Analysis: Racism and rhetoric from Ferguson to Palestine

[azurnoir]

In the United States, "Ferguson" -- the name of the town where unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot to death by police last summer -- has become a shorthand name for the free reign given to police officers to murder black people in the streets (and parks, stores, even their own homes) with impunity.

At the same time as Brown was murdered, the world watched as Israel was given free reign to murder Palestinian people in the streets of the Gaza Strip (and beaches, cafes, hospitals, even their own homes) with impunity.

In the US, people are therefore beginning to see the connections between Ferguson and Palestine. The fact that Israel and the US share police training and tactics, not to mention weaponry and military strategy, seems increasingly significant.

Of course, the struggles of African Americans and Palestinians are not identical. African Americans are not occupied the same way as are Palestinians, who are being deprived of their land as well as their rights. The legacies of chattel slavery and colonial dispossession, however vile, are not interchangeable histories of oppression.

Nevertheless, yet another commonality faced by folks in struggle from Ferguson to Palestine is the all-too-frequent refusal to recognize their oppression as oppression.

http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=755659

[Fozzledick]

1. More hate-mongering from Maan.

That's all they ever do, but some people just can't get enough.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. See post #2.

[Fozzledick]

8. Already covered. See post #1.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

9. back at ya.

[King_David]

21. LOL

[grossproffit]

7. Yep. eom

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. Thank you for posting to Ma'an. It's a very credible news source no matter what some knob heads say.

Last edited Sun Feb 8, 2015, 10:05 AM - Edit history (1)

[bravenak]

3. Great article.

Thank you for posting this.

[King_David]

5. More crap from ma'an desperately trying to link the Jewish State with all and any ills in the world

Where no such link exists .

This from a "newspaper " that prints the most antisemitic essays on the protocols of the elders of Zion.

Maan has zero credibility.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113460083

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

6. Did you read the article before the usual knee-jerk reaction to Ma'an?

Nevertheless, yet another commonality faced by folks in struggle from Ferguson to Palestine is the all-too-frequent refusal to recognize their oppression as oppression.

Black lives matter. Palestinian Lives matter. All lives matter.


I believe that many would agree with me on the above statement, but some closeted puritans don't see it that way and would rather attack the message and messenger.

[King_David]

10. Of course I agree

2 separate struggles that armchair western militants desperately want to link without any success.

The article is crap and minimizes what Ferguson was all about.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

11. I'd say that they are interlinked by a simple comparison.

Last edited Sun Feb 8, 2015, 04:32 PM - Edit history (1)

But some will spin themselves into a freakish twist to try and de-legitimize it.


And what a racist thing to say ("armchair western militants") WRT to those who connect the two.

[King_David]

12. Armchair western Militants is certainly not racist

We talking about those that have adapted another people's cause as their own due to unsavory motives.

Somebody like Greta Berlin leader of the BDS movement is a prime example , she is so antisemitic and she has adopted the Palestinian cause for that reason.

A perfect example of an armchair western militant.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

13. "Armchair western Militants is certainly not racist" Careful, dave.

You mean like these western Militants with unsavory motives?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113493897

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/01/between-blacklivesmatter-palestine

After Black teen Trayvon Martin’s 2012 death at the hands of George Zimmerman in Florida, a newly formed group called the Dream Defenders sprung into action. They marched for miles. They occupied the state capitol in Tallahassee. They pushed for legislative measures that would address racial inequality.

Today, the Dream Defenders remain focused on racism in America, and have helped lead the burgeoning #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations that have swept the nation after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, two unarmed Black men killed by the police in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City.

But the Dream Defenders have also broadened their focus in recent months by joining U.S. Palestinian rights groups in calling for an end to Israeli human rights abuses. On December 20th, they deepened their commitment to Palestinian rights by unanimously endorsing the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) call. The endorsement came during the Dream Defenders’ conference in Florida.

And at the start of 2015, members of Dream Defenders, along with other groups focused on racial injustice like the Black Youth Project, went on a delegation to Palestine organized by the Institute for Middle East Understanding. The trip was meant to expose Black activists to the Israeli occupation. After returning, the participants have drawn parallels between the Black and Latino experience in the U.S. and the Palestinian experience.

"Somebody like Greta Berlin leader of the BDS movement is a prime example..."

You've been caught in that lie before, dave, and were corrected by azurnoir. Strange how you want to keep on bringing up the same lies to delegitimize the OP: "Racism and rhetoric from Ferguson to Palestine".

