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Total number of comments: 14 (since 2010-02-28 18:12:41)

Steve Horn

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  • The new mixed-Jewish establishment
    • Steve Horn July 24, 2010 at 1:22 pm

      Right on. We have to remember what Annie said, which is that Daily Kos believes political change comes from electing progressive Democrats, which always means (except for Dennis Kucinich) these figures are PEEPs (Progressive on Everything Except Palestine). Netroots Nation does have a lot of good stuff going on, but like most progressive forums in this country, Israel-Palestine stuff isn't included. I'm actually curious, though: did Mondoweiss (i.e. Phil and Adam) try to get a seat at the table at Netroots Nation? If not, next year you guys should try to go! It does look like a cool forum and, as we know, Internet political activism (i.e. exposing fraudulent lies) is very important in this day and age.

    • Steve Horn July 24, 2010 at 1:12 pm

      Let's not forget who Mike Allen is, also. Mike Allen, a worshiper of power, would never have the foresight to expose these connections to power. Great stuff on the part of Phil. Shows the true evils of centrality of power in the Beltway and how intertwined it all is.

  • Politico's Mike Allen lends legitimacy to neocon smear org
  • Divestment makes Jews uncomfortable because it confronts them with facts that have been suppressed
    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 3:17 pm

      BDS of US government contracted companies by nature does target the US government, which works hand-in-hand with the Israeli government to continue the illegal occupation of the West Bank and the siege of the Gaza Strip. It's like saying by calling for a divestment from Blackwater USA, we are behaving foolishly because who we should be targeting is the government. Our country's Empire would not be possible without America's Largest Mercenary Army. The same is true of the Occupation--it would not be possible without the help of companies like GE, United Technologies, Caterpillar, Motorola, etc.

      "And what has Bibi got to do with any of this? This is Obama actually giving money to Israel to aid in its policies. So your issue is with Obama, not with Bibi. You need to tell Obama that he does not talk for all Americans. You are an American, no? Your real problem is that you need to tell Congress that it does not speak for all Americans when in fact it does."

      Bibi many times says he speaks for "the Jews" as a monolithic group of people...that's what he has to do with this. But in essence, divestment is a means through which to tell Obama and all of his cronies exactly what you just said. Obama just needs to know that Bibi is full of shit when he says he speaks for "the Jews" as one body, or when he says "EVERYBODY KNOWS...Jerusalem is not a settlement...it's OUR capital." BDS is a message to Obama that this simply is not true and we don't believe that the occupation that Bibi is promoting speaks to us as American Jews. As for Congress...same thing applies. Pelosi, a few weeks back, said Congress speaks with "one voice" on behalf of Israel...BDS is a means through which to say, Congress, as our psuedo-"representative" body, sure as hell better stop speaking with one voice on the Israel-Palestine issue.

      I agree with you on the thing with the US...perhaps that why I wrote about it in my article. Perhaps you should take the time to read the article. I am definitely willing to accept that Obama is much more responsible for this occurring than is Bibi...perhaps that why I wrote it in the article.

      I appreciate you encouraging me, and everyone else in this movement, to continue doing exactly what we're doing--BDS of the US government's contractors who profit off of the occupation and make it possible.

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 2:42 pm

      The US government contracts out these companies...it's not as if this is a completely private, not-affiliated-with-the government situation. Private industry and government, in this case, and in most cases these days, are troublingly connected. Some call it the military-industrial-complex, while others call it war for profit. I'm sure others following this stream may call is Apartheid-for-profit, Ethnic Cleansing for-profit, etc. I'm not one to get into games of rhetoric, but I know that this is not something I want done in my name as a Jew, as Benjamin Netanyahu and his cohort somehow think that as leaders of Israel, they speak for the Jewish world in its entirety. To me, that is bunk.

      BDS should target the companies the US government contracts with, so yes, I agree with you in full on that one.

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 1:27 pm

      Well...those are American companies that are contracted by the Israeli government. So, in essence, this is targeted at both countries, and even better, on a local- and campus-level. That's the beauty of BDS. It connects the local with the national with the international. That's why I believe in the selective BDS that Berkley's Student Senate proposed, and not broad "divestment from Israel."

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 1:10 pm

      What do you mean by that?

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 12:30 pm with 6 replies

      I'm with on both fronts! Quick comments: First, minimalist is the way to go so as to not allow them to discredit the movement. I agree, it totally pails in comparison to the situation in Gaza, though. This argument has to be made every time to those opposed to BDS out of "discomfort." Second, I agree even more. If they want to start a BDS campaign on something else, they should. My guess is that none of those people are leading human rights advocates on any other cause and just want to try to detract from a legitimate BDS campaign against Israel.

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 10:30 am

      ***superior*******

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 10:29 am with 3 replies

      I agree. That's how I see it too. It's the best way to get the facts out there and it's the best way to galvanize public opinion.

      I think the less chance you give defenders to call you anti-Israel or anti-Semitic and only leave them with the argument of "It makes Jews feel uncomfortable," the better. I believe Berkley is the right model and the model schools and institutions nation-wide should follow. If these movements continue to pop up, it will serve as a wake up call for members of Congress and the Obama Administration.

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 10:26 am with 10 replies

      It's funny that you say "talk to Finkelstein." Indeed, I spent the day with him last Tuesday. He also was very supportive of Berkley's model. Finkelstein also believes in a two-state solution along the 1967 borders as declared by UN Resolution 242. It's pretty shocking that you refer to Palestinian leadership as if it's something to frown upon. Are you suggesting Israeli leadership is inferior? Barghouti is a very thoughtful man and I've heard him speak on behalf of BDS on Democracy Now! He doesn't "hate Jews," or "hate Israel," but he honestly believes BDS is the best thing activists can do worldwide to end the illegal and brutal occupation of the West Bank and the civilization-destroying siege of Gaza. Divestment opens the discussion of the illegal occupation better than any other tactic. It's not enough to sit in friendship circles, hold hands, and talk about how complicated the Israel-Palestine issue is.

      The environment here at UW-Madison isn't like that and it wasn't like that at Berkley. I would like to ask you, if not BDS...what is your proposal for ending the occupation? Or are you supportive of it continuing unabated?

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 10:09 am

      I meant "good things to INVEST in"...my bad!

    • Steve Horn April 20, 2010 at 10:09 am with 17 replies

      I see all BDS movements moving toward a minimalist approach and not a maximalist approach, because it lends the movements much more legitimacy, and frankly, it'd be dumb to go all-out and "divest from Israel" as a whole. Israel has many good things to divest in, as well, and many good peace activists, and I just don't see those who call for a total divestment from israel as being useful activists...in fact, they're just hurting the cause to end the occupation.

      I disagree with you on your second concern. I think that's basically bunk at this point. BDS isn't a "Jewish" issue--it's a human rights issue. No one is being hostile toward Jews, even those Jews who are sympathetic to Israel. I think your concerns are a product of general Jewish paranoia. I've seen it and heard it from many people, including from my own father and friends on-campus. I just don't buy it anymore.

  • Raising the discourse
    • Steve Horn March 2, 2010 at 4:28 pm

      This is completely unsurprising. The Hasbara-type group on my campus, called MadPAC (Madison-Israel Political Affairs Committee) is going to be doing the same thing on the week of the Nakba. What always ends up happening is that the Hasbara-types end up totally overreacting to criticism of Israel, they overcompensate, and they drown out all dissent. In a sense, it's kind of like what'll end up happening with Campaign Finance in the wake of Citizens United v. FEC. The left just has to keep fighting and blogs like this have to keep on reporting to the bullshit. Good stuff though, guys.

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