Felson on the Arab minority in Israel getting dealt out of the electoral process:
It occurs to me that we're approaching a critical moment, with the
patience and frustration of Israeli Arabs expiring (and with many of
their fellow Israelis turning on them). How Israel's Arabs express
their anger is crucial to reversing public opinion in the U.S. It needs to be non-violent, modeled after the civil rights campaign in the South. There needs to be an alliance with like-minded Israeli Jews, who can play the same role that the Freedom Riders once played. Let Netanyahu or Avigdor Lieberman play Bull Connor
and turn the fire hoses and attack dogs on peaceful Arabs and Jews
holding vigil. Let an angry mob of right-wing Israelis cheer it on —
like the bigots in South Boston who threw rocks at buses full of black kids. When Americans are confronted with scenes like this, they are always repulsed, and demand action.
patience and frustration of Israeli Arabs expiring (and with many of
their fellow Israelis turning on them). How Israel's Arabs express
their anger is crucial to reversing public opinion in the U.S. It needs to be non-violent, modeled after the civil rights campaign in the South. There needs to be an alliance with like-minded Israeli Jews, who can play the same role that the Freedom Riders once played. Let Netanyahu or Avigdor Lieberman play Bull Connor
and turn the fire hoses and attack dogs on peaceful Arabs and Jews
holding vigil. Let an angry mob of right-wing Israelis cheer it on —
like the bigots in South Boston who threw rocks at buses full of black kids. When Americans are confronted with scenes like this, they are always repulsed, and demand action.
I realize that Israel is already playing the Bull Connor role,
and Americans don't seem to notice. But it's because it's presented
in the context of Palestinian violence; we're told that Israel's
violence is as tragic as it is necessary. This is why I think Israel's
Arabs have such an important role to play. They are not living under a
military occupation/economic blockade. Within Israel proper, the idea
of an orchestrated campaign of non-violent protest is much more
practical. Think of Tiananmen Square, and what that did to U.S.
opinion. Imagine a similar scene in Israel. Imagine many similar scenes
in Israel. It would be far more difficult for Americans to dismiss it
all as just Israel Israel doing what it has to do to deal with
terrorists.
and Americans don't seem to notice. But it's because it's presented
in the context of Palestinian violence; we're told that Israel's
violence is as tragic as it is necessary. This is why I think Israel's
Arabs have such an important role to play. They are not living under a
military occupation/economic blockade. Within Israel proper, the idea
of an orchestrated campaign of non-violent protest is much more
practical. Think of Tiananmen Square, and what that did to U.S.
opinion. Imagine a similar scene in Israel. Imagine many similar scenes
in Israel. It would be far more difficult for Americans to dismiss it
all as just Israel Israel doing what it has to do to deal with
terrorists.
