Anyone ever read or attend lectures by Dr. Norm Finkelstein?

[Fantine]

Friends heard him speak today. He is the son of Holocaust Survivors whose doctoral thesis was on Zionism but who, in 1982, after Israel attacked Lebanon, became convinced that Israel was creating a holocaust of its own against Palestinians.

He has taught in a number of universities and written several books, including "A Nation on Trial" and "The Holocaust Industry."

I am sorry I missed his speech (at the state capitol.) I think that, as the son of Holocaust survivors, he has an important message for the US and Israel.

To me it almost seems as if the citizens of Israel are suffering massive PTSD--even though most never lived through the Holocaust themselves. The conflicts between Hamas and Israel, greatly exacerbated by Israel's continuous human rights violations and incursions into territory they had not been given in 1948, has also caused residual PTSD.

But at some point people with PTSD have to do whatever they can to heal from their trauma and move on with their lives. Bitterness and revenge will never give them the peace they so badly need.

I may look up his book.

Norman Finkelstein - Wikipedia

 

[Chesterton]

I haven't read him but I've heard him talk online. He's disgusting. An extreme combination of evil and stupidity.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I am a little familiar his track record.

He's the wrong messenger if people are looking for a person who can perhaps "win some people over to a new way of thinking".

In many regards, he's the Jewish equivalent of a Thomas Sowell.


Finkelstein: "Because I'm a Jewish child of Holocaust survivors, that gives me credibility in saying that Jews are just exploiting the holocaust for financial gain" and praising Hezbollah.

Sowell: "Because I'm a Black descendent of slaves who was born and raised in the segregated south in the 30's, that gives me credibility in saying that the mainstream civil rights movement is a sham, and things like affirmative action are just a Democrat power grab"

Both are about equally "not well-received" among the cohort of people they're trying to convince.


Don't get me wrong, they both have some select ideas I agree with depending on the subject... but if the goal is to shift public perceptions, and have that translate into policy changes via voting, that style isn't a particularly effective one.


If we're being honest, Tucker Carlson has a better chance of winning more new people over to the "We shouldn't be unquestioningly supporting the government of Israel" team than Finkelstein.



In terms of the Israeli "PTSD" you're referring to, that's less about the holocaust, and more about the fact that they've been surrounded by hostile neighbors for decades, and seeing young people in other countries portraying it as "the hip thing to do" to oppose them and praise their enemies.

I mentioned before that it was a major tactical error on the part of of US progressives to make the "Anti-Netanyahu"/"Anti Israeli Government" movement into a "Pro Palestinian"/"Pro Iran" movement.

If there's a conflict between two entities, you can oppose what one entity is doing without being a shameless cheerleader for the other team.

If the Crips were doing a bunch of uniquely bad stuff, I'm not going to try to counter that or voice my displeasure with that by attending "Pro Bloods" rallies and sticking a red bandana in my back pocket.

We need to stop looking at the Israel/Palestine conflict like it was WWE Smackdown. There's not always a clear cut "babyface" and "heel" in a conflict... sometimes it's "bad heel vs. worse heel"

 

[Chesterton]

In many regards, he's the Jewish equivalent of a Thomas Sowell.

No, not at all. Sowell has the receipts; he has facts to back up everything he says. Finkelstein is just a liar.

 

[Fantine]

I have always championed underdogs, but the Gazans aren't underdogs.
They are more akin to Christian slaves bring thrown to the lions in the arena. I played with the children of holocaust survivors growing up on Long Island. I acknowledge and sympathize with them but what is being done is indescribably immoral.
I know how hard it can be for a nation to rid themselves of a brutal dictator.
Living here, how could I not?
But God does not accept acquiescence.

 

[ozso]

I have always championed underdogs, but the Gazans aren't underdogs.
They are more akin to Christian slaves bring thrown to the lions in the arena. I played with the children of holocaust survivors growing up on Long Island. I acknowledge and sympathize with them but what is being done is indescribably immoral.
I know how hard it can be for a nation to rid themselves of a brutal dictator.
Living here, how could I not?
But God does not accept acquiescence.

Yahya Sinwar is the true main villain responsible for what's happened to Gaza and the suffering of Gazan civilians.

This is the monster you should be upset with:

Yahya Sinwar (Sin War).