Narrow focus of this board...

[benny]

Thanks for pointing out that error.

fixed

Israel as your fixation!?

[August1991]

A mullah walks into a bar......

And the bartender says, "Gee, we don't get too many mullahs in here." And the mullah answers, looking at the menu, "And with prices like these, you won't get many more."

Sorry Morris, I just had to.

[Argus]

Seriously, though, I'll be the first one to admit that there may be white supremacist types on here who hate everything Jewish, especially Israel. I know that.

Your challenge, though, is to distinguish those half-brained clowns from the people who simply abhor Israel's recent and deadly attack on (-edit-) Gaza.

We can hate the actions without being Jew haters or Israel haters.

You don't help by making generalized put down statements like that.

I"m not trying to help anyone.

I have a tendency to defend Israel in the same manner as I do the federal Conservatives. That is to say, I'm not particularly fond of the Tories, or their leader, and there are a lot of things about their policies I don't appreciate either. But when I see Liberals attacking them, well, the blinding hypocrisy just draws me in to point out that everything they complain about - their party has done, only more.

In the same manner, I'm not at all blind to Israel's many blemishes. I don't particularly like their governments of late, and the place is full of religious wackos.

But compared to its detractors, that is to say, the Muslim world, and most especially the Arab world, they are virtually saints. Everything Israel is accused of is childs play compared to what its neighbors do and have done.

Example. Why did we see stone-throwing Palestinians on TV week after week, month after month, for years, but see no such protests in Arab nations which, after all, are complete dictatorships? Why, because if groups of protesters started throwing stones at the army in those countries the soldiers would have opened fire with automatic weapons and slaughtered every single person on the street. Political protests, especially violent ones, don't tend to be looked on favorably by the government in the Arab world.

And yet we hear these Arab leaders wringing their hands and decrying the human rights violations of Israel. What bullshit. As if any of them gives a damn about human rights abuses or freedoms. As for the Palestinians, their own governments, be it the PLO or Hamas, routinely practices torture and extra-judicial murder on a near daily basis, without, as far as I can see, anyone much caring, including all the people here who continuously posting about Israel's bad habits.

Which brings me back to your cause. Given my knowledge that there are scores of nations on Earth which are more vile than Israel in terms of human rights abuses, I have to look at the continuous whining about Isreal with a jaundiced view. Why all the care and attention from people who clearly don't give a shit about human rights abuses in China, North Korea, Sudan or anywhere else? Could there be something else motivating them than a concern for human rights?

[Remiel]

Which brings me back to your cause. Given my knowledge that there are scores of nations on Earth which are more vile than Israel in terms of human rights abuses, I have to look at the continuous whining about Isreal with a jaundiced view. Why all the care and attention from people who clearly don't give a shit about human rights abuses in China, North Korea, Sudan or anywhere else? Could there be something else motivating them than a concern for human rights?

I think there is something else, Argus. But, not what I imagine you are thinking.

Perhaps this may seem far fetched, but I think that it is a manifestation of the same phenomenon that causes people to obsess over those you can see on television, film, theatre and the entertainment magazines. Think of any celebrity, and every time you see or hear about them, ask, " Did this need to be in the news toda? "

[benny]

I think there is something else, Argus. But, not what I imagine you are thinking.

Perhaps this may seem far fetched, but I think that it is a manifestation of the same phenomenon that causes people to obsess over those you can see on television, film, theatre and the entertainment magazines. Think of any celebrity, and every time you see or hear about them, ask, " Did this need to be in the news toda? "

Israel, for the media, represents easily accessible blood with which they can frame public discussions and abuse their power.

[tango]

I"m not trying to help anyone.

I have a tendency to defend Israel in the same manner as I do the federal Conservatives. That is to say, I'm not particularly fond of the Tories, or their leader, and there are a lot of things about their policies I don't appreciate either. But when I see Liberals attacking them, well, the blinding hypocrisy just draws me in to point out that everything they complain about - their party has done, only more.

In the same manner, I'm not at all blind to Israel's many blemishes. I don't particularly like their governments of late, and the place is full of religious wackos.

But compared to its detractors, that is to say, the Muslim world, and most especially the Arab world, they are virtually saints. Everything Israel is accused of is childs play compared to what its neighbors do and have done.

Example. Why did we see stone-throwing Palestinians on TV week after week, month after month, for years, but see no such protests in Arab nations which, after all, are complete dictatorships? Why, because if groups of protesters started throwing stones at the army in those countries the soldiers would have opened fire with automatic weapons and slaughtered every single person on the street. Political protests, especially violent ones, don't tend to be looked on favorably by the government in the Arab world.

And yet we hear these Arab leaders wringing their hands and decrying the human rights violations of Israel. What bullshit. As if any of them gives a damn about human rights abuses or freedoms. As for the Palestinians, their own governments, be it the PLO or Hamas, routinely practices torture and extra-judicial murder on a near daily basis, without, as far as I can see, anyone much caring, including all the people here who continuously posting about Israel's bad habits.

