is better and easier not to punish wrongdoers. Unfortunately this philosophy has also leaked into our whole judicial system where we rarely punish cultural or religious wrongdoers who practice anything from polygamy to female circumcision. Even honour killings, although punished, seem to be prosecuted with some sympathy for the wrongdoers. Prime Minister Harper's attempt to stop some of the damage by having minimum sentences is a start. It would be better to change the lax culture of our legal system but that seems like a difficult if not impossible task.
2. Nukes on Notice
Despite dire predictions of enormous negative consequences, Israel has successfully destroyed nuclear facilities in Iraq and Syria with only positive consequences. Similarly the U.S. has successfully attacked Iraq and Afghanistan, despite warnings of dire losses. The immediate attacks were both very successful although the long-term results remain to be determined.There is no indication that an attack on Iran now will have anything but positive consequences.There are always worries and worryworts, but the consequences of doing nothing and appeasementhave always been negative and should be avoided at all costs.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Financial Post - re Keystone project
Good move America. In accordance with your political agenda, promote jihadism and Islamism by buying Saudi and Libyan oil instead of Canadian oil. That way, you will be able to be blackmailed into having anti-American books enter the U.S. and distributed by mosques and by anti-American organizations such as CAIR. In addition you will be able to be blackmailed into doing nothing to protect yourself on the political scene.
Canada meanwhile should establish its own refineries and sell to China and Russia, and the rest of Asia so that they will be less dependent on Middle Eastern, anti-anything but Islam, policy. Developing our own oil refineries and selling to Asia will make us strong and independent. It is too bad that the U.S. does not have Canadian leadership.
Canada meanwhile should establish its own refineries and sell to China and Russia, and the rest of Asia so that they will be less dependent on Middle Eastern, anti-anything but Islam, policy. Developing our own oil refineries and selling to Asia will make us strong and independent. It is too bad that the U.S. does not have Canadian leadership.
RE; National Post 11/11/11 - A12 Palestinian bid for UN membership
To suggest, as this article does, that the Palestinians have a "growing frustration at the deadlock in peace negotiations with Israel" is ludicrous.
They were given many opportunities for peace and their own nation. Instead they rejected the offers, started intifadas, and insisted that their peace agreement include the destruction of Israel. There is no Israeli apartheid. There are no "settlements" only peaceful Jewish villages. There is no Palestinian desire for peace, only good propaganda, anti-semitism and a desire to destroy Israel
They were given many opportunities for peace and their own nation. Instead they rejected the offers, started intifadas, and insisted that their peace agreement include the destruction of Israel. There is no Israeli apartheid. There are no "settlements" only peaceful Jewish villages. There is no Palestinian desire for peace, only good propaganda, anti-semitism and a desire to destroy Israel
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
letter to NP re racism
Sinem Ketenci, a woman of Turkish origin, claims she cannot be racist because "she, as a racialized woman, cannot be racist." It is time for the majority of Canadians to look honestly at our minorities and people of colour,and the "oppressed" people of other lands and admit that they may be racist against whites, Christians, Jews, and other races, religions, or tribes. Being "oppressed" or a minority or "people of colour" doesn't make them free from prejudice or evil. Multiculturalism does not mean giving a free pass to harmful ideas or culture of minorities, or of people with different cultures or religions who live in foreign lands. The faster we realize this, the better off Canadians will be.
Monday, November 7, 2011
letters to National Post
1. Taser assault
David Heap shouldn't complain about being tasered. Any other country would have simply
shot him as an enemy alien who was trying to promote shipments of arms to the terrorist government
of Gaza. Israel should put him in jail with the likes of Barghouti and then give him a kippot to wear and escort
him to Gaza, Bethlehem or any other Arab village or city. If he survived, hopefully he would realize that the
people he is supporting are anti-semitic, violent, and without western standards of morality.
2. We need more Christ on Campus - letter by Andrew Caruk.
We need both more Christ and more Moses on campus. We need their leadership in living a valuable,
moral life and in standing up for the best ideals in the Christian and Jewish religions. Our university students must use
Christ and Moses as mentors of how to become the enthusiastic and fervent type
of people who are the best that they can be, and who represent the best in our Bible readings.
We must teach the next generation to not only learn technical skills, but to internalize the best qualities of Christ and Moses.
David Heap shouldn't complain about being tasered. Any other country would have simply
shot him as an enemy alien who was trying to promote shipments of arms to the terrorist government
of Gaza. Israel should put him in jail with the likes of Barghouti and then give him a kippot to wear and escort
him to Gaza, Bethlehem or any other Arab village or city. If he survived, hopefully he would realize that the
people he is supporting are anti-semitic, violent, and without western standards of morality.
2. We need more Christ on Campus - letter by Andrew Caruk.
We need both more Christ and more Moses on campus. We need their leadership in living a valuable,
moral life and in standing up for the best ideals in the Christian and Jewish religions. Our university students must use
Christ and Moses as mentors of how to become the enthusiastic and fervent type
of people who are the best that they can be, and who represent the best in our Bible readings.
We must teach the next generation to not only learn technical skills, but to internalize the best qualities of Christ and Moses.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
David Heap and the Flotilla
What is wrong with Israel? Why don't they arrest David Heap of the Flotilla and put him in jail with Barghouti or other Palestinian "moderates" and then put a yamika on him and take him for a walk at a "friendly" Arab village, Bethlehem or Gaza City. That way he will truly know the moral character of the people he is fighting for. Instead they will probably give him pita and hummas to try to prove that Israel has some nice people and food. What a pity and waste of energy.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Re Globe editorial on UNESCO - Nov 2, 2011
Not punishing UNESCO for admitting Palestine as a member is a lofty and courageous stand that will produce gales of laughter and disrespect from those who favour Islamism and hate the West. Is that really what the Globe wants?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Unesco Nov 1 2011
This is a great opportunity for the West to stop funding parts of the U.N. that support an Islamist or anti-west agenda and to review the functions and the value of the U.N. in general. The funds we give to the U.N. can be used more effectively for good if they are controlled and directed by Canada itself.
letters to Globe re Wente and Pride parade - 1/11/
1. Wente on policing costs
Anyone who has been to court to avoid points because of a driving infraction has seen the the waste
and incompetency associated with this whole function. Most people in the courtroom have committed
some minor driving error, don't mind paying the fine, but go to court to avoid points. In most cases, they
are successful. Time and money by the citizenry, the police and the legal staff are wasted. Major city and
provincial savings are available. Despite my letters to both the city and the province, no one is interested.What a pity.
2. The Pride Parade
Despite the headline and the full one page spread, Pride Toronto's new boss, Kevin Beaulieu, avoids
all of the Globe's questions about Pride's direction and values. If Pride is to be just a good sexually
explicit parade, I don't want my money, my city's money or my province's or federal government's
money to support it. If it is to include hate groups, then it should not be allowed on Toronto's clean
streets.
Anyone who has been to court to avoid points because of a driving infraction has seen the the waste
and incompetency associated with this whole function. Most people in the courtroom have committed
some minor driving error, don't mind paying the fine, but go to court to avoid points. In most cases, they
are successful. Time and money by the citizenry, the police and the legal staff are wasted. Major city and
provincial savings are available. Despite my letters to both the city and the province, no one is interested.What a pity.
2. The Pride Parade
Despite the headline and the full one page spread, Pride Toronto's new boss, Kevin Beaulieu, avoids
all of the Globe's questions about Pride's direction and values. If Pride is to be just a good sexually
explicit parade, I don't want my money, my city's money or my province's or federal government's
money to support it. If it is to include hate groups, then it should not be allowed on Toronto's clean
streets.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)