Link here for all to see.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=92045



You should be ashamed of yourself, dave.

[King_David]

14. Rubbish , if anyone should be ashamed it BDS supporters that are antisemitic in nature

Such as the BDS leadership as Greta Berlin .

The BDS organization is full of sntisemitism and that's fact .

I certainly have NOTHING to be ashamed if calling out bigots for what they are.

How dare YOU tell me I should be ashamed!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113485328

Ferguson has nothing to do with Palestine and their struggle and deserve complete illumination in their cause and don't need some others with ulterior motives minimizing their struggle by attempting to pair it to a not as pure a struggle overseas or any other struggle for that matter.
Shame in anybody else for minimizing the legitemite struggle that Ferguson represents in order to further their own seperate and personal aims.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. Why are you so desperate to deceive DUers about BDS, dave?

Greta Berlin is a spokesperson for the Free Gaza Movement not BDS.

God you are a horrible deceiver. There's a thing called the internet, dave. Try it before you post you untruths.

And if right winger Algemeiner is your source for the truth you have some hasbara to do.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113493897

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/01/between-blacklivesmatter-palestine

Ferguson has nothing to do with Palestine and their struggle and deserve complete illumination in their cause and don't need some others with ulterior motives minimizing their struggle by attempting to pair it to a not as pure a struggle overseas or any other struggle for that matter.
Shame in anybody else for minimizing the legitemite struggle that Ferguson represents in order to further their own seperate and personal aims.

Now are you calling the Dream Defenders anti-semites with ulterior motives, dave?


Your mask is slipping.

[King_David]

16. My "mask is slipping " ?

I've seen posts hidden and pizza given for some people saying less than that about a fellow DUr.

Hilarious as it is coming from you of all people though.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

17. Let me repeat for the passing DUer all that you have run from.

Why are you so desperate to deceive DUers about BDS, dave?

Greta Berlin is a spokesperson for the Free Gaza Movement not BDS.

God you are a horrible deceiver. There's a thing called the internet, dave. Try it before you post you untruths.

And if right winger Algemeiner is your source for the truth you have some hasbara to do.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113493897

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/01/between-blacklivesmatter-palestine

Dave quote:

Ferguson has nothing to do with Palestine and their struggle and deserve complete illumination in their cause and don't need some others with ulterior motives minimizing their struggle by attempting to pair it to a not as pure a struggle overseas or any other struggle for that matter.
Shame in anybody else for minimizing the legitemite struggle that Ferguson represents in order to further their own seperate and personal aims.

Now are you calling the Dream Defenders anti-semites with ulterior motives, dave?


Your mask is slipping.

[King_David]

20. Your very passionate about the Palestinian's cause .It's your primary and only concern ( on DU anyway)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1134&pid=94943


Pic of BDS leadership at link :


http://www.democraticunderground.com/113492003

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

22. I'm very passionate in pointing out your deception of Duers.

You linked to a notorious right wing publication that claims something that is untrue.


In addition you have proclaimed that...

BDS supporters are anti-semitic,

others that have adapted another people's cause as their own due to unsavory motives,

calling supporters of the Furguson to Palestine connection, I believe that you refer to the Dream Defenders here, as armchair western militants...


Which is just not only horribly wrong headed, but a sophomoric argument at best.


So your intent now is to double down and have a form of tantrum: regurgitating all the nonsensical wrongness you have posted to date?


You really are horrible at this.

[King_David]

23. I was referring to people like Alex Kane

Who in a Twitter advice to Hamas advised against accepting an Egyption brokered ceasefire and to people like Greta Berlin who is a major BDS leader and to others who's primary cause in life is that of the Palestinians ( when they themselves are not Palestinian ,Muslim , Israeli nor Jewish) as armchair western militants .


And the majority of the BDS movement are in fact antisemitic :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113485328

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

24. Keep on clutching at straws, at phantoms, at Greta, at Alex...

Keep on crying anti-semitism all you like: if it exists or not.

Keep on trying to accuse others of any motives all you want.


But most of all, thanks for the kick.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

18. Have you noticed the depseration of some to divert, divert, divert attention away from the OP?

In the US, people are therefore beginning to see the connections between Ferguson and Palestine. The fact that Israel and the US share police training and tactics, not to mention weaponry and military strategy, seems increasingly significant.