Which brings me back to your cause. Given my knowledge that there are scores of nations on Earth which are more vile than Israel in terms of human rights abuses, I have to look at the continuous whining about Isreal with a jaundiced view. Why all the care and attention from people who clearly don't give a shit about human rights abuses in China, North Korea, Sudan or anywhere else? Could there be something else motivating them than a concern for human rights?

Perhaps because most of us have rooted for Israel since we were born, and we expected better of Israel. It was horrifying and really disappointing to see them murder civilians and children so callously.

It was a turning point for world wide perceptions of Israel, there is no question about that.

And I'd like to see something better than denial and coverups too, but Canada is no country to be a judge of that, being in denial about its own genocide.

Please reread what I said about white supremacist thinkers who may be infesting the board. There is no point discussing anything with those types who thrive on ethnic/racial hatred, particularly virulent against Jews.

However, many of us are not haters, just horribly disappointed with Israel.

Edited July 19, 2009 by tango

[benny]

Perhaps because most of us have rooted for Israel since we were born, and we expected better of Israel. It was horrifying and really disappointing to see them murder civilians and children so callously.

It was a turning point for world wide perceptions of Israel, there is no question about that.

And I'd like to see something better than denial and coverups too, but Canada is no country to be a judge of that, being in denial about its own genocide.

Please reread what I said about white supremacist thinkers who may be infesting the board. There is no point discussing anything with those types who thrive on ethnic/racial hatred, particularly virulent against Jews.

However, many of us are not haters, just horribly disappointed with Israel.

You don't seem to know the meaning of "narrow".

[Bonam]

It was a turning point for world wide perceptions of Israel, there is no question about that.

What was?

[benny]

What was?

...not relevant for this topic for sure.

[KrustyKidd]

Perhaps because most of us have rooted for Israel since we were born, and we expected better of Israel. It was horrifying and really disappointing to see them murder civilians and children so callously.

It was a turning point for world wide perceptions of Israel, there is no question about that.

A few questions Tango if you don't mind;

What do you admire about Israel and what did you admire about it and then stopped?

Why did you stop rooting for Israel and when?

Given that Hamas attacks from the midst of their own people and then hides among same, how would expect Israel to stop them from murdering their own people?

Why do you consider collateral casualties murder when it is not deliberate but done in the course of taking out militants hiding amongst the population?

[bush_cheney2004]

....However, many of us are not haters, just horribly disappointed with Israel.

Why does Israel owe you anything in the way of satisfied expectations? Israel faces a constant security threat that Canada can only imagine, yet Canada has taken similar measures in its history.

[tango]

Why does Israel owe you anything in the way of satisfied expectations? Israel faces a constant security threat that Canada can only imagine, yet Canada has taken similar measures in its history.

When did Canada kill 900 civilians?

[DogOnPorch]

When did Canada kill 900 civilians?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

[benny]

World War II

WWII was not presented as a police operation though.

[DogOnPorch]

WWII was not presented as a police operation though.

That doesn't matter. We killed people in Korea, as well. One Canadian company claimed a 100-1 kill ratio.

[benny]

That doesn't matter. We killed people in Korea, as well. One Canadian company claimed a 100-1 kill ratio.

It matters a lot for self-respect.

[DogOnPorch]

It matters a lot for self-respect.

I understand...we need to be more human like the Arabs who never kill civilians. An Arab would rather die than see a civilian harmed.

[benny]

I understand...we need to be more human like the Arabs who never kill civilians. An Arab would rather die than see a civilian harmed.

We need to stop grabbing oil and start negotiating compensation.

Edited July 19, 2009 by benny

[DogOnPorch]

We need to stop grabbing oil and start negotiating compensation.

We need to revert back to 19th century living. No electricity. Wife dying in child birth. All the good ol' things from the good ol' days.

[benny]

We need to revert back to 19th century living. No electricity. Wife dying in child birth. All the good ol' things from the good ol' days.

We need rather to imagine paradise on Earth.

[DogOnPorch]

We need rather to imagine paradise on Earth.

Oooo...good one. First we must get rid of the unbelievers. Are you with me brother? Let us cleanse the masses of the iconoclasts.

[benny]

Oooo...good one. First we must get rid of the unbelievers. Are you with me brother? Let us cleanse the masses of the iconoclasts.

Oil is not sacrosanct.

[DogOnPorch]

Oil is not sacrosanct.

We'll spike the oil wells so the decadent westerners will no longer have their precious BMWs...oh wait...I think I have one of those parked next to the camel. We'll spike SOME of the oil wells......rant, rave, carry-on.

[benny]

We'll spike the oil wells so the decadent westerners will no longer have their precious BMWs...oh wait...I think I have one of those parked next to the camel. We'll spike SOME of the oil wells......rant, rave, carry-on.

Nervous!?

[DogOnPorch]

Nervous!?

HumorNervous?