Senator Charles Schumer, the powerful New York Democrat and potential future majority leader, was heckled by a Palestine solidarity activist Sunday June 11 at a concert in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Schumer has earned the wrath of Palestine solidarity activists for being an unflinching supporter of Israel and for, most recently, justifying the blockade of Gaza with this reasoning:
The boycott of Gaza to me has another purpose — obviously the first purpose is to prevent Hamas from getting weapons by which they will use to hurt Israel — but the second is actually to show the Palestinians that when there’s some moderation and cooperation, they can have an economic advancement. When there’s total war against Israel, which Hamas wages, they’re going to get nowhere. And to me, since the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas, while certainly there should be humanitarian aid and people not starving to death, to strangle them economically until they see that’s not the way to go, makes sense.
An activist by the name of Andrew, writing over at his blog Jews Against Israeli Chutzpah, put up his account of heckling Schumer:
When Schumer took the stage, I had only one option to prevent the gag reflex from choking me to death. And that was to yell at him. And then yell at him some more. The adrenaline prevented anything particularly articulate but I managed to get the most important parts out. Free Gaza. End the blockade. Strangling a people is a war crime.
Clearly flustered, Chuck first tried to shush me, a task made more difficulty by his mic cutting in and out. A few people in the crowd - anxious for an uninterrupted Schumer opening act - managed to hurl a few shut-the-fuck-ups my way over their stifling apathy. Realizing I would not relent, Schumer finished with something along the lines of, "This is not about politics. It's about enjoying our freedom." He hurried off stage.
With such a high per capita volume of smart phones, I expected someone to take a video, or at least blog about it and my desire for a you-tube-able moment trumped my instinct to ignore the entire scene. While full video is still yet to be found, some internet denizens caught hold of the confrontation. In various posts and comments on Brooklyn Vegan and Sentimentalist Mag, I've been called a "debbie downer," "fat," inciting a "political heckle fest" and - much to the chagrin of the staff of Vestal Parkway's Cost Cutters (can't beat $10 wednesdays) - of having a "bad haircut."
Its always about “enjoying our freedoms with these jackasses. I’d like to “enjoy my freedoms” by kicking him in the sack.
And the fact that you look, and are, so young is another plus. You’re part of the younger Jewish crowd that Abe Foxman tells congress about.
Schumer did join Paul Craig Roberts in an attempt to tell people why “free trade” doesn’t work in a global economy, a fact that should be fairly obvious.
Other than that, he’s a schmuck.
link to nytimes.com
link to counterpunch.org
link to brookings.edu
Unfortunately, Paul Craig Roberts got fed up with all the schmucks and hung up his hat:
link to counterpunch.org
Paul Craig Roberts made an appearance on RT television yesterday evening.
Sure he still makes himself available for interviews to the few who will ask him, but I’ve yet to see him put pen to paper again since he said he was done with it in the article I linked above. In regard to interviews though, I highly recommend this one, with the caution that unlike Roberts, the interviewer plays loose with the facts:
link to youtube.com
I’d like to shake that heckler’s hand.
The ‘powerful’ Schumer (ooh I’m so scared!) deserves a rotten egg because he IS so rotten.
Loathsome, loathsome, disgusting and dangerous for America!
This kids tells Schumer. Don’t miss it:
link to youtube.com
that is incredible!! i love him, i want to bundle him in my arms and kiss his cute cheeks and feed him lots of ice cream!
Well, go ahead, then. I had a feeling I’d be handed the mitten before long. But we’ll always have Leveretts…
Palestinian children are so beautiful; so aware of not just the daily crimes committed against them, but of the complicit silence of the world.
Their ‘forced’ awareness fills my heart with such sorrow… and yet such hope: because of what I see in their bright soulful eyes.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall when this kid is breaking down mideast war and peace with his seven year old Gaza pals. I bet it would be more enlightening than listening to any Rand Think Tank Committee of Authored Experts :-)
well said taxi…
I remember watching this video when the Angry Arab linked to it two years ago but it had no subtitles then. The translation got awkward with the seemingly meanless “tak”( actually “takh”, “Palestinian” for shooting). . But the kid is amazing, a real phenomenon..
Thanks for linking to it.
That’s great to see that he grasps the concept of boycotts.
So brave Schumer the “guardian” cannot even defend his twisted position.
Bravely bold Sir Chuckie
Rode forth from Camelot.
He was not afraid to die,
Oh brave Sir Chuckie .
He was not at all afraid
To be killed in nasty ways.
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Chuckie .
He was not in the least bit scared
To be mashed into a pulp.
Or to have his eyes gouged out,
And his elbows broken.
