Re: Edward Said - American Zionism (3)

Dear Khaldoun and Friends,

        I have been abroad and incommunicado for some time, but I would
like to take this opportunity to applaud Khaldoun Samman for his
initiatives and in particular for sharing with us this brilliantly 
incisive article by Said.  

        Squarely confronting Zionist imperialism and colonialism is
indeed the one Unthinkable Act remaining in American political discourse,
well illustrated by the contemptibly cowardly campaign of the new standard
bearer of the U.S. Democratic Party, Senator-elect Clinton.  But she had
no choice.  Although hundreds of thousands of liberal Jews and many
devoutly religious Jews decry Zionist imperialism and colonialism, the
plain fact of the matter is that the majority of Jews worldwide have
betrayed their spiritual heritage in order to identify with a rancid
nationalism no less hateful and self-defeating than all the other
segmental and idolatrous nationalisms in world history.  The irony of this
betrayal is lost on no one with half a sense of the futility of
ethnic/racial/national egoism.

        All I hope for us at this juncture is that some day Palestinians
will enjoy the same opportunity to screw up, and that they will also have
the world-historical wisdom NOT to do so!

        In comradeship,

        Warren



W. Warren Wagar
Department of History
SUNY Binghamton