69 million page views

The Golden Age

Reader comment on item: Anti-Semitism Evolves

Submitted by Arlinda DeAngelis (United States), Feb 16, 2005 at 06:10

One of the most startling commentaries I have ever read and a very frightening one, indeed:

I could not help but wonder at the beginning of the 1990s why the left turned against Israel so virulently. What was a mild protest against Israel, to be expected in a country such as ours, became an insanity. I also found it astonishing that the once Christian rightist fundamentalists were so pro-Israeli. It seemed to happen overnight. And, Israel allied itself with the Christian fundamentalists in this country. I just didn't understand what was happening. That the left had abandoned Israel did not occur to me. That even some American Jews were against Israel in the terrorist war with the Arabs in Palestine.

What was at the bottom of this odd connection? As a one time leftist of the 1960s, Israel was neither a right nor leftist issue. It was an ally of the United States. It was everything to everyone. Brave, courageous and warlike when it came to its survival ... never asking, never demanding, never pleading for United States intervention in its wars of survival against overwhelming odds ... the oil rich powerful Arab states. I remember an Israeli leader saying during the "Six-Day War" we don't want American blood spilt on Israeli soil. Any red blooded right winger had to love the pugnacity and incredible courage of the Israelis against what appeared to be insurmountable odds. Visions of America's beginnings were everywhere. This was no victim state. Israel was just like us. Moishe Dayan was as heroic and stately as was Eisenhower and just as photogenic.

This tiny state even stood against the imperial Soviet Union that created the mess in the Suez while every Arab state caved to imperial Soviet Union. Perhaps Osama and the rest of the Jihadists forgot about that. In an act of incredible speed and courage Israel probably saved the world when they took out the nuclear reactors in Osirek in a raid that was so lightening fast that the planes were gone before Saddam's regime knew what hit them ... what courage for such a small country. Israel claimed no responsibility and the incredibly corrupt United Nations condemned them.

It was also a liberal democracy with a socialist bent ... its citizens enjoying the same personal rights as those in the United States. Its socialist and liberal democratic government had, nipping at its heels, a real live peace movement pleading for co-existence with the Arabs, decrying the settlements in the West Bank and looking for peace with Missy Arafat. They even had Gold Mier, mother of modern Israel and role model for every feminist worth her salt. This country also appealled to every red blooded leftist.

What was there not to like about Israel?!

I remember when I worked for an organization that shared a space with an organization of a displaced Synagogue that had closed for lack of enough Jews in the neighborhood to support its existence. We were all liberals but for the war of existence between the Arabs in Palestine supported by the theocratic surrounding Arab states and Israel's defense against the Arab war.

Most of the people for whom and with whom I worked were Jews. A startling moment occurred while I worked for this organization. It happened when Hillary Clinton kissed Arafat's wife after Suha made an incredible anti-Israel speech ... accusing them of the wanton killing of Arab babies! I was devastated, appalled and stunned. I voted for Hillary's opponent after working like crazy to get her to run for the Senate in New York. I had but one ally ... the Rabbi of the displaced synagogue. We'd speak in private. I would rail. He would counsel. We shared a belief that the Arabs in Palestine were programmed, brain washed and insane ... hellbent on annihilating Israel. The left and the liberals in this country cheered them on. It was insane.

I am not a Jew but I am a Zionist ... absolutely and unconditionally. What else would I be as an American with a brain.

It was a slow and insidious evolvement of the left aligning itself with the theocratic Islamic Arab states that had once aligned themselves with imperial fascist Nazis and the imperial communists of the Soviet Union. The Israel that once appealed to every American of every persuasion became the target of the liberals and the left. It was an unspeakable thing for a movement that screamed about war crimes, atrocities and fascism to align itself with a movement that defined every one of the aforementioned, the Islamic Jihadists. The left that dispised the Christian fundamentalists seemed to have found a new home among the poor oppressed Islamic fundamentalists forgiving them everything including the enslavement of women. Go figure this disconnect!

Then came September 11th and I knew in my heart and soul what it was like to be an Israeli ... what it was like to live under siege ... what it was like to wonder if tomorrow there would not be another terrorist attack ... what it was like to have to worry if some lunatic would blow us and our children to smithereens for nothing but a vague imperialist religious notion.

What was once an intellectual ideology should have become a physical passion without bounds. What happens to Israel happens to us ... the debate, the argument, the discussion was over. If that event did not open the eyes of every single American and of every Euro of every ideological and/or religious persuasion, I am afraid that nothing in the universe will change their hateful minds.

The left has gone over the edge of the rational, the thoughtful and the sane. I could understand the great debates of communism vs. democracy, of socialism vs. capitalism. But those days have long since gone.

