Spencer Ackerman has a good point, that this is a moment of testing for progressives in the face of the "shtetl police." He says progressive Jews— I don't care so much about Jews–Everyone in the U.S. faces the shtetl police: the Israel lobby. It's a moment that tests Obama's anti-Iraq-war base in the face of actual atrocities. So: Who's with us? J Street has passed the test, Jeffrey Goldberg has failed it. Brit Tzedek has failed it. Steve Clemons has passed it, Huffpo has passed it, the New York Times has failed it. Rabbi Brant Rosen has passed it. So has Rabbi Ellen Lippmann. The Forward is about to take the test; I bet they're going to fail it. Reform Judaism failed it. JVP passed it. The mainstream media have failed it, bigtime. Though there are certain editors and producers who obviously are quietly on our side, just with picture placement. Dailykos has passed it. Zbig Brzezinski has passed it.
From this moment forward a new coalition goes forth. Join us. It's easy. Just pass a test. Here's how: Remember that you are an American, and that in the words of our founding fathers, all men are created equal. And condemn the slaughter of Arabs.
