Self-parody watch
Non-violence and passive resistance have a storied past, but never, I think, in the name of self-satisfied smugness.
The AIPAC 10, a group of New Yorkers arrested for blocking a Manhattan fundraiser for the pro-Israel lobby, offends on so many levels, where to begin?
First, the fashionably washed out photo that tops the blog: The happy, facetious, grinning, untried faces, the fashion statements - the scarves! Where, by the way, are the Palestinians? Or is this only about 10 poseurs?
Second - what are they protesting? The right to lobby one's lawmakers? Don't take my word for it, here's their take:
Basically AIPAC lobbies the US lawmakers to push forward pro-Zionist legislature (sic.)
(Mightily resisting snark about political literacy ... is 'legislation' what these twerps mean? Mmmmmf. Oh well.)
I mean, take a risk, lock yourselves to Israel's U.N. mission, say - but this? Protesting the right to petition government?
The last time I heard talk about how First Amendment freedoms needed curbing was at an event, at the height of the Iraq war, sponsored by the neo-conservative Foundation for the Defense of Democracies - and even then, the speaker who made the case was soundly rebutted by several of his colleagues. Is that the company these kiddies want to keep? Or is this the political illiteracy thing again?
This stands by itself:
Fuck Bourgeois Parties Celebrating Massacre
Ooooh! The F-Bomb! Whoa. Own the word, non-bourgeois dudes.
Own. It.
But this offends me more than anything else on the blog:
Benefit Folk Punk Show for The AIPAC 10
Folk? Punk?
These words cannot coexist. I was there, at the dawn of punk. It was pure and unadulterated. Peter Paul and Mary never made a surprise appearance at a Siouxsie and the Banshees concert, I can tell you.
Talk about bourgeois nightmares.
These lunkheads aren't about to change anything in the Middle East soon. They might just ruin punk for the rest of us.
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AIPAC is a lobbying organization and like them or not are protected by the first amendment. As far as who thay ally with, I have same real prpblems witrh certain aspects of Mr. Hagee’s theology. On the other hand, I would note considering who are opponents ally with, I will take all the help we can get. We can accept his support of Israel’s existance and discuss our theologiocal differences.
Second the comment about Hitler being a tool of God, In Judaism there is belief that anything that happens is God’s will, from the small thing like the falling of thealves to our greatest joys and our greatest sorrows. We may not understand why God does as he does and we can certainly question it, but if you accept this view, the fact something happens is proof that it is His will.
The resolution you refer to is the resolution branding the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. I am not getting what is so controversial about that.
free amendment applies also to those who protest the extremism of aipac, just like those who oppose the Dick Cheney, Christian Right, or John Bolton, or any other political point of view. and sure, you are free to support the extremist agenda of aipac, that is your first amendment right. and we are free to protest at their gatherings.
and of course, i understand that Hagee’s anti-Arab/Muslim views mesh perfectly well with aipac’s.
the resolution i was referring to was H Con Res 362… while initially getting many cosponsors, was tabled when grassroots peace groups were dismayed that it essentially called for a naval embargo of Iran. an act of war. even some of the original cosponsors disowned it. (e.g. Barney Frank)
war is controversial.... at least it is outside the doors of an aipac event. inside it is probably as popular as the wine and a dick cheney speech.
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Jim Homer
02/23/09 03:14 AM
I take a differing view. It is AIPAC that is becoming the parody. With a Sixty Million Dollar budget it still is so desperate that it continues to ally itself to the likes of Rev. Hagee (yes, the very same one who said that Hitler was used by god) and his organization Christians United for Israel. I mean, come on… that is really bottom-feeding, isn’t it?
Last year, aipac championed a resolution on Iran (362) before congress that was so bad, and united the anti-war community so well, that it did not even come to a vote. (and quite a few of its cong. supporters were subsequently voted out of office), aipac is obviously losing its mojo, even as it rakes in more donations.
so i’m on the side of these scrappy young folk, grammatical errors and differing musical taste aside. At least they are on the right side of history, that is opposing occupation and the continual extremism of aipac’s push for war with Iran.