Now, after I'm done criticizing him, I think John Aravosis brings up a really critical point:Does the edited and sanitized coverage of news by American media give us a warped view of war? Would Americans react differently if we saw "graphic … [Read more...]
Phoenix is correct — and misses the point
I'd like to say that posting about this tears me up, because I know how sensitive the issue is. I've been encouraged and relieved by the passionate but mostly civil debate of this subject here at BMG.There are some obvious meta-straw men in … [Read more...]
Phoenix: Middle East war not Israel’s fault
In an editorial published this week, the Boston Phoenix argues that "Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran and Syria â not Israel â are to blame for the unexpected war in the Middle East." They start off:Like people of goodwill everywhere, we … [Read more...]
Give war a chance
Updated to reflect the actual text of the ad.A few days ago just about every major politician in Massachusetts signed onto an ad declaring support for Israel's right to defend itself from unprovoked aggression. As concerned citizens, we … [Read more...]
Brandeis Heats Up Over Palestinian Drawings
The Globe quoted Aaron Voldman, 19, a Jewish freshman at Brandeis: ''I would like to think of my university as a place that is open to discussion, and I see art as one of the purest forms of discussion we can have." Aaron heads DFA … [Read more...]
Friday backblog
Drips and drabs that I've neglected to blog:So, a Kennedy school dean and University of Chicago prof release a white-hot report on the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups on American foreign policy. I'm not going to address the merits … [Read more...]
The real earthquake in Israeli politics: Peretz, not Sharon
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left the right wing Likud Party, which he founded in 1973, to form a new centrist political party and call new elections this March. A lot of bloggers and the American press have been talking about … [Read more...]