To have his kneecaps split
And his body burned away,
And his limbs all hacked and mangled
Brave Sir Chuckie .
His head smashed in
And his heart cut out
And his liver removed
And his bowls unplugged
And his nostrils raped
And his bottom burnt off
And his pen–
That’s… that’s enough music for now lads,
*** there’s dirty work afoot*** ???.”
Brave Sir Chuckie ran away.
(“No!”)
Bravely ran away away.
(“I didn’t!”)
When danger reared it’s ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
(“no!”)
Yes, brave Sir Chuckie turned about
(“I didn’t!”)
And gallantly he chickened out.
****Bravely**** taking (“I never did!”) to his feet,
He beat a very brave retreat.
(“all lies!”)
Bravest of the braaaave, Sir Chuckie !
(“I never!”)
Schumer is the epitome of sleaze. One thing more important to him than the Israel Lobby is the Wall Street Lobby. He was the lead Democrat to repeal Glass-Steagall. He later (unsuccessfully, thank heavens) did what he could could bring the insurance companies into the Federal fold which would have made them part of the bail out. There are signs of Schumer everywhere in New York City as seen in the countless empty stores seen everywhere and the long unemployment lines. Rather than apologize for what he has done, he has the gall to run for proof positive that we get the politicians we deserve.
the question is how do we get people like chuck schumer out of power. This guy will not go easy. If you can take down one of the key players, like Arlen Specter, you’re halfway there.
Notice Greenwald’s blog today (and Walt) covers the emergency Israel commitee founded by Bill Kristol. The commercial ad opposing Joe Sestak is a laughable smear campaign. Sestak served in the navy for 30 years as vice admiral. It seems the Israel crowd in the US will stop at nothing to prevent dissent and speculation of Israel policy. It’s just like a trojan horse or computer virus.
link to salon.com
Putting politicians on the spot like Andrew did. The presidential cycle will start in January and Israel is pushing for war on Iran. When they go to New Hampshire and Iowa, they have to face more real voters, Obama will have to face them a bit, too, as he can’t ignore the primaries. Should be interesting.
The president can bring this corrupt scheming out into the open on national television one day, if he feels that his reelection is finished. There’s enough evidence for the commander in chief to lay out a case against apartheid in the the middle east. (it may make him earn that Nobel prize that people have questioned)
Of course, AIPAC would go ballistic and the fireworks would begin. It would be a grand folly of immense proportions, showing how the whole system is rigged. That would take some cohones…
Speaking to the public as the situation worsens, be it NH or Iowa could really make a dent. Cause, if he continues the current course, he should not be reelected; since he has never really fought for what he was elected to do. Go out swingin’ and provide the hat-tip to the next leader.
“Boycott” of Gaza? What Israel is doing to Israel is not a boycott. When Blackbeard raided commercial shipping, left uncooperative passengers and crew dead and made off with the cargo (and sometimes the whole ship), that was not a “boycott” of commercial shipping in the Caribbean.
Would you Zionists out there like to apply your false definition of “boycott” to Egypt blocking Israeli traffic through their canal? Or is that asking too much moral consistency of you?
A boycott is when you yourself choose to not engage in commercial traffic with an entity you disapprove of. When you intercept the commercial traffic of two other parties, that ceases to be a boycott and becomes more of an act of war (or war crimes, in the case of using military force against civilians and depriving occupied peoples of their basic necessities).
At this point I hope every Democratic Senator gets heckled off the stage when they open their mouths in defense of Israeli military aggression. Maybe they’ll get the picture before it’s too late — like, when Progressives take to the polls over the next few election cycles.
I kind of doubt that they will get the picture, however.
Nobody deserves it more than Chuck. When we went to meet with his aide, as part of a lobbying day run by the US Campaign to End the Occupation, the aide said, “We just can’t talk to Chuck about Israel/Palestine. He doesn’t listen to anything we say.”
Unfortunately, it appears he could be next in line to be Majority Leader if the Tea Party succeeds in defeating Harry Reid.
link to politico.com
A concert?
What decent musician would allow that pathetic excuse for a subhuman a share of their stage?
Sounds like a totally shite concert, whatever the genera of “music” to be performed.
Was it an elton the john concert, perchance? ;D
Hmmmm, guess not:
“Yesterday, as I found myself deep in a sea of Williamsburg hipsters awaiting a “Pool Party” concert at East River State Park”
OK write off pool party, then.
(not that I ever heard of ‘em…)
“This is not about politics. It’s about enjoying our freedom.” He hurried off stage.”
I have no comment to make..I’ll spare you and puke in my own toilet bowl..
How lame must your band be to allow Chuckles the Clown to be your opening act?