Saturday, July 29, 2006
The discussion has gotten ugly right away
I agree that democracy and dialogue is, ashamedly, mostly a dream and a sham in this country. However, I was referring to our own MFA program, over which we have a bit more control. Dialogue and democratic talk are necessary in academia and mudslinging and scapegoating are not. If some people prefer to not-so-subtly blame diasporic Jews for the misery of this war, it should happen in a different setting than this listserv. Gekko: you should be disgusted as many of us are. But I ask that you reflect on your claim that "Jews worldwide" (you mean The Conspiracy?) have the power to stop this.
Please explain to my family -- not only my ancestors who were kicked out of Spain and Russia but the more recent relatives who learned how to make belts and ice cream and sell mens clothing and work for unions, how to become doctors and laborers and musicians and academics (well, that was me anyway) -- how are we to stop the disastrous war in Lebanon? We are not Israelis, and we have our own country to be at odds with (and we were powerless to stop the war in Iraq). I'm tired of being told that I must feel one way or the other, or must align myself with one side or the other. This is the tribalism that lies at the root of this and most wars.
Gekko's request that I and other Jews stop this "feed" is quite similar to the unspoken understanding after 9/11 that immigrant shopkeepers in New York must display an American flag to show they aren't terrorists. I can handle my dissent on my own; I don't need to be lumped in with a group of people and told how to behave.
I agree with Simone that continued discussion is necessary. Without it, we're left to more visceral responses. And I have to disagree with Gekko: blogs are a great way to communicate. Let's continue the conversation, but I don't think this listserv is the place to do it. Come on over to www.levjoy.com/blog and continue a discussion that's already been taking place about this.
-Josh
Hey,
I appreciate what Shiri is doing--I think getting out alternative views to what we are all being fed is an important thing--again, there are many ways of expressing views and mobilizing for change and art is one way. By the way, I don't see anyone in the IMA program throwing away their multimedia, film, video, or whatever tools to pick up arms in revolution (or have you done that, Gekko?) so we might as well support one of our classmates who is doing something!
Best,
Pam ¶ 6:05 AM
Please explain to my family -- not only my ancestors who were kicked out of Spain and Russia but the more recent relatives who learned how to make belts and ice cream and sell mens clothing and work for unions, how to become doctors and laborers and musicians and academics (well, that was me anyway) -- how are we to stop the disastrous war in Lebanon? We are not Israelis, and we have our own country to be at odds with (and we were powerless to stop the war in Iraq). I'm tired of being told that I must feel one way or the other, or must align myself with one side or the other. This is the tribalism that lies at the root of this and most wars.
Gekko's request that I and other Jews stop this "feed" is quite similar to the unspoken understanding after 9/11 that immigrant shopkeepers in New York must display an American flag to show they aren't terrorists. I can handle my dissent on my own; I don't need to be lumped in with a group of people and told how to behave.
I agree with Simone that continued discussion is necessary. Without it, we're left to more visceral responses. And I have to disagree with Gekko: blogs are a great way to communicate. Let's continue the conversation, but I don't think this listserv is the place to do it. Come on over to www.levjoy.com/blog and continue a discussion that's already been taking place about this.
-Josh
Hey,
I appreciate what Shiri is doing--I think getting out alternative views to what we are all being fed is an important thing--again, there are many ways of expressing views and mobilizing for change and art is one way. By the way, I don't see anyone in the IMA program throwing away their multimedia, film, video, or whatever tools to pick up arms in revolution (or have you done that, Gekko?) so we might as well support one of our classmates who is doing something!
Best,
Pam ¶ 6:05 AM