BDS!

[azurnoir]

27. well yes but the comparions stand and that is what counts

as time goes on it becomes harder and harder to simply dismiss Palestinians as "terrorists" just as it has become more and more difficult to dismiss the Ferguson protestors as thugs

[Mosby]

19. the author is a propogandist for palestinians

While it is necessary and important to distinguish Zionism and Judaism, the role of Jewish people in Palestine solidarity work (if indeed any such “role” actually exists) is to confirm that Palestinian liberation is not a Jewish issue. Jewish people must recognize that commitment to justice turns not on an exceptionalist Jewish connection to this region, country, or colonial project, but rather on the principled belief in the freedom, equality, and self-determination of all people(s). Indeed, such commitment may help us to remember that we ourselves are settlers in North America, complicit with the colonization of indigenous peoples here, residing upon stolen land from which we launch our otherwise heroic critiques of Israel.

The fight for Palestinian liberation is anti-racist work and a form of anti-colonialism. It is part of an indigenous people’s struggle. To suggest that Jewish people have a special connection to Israel/Palestine is to re-iterate a central Zionist contention that the settler colonization of Palestine is by, for, or about Jewish people. Insofar as it is Zionism which we are fighting, we surely do not want to agree to that.

http://mondoweiss.net/2013/05/means-jewish-justice

[aranthus]

26. She's an antisemite posting on an antisemitic website.

Notice how she writes that all peoples are entitled to self-determination, but when it comes to the Jews, that desire for a state of their own is "Jewish Exceptionalism." That blatant double standard is just one give away.

[leftynyc]

25. I can't believe this piece of crap

source is allowed here. But the whining about Jerusalem Post is deafening. Once again everything that happens in the world comes back to Israel. It's become pathetically predictable.

[azurnoir]

28. I'm so very sorry you apparently misunderstood the article

Israel is not being blamed for the situation in the US, it is a comparison between the 2 situations

[aranthus]

29. But it's a ridiculously false comparison

The Israel/Palestine conflict is a war, not a civil rights issue. It's also not about racism. She's peddling propaganda to try and increase the appeal of her cause.

[azurnoir]

30. so are you saying there is no such thing as Palestinian civil rights?

because IMO it is very much about civil rights in both cases

[Fozzledick]

31. As a matter of fact, there IS no such thing as Palestinian civil rights.

Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are totalitarian dictatorships that routinely torture and murder their political opponents with absolutely no regard for basic human rights. I guess that's what makes them so appealing to people who obsessively hate Israeli democracy.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

33. "As a matter of fact, there IS no such thing as Palestinian civil rights."

Wow, that's pretty sad that you would even write such a thing.


Are Israelis only allowed to have civil rights?

[Fozzledick]

34. According to Hamas and the PA, yes.

What's sad about it is that it's true, but we know you don't care about that.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

35. Is that why Israel kills so many Palestinian children: no civil rights?

[Fozzledick]

36. No, that's why Hamas kills so many Palestinian children.

But once again, we know you don't care.

[azurnoir]

38. So Hamas is flying the F-16's and dropping bombs, that's news to me

[Fozzledick]

39. I hardly think Hamas' tactic of using children as cannon fodder to create propaganda is news to you.

You've just chosen to ignore it.

[azurnoir]

40. Hamas uses children as cannon fodder? Is that like "telegenicly dead"?

up next vids pictures and more

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

41. Your views on dead Palestinian children certainly are fairly grotesque, IMHO.

Last edited Tue Feb 10, 2015, 11:04 PM - Edit history (1)

Firstly, in your world view, Palestinians have no civil rights, and Palestinian children murdered by Israel are magically assigned to somebody else?

[aranthus]

32. It's like saying World War One was about French civil rights.

You can talk about civil rights of Arabs in Israel because they are citizens. You can talk about the civil rights of Palestinians vis a vis the PA or Hamas in Gaza. But as between the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank and Israel there is a war, so it's not correct or fair to say it's a civil rights issue. In that case the issue is national rights (the right to statehood and self government), and the rights of sovereignty and war.

[azurnoir]

37. No I am speaking of Palestinian civil rights under Israel's all encompassing military rule

in which Israeli colonists live under one set of civilian laws and the native Palestinians live under a brutal military regimes laws. Now one can quibble that Area A is under Palestinian rule however Israel invades and ransacks homes at will as we saw early last summer