Many of you have likely heard about the shocking and tragic murder of a young Israeli couple outside the Capital Jewish Museum after they had attended a gathering of the American Jewish Committee. This should hit close to home, as the AJC just recently hosted several of our judges at an AJC event on Watson Island. The Dispatch has published an editorial written by four federal judges, including Judge Luck and Judge Altman, addressing the incident. Worth a read. Linking to it here.
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14 comments:
"Elias Rodriguez is accused of pulling the trigger the other night, but we all must understand who loaded the gun."
Very, very powerful. And true.
Israel’s actions against civilians in Gaza are unconscionable. That does not justify any form of antisemitism or murder. But I think what troubles me most about this piece is federal judges pre-judging a murder case when probably no one has all the facts.
Yeah OK, "the claim of genocide is ridiculous on its face". Israel has been massacring civilians, withholding aid, and the stated goal of many Israeli politicians is to kill or remove all Palestinians in Gaza That of course does not make politically motivated murder in the USA acceptable, but this piece is entirely dishonest about the reality that Israel has brought pariah status upon itself with its own actions. History will not look kindly on federal judges who choose to put forth such an obviously false narrative about Israel's actions, which yes most reasonable people long ago concluded amount to genocide. This is not an excuse for anti-semitism, Israel's actions are those of a state, not a religion, and should be treated as such. The piece also complains about Jewish students feeling unsafe on campus because of protests but not one word about Muslim students being arrested and detained right now for pure speech, something one might think would be concerning to federal judges charged with upholding the Constitution. What does it say about the health of the American idea when we lock people up because we disagree with their speech?
If your first thought is "but what about . . ." then you've missed the point. As a historically marginalized group of people, facing antisemitism at levels not seen in decades, Jews must be able to speak about about a terrorist organization seeking to murder us all without being told to center someone else's pain. We know there is human suffering on both sides. But in this moment of profound loss, Jews must be allowed to grieve, to name what is happening to our people, and to demand that the world see it too.
I agree. And yet, the whatabout is exactly with the authors of the editorial did. It seems to me that, although an oversimplification, the best sentiment is: "Murder is wrong. What happened at the Capital Jewish Museum is wrong. What is being done in Gaza is wrong. What was done on October 7 is wrong. We condemn it. Peace can only be made with one's enemies and we demand peace now."
Explain "Antisemitism" are not the poor folks in Gaza Semites? Isn't the slaughter of their babies the worse antisemitic violence since the Shoah?
A Semite is a member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, which would be both Jews and Arabs. They speak a similar language, they use the same type and style of written language, writing right to left, like nobody else. They eat the same food, and they have the same religious constraints on the preparation of said food. Any attack on the people of Palestine is antisemitic.
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Mahatma Gandhi
The NRA and the gun lobby?
Golda Meier once said something to the effect that the Gaza problem will be solved when Palestinian mothers end the hate as they teach their children.
Yet we cannot even get the Gazans to repudiate Hamas. Until that happens and these animals are out of power, the Israelis are in the unenviable position of routing them out.
Jews value life too much to intentionally hurt the innocent. Doesn't history teach us that they have suffered for the inexcusable sins of pride in culture and success.
My hats off to these judges who have spoken out as they have. The rest of us, Jews or not must do so as well. Joe Klock
What the heck are you talking about? Go read the Bible or look up Canaanite.
Also, stop talking about Jews and Israel as though they are one thing. We are not….except to true antisemites who are unable or unwilling to tell the difference.
Israel is committing genocide in the name of trying to kill what is left of Hamas. That is the excuse they are using. The truth can be seen in Israel authorizing 20 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. That and what is happening in Gaza are atrocious crimes.
It is wrong and it is hurting my people, the Jews. We should be leading the charge to call it out, but instead, we have judges seemingly speaking for all Jews and further binding us to Israel’s despicable conduct. Yes Hamas attacked, they are terrorists, they should be killed. Tens of thousands of children should not be killed and starved. Nor should women or men who are not in Hamas and only are trying to survive day to day under Israel’s relentless bombing and terror campaign in Gaza.
What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is well beyond Hamas or even a blind and wicked desire for revenge. It is a calculated strategy to murder and starve civilians for an additional purpose, and it is wrong.
Also, where are these judges on calling out the arrest and deportation of lawful residents who say something that is viewed as harmful to Israel? You all understand that in 5, 10 or 20 years, opinions are likely to have swung and it will be us Jews getting targeted when we criticize Saudi Arabia or Syria or UAE for their desire to harm Israel and Jews.
Such crazy short sighted self destructive hypocrisy. History will be unkind to these apologists for Israel who have no vision, compassion or strategy. They are doing a ton more harm than good to Jews and Jewish Americans. I am glad the internet never forgets, I suspect they will not be.
10:22 am is right. As a Jew, I can simultaneously love Israel and mourn the tragic murders of these two beautiful young people while hating Netanyahu's policies and Israel's despicable conduct.
Sorry, I meant to support the comments of 11:29 am not 10:22 am
I wonder if these judges will have to recuse themselves from cases involving the deportation of Muslim students.
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