[LVS]∎ Read The Politics of AntiSemitism Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St Clair 0884523482525 Books

The Politics of AntiSemitism Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St Clair 0884523482525 Books

Download As PDF : The Politics of AntiSemitism Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St Clair 0884523482525 Books

The Politics of AntiSemitism Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St Clair 0884523482525 Books

Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair has assembled this collection of 18 essays for the purpose of "lifting the embargo" on the discussion of the manner in which the casual charge of "Anti-Semitism" is used to deflect legitimate criticism of Israel in particular, and the Zionist enterprise in general. (Interestingly, my Microsoft spell checker indicates a misspelling unless I capitalize A-S). I've previously read some of the authors, such as Uri Avnery, Robert Fisk, Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said. Each has demonstrated strong moral character in addressing the immense wrongs that have been inflicted on the Palestinians by the State of Israeli, and its Jewish supporters, primarily in the United States. As for the other authors, it was a first-time experience. Overall the collection was nominally tied together by the title's theme, but the quality, perhaps of necessity, is variable. The collection was issued in 2003, as the neo-cons had finally achieved a cherished goal: using the 9-11 attacks as a pretext for invading Iraq.

The first essay is by Michael Neumann, who raises numerous "taboo" issues, including the most fundamental: Is Jewish identity fundamentally religious, racial, or a `cultural entity'? He addresses overall Jewish complicity in Israel's crimes against the Palestinians. In Cockburn's essay, I found an aside, concerning the application of moral standards, informative, and it had nothing to do with Israel. Billy Graham had apparently given his imprimatur to the killing of a million Vietnamese by bombing the dikes in northern Vietnam; for bombing the dikes in Holland in World War II, the German high commissioner in Holland, Seyss-Inquart, was sentenced to death at Nuremberg.

St. Clair's essay on the Israeli attack on the American warship, USS Liberty, in 1967, which left 34 US sailors dead, and 174 wounded, needs to be read by every American, particularly those who have a predilection for wearing the flag in their lapel. The actual attack was one horrendous crime, but the efforts to cover it up within the United States were at least a magnitude worse. As St. Clair says: "For the first time in history, an attack on an American ship was not subjected to a public investigation by Congress." From the highest level, to the smallest, far more than normal human pathos was operative: "When a small town in Wisconsin decided to name its library in honor of the USS Liberty crewmen, a campaign claiming it was anti-Semitic was launched... and when the town went ahead, the U.S. government ordered no Navy personnel to attend, and sent no messages."

Norman Finkelstein, who lost almost his entire family in the Holocaust, has been a long-standing critic of the misuse of Jewish suffering to support Jewish wrong-doing, in particular against the Palestinians. His book, The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering, New Edition 2nd Edition is an essential read. In his essay, "Counterfeit Courage," which is in this collection, he concludes by addressing the German people: "The challenge in Germany today is to defend the memory of the Nazi holocaust and to condemn its abuse by American Jewish elites; to defend Jews from malice and to condemn their overwhelmingly blind support for Israel's brutal occupation. But to do this requires real moral courage- not the operatic kind that politically correct Germans so love.

Much is this book is imminently quotable. The 1-star reviews underscore the importance of lifting the embargo. 4-stars.


