Jewish history in the making, which way will it go? To the arms of the lobby, or the humanists? From JWeekly in the Bay Area:
Of the 37 films with ties to Israel in this year’s San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, one in particular has several prominent local Jewish leaders and activists outraged.
On July 25 and Aug. 4, the SFJFF will show “Rachel,” a documentary that explores the controversial death of American peace activist Rachel Corrie at age 23. Festival organizers invited Corrie’s mother, Cindy, to a Q&A session following the July 25 screening…
"The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival made a serious error in judgment in inviting Mrs. Corrie to the festival," Israel Consul General Akiva Tor said via e-mail. "She is a propagandist who is immune from responsibility for the causes she supports because it was her daughter, Rachel, who was accidentally killed.
"So her staged presence becomes a kind of emotional grandstanding, rather than pursuit of a deeper insight."
P.S. Cindy Corrie, whom I've had the privilege of meeting a few times, is a great American and mother. She went to Capitol Hill in the weeks before her daughter's murder to try and change American policy so as to make her daughter safer. She was tentative then. Today, enlarged by her suffering, she has provided all of us who care about human rights an inspiring example of humanity extended across borders. And always with that quiet calm voice of hers.
Kudos to Peter Stein of the Jewish film festival, and AFSC, and Jewish Voice for Peace, for bringing Corrie to the Bay Area.
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Akiva Tor is a real douche, watch him get owned by Angry Arab: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd0_GHEoqnQ
Why "My People" bullshit? It is revolting, you know? A girl is crushed to pulp. And your heart hurts, because of "my people". Your insanity has you consider the death of a young girl, who martyred herself under a bulldozer to free an oppressed people. What is your reaction? "Look what Zionism has done to MY people". Do you understand the clinical definition of narcissism? Narcissism and sociopathy are separate only by degree of intensity. We are ALL each other's people. Until you change this unexamined, deep attachment to the special value of of Jews as a cherished group, you participate in the same fundamental basis that produces Zionism itself. The difference is in the size of the fruit – not the seed at the root. You need a spiritual change. A "depth-psychology" revelation. You need to become ruthlessly honest and self-examining, with nothing sacrosanct. Your identity is the cause of your own oppression – which is ultimately the source of oppressing others. Believe me that this oppressing others occurs with the best of intentions! Your heartfelt outpouring is already a form of violence. I swear by the name of the Truth. I swear by the name of the absolute Truth.
How about that: a dogmatic, evangelistic universalist. What next, people burned at the stake for denying Unitarianism? You know nothing about absolute truth (I doubt anyone does) so your "swearing" is just pompous grandstanding.
What stands out is the assertion from 'J Weekly' that the murder of Rachel Corrie was "accidental". The ease by which such publications can assert complete nonsense to cover up Jewish crimes should also be an example of how Zionism has corrupted the Jewish people…
Where does you anger come from? What does criticism of my invocation have to do with the substance of my observations. Again, you have focused on the peripheral, supposed identity of the messenger, and deliver invective against those attributes. This is a distraction – another ad hominem fallacy – and reveals your disturbed psychology, not a flaw in my proposition. Again, as I observe in others who joined me in conversations on this forum, you impute a violent orientation to comments which due not support, condone or imply violence. Seriously consider this: The violence introduce to this discussion came from YOUR violent mind. Burning people at the stake? You introduced that. YOU burn people. At first, only with your words – Thought is the mother of action, it is said. Then ultimately where will it lead? I don't claim particular access to the absolute Truth. I beg for the light of the Truth to shine on everything, showing reality as it is – not as any of us merely wish it to be. Regarding the particular acrimony that occurs in these postings, I have a theory. In fact, I think that naturally, readers of these topics feel a mixture of pain, resentment, helplessness and confusion. They "charge up" with these feelings reading the topic postings – and remain unresolved. Commenting and responding to comments releases some of this tension – with the charge of vicarious violence they have taken on themselves quickly passed away and its source attributed to others. But, unlike you, I admit that I may be mistaken. So I swear again, by the name of the Truth.
The Israel Consul General has NO BUSINESS COMMENTING or dictating to anyone, least of all denigrating the mother of the dead. He should be apologizing.
