Re: Edward Said - American Zionism (3) (fwd)

Since this discussion has apparently been going on on several lists at
once, and my response did not make it onto WSN, I'm forwarding it.

>Although I appreciate some of Khaldoun's efforts, and I agree that the
>media coverage of the Middle East is certainly highly biased toward
>Israel, I have to object to some of the essentialized "analyses" of
>what lies behind this bias.  With all due respect to Professor Wagar, what
>exactly does he see as the "Jewish spiritual heritage" which "the Jews
>worldwide" have betrayed, on what basis does Professor Wagar conclude that
>the majority of Jews worldwide have betrayed this heritage, and for what
>reason does he imply that it is this betrayal by worldwide Jewry that
>constitutes the primary (sole?) reason making the confrontation of
>"Zionist imperialism and colonialism...the one Unthinkable Act remaining
>in American political discourse"?

Since I am reposting this, I guess I could add the claim that the
uncritical defence of Israel is the only remaining sacred cow in American
political discourse to the already long list of contentions which is,
let's say, far from self-evident.

>On Wed, 8 Nov 2000, Warren Wagar wrote:
>
>> 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
>>
>
>--
>Boris Stremlin
>bc70219@binghamton.edu
>