Lisa Klug, of the Times of Israel, tells us:
It’s time the world — and Jews themselves — identify the People of the Book as indigenous people. At least, that’s the opinion of indigenous rights activist Ryan Bellerose of Alberta, Canada. He recently returned from his second trip to the Holy Land where he filmed a video supporting the concept for the Israeli advocacy group StandWithUs.
Bellerose is someone that I have been following for awhile.
I do not read his material on a daily basis, but he is certainly someone that I appreciate, particularly because he is Métis, not Jewish.
And what I mean by that, of course, is that we need all the friends that we can get.
Furthermore, how many pro-Israel / pro-Jewish Native-American Canadian football players are out there?
Huh?
My guess is that he is the only one and, therefore, should be honored.
The Jewish people are, in fact, the indigenous people of the Land of Israel, yet it takes a native American Canadian football player to smack Jews over the head with that fact.
I also very much appreciate StandWithUs.
I have sat on two panel discussions with Dr. Michael Harris, of that organization, and I like these guys. I think that StandWithUs, unlike me, has a nice balance on how to address the regular public.
My impression is that they are moderate, but firm, and should be supported.
Harris has a recent book entitled, Winning a Debate With an Israel Hater, which you guys can pick up at Amazon.
Bellerose writes:
I have visited all the major sacred sites, and many historical sites that reinforce the indigenous nature of the Jewish people to their ancestral land. This has helped me in being a pro-Israel advocate.We have to make the case - not for the least reason because it is historically accurate - that the Jewish people are the indigenous people of Israel... from the river to the sea.
I write about the commonalities of indigenous struggles, so going to Israel and seeing a place where indigenous people have managed to gain self determination is massive for me. I believe very strongly that in order for me to expect people to listen to me about my peoples’ struggles, I must listen to them and stand with them in theirs.
We are not the first people to inhabit that land, but unless you can find some Jebusite out there someplace, we are the only ones left.
I mean, for G-d's sake, it's been something close to around 3,500 years.
How much more established can a people be?
Jewish kids at university do not know their own history because their Jewish professors whitewash the history of Jews under Arab-Muslim imperial rule.
Those who follow Israel Thrives know that I have been in discussion with Ollie Benn of San Francisco Hillel. I do not know if he will read this or not, but one thing that I should have said to him is that the Jewish kids should join the indigenous groups on campus.
One of the problems with the Jewish Left is that they concede the main point to their harassers.
I do not know what Benn thinks - and my impression is that he will be a fine and strong leader - but obsequiousness is a general trend within the Jewish Left who want nothing so much as to be nice so that others might be nice toward us.
That is, the Jewish Left tends to suggest that, yes, the Jewish people are occupiers of Arab lands... but, y'know, we mean well...
The stupidity in this stance could hardly be more obvious.
There is no winning that argument.
And the thing of it is that it is entirely false.
Arabs are from the Arabian peninsula.
Jews are from Judea, the Land of Israel.
I like Mr.Bellerose, he's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the academic and political interest in "indigenous peoples" has much less to do with their indigenous quality, and everything to do with the fact that they tend to be without "power." It's the not having power that makes them irresistible to people who champion minorities. If Native Americans were middle class, successful, and influential in America public life, and just getting on with their lives, nobody on campuses would bother with them. It's all about being seen as "powerless" or lacking in success. Minorities without power and success who are also indigenous are catnip to social justice champions. Jews keep failing on some of these points. It's a fact.
Powerless, yet enrolled at university. Fascinating.
DeleteThere is that!
DeleteNo one said it had to be based on reality or reason.
Jeff,
DeleteAll kids at American universities are amongst the most privileged and pampered people on the planet. To keep this racket going, one has to push the line that they are really "victims of oppression." It's a first-class racket. Run by people with an agenda. It's wicked, really.
Not just more financially successful.Unless you are specifically referring to a tiny group of ultra-wealthy people. Financial success is one thing, and tends to be resented, that is true. That would be true of groups like the Chinese when they are an immigrant group in a host society. Jews also tend to be disproportionally represented in certain professions. Interestingly, Chinese people are extremely successful in the UK. Over all they are probably our most "successful" minority. But barely ever mentioned. Not disliked, and not championed by progressive social justice types. You hardly ever hear about them. Which is a kind of success story of its own.
DeleteIf you look at modern American society, it's not just that Jews are seen as financially successful, but that they are seen as overly influential. With the traditional antisemitic ideas that never disappear about Jews wishing to do harm to the host population, then it is not difficult to see how Jews being numerically over-represented in Law, Medicine, Politics,Academia, the media etc., can be used against them. Perhaps especially politics. Especially in America. And the media is seen similarly. It is an unfortunate reality that that is something that feeds into all this.
None of this needs to be true for antisemitism to rear its head. That we know. But the perceived influence of Jews in American life, and, therefore, in the situation in the Middle East, is certainly a factor used as a reason for much of what is happening. Israel is not seen as a small country on its own. And in some ways it isn't. Apart from everything else - and it's a very big "everything"- if you are a tiny country backed by the most powerful nation on the planet, it is very difficult to discuss notions of victimhood and aggression.
There is nothing left to say.
ReplyDeleteThis is the bottom line.
Jews are from Judea.
And if people do not like it, well, we have rather serious options.
What does that mean?
ReplyDeleteIt means that we are not defenseless, Kate.
DeleteI do not know if it is just on my end, but we seem to be having a problem with the comments.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to know is if it on your end as well.
What kind of problem?
DeleteOn your end, Jeff, is there a "recent comments" list on the right side of the page?
DeleteOn my end there is not, but that is how you know who is checking in.
I see a RECENT COMMENTS banner immediately followed by a list of city time zones. The recent comments list itself does not appear.
DeleteMike,
DeleteI see the same thing Randall does.
Give me a day or two and I'll fix it.
Delete