Israel is immune from responsibility for Rachel's death, at least until now six and 1/2 years later. Two intriguing questions are: 1) why do Israeli spokespeople continue to speak of her death as being accidental when the U.S. State Department has stated that a credible investigation did not occur and 2)when the soldiers on the ground received a change in orders five minutes before Rachel's death and the order was that the bulldozer operaters were not to stop, from where did the order originate? Simply on the ground, in the defense ministry's office or after consultation with counterparts in the U.S. government? Maybe Rachel's press conference two days prior to her death did not go unnoticed.
Shame to see how antisemitism has corrupted you. Rachel Corrie, nominated for a Darwin award, commited accidental suicide. She proved to be too stupid to get out of the way of a bulldozer speeding at 6 miles per hour.
Yet MRW never apologizes for instigating genocide.
Why? Because it was proven that Rachel Corrie, famed Darwin award moninee, commited accidental suicide. Notice how her "official" autopsy did not state that she was not impregnated by a Palestinian, ample reason for her to contemplate ending it all.
You mistake amusement for anger. That says a lot right there. You're so convinced of your spiritual superiority to the rest of us (which is quite evident in your preachy attitude) that you end up making a complete fool of yourself.
This statement by the Pacific Northwest Consel General reminds me of an article that was published in the Des Moines Register a number of years ago written by the communications director of the Israeli Embassy in Chicago. He spent a fair amount of energy trying to weave a picture of the International Solidarity Movement being linked to terrorism in much the same way that Dick Cheney presents his arguments – short on facts and long on ennuendo. Cindy and Craig Corrie have asked that the evidence be placed on the table so that reasonable people can judge. President Bush was promised a credible, transparent investigation and his State Department has stated that such did not occur . I suspect that Mr. Tor cares little about the truth….Israel was found guily in the death of Tom Hurndall, settled in the death of James Miller, settled in the death of Ian Hook and now they have the investigations being done aroung the Gaza war…..If Rachel's death was an accident why did the Israeli's need to splice the tape…..I for one am looking forward to seeing the film……
No, Tor actually could give a shit about a Darwin award nominee who commited acccidental suicide while protecting terrorists.
Shahpur, not sure I get your post. If you've been a reasonably longtime participant in Mondoweiss' dialogue, you would recognize that the schism we're finally seeing in the monolithic Israel-can-do-no-wrong mantra over the last decade (and beyond) is because a majority of progressive, successful American Jews no longer believe that Zionism defines them in any way. Zionism has foisted a false identity on the American Jewsih community that it is rejecting post-Operation Cast Lead. Phil, Adam, Max, Joseph, Antony and others provide a candid insight to this movement, which is providing air cover to Obama as he battles AIPAC and its bought-and-paid-for Congressional members to bring peace to the Middle East. So you don't get it now — stick around and you hopefully will.
jesus prays for you!
Ismail, you're truly a dick.
i am hoping that phil's words are exhorting "his people" to honest shame . but i do understand what you mean. and agree up to a point. but i think the public dialogue is going to inevitably be about what it means to be jewish and it's better that it happens as soon as possible. the wound needs to be lanced.
Ismail, become a human being.
ismail, or should I say, moron – did you not read cheryl's post? The US State Dept. said that no credible investigation took place. This is a trend considering Israel frequently exonerates itself during it's internal "investigations" (scams). There are plenty of other examples too. Like the 'human shield' line that ZioNazis like yourself use when faced with the civilian death toll Israel causes. The Amnesty International report on the Gaza massacre, found that Israel and not Hamas, used human shields. In 2006, the US Army War College and HRW, found that Hezbollah did not use human shields (based substantially off of testimonies by Israeli soldiers themselves). And when do ZioNazis like yourself, USE the 'human shield' line? You use it to either mock the Palestinian resistance OR to save face when people are confronting you with the huge civilian death toll. So it's a rhetorical tactic. Obviously. Israel uses human shields too so as a matter of critical thinking the next 'filter' is to ask what the context is of both parties' usage AND the extent. However, based on the type of responses, morons like yourself, frequently give here – truth is not something you're interested in.
use keepvid.com to download it, it takes forever to load if you only have dsl. He laid out artfully how Israel doesn't want peace.
Philip, if you look at the comments section of that article, the very first comment is by Dan Spitzer, a Berkeley local who is part of the campaign to put a local newspaper out of business. Why? Because the Berkeley Daily Planet dares to publish commentaries that are critical of Israeli policy. His hateful post there on J Weekly suggests that the Jewish Film Festival should only be "now laughingly called a “Jewish” film festival"…. it seems for Mr. Spitzer, you must pass his test of correct political doctrine to be allowed to identify as Jewish. I can see why many Jews would be very offended.
