This New Orleans human rights site is raising money for a delegation going to Gaza in late May. Chip in, huh?
On May 29th, a group of New Orleans social justice activists, filmmakers, photographers, and journalists will attempt to cross the Rafah border into Gaza. We will be joining a CodePink delegation that is bringing medical supplies, playground equipment, and toys to the 140 square mile open-air prison recently devastated by the Israeli siege called “Operation Cast Lead.”
Among the bios is this one from Emily Ratner:
She is one of many Jews in the New Orleans area who are interested in starting a conversation among American Jews about their continued support for the Israeli government, and is going to Gaza in part to bring back photographs, footage, and experiential knowledge to share with the Jewish community here as we prepare to take a strong stand on our communities’ direct support for the Israeli occupation and oppression of Palestine and the Palestinian people.
This is important, helpful language. It clarifies my own role. I wanted this site to be a crossroads to many different communities. And yes, you're welcome. Please come here. I aim to be in a very diverse community. But it seems that the discussion that I long have called for within the Jewish community over the horrors of the occupation and the Iraq war is really beginning in earnest, all over, and Ratner's language speaks to that. She's preparing to "take a strong stand." But first she must go there so as to bear witness. We aim to help her here; she is saying something of what I said last week when I said that Horowitz and I are part of AIPAC too. This anger at our own community has bubbled for years; in 1992 Jeff Blankfort wrote a paper on the Israel lobby that spoke of "American Jewish responsibility" for Palestinian suffering. (I know this responsibility caused me to be alienated from that community, Blankfort as well. Get over it; Marty Peretz doesn't make the rules anymore.)
Prepare to make Jewish history, but prepare too to work with other progressives to make American history.
I don' think they'll let them cross out of Egypt — maybe they won't even let them into Egypt. If you are not aware of what actually happened to the Galloway convoy at rafah, you should read the comments beneath this post: http://niqnaq.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/its-becaus...
Galloways was the first, codepink has already been to Gaza, they may get in again. Also, the "hope" convoy is to arrived at Rafah in two days, let us see where that takes us.
Look what happened to the Free Gaza boats. Not to mention the MSM never even picked up their story. 99.9% of American never head of that movement. On the other hand, CodePink has a way of drawing at least some MSM attention–of course all it amounts to is a few second splash of a few over-the-top hollering CodePinkers as they are dragged off the staged event, sans any useful comments at all by the prettified momentary MSM anchor. I just don't see a bunch of working class Americans rushing to their computer to google CodePink to see what they are all about–rather, I see them googling the impending sports event or American Idol web site… AIPAC thrives of the fact most Americans have no interest at all in foreign policy until their own kid comes home in a bodybag–given the nature of our volunteer military, drawing as it does from those families with the least power, not much for Richard Witty types to worry about.
Citizen, you do bring up some valid points. I agree that a small percentage of Americans care about this issue at all. But it is those people that are most responsible for making policy. So if the pro-Apartheid side has convinced 5% (whatever the number is) of the US population to support Israeli policies, all we need to do is convince another 6 or 7% of the US population to oppose it to have a majority of those actively engaged in this issue on our side. Only a relatively small number were engaged during the movement to oppose South Africa Apartheid… but we were successful.
To get the broad support that will be needed, I strongly feel that you need to adjust your goals beyond the Jewish community. Getting the Jesuits aboard, for example, would be extremely helpful.
RE: "Marty Peretz doesn't make the rules anymore." MY COMMENT: How dare a pantywaist like yourself besmirch the great, one and only Marty "Macho Man" Peretz*! He could CRUSH you if he so deigned using just a tiny bit of his wife's Singer® Sewing Machine fortune. Consider yourself forewarned, Mr. Phil Weiss! Capice? * "Don't f^^^ with the Jews." – Marty Peretz wrote during the Gaza slaughter PS. Do any women work at the "New Republic". "Enquiring minds want to know!"
I agree with you; we just have to keep spreading the word at every small opportunity afforded and keep contacting our government reps, etc.
you people are ridiculous. you would welcome the terrorists with open arms and serve as their slaves. as for the rest of us we will stand with israel and support democracy
The zionist Jews are the real terrorists, and we are already their slaves.