- "Israel Opens the Gaza Border for 25,000 Carnations, Bound for Europe"; By Isabel Kershner; A6
- "Venezuela's Jews, Already Uneasy, Are Jolted by Attack"; By Simon Romero; A8
- "Pope, at Meeting With Jews, Rejects Denial of Holocaust"; By Rachel Donadio; A8
- "Israel: Kadima Retains One-Seat Lead in Elections"; World Briefing by Isabel Kershner; A10
- "Obama, Israel and the Arab Street"; Letters; A30
The heart of victimology is that others must do for you, as you sit still. It is, in a sense, a denial of one’s own agency. Such is the tone of Alaa Al Aswany's op-ed, in which he and other Egyptians are powerless subjects of Barack Hussein’s indifference and the strength of the American-Israeli relationship.
Although one of the letter-writers, Mohammed Ayoob, reinforces Al Aswany’s theme of victimization, the others - Alan Dershowitz, Jacquie Zaluda, and (Rabbi) Michael Stanger – emphasize Muslim agency. In their critique, they show Ayoob’s “Muslim public” the way forward.
In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez continues to try to exploit the recent anti-Semitic attack on a synagogue in Caracas for his own ambitions.
Conspiratorial and anti-Zionist statements by pro-Chavez journalist Hindu Anderi, Venezuela’s ambassador to Russia, and interior minister Tareck El Aissami are downright disturbing. More than anything, events in Venezuela demonstrate the connection between anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism.
News of anti-Semitism abounds this Friday, as Vatican officials say Pope Benedict XVI “was not aware of [Bishop Richard Williamson’s] stance on the Holocaust.” No reasonable person should believe this claim.
Reporter Rachel Donadio quotes two Jewish leaders, reacting to remarks by the Pope yesterday, in which he condemned Holocaust denial. Rabbi David Rosen of the American Jewish Committee now considers “the matter closed;" whereas, Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League says the Pope should re-excommunicate Williamson. Indeed, the Pope cannot condemn Holocaust denial and rehabilitate Williamson, and no Jewish leader, let alone a rabbi, should stand for such an action.
Lastly, Isabel Kershner (IK) authors a wholly un-newsworthy article about the shipment of 25,000 carnations from Gaza through Israel to Holland.
This seemingly straightforward report has two errors. First, it suggests that the shipment was a “gesture” toward the Palestinians, but elsewhere IK writes that the carnations went through “at the Dutch government’s request,” making it a gesture to Holland, not Gaza.
More egregiously, IK has a habit of stating what she calls Hamas' “demand for an opening of the Gaza border crossings” without offering what Israel demands – recognition – as a counterpoint.
To IK’s credit, she quotes IDF Major Peter Lerner, who concisely berates Hamas: “Basically it is a Palestinian decision – whether they want to send flowers or rockets."
News of anti-Semitism abounds this Friday, as Vatican officials say Pope Benedict XVI “was not aware of [Bishop Richard Williamson’s] stance on the Holocaust.” No reasonable person should believe this claim.
Reporter Rachel Donadio quotes two Jewish leaders, reacting to remarks by the Pope yesterday, in which he condemned Holocaust denial. Rabbi David Rosen of the American Jewish Committee now considers “the matter closed;" whereas, Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League says the Pope should re-excommunicate Williamson. Indeed, the Pope cannot condemn Holocaust denial and rehabilitate Williamson, and no Jewish leader, let alone a rabbi, should stand for such an action.
Lastly, Isabel Kershner (IK) authors a wholly un-newsworthy article about the shipment of 25,000 carnations from Gaza through Israel to Holland.
This seemingly straightforward report has two errors. First, it suggests that the shipment was a “gesture” toward the Palestinians, but elsewhere IK writes that the carnations went through “at the Dutch government’s request,” making it a gesture to Holland, not Gaza.
More egregiously, IK has a habit of stating what she calls Hamas' “demand for an opening of the Gaza border crossings” without offering what Israel demands – recognition – as a counterpoint.
To IK’s credit, she quotes IDF Major Peter Lerner, who concisely berates Hamas: “Basically it is a Palestinian decision – whether they want to send flowers or rockets."
Posts
I wouldn't characterize "victimology" as a denial of one's agency but as an affirmation of one's own justice. The "victimized" is in such a position of moral supremacy that they are not required to do anything.
ReplyDeleteIn the view of Aswany, justice clearly dictates that Israel be condemned for its "massacre." He cannot see it any other way and therefore, sees no need for compromise.
In terms of this whole hullabaloo with Pope, I think its receiving an inane amount of news coverage. I think it's problematic - and maybe I should be more outraged - but I don't see it as necessitating a display of public acrimony.
The Jewish population needs to adapt to the new reality - the Catholic Church is no longer an enemy. Much greater threats loom in the horizon.
Abes,
ReplyDeleteDigital Signal Processing is the study of analyzing a signal. A 'signal' is anything that is measured. The problem is that there exist 'systems' that interfere with signals. Due to this interference, you can't accurately detect and assess the fundamental values and attributes of the signal.
To fix this problem you create filters. Filters blocks out unwanted interference and allows the true signal to pass through.
As an example, an electro-cardiogram is a medical device that measures a heart beat. In this case, the 'signal' is the heart beat. Doctors use the ECG to diagnosis the health of the patient.
The problem is that there is "noise" that interferes with the signal. This "noise" is the 'system.' The noise disturbs how the ECG displays the heart beat, so doctors can't figure the true properties of the heart beat.
In this case, you would design a filter to eliminate the noise.
This example of DSP, signals, systems, noise, and filters highlights the limitations of your writing and the overall approach of this blog.
The word, subtext, and subliminal messages you pay attention to are all too often just the "noise."
If you filter them out, you would find the true attributes of the problem and then be able to diagnosis and fix it.
For example, take the article about Gaza selling carnations, if you could filter the noise of what was meant by "gesture" you'd realize that the fundamental important of the article was trade and commerce.
Once you realize this, you can focus on a concrete solution:
1). Empowering the people on both sides who want to engage in trade and commerce.
2). Promoting trade between Israel and Palestine.
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteSignals and values have no connection.
The onus is on the writer to reduce noise and convey to readers a signal. If the reader doesn't filter out the noise, or interference, then the fault is not that of the reader, but the writer.
I fear that you are idealizing machines. If only humans could be an ECG, you seem to suggest. Humans should be capable to decipher the signal in the midst of the interference, the noise. Your view of humans is, here, inhuman.
To your point: the signal of this article is, I agree, trade and commerce.
Israelis don't need to be empowered. They have empowered themselves.
There is no place called Palestine anymore.
Trade promotion between Israel and Gaza should be, is, and remains an objective of Israelis but so is an end to hate indoctrination among Palestinians. Hate indoctrination, a problem I would like to see you recognize, is an impediment to trade & commerce.