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Franco-Palestinian Word Games

Reader comment on item: Palestinian Word Games

Submitted by Marilyn Koan (France), Jan 4, 2005 at 16:44

We count on you, Mr Pipes, more than you can imagine, maybe especially so, here in France. I just hope with all my heart that your article: Palestinian Word Games gets translated into French and that the maximum is done so that the French get to read it. I for one, if and when it is translated, will do the best I can, by sending it to various people who need to be woken up to reality. (One is all for free thinking and free speech but not when it is life-endangering!) The problem is that the majority of people who read your articles 'know', whereas the ones who need to know do not read them! Hasn't it got to the point when "preaching to the unconverted" has become a crucial issue?

But we have a problem here with the "converted"! The handful of French intellectuals who are sincerely trying to counteract the dangerously confused thinking (or lack of thinking altogether?) that has pervaded this country have absolutely no qualms in using the terms that you list in your article, especially 'Palestine'. That clear-sightedness be such a rare commodity, even among the French intellectuals who, one imagined more or less, were possessed of it, is despairing. It has got to the point that to avoid stress and its consequences half the time I avoid listening to them.

The situation here regarding anti-Israel/anti-Jewish sentiment is quite mind-boggling because more often than not it is so vicious and so far-reaching. There is just so much of it, in every direction one looks, and one can find it in the most unexpected places. When one comes across people who seem not to share this feeling, even without their going so far as to empathize with Israel or with Jews, so few and far between have they become, that one is pleasantly surprised, almost grateful - (which makes one realize just how bad things are!).

But many of us have the comforting feeling, Mr Daniel Pipes, that you are one of the rare few who have a clear vision of not only what Israel and Jews have been up against over the last few years but also the long-term effects of this for the world, and that you will not weaken in your endeavour to reverse today's quasi-universal consensus that Israel (and Jews that do not condemn Israel) are, in the final analysis, if not the only baddies, more or less the baddest of the baddies. Often these days one cannot help thinking that Einstein's words of 1933: "The situation in Germany today is one of mass mental illness" while, obviously, not being strictly appropriate, seems markedly apt. And though it is said that history does not repeat itself I prefer to say - it does and it doesn't - which thought suffices to make my most ernest hope be that more and more people start waking up to what is really going on!

Last but not least: THANK YOU for the job you're doing!
Submitting....

