From: perlman@qso.Colorado.EDU (Eric S. Perlman)
Subject: Re: Brendan is a racist anti-semitic bigot
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 16:48:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.090801.4842@mcs.kent.edu> rayes@Snake.mcs.kent.edu (Sandra Rayes) writes:
>In article <1992Sep8.173916.14354@colorado.edu> perlman@qso.Colorado.EDU (Eric S. Perlman) writes:
>>While I have major problems with most of David Makowsky's opinions - and
>>the rest of the net knows this - about the nature of Zionism and
>>specifically referring to Kach - I must agree with David that the charge
>>that Ambassador Goldberg "more like he represented Israel than like he
>>represented the US" is quite far out of line.  The charge of dual
>>loyalty is a common tactic used against American Jews by anti-Semites.
>>Alan Dershowitz documents this in great detail in his book "Chutzpah."
>>I don't think - yet - that in Brendan's case that this is an indication
>>of anti-Semitism; it's the first time I've seen him use this charge.
>>Brendan, I suggest you reconsider your use of language here.  Seriously.
>>
>
>Eric, while I did not get the entire thread (having been in N.M. for a month)
>I am wondering what is so offensive about accusing someone of dual loyalty,
>and indeed, if dual loyalty is such a bad thing.  Example, as you know,
>I am German-American and still feel a sense of loyalty to Germany.  Is
>this bad??

Not at all.  I think that you're misinterpreting what I said.
Certainly I, as a Jew, feel loyal to my people and to Israel.  However,
the charge in question was that Goldberg - who does happen to be Jewish
- put the interests of Israel ahead of the interests of the country he
represented.  However, please take a look at the pedigrees of those who
accuse Jews in America of dual loyalty:  the White Aryan Resistance,
KKK, the Spotlight magazine, ... viciously anti-Semitic to a one.  Need
I go on?  When the charge is used in this fashion, by such people, it
becomes offensive.

>I don't think it is fair to accuse someone of Anti-Semitism simply because
>they question someone's loyalty...especially if that loyalty is well-based
>in ethno-religious similarities.  In fact, I believe 99% of American Jews
>feel a sense of loyalty to Israel and defend Israel out of that loyalty
>due to ethno-religious connections.  Many American boys serve in the
>Israeli military without doing the same for the US.  So what is so
>bad about that??  No one questions that, least of all Jewish people.

Nothing is so bad about that, in the abstract.  But in principle, the
country you choose to live in is the one which you serve first.
Especially if, like Goldberg, you choose to make a career of public
service.  It then becomes very offensive to charge that he is not
putting his own country first but rather the interests of another, even
if it is Israel.  

Those Jewish Americans who serve in the Israeli army generally either
already have made aliyah or intend to do so and make no bones about it.

>I think given that Goldberg's interpretation of 242 differs widely from
>that of the rest of the SC, and the following Councils who reaffirmed
>242, it is a fair to suggest that perhaps Goldberg's background and 
>loyalty to his "ancestral home" may certainly play a part in his
>interpretation of 242.
>
>And it really is unfair to suggest anti-Semitism just about every time
>someone disagrees with that singular interpretation of 242. (Goldberg's)

Sorry if you took it this way, Sandra; no such connection was my
intent.

-- 
"How sad to see/A model of decorum and tranquillity/become like any other sport
A battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee." -Tim Rice,"Chess"
     Eric S. Perlman 				 <perlman@qso.colorado.edu> 
  Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, Boulder
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast