In this episode of Chai Talk, I ask Peter Beinart, Editor-At-Large of Jewish Currents and The Beinart Notebook, if Zionism can co-exist with progressive values in light of the war in Gaza?
Now I know why I am on Substack - this short podcast says the basic, important things that need to be said about being progressive and Zionism, and I think everyone should listen in. Everyone.
I agree with this and have been trying to distinguish various forms of Zionism all over Substack and I'm not even a Jew. But I do have to say that it isn't just "progressives" that believe in equal treatment of all citizens. Pretty much all non-racist, non Christian Nationalists, do so. So when a protestor is saying "Down with Zionism" they aren't talking about the idea that Israel should or shouldn't exist. It isn't antisemitic, it's anti inequality.
What Israel has done here is make me look much more deeply into the treatment of non-Jews, particularly Palestinians, in Israel historically. I LIKE the idea of a Jewish CULTURAL state. There can be goodies limited to Jews--scholarships, for example--so long as others can provide the same thing to non-Jews and there is no restriction on who can actually attend the schools.
And I've also been crying in the wilderness that the rise of antisemitism--including the harassment of kids--is a function of trump's of encouragement of letting all one's prejudices spew out. During BLM protests, it all came out as anti-black racism. During Covid it came out against Chinese citizens. After Israel's actions in reaction to Oct 7, the focus went to Jews. Basically prejudices didn't go away after the Civil Rights period. It just became uncivil to say slurs out loud or take bigoted actions. Post trump, those underlying nastinesses have been given permission to emerge.
Now I know why I am on Substack - this short podcast says the basic, important things that need to be said about being progressive and Zionism, and I think everyone should listen in. Everyone.
Waj, would you consider posting transcripts of your interviews? Would be very helpful. Thank you
could call, let me see how to do it and i will.
I agree with this and have been trying to distinguish various forms of Zionism all over Substack and I'm not even a Jew. But I do have to say that it isn't just "progressives" that believe in equal treatment of all citizens. Pretty much all non-racist, non Christian Nationalists, do so. So when a protestor is saying "Down with Zionism" they aren't talking about the idea that Israel should or shouldn't exist. It isn't antisemitic, it's anti inequality.
What Israel has done here is make me look much more deeply into the treatment of non-Jews, particularly Palestinians, in Israel historically. I LIKE the idea of a Jewish CULTURAL state. There can be goodies limited to Jews--scholarships, for example--so long as others can provide the same thing to non-Jews and there is no restriction on who can actually attend the schools.
And I've also been crying in the wilderness that the rise of antisemitism--including the harassment of kids--is a function of trump's of encouragement of letting all one's prejudices spew out. During BLM protests, it all came out as anti-black racism. During Covid it came out against Chinese citizens. After Israel's actions in reaction to Oct 7, the focus went to Jews. Basically prejudices didn't go away after the Civil Rights period. It just became uncivil to say slurs out loud or take bigoted actions. Post trump, those underlying nastinesses have been given permission to emerge.