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Reader comments (84) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Name Gaming - Who Actually Wins the Final Naming Rights [301 words]M. ToveyNov 18, 2014 19:18219375
Semantic Infiltration [11 words]Michael S.Nov 10, 2014 10:03219270
2Qubat al-Sakhar and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [181 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
dhimmi no moreNov 10, 2014 08:16219269
I suggest not calling palestinian Arabs "Palestinians" [108 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Ephraim LiorSep 8, 2014 17:27217669
I suggest using historically precise term. [84 words]Ephraim LiorSep 8, 2014 17:07217668
1Judea-Samaria did not come into existence as 'West Bank' [138 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
jerome verlinFeb 7, 2014 23:52213063
Judea-Samaria vs West Bank [162 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jerome VerlinFeb 11, 2014 17:44213063
Response to Daniel Pipes' Explanation for Using 'West Bank' [184 words]Jerome VerlinFeb 21, 2014 20:07213063
1you have corrupt maps [74 words]Guardian of DeenFeb 28, 2014 20:31213063
4And speaking of maps [240 words]dhimmi no moreMar 1, 2014 12:10213063
Judea and Samaria [69 words]Jerome VerlinMar 1, 2014 14:14213063
The Maps wars [27 words]Guardian of DeenMar 5, 2014 09:33213063
1Half knowledge is dangerous and Pars Sea [169 words]dhimmi no moreMar 9, 2014 09:09213063
1Gov. Ron DeSantis: Judea and Samaria isn't occupied territory [553 words]Michael ROct 24, 2022 13:08213063
Palestinian "President" Abbas. [78 words]SvetNov 5, 2009 15:23164081
An idea for your articles [52 words]SierraFeb 3, 2005 20:2020097
Thank you [67 words]James R. SchmidtJan 25, 2005 18:3719868
Arabs and the regime in Iran [207 words]Shahin ShadmerJan 21, 2005 12:4319799
"Battle of Words" [97 words]William PalomoJan 19, 2005 13:5819773
ISRAEL [4 words]JOE HOMAYUNJan 15, 2005 12:0419680
Reply to Andy re:- Palestine [171 words]AmataJan 13, 2005 17:3319653
Specious Reasoning [222 words]Brad DennisJan 10, 2005 19:4419574
"Moderate"? [80 words]Marcus MannJan 10, 2005 05:4319555
Praise [54 words]Jeanne ZangerJan 9, 2005 22:0319548
No such thing as a "Palestinian innocent" either? [125 words]Nathan PutnamJan 9, 2005 16:4719547
What prevents Arabs from recognizing Israel [141 words]Hari IyerJan 8, 2005 18:4619531
Great article [85 words]Bruce BoymanJan 8, 2005 15:0419527
Palestinian Word GAmes [13 words]Art GravitzJan 8, 2005 00:1919516
"Occupied Palestinian Territories" [167 words]SalomonJan 7, 2005 03:0819487
RIGHT ON ! [81 words]Bob BreslauerJan 6, 2005 11:5419453
"Words" as a "matter of fact" [84 words]Rachelle Assouline-SeynaeveJan 6, 2005 08:2819450
Thanks for your clarity [13 words]Sheila-EllmannJan 5, 2005 23:5319447
What "Palestine" is? [269 words]Marcois BerensteinJan 5, 2005 19:0019443
Not just a Liberal problem [71 words]Mark GarretsonJan 5, 2005 16:2119439
How true it is, Mr Pipes [95 words]Neila HachichaJan 5, 2005 16:0119437
Play on Words....... [74 words]Kim SegarJan 5, 2005 12:3319434
Excellent [179 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Zahava EnglardJan 5, 2005 10:5019429
Reply to Marilyn Koan's " Franco-Palestinian Word Games " [59 words]AndyJan 5, 2005 08:3119426
Reply to Helga Weisburger's comments : "Power of Words" [386 words]AndyJan 5, 2005 08:3019425
Reply to comment "The Correct Nomenclature" [82 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AndyJan 5, 2005 08:3019424
Peace Process War [137 words]Jonathan RickJan 5, 2005 08:2919423
I agree. And a question. [118 words]KlaraJan 5, 2005 08:0419421
Abbas is not the only incorrectly-described "Prime Minister" [73 words]Srinivasan VaradarajanJan 5, 2005 07:5719420
What about (1) war vs. conflict and (2) Palestinian Arabs vs. Palestinians? [65 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jonathan RickJan 5, 2005 07:4919419
A quote re the term "Palestinian" [138 words]AriJan 5, 2005 05:1619415
"President of Palestine" [64 words]AriJan 5, 2005 05:1219414
"Palestine" [204 words]AndyJan 5, 2005 05:1219413
Dr. Pipes: you missed the biggest one of them all [14 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AriJan 5, 2005 04:4519412
Words can be swords [99 words]James SolbakkenJan 5, 2005 02:5719411
The Olympic committee also recognizes "Palestine" [210 words]Leah ShalekJan 5, 2005 02:2319410
An American Comment Passing By [113 words]A Human BeingApr 4, 2014 01:1519410
How can An Islamist Be "Moderate"? [148 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Robert NicholsonJan 5, 2005 01:0019405
Israel and Taiwan [99 words]JohnJan 4, 2005 22:2419401
Islamic semantics [80 words]Kenneth S. BesigJan 4, 2005 20:3819393
The Correct Nomenclature [199 words]Marcos BerensteinJan 4, 2005 19:3419390
Arab Semantic Games [253 words]B. YoffeJan 4, 2005 18:3619388
With the intelligence of those who put commenter Walter S. down, who needs stupidity? [162 words]Eva GoldmanJan 4, 2005 18:3619387
Liberals are more of a threat to Israel than Palestinians [29 words]Octavio JohansonJan 4, 2005 18:2619386
Word Games Indeed [146 words]Ross StevensJan 4, 2005 18:2319385
The power of language [93 words]Helga WeisburgerJan 4, 2005 17:3619383
Aaargh! [87 words]MarkJan 4, 2005 17:3519382
Palestinian Word Games [602 words]MollJan 4, 2005 17:1519381
2Franco-Palestinian Word Games [499 words]Marilyn KoanJan 4, 2005 16:4419378
No wonder we are so confused [31 words]SJan 4, 2005 16:3819377
Palestinian Word Games [13 words]Cathy ShreveJan 4, 2005 15:5819371
Way to go, Mr. Pipes! [48 words]Vladimir WeissmanJan 4, 2005 15:3619370
This is one of the very best articles you ever wrote [21 words]Michael AnbarJan 4, 2005 14:5819368
The State of Palestine [119 words]Seth GinsburgJan 4, 2005 14:5819367
Another brilliant article, Prof. Pipes! [73 words]J GoldbergJan 4, 2005 14:4619366
An "F" in public relations [113 words]EileenJan 4, 2005 14:1619363
SEMANTICS [45 words]DONVANJan 4, 2005 14:0919362
The War of Words [94 words]Robert AbramsJan 4, 2005 13:5119361
Excellent point! Michael Medved needs to call you on air! [144 words]Gail JordanJan 4, 2005 13:3319359
Bravo [21 words]Charles M. GriffithJan 4, 2005 13:2619358
One Word [196 words]BenJan 4, 2005 13:1019357
President of Palestine [57 words]ShaiJan 4, 2005 13:0619356
Beautifully said [132 words]Robert KleinJan 4, 2005 13:0519354
Arab's trump card [48 words]Steve KleinJan 4, 2005 12:5719353
Word Games [46 words]Mark TylerJan 4, 2005 12:5019352
Public opinion fluctuates [121 words]R. DavidsonJan 4, 2005 12:4919351
My dear M. Pipe [66 words]HilareJan 4, 2005 12:4519350
May I ask you a question? [104 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Octavio JohansonJan 4, 2005 12:3019349
The Threat of Redefining Terms [123 words]Darwin BarrettJan 4, 2005 11:5019347
I agree [279 words]Walter SolesJan 4, 2005 10:5919345

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