Norman Finkelstein and the right to creep us out http://blogs.jta.org/ENTRY_PERMALINK_HERE/norman-finkelstein-and-the-right-to-creep-us-out/ M.J. Rosenberg hits it spot on in this blog post: Norman Finkelstein is repulsive. He also deserves to be heard. Airing Finkelstein removes from him the veneer of martyrdom and leaves the sleazy, slithering apologist for murder he has become - and, yes, the anti-Semite.  (Honestl: The Jewish credo is “never forgive, never forget.") What an egomaniac: He urges the Lebanese to shed their blood so that he may “respect” them. Who the hell cares who he respects? Or as M.J. puts it more pithily: I can’t stand the guy. But I think he has the right to be heard on campus.  en-us rkampeas@jta.org Copyright 2009 2009-04-14T;22:37:01-05:00 Comment by Marc Moriarty taminiau1@hotmail.com If sanity means applauding ethnic cleansing, then you can keep it, Tamar. If sanity means applauding ethnic cleansing, then you can keep it, Tamar.

]]> 2012-05-23T;03:01:00-05:00 Comment by Marc Moriarty taminiau1@hotmail.com I agree with the author of the article.Norman Finkelstein, whether you subscribe to his every view or detest his every word, deserves to speak. Other renowned scholars have praised the quality of his work, from Raul Hilberg who praised him for his “Holocaust Industry”, to Professor Noam Chomsky, who blurred his “Beyond Chutzpah”. Finkelstein heavily relies on what human rights organisations such as B’Tselem have to say about the conflict. If the human rights record condemns Hamas, then Hamas is condemned by the human rights organisations. If the human rights record condemns Israel, then Israel is condemned by the human rights organisations. Finkelstein does not advocate hatred or violence. He advocates the same approach Gandhi advocated. Non-violent use of the truth. But I am not writing as a Finkelstein apologist, only. It is worrying that Jewish scholars have been silenced/barred/censored because of taking a stance based on humanist principles, which happened to conflict with unwavering support for the State of Israel. Finkelstein is persona non grata in Israel and in the American media. You will also remember he had lost his job thanks to foul play by Alan Dershowitz. Ilan Pappe has decided to leave the country of Israel, tired and weary of the threats against him and his family, and the overall blind nationalist attitude of Israelis- nationalist even when it borders on a form of nationalism which is dangerously reminiscent of the old German Lebensraum. Jewish intellectuals are being victimised by Jewish nationalism. This has happened before, in various countries in the world. Now the books are burning in the Promised Land as well. That is a bad sign. I agree with the author of the article.Norman Finkelstein, whether you subscribe to his every view or detest his every word, deserves to speak. Other renowned scholars have praised the quality of his work, from Raul Hilberg who praised him for his “Holocaust Industry”, to Professor Noam Chomsky, who blurred his “Beyond Chutzpah”.
Finkelstein heavily relies on what human rights organisations such as B’Tselem have to say about the conflict.
If the human rights record condemns Hamas, then Hamas is condemned by the human rights organisations. If the human rights record condemns Israel, then Israel is condemned by the human rights organisations.
Finkelstein does not advocate hatred or violence. He advocates the same approach Gandhi advocated. Non-violent use of the truth.

But I am not writing as a Finkelstein apologist, only.
It is worrying that Jewish scholars have been silenced/barred/censored because of taking a stance based on humanist principles, which happened to conflict with unwavering support for the State of Israel.
Finkelstein is persona non grata in Israel and in the American media. You will also remember he had lost his job thanks to foul play by Alan Dershowitz.

Ilan Pappe has decided to leave the country of Israel, tired and weary of the threats against him and his family, and the overall blind nationalist attitude of Israelis- nationalist even when it borders on a form of nationalism which is dangerously reminiscent of the old German Lebensraum.

Jewish intellectuals are being victimised by Jewish nationalism.
This has happened before, in various countries in the world.
Now the books are burning in the Promised Land as well.
That is a bad sign.

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