If Music Could Talk

Iran is apparently always 1 year away from the bomb, says crazy person to crazy people in Congress.

Henry Blake: The father dying, right?
Klinger: Yes, sir.
Henry Blake: [takes out a stack of papers and reads them] Father dying last year. Mother dying last year. Mother AND father dying. Mother, father, and older sister dying. Mother dying and older sister pregnant. Older sister dying and mother pregnant. Younger sister pregnant and older sister dying. Here's an oldie but a goodie: Half of the family dying, other half pregnant. Klinger, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Klinger: Yes, sir. I don't deserve to be in the Army.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/0 ... 92008.html

In a reference to Wiesel, Netanyahu said, "I can only urge the leaders of the world not to repeat the mistakes of the past."

There's that division over the meaning or lesson of the Holocaust that I've mentioned before. Is it that Jews should treat all threats as genocidal and are therefore entitled to take any action available, or is it that there is a great danger when the state seeks to dominate so totally that it can mark certain citizens for extermination? I can appreciate that Jews might be inclined to subscribe to the former, but I think it's a the narrower path. The latter has a more universal warning, irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, race, class, or sex. Beware of letting the machinery of the state encroach lest it lead to vast institutionalized, depersonalized violence. The former position also allows for the irony of pursuing mass violence to protect Jews from a threat.

From my limited research, it seems like the people who are all masturbatory about Bibi are the evangelicals and the small percentage of the Jewish community who are right wing. There's a segment of this population who, after going to Israel for the first time, all of a sudden fancy themselves as Zeev Jabotinsky. These are mainly white, Jewish males in their 30s and 40s. 68% of Israelis were against this speech (and honestly, when have 68% of Jews ever agreed with each other?). These modern day Stern Gang members never have to worry about sending their kids into battle. Israelis, for the most part, now the drill and will hopefully, FINALLY, vote this jackass out of office. Not to mention that his domestic policies have been a disaster.

Dr. Medulla wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/0 ... 92008.html

In a reference to Wiesel, Netanyahu said, "I can only urge the leaders of the world not to repeat the mistakes of the past."

There's that division over the meaning or lesson of the Holocaust that I've mentioned before. Is it that Jews should treat all threats as genocidal and are therefore entitled to take any action available, or is it that there is a great danger when the state seeks to dominate so totally that it can mark certain citizens for extermination? I can appreciate that Jews might be inclined to subscribe to the former, but I think it's a the narrower path. The latter has a more universal warning, irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, race, class, or sex. Beware of letting the machinery of the state encroach lest it lead to vast institutionalized, depersonalized violence. The former position also allows for the irony of pursuing mass violence to protect Jews from a threat.

Given how badly he misinterpreted Robert Frost in that speech otherwise plagarized word-for-word from one of Bush's pre-Iraq demagoguery sessions 12 years ago...I don't see any way to interpret that other than "Because do as I say, that's why!"

Bibi is a vile piece of work. And not that smart.

JennyB wrote:(and honestly, when have 68% of Jews ever agreed with each other?)

Question: do you have that family member who every Seder makes the same "If you get 12 Jews together, you'll have 13 different opinions" joke? Because oh man that never gets old.

JennyB wrote:From my limited research, it seems like the people who are all masturbatory about Bibi are the evangelicals and the small percentage of the Jewish community who are right wing. There's a segment of this population who, after going to Israel for the first time, all of a sudden fancy themselves as Zeev Jabotinsky. These are mainly white, Jewish males in their 30s and 40s. 68% of Israelis were against this speech (and honestly, when have 68% of Jews ever agreed with each other?). These modern day Stern Gang members never have to worry about sending their kids into battle. Israelis, for the most part, now the drill and will hopefully, FINALLY, vote this jackass out of office. Not to mention that his domestic policies have been a disaster.

Just to take guess, when they conspired to stab Germany in the back in World War I?

More seriously, one would hope that exhaustion from a status quo that seems driven by exploiting tension leads to a desire for radical change (albeit not of the "he's not belligerent enough" variety).

Wolter wrote:

JennyB wrote:(and honestly, when have 68% of Jews ever agreed with each other?)

Question: do you have that family member who every Seder makes the same "If you get 12 Jews together, you'll have 13 different opinions" joke? Because oh man that never gets old.

That would be my father in law.

Jon Stewart's take on the whole speech was tres amusing and worth checking out.

Christ, how does this guy keep getting to be Prime Minister? For fuck's sake, Israel. Not even ideological: the man is just repugnant.

Also, hearing "Iran supports Al Qaeda" trotted out again makes me cringe. Is he just preying on American ignorance of Islam?

eumaas wrote:Also, hearing "Iran supports Al Qaeda" trotted out again makes me cringe. Is he just preying on American ignorance of Islam?

Less preying than taking what is freely, joyfully offered to him.

So...apparently "those thar 'types' shouldn't be votin' so goddang much" is as much a winning GOTV campaign strategy over there as it is here. Lowest election turnout ever...scorched-earth sloganeering possibly leaving the Knesset ungovernable and alienating every possible coalition partner in the process...but the home team and 4 American megadonors won and that's all that matters so "Suck it, Obama!", amirite?

Reminds me of the '96 separatism referendum in Quebec, when a drunk and bitter Jacques Parizeau blamed the loss on the "ethnic voters"—which is to say, not real Quebeckers, and, even more darkly, Jews and Muslims. No true Scotsman politics for everyone!

You know, I'd develop a grudging respect of sorts for the right if they'd come out and say, no, we reject pluralism and we don't favour open participation. Canada is going thru a farcical and nasty shitshow about Muslim women wearing the niqab, where conservatives are perversely painting themselves a champions of women's rights as a means of pushing for state intervention into religion and culture. All while still going on about Canada being open, tolerant, pluralist—that's why the terrorists hate us (that line just won't get old; I remember when it was the Communists who hated us for our freedom). Just fucking well say that you reject pluralism, say that you think Canada is a Judeo-Christian nation and that you think the state has an obligation to ensure that any newcomers have to adhere to those values. Stake your narrow-minded flag on that soil and fight that battle, assholes, rather than look to your Orwell handbook on how to demonize certain peoples while arguing that it's about freedom and openness. You'd still be a bigot, but at least you're not a weaselly bigot.

Rat Patrol wrote:So...apparently "those thar 'types' shouldn't be votin' so goddang much" is as much a winning GOTV campaign strategy over there as it is here. Lowest election turnout ever...scorched-earth sloganeering possibly leaving the Knesset ungovernable and alienating every possible coalition partner in the process...but the home team and 4 American megadonors won and that's all that matters so "Suck it, Obama!", amirite?

Actually, it was about 72%, 4 points higher than last time.

Apparently Bibi's fear-mongering increased voter participation across the spectrum, but mostly right-wingers.

I feel really deflated right now. And extremely disappointed.