I am pleased to report that last month saw the largest number of pageviews in the history of Israel Thrives.Our previous record was 16,942 pageviews in the month of May. Last month, October, 2013, we received 17,128 pageviews.
We are still, of course, a small blog and I anticipate that we will be for the life of Israel Thrives. This is not the least little bit surprising as my friend David Swindle, of PJ Media, could tell you, because we represent a niche of a niche.
Nonetheless, Israel Thrives is part of a larger network of thinkers and writers that are concerned about the well-being of the Jews in the Middle East (if not the Jewish people, more generally) and that addresses the many centuries long Arab-Muslim aggression against us.
What we are doing here is having a conversation about a topic that is of particular concern for people throughout the world. I have no agenda beyond the fact that I want the Jews of the Middle East to live in peace without having to constantly fight off violent and diplomatic and economic aggression by the far larger hostile majority population in that part of the world and their allies in the west.
What we need to do, it seems to me, is nudge western public perception around the conflict toward a direction that more closely resembles historical and contemporary reality. That is, we need to endeavor to get people to understand that the Jews of the Middle East are not militaristic interlopers in that part of the world, but the indigenous population that has been under constant assault by a far larger invading power for fourteen hundred years.
The Jews have at least 3,500 years on Jewish land and we need to advocate for Jewish sovereignty on that land. This does not imply, or suggest, opposition to a two-state solution, but it does suggest that Jewish people throughout the world are entitled to our historical homeland and that aggression against us should be met with total resolve.
If Israel wishes to give up a portion of her tiny bit of land for another Arab state, that is fine with me so long as it actually leads to something resembling peace. But the stakes are far too high and our alliances are far too weak. Israel, under the Obama administration, cannot count on the goodwill of the United States. While the US military maintains a close and friendly relationship with Israel, the US Department of State does not, and neither does the Obama White House.
But, in the mean time, this blog continues to gather attention and my anticipation is that it will expand in readership on into the future. The reason for that is because we have thrown off the Delusions of Oslo and thus seek an understanding of the conflict that is fresh and not grounded in the failed conceptions of the past.
That is good news. I remember when it was basically you and me for a long time. Then the erudite Oldschool and wonderfully entertaining and Jay! Then Daniel,the Aussies, Geoff and Shirlee....all with super posts. Finally, the Empress...a real force of nature. It has been great. Good to see Norman F more too lately. There have been a few others and sorry if I missed their names.
ReplyDeleteMostly it has been your tireless work, Mike, especially your networking at and with other sites. Kudos and here's to the future!
"wonderfully entertaining and thought provoking Jay," that should read.
ReplyDeleteWe're doing OK.
DeleteMy expectations are not particularly high, but we are one voice within the larger network. The funny thing is that even as our readership grows, participation is declining.
That's unfortunate, really, because I always hoped that if we could get enough momentum we could turn this place into a community blog. I would still like for that to happen, but it is unlikely.
Also, of course, we lost Ziontruth. I am not exactly sure why he stopped writing for us - and he is welcome back to the front page according to his will - but he was a significant draw, because he's a brilliant guy. As with anyone who writes here, it is not necessary that I agree with views expressed. Certainly Ziontruth and I agreed on many things and disagreed on others and I was fine with that, just as I am fine with disagreement among everyone else who participates here.
In any case, we go forward, Doodad. You were there from the very beginning and I appreciate it. In fact, you were there when another alienated dkos guy put together Daily Kos Watch, or whatever we called it. That didn't last long but, in a sense, this place is a spin-off of that one.
It's also a spin-off of Daily Kos and My Left Wing, although neither Kos, nor O'Connor, would care to take the blame for that fact.
I still think that we are on the cusp of a paradigm shift in Jewish conceptions of the conflict. And once that shift gains enough ground then it will begin to have an influence among westerners. The core of this shift is a freshly understood conception of Jewish history under 13 centuries of Arab-Muslim imperial rule and the place of the history of Israel within that larger context.
What we need to do is stress the larger context.
And no one ever said that it was going to be easy.
Thanks Doodad, I try!
DeleteAnd sometimes I'm apparently entertaining, even in instances where I decidedly do not try.
Like this morning, for instance. Took my first shit bath at work.
Up on top of one of the digester tanks, the ridiculous winds knocked a 6" discharge hose out of place, into the deep beyond where it can't be. Someone(s) needed to get it out.
So there I am up on the walkway, 40 feet in the air, with the wind calmed down a bit but still blowing pretty damned hard (at least the rain stopped)... we're pulling and we're pulling and we're pulling, and then, ploop!
I got the hose out.
Along with which, I also got completely covered in thickened sludge from my chest down to about my knees. Fortunately, it was all on my uniform, gloves and boots, and nothing touched any skin.
I quickly changed into my last available uniform (my other two pairs were just sent off to the laundry service yesterday), and even managed to get that pair of pants and shirt cleaned later in the day via timely scrubbing and use of the laundry facilities in our locker room.
So, go me!