Tags : The Politics of Anti-Semitism [Alexander Cockburn, Jeffrey St. Clair] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div><P>How did a term, once used accurately to describe the most virulent evil, become a charge flung at the mildest critic of Israel,Alexander Cockburn, Jeffrey St. Clair,The Politics of Anti-Semitism,AK Press,1902593774,Jewish - General,United States - 20th Century,USA,Antisemitism.,Arab-Israeli conflict.,Antisemitism,Arab-Israeli conflict,GENERAL,General Adult,HISTORY Jewish,HISTORY United States 20th Century,History,HistoryAmerican,HistoryJewish - General,HistoryUnited States - 20th Century,History: American,Israel,Jewish,Jewish studies,Middle EastNorth Africa,Multiple Title Package,Non-Fiction,POLITICAL SCIENCE Colonialism & Post-Colonialism,POLITICAL SCIENCE General,POLITICAL SCIENCE Human Rights,POLITICAL SCIENCE World Middle Eastern,Politics Current Events,SOCIAL SCIENCE Jewish Studies,USA,United States,United States - 20th Century,General,HISTORY Jewish,HISTORY United States 20th Century,HistoryJewish - General,HistoryUnited States - 20th Century,POLITICAL SCIENCE Colonialism & Post-Colonialism,POLITICAL SCIENCE General,POLITICAL SCIENCE Human Rights,POLITICAL SCIENCE World Middle Eastern,SOCIAL SCIENCE Jewish Studies,Politics Current Events,Antisemitism,Arab-Israeli conflict,History,History: American,Jewish studies

The Politics of AntiSemitism Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St Clair 0884523482525 Books Reviews

Finally an honest discussion about a controversial topic! Each chapter is written by a different contributor, and about half of the writers are Jewish - in fact, prominent Jews. There is so much misinformation and mudslinging regarding this word (anti-semiticism) that its refreshing to have some truth and reality come back to the debate. The problem is that there are essentially two kinds of people who say negative things about Israel - genuine crazy Jew-haters and normal, thoughtful people who care about injustice all over the world. Supporters of Israel, either through stupidity or more likely on purpose lump these two groups together as if they were one. If you speak up when Israel violates the Geneva Conventions, about 100 UN resolutions, agreements with the US on the use of cluster bombs, etc - it doesn't mean you hate all Jews. There is "right" and "wrong" no matter if the war criminal is Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other. And in the case of Israel, since its inception by terrorist thugs who killed British peacekeepers and Arab civilians, this has been going on for almost 60 years. Its actually in the interest of all Jews to stop this criminal behaviour by Israel because it casts a negative shadow on all Jews all over the world. When justice comes to Palestine, the world will be a better place for everyone - including Jews. The first step is to read this book, and get a balanced viewpoint.
If you've read the synopsis, you're probably aware that Jewish organizations have a tendency to continually smear critics of their actions/policies as "anti-Semites," as well as to dub legitimate criticism of Jewish ethnocentrism in the media, the government, and Israeli politics as "blood libel." This is incredibly unfortunately for a number of reasons, including (1) it tarnishes the reputations of legitimate critics and victims of Jewish racism, (2) it engenders a phobia toward expressing criticism or asking for assistance, (3) it endangers Israelis and Israeli Americans by desensitizing observers to bona fide violence or prejudice directed at Jews.

This book, a collection of essays from a variety of left-wing Jews, Arabs/Muslims, and (assimilated) Americans, does a decent job of exposing all three dangers, primarily from a Marxian, pro-Palestinian point of view.

For example, both establishment political parties cater to organized Judaism, both from internal pressure by Jewish members, and from immense external pressure from Jewish organizations, giving Israeli Americans disproportionate influence over foreign policy, and they use that dominant position to funnel tens of billions of dollars of American taxpayer -- and borrowed -- monies to Israel, as well as to create Judeo-centric legislation.

Additionally, Jewish dominance in the legal industry enables Israeli Americans to both profit from, and quash, dissent. The threat alone of being sued by powerful Jewish groups and Jewish lawyers is often enough to prevent critics from speaking out.

Jewish ethnocentrism and corporate concentration have allowed Israeli Americans to assume control of every major media and publishing company. The Israeli-American media establishment then shapes coverage of Israel-Palestinian affairs to downplay Israeli atrocities and play up Palestinian bombings, as well as to neutralize criticism and to brand critics (and non-compliant politicians) as "bigots," "Jew-haters," "self-hating Jews," "anti-Semites," "Nazis," and the like. (Fascinatingly, even pointing out that Jews comprise a dominant elite within the media is often enough to get one blacklisted.)

