A reader responded to my question of yesterday– Why
hasn’t C-Span aired Walt & Mearsheimer’s appearance at Politics and
Prose?– saying that the answer may be found in the Board of Directors
of C-SPAN. link to www.c-span.org
The reader noted that the board’s executive committee includes Robert Miron, chairman and ceo of Advance/Newhouse Communications, and then included this tidbit:
Miron’s community activities include past president of the Syracuse Jewish Community Center,
former vice president of Temple Adath Yeshurun, former board member of
the Syracuse Jewish Federation, and member of the Metropolitan
Development Association. He was the Temple Adath Citizen of the Year
in 2000.
The reader also cited Allen Block, vice chair of the C-Span board, noting that Block’s grandfather Paul, the founder of Block
Communications, was a poor Jewish immigrant from Poland who had fled
persecution there. (As my grandfather did.)
These comments are anti-semitic. I strongly doubt that the presence of
these two Jews is why C-Span isn’t airing Walt & Mearsheimer. And
yet I can’t utterly refute the reader. Last year the New York Theatre
Workshop cancelled its production of the Rachel Corrie play in part
because of resistance from board members, many of whom are Jewish. Last
year Human Rights Watch equivocated somewhat in its statements about
the (horrifying) Lebanon war, again because it relies on the Jewish
community for support. Last year Columbia University cancelled an
appearance at the school by Iran President Ahmadinejad–with some
professors at the school murmuring (with justice, I believe) that it was because Columbia is
heavily reliant on Jewish alums.
(And this week Columbia has invited Ahmadinejad to speak; hail Columbia!)
My point is that, obviously the arrival of Jews in
the political/cultural establishment has been very important in terms of
insulating Israel from criticism, and distorting our foreign policy. Americans aren’t stupid; they
know this is the case. There’s lots of information on the internet, and now Walt and Mearsheimer are bestsellers.
There is only one answer to such conspiracy-theory/antisemitism/entirely-legitimate speculation. Have an open discussion in our televised media– Chris Matthews, Charlie Rose, 60 Minutes, the nightly news broadcasts–about these issues. Demystify them, and yes, too, embarrass those who have sought to protect Israel, working behind the scenes. America is a great country; let’s prove it again.
Philip,
At some point, just like racism, a definition of anti-semitism must be discussed.
If Jewish people have a history of influencing a governing body to ignore or avoid a writer, artist, issue, etc. or for that matter, any pattern of behavior, pointing it out is not anti-semitic.
Using that argument to say "we cannot trust Jews in positions of power because their judgment is clouded" and then acting out on it, is indeed antisemitic.
It's just the same as being racist, or anti-Arab, when the reason someone opposed Dubai taking over our port security was because they are Arab. A better reason is because certain things in the nation, like health-care and security, should not be collectively for-profit.
Phil- you've probably been emailed it 11,000 times by now but for you and everyone, 9th tier neo-hack jeff jacoby calls bullshit on "the great silencer" http://www.boston.com
"Last year Human Rights Watch equivocated somewhat in its statements about the (horrifying) Lebanon war, again because it relies on the Jewish community for support."
A little over-authoritative no?
How do you know, as distinct from suspect?
Considering Miron's involvement as board member of a Zionist organization, the Syracuse Jewish Federation (link to sjfed.org
why would there be anything anti-semitic about wondering aloud if he had an interest in muting the W&M thesis?
I agree that to insinuate Block is a Zionist because he is descended from Polish Jews is irresponsible, but not entirely surprising or necessarily malicious.
This is a good piece of investigative journalism. I agree completely about demystification. Why not be transparent? If there are members of the Board of Directors who did object, let them account for why they did–publically, not behind closed doors. If they didn't, then let c-span should produce an account of why they decided not to air it.
Phil, there's an elephant in the room. After inconvenient Arabs,the primary targets of Zionists are Jews, whether fellow Zionists, weaker souls or (Heaven forbid!) anti-Zionists. Thus in America there is this elephant, that almost any Jew who rises to prominence, especially in a field related to media or politics, is an active Zionist or, more rarely, one who studiously keeps to oneself. Exceptions, like Chomsky or Finkelstein, are anathemized by the active Zionists, so it's easy to know who they are.
After saying, "These comments are anti-semitic." you give good reasons for thinking the contrary, that at worse they're a bit fast on the draw — like bumping on something warm, rough and unyielding and thinking, "that must be the elephant." Your own examples imply that Zionists in prominent positions act to establish a climate where there are questions best left untouched — e.g. a successful meeting with Walt and Mearsheimer.
Phil, there's an elephant in the room. After inconvenient Arabs,the primary targets of Zionists are Jews, whether fellow Zionists, weaker souls or (Heaven forbid!) anti-Zionists. Thus in America there is this elephant, that almost any Jew who rises to prominence, especially in a field related to media or politics, is an active Zionist or, more rarely, one who studiously keeps to oneself. Exceptions, like Chomsky or Finkelstein, are anathemized by the active Zionists, so it's easy to know who they are.
After saying, "These comments are anti-semitic." you give good reasons for thinking the contrary, that at worse they're a bit fast on the draw — like bumping on something warm, rough and unyielding and thinking, "that must be the elephant." Your own examples imply that Zionists in prominent positions act to establish a climate where there are questions best left untouched — e.g. a successful meeting with Walt and Mearsheimer.