The enlightened forces of political correctness in Israel use the term "racism" in much the same way most other people use punctuation marks. Much like their Leftist cousins in the U.S. and Europe, "racism" is the all-purpose kneejerk term applied by them to everyone with whom they disagree. In Israel, "racism" is the Pavlovian accusation levelled by the Left at anyone who questions Oslo or challenges other Leftist homilies and pieties.
Now one of Israel's academics has come right out and said so. Prof. Yaron Ezrahi currently runs the Laborish left-leaning Israel Institute for Democracy, a sort of political science think tank. He was quoted recently in Ma'ariv as saying that in Israel, the only racism that exists is directed against Arabs (i.e., by Jews). Got that? When Arabs scream "Butcher the Jews" and Saddam "Gas the Jews," that is not racism. Only Jews can be racists, and their racism is manifested in such statements as "I do not think the Palestinians deserve their own state." But "I do not think the Jews deserve their own state" is peaceful, democratic debate.
Anyway, to help the reader sort things out, we thought it would be worthwhile constructing a chart that will clarify what is racism (and so should be criminalized and prosecuted), and what is simply legitimate, democratic debate in PC Israel:
| Perfidious Racism --should be suppressed |
Legitimate Democratic Debate and Expression | |||
| 1. |
I think no Palestinian state should be allowed to arise. |
1. |
I think Israel should be destroyed. | |
| 2. |
Terrorists deserve the death penalty. |
2. |
Settlers deserve to be murdered. | |
| 3. |
Islamic fundamentalism is a form of fascism. |
3. |
Zionism is a form of racism. | |
| 4. |
Most Israeli Arabs are not loyal to the state. |
4. |
Israel uses Nazi tactics. | |
| 5. |
Israel has the moral right to use force against Arab rioters. |
5. |
Arab terrorism is legitimate resistance. | |
| 6. |
Singing Hatikvah's verse about "the Jewish soul." |
6. |
Chanting "In fire and blood we will redeem thee, Palestine." | |
| 7. |
Jerusalem belongs only to the Jews. |
7. |
All of Palestine belongs only to the Arabs. | |
| 8. |
There is no real difference between the PLO and Hamas. |
8. |
There is no real difference between Netanyahu and Hitler. | |
To: William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States, Washington, D.C.
From: Shimon Peres, Maker of Peace, Tel Aviv
Re: The Bombings in Nairobi and Dar Es-Salaam
Mr. President:
It is with great urgency that I write to you about the terrible events of recent days, in which some activists decided to pursue peace by blowing up two of your embassies. Mr. President, you must act now!! You must immediately recognize the perpetrators of these acts as legitimate negotiating partners. You must invite them to the White House lawn and shake their hands. You must promise them their own state in Massachusetts and New York. But most importantly, you must not use military force against them. You must not jail them or strike at them with the military. You must make goodwill gestures towards them.
Remember, there are no military solutions to the problems of terror. You can only make peace with enemies. Massachusetts is nothing but real estate and Chicago will not matter in the New Middle West we are all building. Negotiate with the people who blew up Nairobi now, or else they will be displaced by really radical extremists. If you recognize their legitimacy they will then help you fight the real terrorists, with no Supreme Court or ACLU. And you must remove those settlements already from Oklahoma.
All we are saying is give peace a chance.
Shalom, haver.
Have a Ben and Jerry's Peace Popsicle on me.
Sincerely yours,
Shimon Peres, Peacemaker at Large
(Since Peres is apparently too busy raising money for the PLO to write condolence letters to Clinton, Steven Plaut composed the above letter in the spirit of Oslo.)
Prof. Steven E. Plaut teaches in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Haifa
September 1998 - 5 - Outpost