[Peace-discuss] Re: Fwd: [2]

[C. G. Estabrook]

Lerner: Worse Than A Mere "Flake"

[To Alex Cockburn at CounterPunch] From John Garcia, of the University of
Iowa and Davis, Ca., comes this forceful commentary on Lerner:


"Your jabs at Lerner are well-aimed, but they're heavy on his ego and too
light on his actual racist "vision". You would be more forceful if you
would mention these points:

"1. During his KPFA interview on February 11, Lerner set about describing
the acts of anti-Semitism displayed by the anti-war rally organizers in SF
(here he blurs the distinction between ANSWER and the other organizers),
and -- this as an utterly shocking racist slip -- he enumerated among
these "anti-Semitic" acts the fact that the volunteers who toted around
the buckets for donations WORE PALESTINIAN KAFFIYEHS.

"Leave aside the reality that there were dozens of volunteers, many of
them walk-ups from the rally itself, only a few of which wore the
kaffiyeh. The key point is we have him saying on tape that wearing one is
anti-Semitic! If you haven't heard the interview, you really must acquire
the tape. It comes about half way through the broadcast of the KPFA
evening news (6-7pm).

"2.Lerner has repeatedly called for Israel's induction into NATO or some
other mutual defense treaty with the United States. I've seen this in
several Tikkun bulletins. Does this Dalai Lama of fairness ask for
anything similar for the future Palestinian state?

"3. Lerner constantly asks for "reparations" for Palestinians. That is,
they get cash payouts in return for dropping their claim to their
homeland, to be instead herded into their discontiguous "state" wholly
dominated by a NATO neighbor armed to the teeth. This is his vision of
peace and reconciliation? Lerner plays a key role in the US branch of the
Zionist movement. He is the lenient liberal who supplies a conceptual
haven for Jews troubled by their conscience. But his "vision" tallies out
to the same morally depleted two-state solution championed by Bush and
Sharon. I find that he is much more dangerous than merely a "flake" as
Alex called him."

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