Since Sunday, when the Israeli army announced it had found the bodies of six dead Israeli hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, in southern Gaza, friends have been sending heart-break emojis.
Thank you Julie, another fine article. It's very difficult to understand what has happened to the Left over the last 50 years. It may just be that after numerous victories for climate, women, blacks, gays and lesbians, they ran out of projects and the professional activists have just started to make issues up like gender ideology and how great the antisemitic, antidemocratic, misogynistic and anti gay/trans Muslim counties are.
Useful idiots never went away. They just found other causes to support after the end of communism. Peta's reference to H Jacobson is highly appropriate since Western left's attitude to Israel was significantly swayed by Soviet party line. But that long preceded 1968, look at the Slansky scandal in Czechoslovakia, Stalin was sharpening his knives against Jews straight after WW2. Apparently he was spooked by Golda Meir's triumphant welcome as ambassador to the USSR.
I often compare the behaviour of the progressive mob to angry teens. The very fact they live under the comfortable roof of their parents is precisely what gives them the moral luxury of rebelling, and the greatest hurt they can impose on the suffering parents is to engage in self-destruction. This is exactly analogous to the way the "anti-western left" behaves. They advocate for repressive actors overseas precisely because they don't live under their boot. Unfortunately the self-destruction they bring affects us all instead of just themselves.
There is a very good article by author, Howard Jacobson from earlier this year about his experience in Australia before and after the 6 day war. In short he recalls the attitude of his left wing friends towards Israel changed right after the war, largely on orders from Moscow but also as Israel made the mistake of winning. I think it was in Jewish Chronicle but if you google it you will find it. Very insightful. (Thanks again Julie for a great article)
Thank you for again putting the rage of so many into coherent paragraphs. I’m so angry today! I cannot believe the vastness of the indoctrination of so many in the west. Even when Hamas literally says they will shoot hostages in the head if the IDF come near, the likes of Clem declares that she doesn’t believe Hamas executed them. And the fcking JCA blames Israel and the “ occupation” (in Gaza???) for the murder of the 6 hostages. Honestly!!
Thanks you Julie - beautifuly written and made sense of what is happening in Australia right now ... especially regarding who and what issues one supports (often just the result of a thought bubble or a tweet with little undestanding of the depth of issues and the true reality of the situation). The MSO's decisions and that guest pianist's stand re Palestinian 'journalists' both examples of what happens when 'cancel culture' is at play right now. Anyone prepared to take a stand for respectful debate and reason is being silenced due I think to this muddled jigsaw within our society right now. (or is that more a Black v White binary dumbing down of the wider community? And Peter Garrett ? Yeah/Nah, I have no confidence he will assist this MSO matter in anyway possible.
The response of the arts and culture community to the October 7th Attack is arguably worse than anything from the activists, the media, politicians, the UN or religious leaders - particularly given primary target of the October 7 attack was a music festival.
Sydney Theatre Company - actors wear apparel originally popularised by a woman plane hijacker who intended to commit mass murder twice.
Glastonbury - Palestinian flags displayed at a music festival.
MSO: A tribute to 'Gaza journalists' including Yasser Quidih (purveyor of October 7 porn) and Hind Al-Khoudary (who finked a Gaza Peace activist to Hamas for the crime of speaking to Israeli peace activists over Zoom).
Thank you Julie, another fine article. It's very difficult to understand what has happened to the Left over the last 50 years. It may just be that after numerous victories for climate, women, blacks, gays and lesbians, they ran out of projects and the professional activists have just started to make issues up like gender ideology and how great the antisemitic, antidemocratic, misogynistic and anti gay/trans Muslim counties are.
I reckon there’s a lot of truth in that Brett. 🙏
Useful idiots never went away. They just found other causes to support after the end of communism. Peta's reference to H Jacobson is highly appropriate since Western left's attitude to Israel was significantly swayed by Soviet party line. But that long preceded 1968, look at the Slansky scandal in Czechoslovakia, Stalin was sharpening his knives against Jews straight after WW2. Apparently he was spooked by Golda Meir's triumphant welcome as ambassador to the USSR.
I often compare the behaviour of the progressive mob to angry teens. The very fact they live under the comfortable roof of their parents is precisely what gives them the moral luxury of rebelling, and the greatest hurt they can impose on the suffering parents is to engage in self-destruction. This is exactly analogous to the way the "anti-western left" behaves. They advocate for repressive actors overseas precisely because they don't live under their boot. Unfortunately the self-destruction they bring affects us all instead of just themselves.
There is a very good article by author, Howard Jacobson from earlier this year about his experience in Australia before and after the 6 day war. In short he recalls the attitude of his left wing friends towards Israel changed right after the war, largely on orders from Moscow but also as Israel made the mistake of winning. I think it was in Jewish Chronicle but if you google it you will find it. Very insightful. (Thanks again Julie for a great article)
Thank you Julie for finding words to speak out at a time when I personally have no words.
Lee, thank you.
Thank you for again putting the rage of so many into coherent paragraphs. I’m so angry today! I cannot believe the vastness of the indoctrination of so many in the west. Even when Hamas literally says they will shoot hostages in the head if the IDF come near, the likes of Clem declares that she doesn’t believe Hamas executed them. And the fcking JCA blames Israel and the “ occupation” (in Gaza???) for the murder of the 6 hostages. Honestly!!
She denies Hamas executed them??
You are one of the best Julie. The best. What a voice! Thank you.
You’re way too kind Michael! Thank you.
Thanks you Julie - beautifuly written and made sense of what is happening in Australia right now ... especially regarding who and what issues one supports (often just the result of a thought bubble or a tweet with little undestanding of the depth of issues and the true reality of the situation). The MSO's decisions and that guest pianist's stand re Palestinian 'journalists' both examples of what happens when 'cancel culture' is at play right now. Anyone prepared to take a stand for respectful debate and reason is being silenced due I think to this muddled jigsaw within our society right now. (or is that more a Black v White binary dumbing down of the wider community? And Peter Garrett ? Yeah/Nah, I have no confidence he will assist this MSO matter in anyway possible.
Thank you Susan. I have no confidence in him either. And I speak as a hard core Oils fan from way back. Sigh.
The response of the arts and culture community to the October 7th Attack is arguably worse than anything from the activists, the media, politicians, the UN or religious leaders - particularly given primary target of the October 7 attack was a music festival.
Sydney Theatre Company - actors wear apparel originally popularised by a woman plane hijacker who intended to commit mass murder twice.
Glastonbury - Palestinian flags displayed at a music festival.
MSO: A tribute to 'Gaza journalists' including Yasser Quidih (purveyor of October 7 porn) and Hind Al-Khoudary (who finked a Gaza Peace activist to Hamas for the crime of speaking to Israeli peace activists over Zoom).