Comments on: Ronit Lentin and poetic license of the feeble-minded http://www.yourish.com/2008/10/03/5405 Cutting straight to the point Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:14:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: SnoopyTheGoon http://www.yourish.com/2008/10/03/5405/comment-page-1#comment-33687 SnoopyTheGoon Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:43:42 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=5405#comment-33687 Jon, Thank you for your comments. I wouldn't argue against your opinion that the report I based this post on is flawed. For two reasons at least: first is that you know the lady in question and second is that the source I used is, frankly, stinking. Still - as you mentioned, I was rather caricaturing the person and not trying to seriously analyze her writings. Besides, the quote re suicide bombers is rather difficult to distort, even if the source is stinky. Best, STG Jon,

Thank you for your comments. I wouldn’t argue against your opinion that the report I based this post on is flawed. For two reasons at least: first is that you know the lady in question and second is that the source I used is, frankly, stinking.

Still – as you mentioned, I was rather caricaturing the person and not trying to seriously analyze her writings. Besides, the quote re suicide bombers is rather difficult to distort, even if the source is stinky.

Best,
STG

]]> By: Jon Ihle http://www.yourish.com/2008/10/03/5405/comment-page-1#comment-33686 Jon Ihle Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:12:18 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=5405#comment-33686 I know Dr Lentin. Although I disagree completely with her politically, I'm afraid you're caricaturing her argument here. When she talks about the 'racial state' she's talking about the kind of ethnic nationalisms that still prevail in Europe (I know the report you cite says otherwise, but I think it's a little garbled). The difference she sees in Israel is that the racial state has to be enforced through force and repression (in this I see little difference, actually - just because Europe's repressions are mostly in the past doesn't mean the states of Europe are not repressive racial states), which she opposes. The biggest flaw in her position is that she fails to reckon with the much more divisive and abusive racial politics on the Arab side of the equation. To her credit, Lentin has avoided getting involved with the more disgusting elements of the anti-Israel movement in Ireland. She has also paid a steep personal price for her politics in that she is largely excluded from Jewish communal life in Dublin. I know Dr Lentin. Although I disagree completely with her politically, I’m afraid you’re caricaturing her argument here. When she talks about the ‘racial state’ she’s talking about the kind of ethnic nationalisms that still prevail in Europe (I know the report you cite says otherwise, but I think it’s a little garbled). The difference she sees in Israel is that the racial state has to be enforced through force and repression (in this I see little difference, actually – just because Europe’s repressions are mostly in the past doesn’t mean the states of Europe are not repressive racial states), which she opposes. The biggest flaw in her position is that she fails to reckon with the much more divisive and abusive racial politics on the Arab side of the equation.

To her credit, Lentin has avoided getting involved with the more disgusting elements of the anti-Israel movement in Ireland. She has also paid a steep personal price for her politics in that she is largely excluded from Jewish communal life in Dublin.

]]> By: SnoopyTheGoon http://www.yourish.com/2008/10/03/5405/comment-page-1#comment-33655 SnoopyTheGoon Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:02:33 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=5405#comment-33655 While you are right in general, Alex, notice that she said "racial" and not "racist". This is a troubling turn of speech that is not covered by Geneva convention ;-) While you are right in general, Alex, notice that she said “racial” and not “racist”. This is a troubling turn of speech that is not covered by Geneva convention ;-)

]]> By: Alex Bensky http://www.yourish.com/2008/10/03/5405/comment-page-1#comment-33653 Alex Bensky Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:29:14 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=5405#comment-33653 Snoopy, you are showing your out of date vocabulary. "Racist" used to have something to do with race. Now it simply means "something I don't like." Note that Israel is frequently called racist although about half the population is more or less physically indistinguishable from the surrounding populations. "Racist" is now like "fascist." I mean, whatever George Bush is--and I'm not a big fan--he's hardly fascist,if by "fascist" you mean something with some connection to the political ideas of Mussolini or Hitler or Franco, say. Both words are now merely signifiers that the speaker doesn't approve of something or someone. In that sense, then, Lentin's remarks are perfectly in order. She's obviously a chucklehead but she's speaking Newspeak accurately. Snoopy, you are showing your out of date vocabulary. “Racist” used to have something to do with race. Now it simply means “something I don’t like.” Note that Israel is frequently called racist although about half the population is more or less physically indistinguishable from the surrounding populations.

“Racist” is now like “fascist.” I mean, whatever George Bush is–and I’m not a big fan–he’s hardly fascist,if by “fascist” you mean something with some connection to the political ideas of Mussolini or Hitler or Franco, say.

Both words are now merely signifiers that the speaker doesn’t approve of something or someone. In that sense, then, Lentin’s remarks are perfectly in order.

She’s obviously a chucklehead but she’s speaking Newspeak accurately.

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