3/04/2009

Article on Iran

Posted by Andrew | Labels:

I'm leaving work as I post this blog. Below is a fantastic link to a recent article by an American Jew who visited Iran recently. His article provides a fascinating perspective on the Iranian Jewish community, among other insights. Most interestingly, he received a lot of flak from more conservative American Jews regarding his positions.

Here is the link.

In other news, I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow for Costa Rica, for a nice temperature change. I'll try and update the blog throughout the week and a half with photos, thoughts, etc... but we'll see. Updating the blog, means I will have to leave the sun and sand for an internet cafe.

2 comments:

Bruce Kratky said...

I hate your guts! It has little to do with our political and international positions. It has everything to do with sun and beaches and surf and...well, how come you didn't decide to vacation in Minnesota? The people are very warm and friendly. I'll comment on the Jew in Iran article when I have had time to read it.

5:35 PM  
Bruce Kratky said...

I read the Cohen piece and I did read the original that he wrote for the NYT a few weeks ago. I find it very interesting that there are such divergent views within the Jewish community both here and abroad. That being said I don't feel it is false to suggest that the Jews throughout at least the 20th century have had a very hard time of it. Really, they have had a horrible time worldwide since the dispersion around 72 A.D. There are few places that they are truly welcomed. I think I steered you to an article that talked about the fear the Jews in Venezuela are going through as their fearless leader Hugo Chavez asked (demanded) them to speak out in unison against Israel's policy in Gaza. That they didn't has been fodder for governmental news outlets to demean them, socially pressure them, and label them as somehow less Venezuelan than their fellow non-Jewish Venezuelan citizens. I think that Jews have found this to be a pretty natural pattern of scapegoating that Jewish people have suffered for hundreds of years. I am glad that they seem to be getting along in Iran. That is a good thing. But Jews pay a tax for not being Muslim in Islamic cultures as do some Christians. They are not welcomed into governmental positions, can never be allowed or trusted to develop and contribute to national policies, and certainly don't worship freely as we understand the freedom of worship. History demands that Jews keep their eyes open to political change where ever they are and be prepared to run, or starve in the margins, or die in what ever other country other than Israel they live. This is certainly one of the main apologetics for the Zionist movement in the first place. It is not a false argument.

1:25 AM  

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