Is Volleyboy1 Threatening Violence? (Updated)

Mike L.

Update:

I am aware that many of you may be uncomfortable with this particular posting.  In truth, I am not the least bit happy about it, either.  Nonetheless, when political bullies threaten violence against those with whom they disagree it is important that the broader community be made aware of such threats. - ML

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The last few weeks have been very interesting for me, personally.

As regular readers of Israel Thrives know, I received a death threat recently that read as follows:

you will be killed ass hole
Fuck damn on you dirty shit,
you will be killed
curse on you all fucking jews

This was emailed to be by someone going under the monker "saif el Islam."

But, needless to say, I am not Eric Allen Bell.  That guy has received dozens of death threats and has now been moved into an FBI "safe house."  I only received the one and, in truth, rightly or wrongly, I do not take it particularly seriously.  I spoke with the Oakland cops, the FBI, and the ADL.  They have it registered in their respective systems and that is basically that.

It has now come to my attention, however, that Volleyboy1 has implied the use of physical violence against me.  He wrote in a group email:

the constant attacks will lead others who are not as reasoned as you are to take things a step further. THAT is what Karma did. I don't care about his petty insults he is like a little fucking Chihuahua. If I ever run into him I will settle that out with him my own way. But his constant harping on "progressive Zionists" brought out the JDL crowd and they are no joke.

This is simply not acceptable.

I am told, in fact, that this is just one of any number of times when Volleyboy1 has informed others of his plans to do me physical harm.  "If I ever run into him," he writes.  That is clearly not a legal threat, but implies a physical one.  Volleyboy1 is, apparently, proud of his Krav Maga and has suggested that if given half a chance he would love nothing so much as to use it on me.

His stated reason for these threats is because of my "petty insults" which have "brought out the JDL crowd."  He claims that the Jewish Defense League is threatening his family and he blames this on me for those "petty insults" which Volleyboy1 alleges has inspired their wrath.  It's nonsense, of course, but that's what he claims.

I believe that I have been more than fair in allowing Volleyboy1 to continue posting here, despite such threats.  He even threatened me in an insidious comment wherein he implied that JayinPhiladelphia was threatening his family.

He wrote:

Hey Jay... Are you threatening me or my family? I just want to know right now. You seem to want to take personal information and publish that on the web in some sick outbreak of whatever psychosis you suffer from. You do realize that by doing so you would put others at risk including children. 

You have a problem with me that is one thing but you will not threaten my family my family in any way, shape or form. Do I need to be clearer?

He then proceeded to say:

And Mike - you own this blog. Should something happen because this crazy a-hole is using your blog as "jump off point" then I hold you responsible.

So Volleyboy1 is claiming that his family has been threatened by the Jewish Defense League and that this is somehow my fault and that JayinPhiladelphia is likewise threatening his family, for which he intends to hold me responsible.

I will leave it to you guys, because I have no idea what to do about this or, really, what to make of it?

When I speak of "progressive Zionists," despite Volleyboy1's obvious egotism, I am usually not speaking about him specifically.  Most Jews are supportive of Israel and are thus "Zionists" and most Jews, including myself, come out of the progressive tradition.  When I speak of "progressive Zionists" or "progressive-left Jews" I am speaking of a broad political trend within the Jewish community.

It is true that Volleyboy1 has inspired some of my criticisms of the Jewish left because he does a terrific job in embodying their worst failings and in articulating their worst ideas.  That much is certainly true.  I mean anyone who thinks that Jewish teenagers need to be taught the "Palestinian narrative" in Israeli schools is something of a moron, no?  Anyone who thinks that the Likud is the moral equivalent of Hamas has no sense of proportion or basic human decency.  But what we are dealing with, as Jews who care about the state of Israel, is not about any one specific person.  Whatever else it is, it is about the fact that the progressive movement has made a home of itself for the BDS which is a contemporary iteration of ongoing anti-Semitism.  On the political continuum, it is on the progressive left where we primarily find anti-Zionism and Israel Hatred.  Furthermore, the progressive-left is the most racist political movement, outside of radical Islam, in the west today.

These are some of my convictions, because they happen to be true.

The bottom line for me, though, is that I am not going to allow anyone to shut me up.

I do not care who crawls out of the woodwork threatening me with violence.

Volleyboy1 attempted to drag Jay's reputation through the mud by suggesting that Jay was threatening his family, which is an obvious lie.  Jay threatened no one.  And now I learn that he has been telling people that he intends to kick my ass for the nonsensical reason that he thinks that I have some influence with the Jewish Defense League?

The Jewish Defense League.  I'm pretty sure that at this point the JDL consists almost entirely of Shlomo Epstein, his computer, and his cat, Ze'ev, in some lonely, run-down apartment in Flatbush.

Nonetheless, I refuse to allow myself to be intimidated, either socially or physically, by any bullies, whether Islamist or progressive-Jewish.

If Volleyboy1 wishes to make good on his threats, let him have at it.

But, at least, now you guys are aware of this behavior.