As was to be expected when AIPAC brings their traveling dog and pony show to San Francisco, both the pro-Israel and the anti-Israel camps showed up to demonstrate.
The displays of anger from both sides were impressive, the displays of sanity and rational behaviour far less so.
I had several conversations with members of the other side. Some were better than others.
Oddly, the good conversations were with people who identified themselves as Jewish, though they came in solidarity with the 'destroy-Israel' crowd.
A number of them voiced valid concerns.
My conversations with Arabs were far-less salutary - I listened to several of them working themselves into fits of rage, almost always culminating with 'destroy Israel', or similar sentiments. I doubt that any of them will ever acknowledge Israel's right to exist within secure borders, and a cessation of rockets, bombs, assaults. They are capable of homicidal fury, and several of them apparently do not believe we are human (which they expressed quite bluntly, with absolutely no possibility of doubt).
But a number of them did voice valid concerns.
There were chants conveying that Israel would be destroyed, wiped off the map, "liberated", expunged, punished, enslaved.
Not surprising.
Some of the slogans chanted by the other side reflected a depravity to which I had heretofore not been exposed - in particular, "Israel supporters watch your back, we will throw you down a shaft".
This refers to one of our core-members who was found dead last week at the bottom of an elevator shaft. I do not take the chant as an admission of guilt. But I do take it as a very clear expression of threat, demonstrating that there are indeed potential murderers (and undoubtedly some who have already realized that potential) among the Bay Area Arab population.
In consequence, I shall cease shopping at Arab stores, and only take cabs chauffeured by Sikhs. While I like many Arabs, I cannot trust them. There is far too much hatred and bigotry in their ranks.
[Bear in mind, I have also heard unsanitary remarks about black people from Arabs - to quote an Arab food seller in SF recently: "You really think they'll let that nigger be president? Back in Gaza we say if you buy a slave, first buy the whip. Bush already has the whip".
What that same individual said about Chinese people several years ago was just as appalling. And his friends all agreed with him at that time. Such people are no credit to their kind.]
I am both baffled and outraged that Jewish Voice for Peace, Bay Area Women in Black, and others of the attending collaborationists did not protest at the quoted chant, nor disagree with the hateful anti-Semitism in that as well as other chants. Their "resolute" presence supported those messages of hate. What part of murderous inclinations do they not get?
And, speaking of people who are not a credit to their kind, I will freely admit that a number of our people should have been shot with tranquilizer darts.
I shall have to suggest an 'International Zionist Conspiracy' budget allocation to that end. We might also want to invest in some straightjackets, for those of our supporters who just cannot grasp what we are trying to do, or why.
Kudos to the SFPD for putting up with some very odd behaviour last night.
I promise you guys there will be more of the same at some point.
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What that same individual said about Chinese people several years ago was just as appalling.
What did he say about Chinese people?
The behavior of a few on the pro-Israel side was appalling. I am at my highest level of disgust right now. Either they stop it with this racist sh*t or they can take a hike. Or heck, I'll take a hike if need be, though I rather it not be necessary. I hope that the instigators of hate can see the light of reason and cease that which makes SFV4I look so distasteful to the other side. WE are supposed to be the loyal opposition, not a bunch of right-wing kooks.
hey BoTH, just wanted to let you know I'm not ignoring your emails - apparently I haven't checked that account since late October.
Did they REALLY say "we will throw you down a shaft"?!?
subtle, much?
Did they REALLY say "we will throw you down a shaft"?!?
Yes they did. At least three separate times they chanted it - each time with repetition. The first time for several minutes. They got a nice rhythm going as several of their members recognized what it referred to. The next two times it cropped up in between "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", and, if I remember correctly, something about the Jews being dogs ('Falasteen baladna w'al Yahud qalabna'). I may be wrong about that latter part, however - I've heard the Dog thing so often that it just washes over me. And by that time I had already lost my cool a few times.
I will not fault them for their lack of subtlety - rowdy street demos are not the theatre in which to expect rational rhetoric or nuanced positions. Some members of our side, alas, also left subtlety at the door.
Segue: The city of Berkeley is kind of like that, 24/7. Just without the mobs and chants. Still, walking alone down a street in Berkeley in the evening wearing a srugy might not be the most intelligent thing to do. For that matter, that isn't something I would be 100% safe doing in SF either.
This is the public statement of one of those groups. This isn't about sharing teh land- this is about the elimination of Israel
"The Free Palestine Alliance (FPA) had launched an initiative approximately 2 years ago in response to the escalating need for an alternative to the downward and destructive spiral that is plaguing the Palestinian Arab people. Our intent was and remains to be empowering our community and leveraging its resources in favor of the fundamental principles of the Palestinian national liberation movement, paramount of which are the right to return and the indivisible unity of Palestine as a people and land inextricable from the larger Arab Nation (Al-Watan Al-Arabi).
Our goal was to facilitate small gatherings and discussions on the state of the Palestinian and Arab struggle. We were, as we continue to be, motivated by the Arab democratic nationalist traditions to renew and reinvigorate the discourse of egalitarianism and democratic popular empowerment, anchored in our collective history away from imposed sectarianism and religious divides that are alien to our society. We reject the notion that we are supposed to replace the long-celebrated dual vision for social equality and national liberation for scant political expediency. As a society, we can not afford to lose either pillars of this duality if we are to emerge victorious.
We believe that the Palestinian people constitute a primary flagship of liberation; a flagship proudly burdened with immense responsibilities and the need for long-term strategic resilience.
On this basis, we set out with many friends to build on our collective successes and to evaluate ways to propel our struggle forward, however possible. Addressing errors and evaluating set-backs was considered a corner stone of our initiative. After all, self-reflection and self-criticism is a tradition we celebrate.
Indeed, putting aside blind organizational biases in favor of a principled new beginning is now a matter of life and death for our people. We no longer can afford to do things as usual - plugging away as our rights are bartered away for crumbs. Failure is no longer an option. It is for this reason that when a political disagreement emerged with some on how to proceed, we elected to remain quite as our initiative was taken to different path. Principally, we differed on the very essence of the political goals we wish to achieve.
For example, we did not then nor do we now envision that this initiative or similar efforts would be discussing what actually constitutes Palestine (borders). Palestine is from the River to the Sea despite the passage of time. Nor did we think that the core Arab identity and belonging of Palestine would ever be doubted, implicitly or otherwise. We are first and foremost Arabs, basked in the sun of Arabism and nurtured by those who preceded us, whose sacrifice stretches from the Gulf to the Ocean, and on whose shoulders we stand tall today. Certainly, we never wanted to create an exclusivist cocoon for Palestinians only, away from our Arab sisters and brothers who also shoulder the collective Arab pain. The collective Arab struggle is inextricable from itself and indivisible into sectarian units. It is one and whole, and destined to win, if only we believe it so."
"Israel supporters watch your back, we will throw you down a shaft".
Yes, the charming young woman leading that chant was none other than Oakland "activist" Lilly Haskell.
Yeah, she's really on the side of peace justice and the American way.
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