Bloggers vs. the Lobby
Interesting analysis of the effect of bloggers on AIPAC's lobbying efforts. I think it is definately forcing AIPAC from under the radar, but AIPAC may just be able to shift tactics.
We can only hope this trend continues.
Amconmag
Pressed by Huffington to explain why he was sure Bush would attack Iran, [Wes Clark] answered, “You just have to read what’s in the Israeli press. The Jewish community is divided but there is so much pressure being channeled from the New York money people to the office seekers.”
...
Soon [Wes] was engaged in a humiliating apology and repentance ritual with Abe Foxman of the ADL.
At this point the story could have taken the same path it has virtually every time something similar has happened since 1970—the originator of the “anti-Semitic” gaffe apologizes, some taint remains attached to his name, and everyone is reminded once again of the perils of crossing swords with “the lobby.”
But things took a different course, for significant reasons.
...
For within a day or two, one could read in the blogs some surprising assertions that amounted to a truth defense of Wes Clark. It seemed to come primarily from young, or comparatively young, Jewish bloggers. Observations that had been bandied about for years in private seemed to burst forth where many people could see them. This was welcome and suggests a broadening and deepening of the peace movement that so notably failed to stop the Iraq War. Suddenly there were Jewish voices talking about the Israel lobby as an established fact and, to be frank, as a bit of a problem. Significantly, these were not voices from an older and more alienated Chomskyian Left but from an American Prospect-like liberal mainstream.
We can only hope this trend continues.
Amconmag
posted by Brian at 11:44 AM
2 Comments:
"For within a day or two, one could read in the blogs some surprising assertions that amounted to a truth defense of Wes Clark. It seemed to come primarily from young, or comparatively young, Jewish bloggers."
Don't worry, its only a phase they're going through. They'll grow out of it.
I think that young Jewish folk have realized that the "Lobby" is a great danger to Judaism. All we need is another bloody Middle Eastern war that can be pinned on the Zionists, and there will be no distinction made between Zionists and non-Zionists -- they will all be scorned as a "nation within a nation". What has happened to the Jewish people throughout their sad history can also happen here. We all know that there is a lot of supressed anger over the Zionists, only held in check because of P.C. But this "show" of good will can vanish overnight. The Lobby should trim its sails if only for the sake of its own people. I'm a R.C., but I really admire the talent and courage of the Jewish people, but too much Hutzpah is self-defeating. Luther took care of the R.C. Hutzpah in 1417! LUther took
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