You are not honest. You introduce the idea that I wish violence on those who's opinions differ from mine. Then, you say you have no anger. Spiritual superiority? Again you project.
I see the schism. I also see that it still contains the core narcissism that enables Zionism. Look closely at this instance – anguish is felt for what Zionism is doing to "my people" – not the direct object of Zionist violence.
Mr. Tor states Cindy Corrie is a propagandist and Mr. Ismail suggests that the Samir family (does that include their __bunny?)are terrorists. So does that make me a fellow traveler? __Perle and Frum devote some thought in their 2003 book to who should be profiled….and fellow travelers fit their bill. My question is: For the neocon mind set , how great of a leap is it from profiling to targeting…..i.e. if you can sincerely but incorrectly label people. i.e. "terrorist" how much of a leap is it for one of those people to end up on some neocon's list of people who are dangerous ….after all, Dick Cheney's national security advisor and then chief of staff Hannah stated there was a list of people that were vetted by the U.S government that it was determnined needed to be taken out…(this in response to Sy Hersch's statement that there was a special ops assassination team .) If Mr. Ismail believes Rachel was protecting terrorists then perhaps there were some within the Israeli government who believed that or some within the U.S. government who believed that.____
You seem, like many idiots, not to be capable of parsing sarcasm or satire. The idea of burning people for denying Unitarianism is so obviously snide that it's almost unimaginable that anyone could think it was meant seriously, yet you seem to have taken it seriously. That's really pathetic. The problem here is not my honesty, it's your inability to either understand what you read or see the pomposity or grotesque level of spiritual pride that you displayed in your original comment in this thread.
Like all actions, Zionism has had both very positive and very negative consequences. The positive ones of liberation from suppression (before the improvements to Jewish status, that you and I take for granted, occurred) were critical for Jewish life.
Again you show yourself incapable of understanding what you read. If Phil were not concerned about the "direct object of Zionist violence", he would not see how Zionism, which is intended to be good for the Jewish people, is instead damaging them. That awareness underlies this post. The point here is basically that when Jews defend Zionism they are defending something that is hurtful not only to others, but even to the Jews themselves; in harming the Palestinians, the Jews harm themselves as well. This is a point worth making, particularly considering that Zionism is often defended on the ground that it is seen as necessary to protect the Jewish people. When you challenge this awareness on the ground that we are "all one people" you are just showing that you miss the point.
Right after you become one. Which means I won't have to worry.
I love these Nazi flame wars. One nazi (Craig) flames another Nazi (Shahpur) over the fact that neither thinks the other is antisemitic enough. Flame on, retards!!!
so you're admitting that you're an inhuman racist and bigot? good, the first step is admitting you have a problem
Oh, Witty.
Richard, that's like those who claim Stalin was necessary to strengthen the Russian state. Really? Weren't there more reasonable, less destructive paths available? Have you read Moshe Menuhin?
No, I am merely stating that assholes like you and student1 are meaningless and powerless.
"I love these Nazi flame wars" Of course you would. I'm sure you love the ideology just as much.
Thre's no such thing as accidental suicide Ismail. In any case, it would be physically impossible for Corrie to drive the tractor over ther skull, then reverse it back over her skull. Seeing as the driver of the tractor was only travelling 6 miles per hour, he could have stopped, but chose to murder her instead.
"Yet MRW never apologizes for instigating genocide. " Neither has Israel.
You're lying (again) Ismail. It was never proven that Corrie commited suicide. It is a fact howver, that it woudl be physically impossible for her to drive a tractor over her own skull and then reverse it back over her body. The driver fo the tractor didn't even stop to check on her or express remorse for what had happened, so it's obvious it was murer. "Notice how her "official" autopsy did not state that she was not impregnated by a Palestinian" Talk about Orwellian double speak. So ismail, it has not been disproven proven that you are a pedophile, so shall we take it that you are?
That's provably false Witty. It Zinism was critical for Jewish life, then those who remained in the Diaspora would have all persihed.
clearly not meaningless enough since you troll our comments though, huh? you're not a bright one are you ismail?