France's Le Monde stated that on September 11th everyone everywhere became an American. That was incorrect. On September 11th we all became Israelis. So what the hell is there left to debate? Life and death is not a debate?!
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (96) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Anti-Israel radical J STREET and why Biden is angry [162 words]NoraDec 6, 2022 01:33289406
Arab racism: The Qataris were embarrassed because their officials hadn't believed the poor Egyptian when he insisted he was one of them. And so, they stood by as the mob gave him the "Israeli treatment." [10 words]GilDec 3, 2022 23:01289345
1Tor Wennesland, expresses support for a Palestinian terrorist who tried to stab an Israeli couple in Huwara [77 words]GilDec 3, 2022 22:53289344
2022 12-2 "Cultural appropriation and the Jews" by Caroline Glick ("The Jewish Voice") [95 words]RobertDec 2, 2022 18:28289312
Israel: Adham Bashir sentenced to 10 years for viciously attacking Janashvili out of racist motive [589 words]GilNov 28, 2022 14:57289119
Trump's Philosemitism About Us Jews [253 words]RobertNov 28, 2022 08:48289110
1"I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE" [sic] - Je, Oct. 6, 2022 [267 words]RobertNov 5, 2022 17:12288263
Haaretz anti-Jewish - full stop! (Lose, drop that "anti-zionism" mask please) [332 words]IsaiasAug 3, 2020 13:28259818
2demographics will be the cause of the demise of Jews. [73 words]ZevOct 12, 2010 10:54179193
The nuclear bombs shall be dropped on Israel, yet... [207 words]MarsJul 27, 2007 04:53104951
The problem with this article [142 words]Johnny CarpatiNov 13, 2005 19:3628336
what about? [20 words]Frederic ThornMar 6, 2005 21:3620710
Human nature [23 words]Diana LiniadoMar 6, 2005 17:0620708
hm... [21 words]E.DMar 6, 2005 00:4220701
EU "Threat to World Peace" poll [267 words]Bruce McKenneyMar 5, 2005 14:0320699
Dr. Pipes has it right except for..... [153 words]Stuart GoldMar 2, 2005 12:4120623
1The Catholic Church, Anti-Semitism, Islam & the Holocaust [709 words]Arlinda DeAngelisFeb 27, 2005 20:0620555
Why stop there? [140 words]August WestSep 28, 2006 08:5320555
Jews and Hindus [95 words]S.C.PandaFeb 26, 2005 04:5220533
responce to SC Panda [80 words]lakhanMay 23, 2008 06:4820533
Hate is Alive and Well [255 words]Scott HarlowFeb 25, 2005 19:0320529
Another one of Jewry's golden ages [89 words]Olga StefanFeb 24, 2005 23:5020517
"Christ Killers" [150 words]MichaelFeb 24, 2005 15:1420513
Response to Michael [276 words]Dennis MoranMar 10, 2005 12:0620513
What is a Christian? [338 words]erinJan 9, 2006 02:3420513
The roots of anti-Judaism [652 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 22, 2005 00:5320453
In response to Mr.Harlow's remarks [269 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 27, 2005 07:5520453
My Response to commenter Marcos Berenstein [400 words]Scott HarlowFeb 28, 2005 19:4220453
Thanks [75 words]Alexander M SmithFeb 20, 2005 18:5020445
Nazis and Left [148 words]RBFeb 20, 2005 16:3220443
The Armenian Holocaust [73 words]Octavio JohansonFeb 20, 2005 12:1220440
Antisemitism: A Psychological Disorder [744 words]J. PedenFeb 20, 2005 10:3520438
Hope Defeats Prejudice [38 words]Timothy B. RobertsFeb 20, 2005 02:0320436
Canadian Islamic Congress [215 words]Todd PlantFeb 19, 2005 20:2820434
Please Don't Blame Christians! [278 words]Mike RamirezFeb 18, 2005 00:4220421
What do you mean by anti-Semitism? [97 words]Brad DennisFeb 17, 2005 23:5320420
Defining Christianity [109 words]Rob JamesFeb 17, 2005 21:5420417
90th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE [458 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 17, 2005 19:0520416
Response to Marcos Berenstein's comment [133 words]Rachelle AssoulineFeb 19, 2005 12:1720416
Response to commenter Marcos Berenstein [468 words]Rob JamesFeb 20, 2005 02:2720416
Response to commenter Mr. Berenstein [55 words]DaisyFeb 20, 2005 15:1720416
ABSOLUTELY - Response to commenter Marcos Berenstein [15 words]RonFeb 25, 2005 01:1820416
As an Armenian... [149 words]Nejdeh HovanessianApr 19, 2005 09:0620416
