In January the health magazine Natural Solutions ran an article about how to deal with traumatic events. The piece began with a moving description of a 16-year-old Gaza boy who had seen Israeli soldiers kill his best friend and who now wanted to die. The article apparently got several letters from the Israel lobby. Cause that's how the lobby works, it takes action when anyone humanizes Palestinians. And Natural Solutions (sorry, this part's not online) then apologized for its editorial judgment.
Lanny Cotler was outraged. He wrote to the editors:
In
your April edition, you prefaced the Letters section with an apology:
"Asking Forgiveness" —It's worth repeating, because the devil is in the
details. You wrote: "We received several letters
from readers upset with us for starting 'Reclaiming Calm' (January)
with a story of a young Arab boy. We certainly never intended to give
the impression that we chose sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict or that we had any political agenda.
We merely used one boy's struggle as an example of how alternative
treatments can help PTSD. We will be more sensitive in the future."
your April edition, you prefaced the Letters section with an apology:
"Asking Forgiveness" —It's worth repeating, because the devil is in the
details. You wrote: "We received several letters
from readers upset with us for starting 'Reclaiming Calm' (January)
with a story of a young Arab boy. We certainly never intended to give
the impression that we chose sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict or that we had any political agenda.
We merely used one boy's struggle as an example of how alternative
treatments can help PTSD. We will be more sensitive in the future."
Question:
If the boy had been an Israeli boy and you had received letters from
Arab readers, would you have published the same apologia? I doubt it.
And we all know why.
If the boy had been an Israeli boy and you had received letters from
Arab readers, would you have published the same apologia? I doubt it.
And we all know why.
I am appalled that some
Jews feel that such umbrage is appropriate. It is not. Kristin
Bjorsen's article—besides being brilliant and spot on—was not expressive
of any political favoritism, nor should you have felt the need to
apologize. In doing so, you fan the flames of Jewish or pro-Israeli
rightwing nationalism/chauvinism.
Jews feel that such umbrage is appropriate. It is not. Kristin
Bjorsen's article—besides being brilliant and spot on—was not expressive
of any political favoritism, nor should you have felt the need to
apologize. In doing so, you fan the flames of Jewish or pro-Israeli
rightwing nationalism/chauvinism.
To be clear:
I am Jewish. I was raised Zionist. My father was a cantor. My brother
is a cantor. And I once considered studying for the rabbinate and
emigrating to Israel. But then I studied the history of Israel and of the Zionists' treatment of the Palestinians. And I learned how racist and criminal and inhumane Zionism can be. Of course, saying this, I risk being called a "self-hating Jew" or "anti-Semitic Jew". So be it.
I am Jewish. I was raised Zionist. My father was a cantor. My brother
is a cantor. And I once considered studying for the rabbinate and
emigrating to Israel. But then I studied the history of Israel and of the Zionists' treatment of the Palestinians. And I learned how racist and criminal and inhumane Zionism can be. Of course, saying this, I risk being called a "self-hating Jew" or "anti-Semitic Jew". So be it.
I
realize that you cannot express your political agenda (as I can in
Letters), but at the very least, don't grovel before those who are
moved more by hate and fear than love and forgiveness. Peace won't come
that way—no matter what AIPAC, JINSA, the ADL, and rightwing Jewish
neocons batter you with. Stand up and let a few cancel their
subscriptions.
realize that you cannot express your political agenda (as I can in
Letters), but at the very least, don't grovel before those who are
moved more by hate and fear than love and forgiveness. Peace won't come
that way—no matter what AIPAC, JINSA, the ADL, and rightwing Jewish
neocons batter you with. Stand up and let a few cancel their
subscriptions.
For every rightwing Jew (that
used to be an oxymoron) who cancels, I'll go out a get you two humanist
Jews to take their place. That's the way to fight the drift to fascism.
used to be an oxymoron) who cancels, I'll go out a get you two humanist
Jews to take their place. That's the way to fight the drift to fascism.
Lanny Cotler, Vietnam vet
Willits, CA
