10/11/2024
i think it was a good idea when it was decided to avoid political discussions on this forum. i am all in favor of writers and artists and people in the arts to get involved in political struggles, but that should be a separate and distinct forum. i myself belong to three of them. however (there is always a however, isn't it?) since the subject of israel/palestine has been raised, i'd like to add a point of importance: it is not antisemitism to criticize the policies of the state of israel, but when israel is singled out from within an ocean of current genocides, apartheids and oppressions, it is reasonable to assume that blindness toward the suffering of the many but anger toward the victims of israel is motivated by a degree of latent bigotry and racism. what is needed is a world coalition against religious nationalism, within every existing religion. that is to say, we must oppose and condemn every agent in that deplorable field, not only one of them. we must oppose the current government of israel, the hamas, the hezbollah, the mullahs of iran, the mullahs of afghanistan, the houthis, the trump maga cultists, and others like it. the ngo "genocide watch" lists 10 genocides presently carried out by governments together with true apartheid by race and gender. most of those states are supporting south africa in the international court of justice! it is hard to find a display of anger, such as demonstrations, against any of those criminal states. again, except in regards to israel. the other fundamental point is to understand that opposing the policies of the israeli government should never be confused with the right of existence of the state of israel. much of the protests against the war in gaza are carried out by the usual denialists, and those, without exception, are racists and bigots. every child killed is a crime against humanity, every child, regardless of race, even if they are israelis in the villages along the gaza border. i was recently asked to make a comment to a spanish newspaper on this matter and this is the translated version. (of course, thank you for listening;) "october 7, 2023: a day in which religious nationalist fascism raised his head to eternal ignominy. the hamas pogrom had no connection to the legitimate rights of the palestinian people, nor was it related to the ideological malfeasance called “settler colonialism.” those jubilant crowds celebrating their crimes dare to chant that god is great and march with their index finger pointing to heavens. they are not religious celebrants, they are 21st century soldiers in a religious war against infidels. true religious people who sincerely believe that god is great and there is only one god, will never unleash the fury of a death cult against another human being, and will never become fanatics of hatred. jews celebrating the deaths in gaza have ipso-facto resigned any claim to jewishness. we can and we must still believe in the national rights of the palestinian people and in the national rights of the jewish people. two nations, one border, under god with liberty and justice for all. after a full year of insanity and immorality, the hostages must be freed at once, and the war in gaza must end without further delays. despite the messianic lunacy and superstitious beliefs that oppose a free palestine and a free israel across both sides of the border, we can and we must still believe that peace will prevail."
hune margulies