Sarcasm and snideness are not anger? They are not rhetorical contempt and violence? Despite the prevalence in the United States and United Kingdom to view the use of irony as an indication of intelligence, they are more typically a sign of venal banality.
Well, I would say that Rachel Corrie's death is "controversial" in much the same way that Neda Soltani's death is "controversial." You see, some people love controversy. That's why they put themselves in the way of bulldozers and bullets.
This statement is typical from an Israel Consul General ( and this applies to every last one of them) since they believe that they have as much right to tell Americans and not only American Jews what they should or shouldn't be doing as their agents in AIPAC have with regards to Congress. It is interesting to compare the publicity or lack of it that the Corrie family has been getting for telling the story of her daughter with the attention paid in Europe and the US to one captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, who has been mentioned by names in resolutions in the House and the Senate and has been honored by the French parliament as well as being recently made an honorary citizen of Italy. The nearly 10,000 Palestinians illegally held in Israeli prisons, of course, may as well be consigned to oblivion. A final word about San Francisco's Jewish Film Festival. To the credit of its organizers and those who have succeeded them over the years, it has not shied away from showing films that are deeply critical of Israel and even some years back, Amira Hass was a guest speaker on one of the festival's panels.
The presence of Israel IMPROVED the status of Jews everywhere. Many factors contributed to that, but the presence of Israel was one. Phil and I are beneficiaries of that.
Why are we supposed to accept that Zionism came out of nowhere and created some false tribalism among Jews that has caused Phil's people to experience corruption? The claim itself is corrupt.
Actually, the presence and behavior of Isreael has been a demonstrable setback for Jews. Many Jews are opposed to Israel and insist it does not stand for Judaism. The fact that most Jews choose not to live in Israel is proof that Israel is an anachronism.
You're quite the piece of work there ismail. You're parents should be proud. (That was meant to be a sarcastic dig when I realized they probably are proud of you for being a Liar for Israel, lol)
Its a tangible improvement, and some compromise, same as any bold action. It was NECESSARY following WW2. It needs to transform now to being satisfied with enough. LIVE and LET LIVE.
Two problems with that, first, she wasn't run over by the tractor, she was killed by a pile of debris it was pushing. If she had been run over, the part of her that got run over would look rather like a squeezed out tube of toothpaste. Second, the driver didn't see her. For that you can thank the Palestinians. They shoot at the bulldozers. The armor that protects the drivers also limits their field of view. As for accidental suicide. I don't think it is an official term or anything. I have seen it applied in cases where someone did something that was so reckless of their life, that if someone else had done it, it would be reckless disregard for human life (murder 2). Marilyn Monroe may have been an accidental suicide. She had a habit of taking too many pills then calling someone to rescue her. Rachel Corrie probably does. If you put someone in a position where they will die unless a driver with very limited visibility sees them, that would be murder. Rachel Corrie did that to herself. So if anyone "murdered" Rachel Corrie, it was Rachel Corrie.
The Amnesty international report on Gaza parroted what Hamas said. They blindly took the word of whoever told them anything. That wasn't so much an investigation as a lie laundering operation.
Israel wasn't found guilty in the death of Tom Hurndall. Israel prosecuted the soldier who did kill him (in the middle of a battle with the Palestinian gunmen that Tom was playing human shield for). James Miller was killed in a combat zone at night, during an operation in which the Israelis were shot at and uncovered a weapon smuggling tunnel. Tragic, but that's the chance you take when you go into a combat zone where terrorists are running their operations. Ian Hook was just sitting in his office, in a building near the hideout of Islamic Jihad terrorist Abdullah Wahsh. Who did not want to be arrested by the Israelis without a fight. Unfortunately, Mr. Hook was killed in the crossfire. Again, tragic, but again, the fault of the Palestinians who choose to put their terrorist bases near civilians. What splicing are you talking about?
To be fair. She wasn't protecting terrorists, just their weapon smuggling tunnels.
No, to be fair, she was protecting the house of a civilian which Israel was in the process of demolishing. After her death, and after the house was demolished, no tunnels were found under the home. If you are really interested in truth and justice, please read this report from October of 2004 of Human Rights Watches investigation of Israel’s razing of 2500 houses in Rafah, Gaza. Here’s a short excerpt from the summary, but please read the whole report:
HRW Report October 2004:Razing Rafah
Who are “your people”?
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