Comments on: Ending the occupation: No way around direct pressure on Israel

By: Leen

Leen — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:48:54 +0000

‘I’ve been trying to dispel your arguments with academic and factual data, but with zero effect.’
Please enlighten me, where?
‘Theocracy. Remember? You are claiming that there’s only two theocracies in the world, yet Britannica disagrees with your claims as well as with the definition.’
Well Merriam Webster disagrees, ‘government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided’. Saudi Arabian monarchs are not divine, nor do they claim to be, everyone knows this. And I already mentioned Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy which is also true as outlined here.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/525348/Saudi-Arabia Ironically there is no reference to Saudi Arabia being a theocracy.

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:39:11 +0000

Beholder,
“I’ve been trying to dispel your arguments with academic and factual data, but with zero effect.
”
Really where is you “academic” and “factual” information?

By: Beholder

Beholder — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:03:20 +0000

>And my arguments are not incompetent, nothing I have said so far isn’t backed up academically and factually, and if they are, then I invite you to dispel my arguments through academic and factual data. And not through your hasbara logic.
_
I’ve been trying to dispel your arguments with academic and factual data, but with zero effect.
Theocracy. Remember? You are claiming that there’s only two theocracies in the world, yet Britannica disagrees with your claims as well as with the definition.
It can’t be any more academic or factual than Britannica, yet it does not seem to bother you – your professor knows better.
You are not willing to accept any fact contradicting your opinion, neither you are accepting any logic proving you wrong…

By: Leen

Leen — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:52:12 +0000

No the point is when your argument fails you resort to petty personal insults, make generalized comments and then move on the subject to Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc. For the record, you don’t know me, you don’t know what other causes I support and advocate for, so I suggest you keep the personal insults to yourself.
The point is, I have seen this happen way, way too many times. The moment Zionists fail on their arguments, they either backdown or detract to Hamas, then to saudi arabia and iran, as if implying that I support Hamas and saudi Arabia and Iran, and as if that somehow legitimizes the Israeli occupation. Because hey if Iran curtail civil liberties, Israelis can do too!!

And my arguments are not incompetent, nothing I have said so far isn’t backed up academically and factually, and if they are, then I invite you to dispel my arguments through academic and factual data. And not through your hasbara logic.

By: AYLA

AYLA — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:32:45 +0000

NoamSH–thank you. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what’s constructive when it comes to blogging and commenting and sharing other people’s blogs and comments. Sometimes we can actually feed the fire we’re trying to put out. Often, actually. My thoughts on this are still evolving, but I’ve come to one idea, and it’s one I realized I’ve been teaching for years in academic writing classes: in any effective argument, you must, in the end, encourage a behavior. And blogs, or editorials, are not news; their authors are entitled to a point of view, and to be writing to effect change. 972 has made explicit their desire to affect change. It would be great if simply revealing injustice led to everyone’s desire to fight for justice, but so often it evokes the opposite response: people get defensive and take to their corners. I’m working on an editorial of my own with thoughts on this because I believe it is of crucial importance, but in the meantime, thank you for encouraging a behavior, Noam. This gives us agency, which is crucial for change.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:24:53 +0000

Beholder,
You would have realized that if you took the time to watch it. People are drifting away on Israel in America just because their liberal views doesnt fit annexation, colonialism, staterrorism and xenophobia.

By: Beholder

Beholder — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:05:58 +0000

The former question is rhetoric.
Who cares what some Finkelstein says in some interview?

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:26:44 +0000

Beholder,
Right, why then did you ask who he was?
“Who is Finkelstein? Who cares what talking heads say???”

By: Beholder

Beholder — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:43:24 +0000

Couldn’t care any less, to tell the truth.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:55:35 +0000

Beholder,
Just Google him if you have never heard of him.