NEVER AGAIN, NEVER BEFORE [262 words]Lee ShinettApr 19, 2006 13:3120416
Christians [147 words]CynthiaAug 5, 2007 06:2420416
Tired Gentiles? [115 words]Tony FigueroaFeb 17, 2005 06:0720408
Israel's enemies don't need nuclear bombs [149 words]Gilbert SimonsFeb 17, 2005 02:4520407
Explains why criticism of Gibson's THE PASSION was off target [62 words]Debra TFeb 16, 2005 16:4320403
True Christians never hated Jews [85 words]VWoodFeb 16, 2005 15:3920401
Condemnation of "Christianity" [116 words]Rosemarie JaroszFeb 16, 2005 14:1320398
Response to commenter Brutus on so called Christians. [288 words]JFeb 16, 2005 13:4520396
Christians Killed Jews? [147 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Mark FisherFeb 16, 2005 13:1120395
The Left-Wing Evolves [199 words]Octavio JohansonFeb 16, 2005 12:1120392
Provocative [99 words]DaisyFeb 16, 2005 10:5520390
Thne essentials of collectivist conflict [72 words]Ralph C. Whaley MDFeb 16, 2005 07:4320386
The Golden Age [1001 words]Arlinda DeAngelisFeb 16, 2005 06:1020384
Courageous Article-American Jewry Golden Age is Over [187 words]Y. Ben-DavidFeb 16, 2005 04:3120383
My support and honour is for Jews forever! [83 words]Heather BronkhorstFeb 16, 2005 04:2720382
Sorely needed article: Congratulations [52 words]Shlomo SharanFeb 16, 2005 03:2920380
Why? [77 words]Robert B. ArbetmanFeb 16, 2005 00:2120376
The Indestructible Jew [201 words]Richard BowersFeb 15, 2005 23:2920375
02-1505 NY Sun Opinion [5 words]Alon ReiningerFeb 15, 2005 21:2320372
Anti-Semitism Has Not Evolved [1006 words]Daniel WeilFeb 15, 2005 20:3020371
Anti-semitism evolves [8 words]Mort ReichekFeb 15, 2005 17:1620368
Columbia University [61 words]JimFeb 15, 2005 16:1320367
Rationalising Jew-hatred [71 words]Leon PoddebskyFeb 15, 2005 15:3920366
"Golden age of Jewry is a misnomer" [548 words]Mike McKeeFeb 15, 2005 15:2220365
Article feedback [219 words]John SchwartzFeb 15, 2005 13:4520363
Anti-Judaism [267 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 15, 2005 13:1820361
First and fourth points [89 words]Joe HylandFeb 15, 2005 13:0720358
7Historically Christians killed most Jews [201 words]Ron GreenFeb 15, 2005 12:2820357
Response to commenter Ron Green. So-Called Christians? [221 words]BrutusFeb 15, 2005 20:1220357
Maybe [93 words]Karen PeraltaSep 5, 2012 13:1420357
1Immanuel Kant - Father of the Irrational [288 words]Paul SaundersFeb 15, 2005 12:0820356
Bastard Grandson Adolf Hitler - Father of NAZI Racism [173 words]RobertNov 28, 2022 09:1020356
Back to the earliest days of civilization [200 words]WilliamFeb 15, 2005 12:0720355
Antisemitism [346 words]Hesse MeilchFeb 15, 2005 11:4120353
Still is the Golden Age [125 words]Arthur KittayFeb 15, 2005 11:3220351
Anti Semitism Evolves [156 words]Mr. M. DunskyFeb 15, 2005 11:2720350
RE: Antisemitism Evolves [27 words]Miriam WilliamsFeb 27, 2005 14:1320350
Don't lump all Christians together as anti-semitic [180 words]DeniseFeb 15, 2005 11:2120349
Reply to commenter Denise [340 words]Peter J. HerzFeb 16, 2005 02:5120349
Left and right [45 words]Lewis HodgeFeb 15, 2005 11:1820348
Clearvision of Mr. Pipes [79 words]Elena SorinFeb 15, 2005 10:4920347
Golden Ages ? [123 words]Gudrun EussnerFeb 15, 2005 10:3820346
Assilimation is a greater threat to Judaism than anti-Semitism [175 words]SimonaFeb 15, 2005 10:3520345
Response to commenter Simona [85 words]brtzgFeb 15, 2005 11:3420345
Anti-Semitism [230 words]Dan KatcherFeb 15, 2005 10:3320344
Cause and Effect [436 words]Richard E. SykesFeb 15, 2005 10:3120343
Response to Richard E. Sykes and others [143 words]Peter J. HerzFeb 16, 2005 02:1420343
Second Point [171 words]Randy WilliamsonFeb 15, 2005 10:1120341
History of anti Semitism [124 words]Dave MitchellFeb 15, 2005 09:3120340
Hitler was not a member of the right [105 words]MarkFeb 15, 2005 08:5420339
May I dare to disagree? [167 words]Octavio JohansonFeb 15, 2005 07:5420337
RE: comment "May I dare to disagree?" [372 words]Benjamín Muñoz MateuFeb 27, 2005 17:1920337
Judaism is not a race [50 words]Fred BinkleFeb 15, 2005 07:5120336

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)