Of course, the New Left in American politics is in fact an outgrowth of Jewish socialism, not European socialism, and Israeli Americans continue to maintain a dominant role on the Left. When those Israeli Americans criticise Israeli politics or actions, however, they are typically branded "self-hating Jews." By trivializing their concerns and labeling them "anti-Semitic," pro-Israeli Jews are able to overcome even the formidable power of the victimization, and class-based, politics of the Jewish Left.

Taken together, the essay authors assert, the three rails of organized Judaism work to continually reinforce Israeli hegemony in both the Middle East and in America, and even subvert the actions of Jewish activists with other leanings. This dominance and bullying engender a (typically) private hatred of all Jews and a contempt for their interests, even when those interests are morally defensible. For example, Israeli atrocities embolden and legitimize global anti-Semitism, and Zionist Jew-hatred divides the Jewish community. If European and American onlookers perceive Jews to be always profiteering via the Holocaust industry, or always existing as a militant, parasitic nation using American lives in the defense of Israel, will they come to the aid of Israel or the world Jewry in the event of another Nazi state?
Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair has assembled this collection of 18 essays for the purpose of "lifting the embargo" on the discussion of the manner in which the casual charge of "Anti-Semitism" is used to deflect legitimate criticism of Israel in particular, and the Zionist enterprise in general. (Interestingly, my Microsoft spell checker indicates a misspelling unless I capitalize A-S). I've previously read some of the authors, such as Uri Avnery, Robert Fisk, Norman Finkelstein and Edward Said. Each has demonstrated strong moral character in addressing the immense wrongs that have been inflicted on the Palestinians by the State of Israeli, and its Jewish supporters, primarily in the United States. As for the other authors, it was a first-time experience. Overall the collection was nominally tied together by the title's theme, but the quality, perhaps of necessity, is variable. The collection was issued in 2003, as the neo-cons had finally achieved a cherished goal using the 9-11 attacks as a pretext for invading Iraq.

The first essay is by Michael Neumann, who raises numerous "taboo" issues, including the most fundamental Is Jewish identity fundamentally religious, racial, or a `cultural entity'? He addresses overall Jewish complicity in Israel's crimes against the Palestinians. In Cockburn's essay, I found an aside, concerning the application of moral standards, informative, and it had nothing to do with Israel. Billy Graham had apparently given his imprimatur to the killing of a million Vietnamese by bombing the dikes in northern Vietnam; for bombing the dikes in Holland in World War II, the German high commissioner in Holland, Seyss-Inquart, was sentenced to death at Nuremberg.

St. Clair's essay on the Israeli attack on the American warship, USS Liberty, in 1967, which left 34 US sailors dead, and 174 wounded, needs to be read by every American, particularly those who have a predilection for wearing the flag in their lapel. The actual attack was one horrendous crime, but the efforts to cover it up within the United States were at least a magnitude worse. As St. Clair says "For the first time in history, an attack on an American ship was not subjected to a public investigation by Congress." From the highest level, to the smallest, far more than normal human pathos was operative "When a small town in Wisconsin decided to name its library in honor of the USS Liberty crewmen, a campaign claiming it was anti-Semitic was launched... and when the town went ahead, the U.S. government ordered no Navy personnel to attend, and sent no messages."

Norman Finkelstein, who lost almost his entire family in the Holocaust, has been a long-standing critic of the misuse of Jewish suffering to support Jewish wrong-doing, in particular against the Palestinians. His book, The Holocaust Industry Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering, New Edition 2nd Edition is an essential read. In his essay, "Counterfeit Courage," which is in this collection, he concludes by addressing the German people "The challenge in Germany today is to defend the memory of the Nazi holocaust and to condemn its abuse by American Jewish elites; to defend Jews from malice and to condemn their overwhelmingly blind support for Israel's brutal occupation. But to do this requires real moral courage- not the operatic kind that politically correct Germans so love.

Much is this book is imminently quotable. The 1-star reviews underscore the importance of lifting the embargo. 4-stars.