Columnist Suzanne Reisman compares the egregious treatment of Native Americans in the 19th center to that of Palestinians in Israel-Palestine, asking us to reflect a bit more about our own collective complicity in the ongoing wrongs committed against Native Americans.” Is she really asking us to lower our moral standards to the level of those who wiped out the Native American race? She may as well tell us to ignore Darfur, or condone the past the genocide in Bosnia, all because our distant ancestors committed worse crimes. When defending Israel, about the worst card one can play is to compare Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to our founding fathers; genocide of Native Americans. I doubt Israelis would be flattered by the comparison. – Justin SamraActually, now that I reread his letter while I typed it, I realize that it is not as good as I first thought, although clearly better than my friend Nicky.
Either way, my problem is this: my goal was not to compare Israel to the founding fathers, but rather to call out the hypocrisy of Americans who call for Israelis to abandon their country under the pretenses of illegal occupation when those same Americans are likely living on land obtained illegally. Why should Americans not live up to the high standards they are setting for Israelis? These people should be fighting for land restitution to Native Americans if they are so upset about illegal occupation of land. I certainly am not justifying past actions or unfair actions, but saying that if you call out one group, you need to take a close look at what your life is like. Clearly, I failed to convey that point, so that sucks. I do have to say that my original closing line, which was cut, was, “The end to illegal occupation begins at home.” Maybe that would have helped get my point across? I don’t know, but it is not there, so it doesn’t matter. Wah.
Ok. I've read this several times now, and I don't know, maybe it's just cuz I'm a fan of irony or something, but your piece made perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteYou weren't calling for Israel's head OR - not in the piece anyhow - supporting it's right to exist unconditionally. You made a valid and astute parallel and left folks to come to their own conclusions. How, HOW! could anything written there possibly be construed as asking us "lower our moral standards"??? Especially ... blech! Whatever.
Your Op/Ed is something I've long asked folks around me to think about. Right or Wrong; we did it then. Do we want to do it again acting in the same way? Not that Israel is in the same way by any stretch, but things like the wall are reminiscent.
Besides, I'll repeat that, whatever my conclusions, the piece is about something which most folks refuse to let themselves do: acknowledge the horrible nature of so much of our history and be truthful about what it means to and for ourselves and those who lost it all.
The most OBVIOUS difference between indigenous Americans and Palestinians what tremendous benefits the latter are rejecting for the simple and insane point of religious differences.