Here is the second part of Ethan Heitner’s interview with Palestinian filmmaker and writer Annemarie Jacir. You can read the first part here.
(Click on the first image below to view it larger, and then click in the upper right hand corner to scroll to the next page.)
Terrific. And really explains why (certain) “normalization” things (Israel-Palestine cooperation things) are really destructive and should not be participated in.
It’s also a nonviolent way of saying ” **** Israel” !
I studied with one of Jacir sisters at Bir Zeit. They are related to the Jacirs from Bethlehem and are wonderful ambassadors for ahla Filisteen.
The Israel Firster group Stand With US has a funny book, too. Have you seen it? Here is LogoPhere taking the mickey out of it.
http://something-stinks.com/WordPress/?p=101
I’m not sure I get this “funnies” approach. This is not humor directed a nasty human behavior the way Doonsbury was directed at the VN war. This is not discourse. It is one-way, forced projection. Of course this example is not nearly as bad as “Captain Israel,” but maybe I don’t see it as bad because the opinions being pushed in Captain Israel are grossly offensive to me, whereas these certainly aren’t.
But my point is political “funnies” that are not backed by humor strike me as propaganda. Maybe it’s because I got so much of it shoved down my throat as a kid in the 1950’s through Superman and WWII comics.
Funnies should be funny, and using humor to fight apartheid or other malicious human behavior is a very, very difficult thing to pull off. It is sort of like I find Michael Moore’s techniques revolting for their cheap tactics, biased tenor, and gross polemic, while Jon Stewart, making the same points, often makes me think as I laugh.
I thought the icy quote balloon for Real Cool was pretty funny!
@- Chaos: There is no discourse with Israel’s supporters.
Except for someone trying to stretch my comment into grounds for a smear, I don’t think any reasonable person would read it as referring to a discourse with Israel’s supporters.
Let me spell it out for you. What I had in mind was the discourse about the Israeli land-grab and the tragic way Israelis are treating and killing the Palestinians. IOW, the ongoing discourse between those of us who visit this site and who are trying to understand these issues so we can take actions we feel are appropriate, whether casting votes, sending Emails, offering financial support. . . whatever.
Understanding the facts is hard enough with all of the conflicting assertions of what the facts are. My point is that adding fictional characters and fictional accounts to the mix is not helpful. Fiction only and always distorts truth based on the writer’s/artist’s perceptions of what the truth is, or what it should be.
While the fiction may be beautifully executed and have immense aesthetic value, its validity as a medium for political discourse is questionable, in my opinion, whether it be Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1984, or Captain Israel. With respect to “funnies” specifically, this problem is greatly exacerbated as can be illustrated by reviewing the way “funnies” were used to depict Jews in Europe in the early part of the 20th century. How different was that from using fictional cartoons to depict Israeli Jews in a bad light in this century? I’m not saying there is no difference; I’m asking.
The problem is, I believe, that “funnies” appeal to half-functional, lazy minds that can’t be bothered sorting it all out. The kind of people who buy Playboy for the photographs and ignore the interviews with people like Malcom X and Ayn Rand.
Ethan obviously saw my point and has clearly explained his, which I appreciate and understand.