It was quite entertaining to my coworkers in the sense that I've now paid my dues, and belong. It happens to everyone in our field sooner or later, after all. A guy who's been there 30 years took a worse hit just a few months back. Shit happens. Literally, to us.
Hopefully today's incident was the worst thing that'll ever happen to me there!
The cleanest part of my day was actually the afternoon, where I spent three hours going down into tunnels and water meter pits, with the harness, tripod, secondary lifeline and all.
It's good to finally be home for the weekend, and near a shower at all times! ;)
Hey Jay I hope they are paying you well for that job!
DeleteAnd I agree absolutely with Doodad. I never miss your pieces. Always thought provoking. Always entertaining.
Thanks geoffff, they do!
DeleteI've never even dreamed of owning my own home before, but now, if all works according to plan, I will be able to buy my first (and last!) home -- a rowhouse in Fishtown, one of America's greatest urban neighborhoods! -- in 2016... as well as retire in 25 years, at 59.
I just have to try to avoid digester feeds burping in my face while I'm taking samples, or mutant rats gnawing my face off while I'm going down into tunnels on night shift, and such, etc etc, and I'm set... ;)
OMG JAY
DeleteHope you didn't have your phone with you!!
Sorry folks personal joke !!
Heh, I did! But it is okay...
DeleteChanging a "narrative," is never easy, man, even if one is presenting the truth. So much is INVESTED in that narrative. So much indeed.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike congratulations! An increasing interest is always great news for a political blog. I've got to echo in full measure Doodad's sentiments. All of them. Full credit to you friend. I think of you as an old friend. All of you.
ReplyDeleteI came here first from a link on Daphne Anson (another leading light btw) and I was immediately struck by the place. I followed a couple of threads and hit the "favourites" button. I immediately liked the feel of the place and was amazed by how closely your political evolution paralleled mine at the same age pretty much and for exactly the same reasons.
From memory there was a stoush (Google it) going on with someone with a name associated with a sport that around here is mainly played on beaches by girls in costumes that would get them stoned by creepy men in some parts of the world. I was intrigued.
Although I had known of course that there were creatures called progressive Zionists abroad in the world I had never actually seen one up close and in the flesh before. That was a bonus.
I agree it is unlikely that Israel Thrives will become mass circulation any time soon but that is not how it works these days. This is one of many voices and we are fighting quite literally in a war. All wars are fought with words as much as guns. That is the nature of war and our enemies have been absolutely ruthless about that. For them there is very much a lot at stake and of course it has nothing at all to do with a state of "Palestine". They don't want that. The "Palestinians" it seems least of all.
May I say how much I admire the way you have summed up the issue. There must be a resetting of the calibration. As it stands it is set to a measure that is a hoax. It is based on Oslo and therefore attuned to the physics of a universe that does not exist.
We must get back to first principles. There has to be a new starting point in the mindset. Jews have the right to live in any part of Judea and Samaria. The legal right is unassailable. .
That is not to say that Israel can never legally cede land in return for a real prospect of peace but that is up to the Israelis. But this is not "Palestinian" land . That is because there is no "Palestine" . Once the "Palestinians" want a "Palestine" then there will be such a thing as "Palestinian land" . In the meantime Israel has a right and a responsibility to take no reckless risks in the teeth of such hateful intransigence and Western self delusion and wishful thinking.
This is weird. My other comment vanished. My figures are brilliant and I have to thank you Mike and Geoff for your support
ReplyDeleteHave a look at this poem. I it sends shivers down my spine. Pictures and explanation by me. This guy is not Jewish and is amazing. Dr Bill Anderson. Apart from his other attributes he has worked with Yad Vashem. He is now on board
http://jewsdownunder.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/ode-to-kristallnacht/
I read that poem on your site Shirlee. Yes. Exactly.
DeleteCongratulations on your site! I have to say I am quietly amazed how you have brought it so far so quickly and less quietly impressed with your networking and bringing together so many contributors and so quickly. Mike's original concept was what he called a community based blog under his editorial control and attracting contributors where he can find them and I have to say he has done a great job. Just for instance those conversations with Ziontruth were an incredible education. .You have a similar concept in mind I think.
That reference to Yad Vashem reminds me. I have a project to get rolling and this community based concept has always been appealing to me so long as you limit it to a population of no more than 300.
In my experience it is at that point socialism begins to breakdown.
Thanks Geoff.
DeleteNetworking is my forte. I have just done a huge networking job in regards to the Board of Deputies. Basically I have the whole thing in the palm of my hand. The VP said to me a week or so back that no one before has ever managed to unite so many people.
You have to realise that I know an incredible number of people having been involved in the Community for 40+ years. Plus the fact, and you know me, I am not exactly your shy, quiet retiring wallflower!!!
Geoff, I still need you to get all the information you have on a Word doc for me. Emails are too messy.
I have now to do the end of year project for my daughter's class and then I can get stuck into helping you.
Whoopsy. I forgot to put in kol hakavod
ReplyDeleteYou guys might like this
ReplyDeletehttp://jewsdownunder.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/bds-fail-big-time-tom-jones-in-tel-aviv/