So the single most intelligent thing to do, is to approach this like no one before you has. Reach out to them and tell them we are on their side. Then follow up on those words. The extremists have conditioned themselves to think of America as its eternal enemy. But if you give them a different point of view, it throws a major wrench in their ability to spread their views.

People who are against this speech or stance are just purely ignorant.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), said “I do not support a settlement freeze that calls on Israeli families not to grow, get married, or forces them to throw away their grandparents. Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.“

This quote gave me an instant headache. The degree of disingenuous and bias is astounding. Okay, let me get this straight. According to Ackerman’s tortured morals, I can take some armed buddies and throw him and his family out of their home. Then, I can have it bulldozed. Then, I can build myself a home on the land.

Now, when Ackerman comes back and wants his land back, he is in the wrong because I’m planning to start a family and my grampy lives there. Ouch, there’s that headache again.

@winddancer, #26:
“Campaign contributions and in many cases, loyalty to a country due to their own ethnic/religious background… as far as I’m concerned, these people can resign from their office in either the House or Senate, immigrate to Israel, give up their American citizenship or get dual-citizenship and run for office over there.”

Charming.
So “Jewish [C]ongress[people] and [S]enators” are, by definition, unable to put their loyalty to America before any concern they may have for Israel.
Tell me, how does it feel to realize that there is no appreciable difference in this regard between either of you and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-psychosis), famous for telling Chris Matthews, “I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America?”
I ask with all due respect, of course.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), said “I do not support a settlement freeze that calls on Israeli families not to grow, get married, or forces them to throw away their grandparents. Telling people not to have children is unthinkable and inhumane.“

So, you’ll understand then when some of my chicago buddies and I start paving over a chunk of long island to make retirement homes so we don’t have to throw away our grandparents.

I think the president means business, dbag. Not sure isreal has a lot of friendly neighboors right now either.

FROM: Jewish Voice for Peace (info@jewishvoiceforpeace.org) 

This coming June 10, we will be at the Caterpillar annual shareholder meeting for the sixth time. 
We will remind the Board of Directors that stopping the company’s sales of bulldozers to Israel is not only ethical but affordable for Caterpillar. We will remind them that not changing course will be increasingly more costly to Caterpillar: Hampshire College has already divested from CAT, and so has the Church of England; other churches are considering similar steps. Twenty Israeli peace and justice organizations have come in support of divestment from Caterpillar. 

We want you to be with us at the meeting. Please sign a letter to Caterpillar by June 9th, and we will hand-deliver it to the Board of Directors the next day. Help us bring thousands of letters of protest! 

*TO SIGN – http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/1849/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27360

How history repeats itself.

ElBruce, lobbying is one of those strange concepts that people love to rail against, but there’s basically not a damn thing anyone can do about it.

I’m fully aware that of all forms of speech protected by the First Amendment, talking to your elected officials about what they should do is the most important; all the others pretty much exist for the purpose of guaranteeing that one.

However, foreign governments are not American citizens, much less constituents from their districts. The same Constitution also specifies precisely who may conduct foreign policy, and it’s not individual Congresspeople.

“Chris: why is Israel any different? Here’s the reason: $$$$$$$.

It’s really that simple…Israeli lobbyists like AIPAC have more clout on the Hill”

I’d be interested in seeing exactly how much of that money is actually our tax dollars given as “aid” to Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon to Shimon Peres, October 3, 2001

At least I hope so.

Unfortunately, the leadership in Israel has not changed and it will be a long time before the blood thirsty war mongers get kicked out. These blood thirsty war mongers ARE the Israel lobby. So we have three parts to the equation: US Leadership, Israeli Leadership and the Israeli Lobby. Having only one of these not being blood thirsty war mongers is not the way to any peaceful settlement.

And yes, governments and the people they supposedly represent are NOT the same thing. Calling out the Israel government and lobby is NOT antisemitism, contrary to what they want people to believe. Same as calling out the US government.

I do hope you’re correct – I’m sick to death of rightwing extremism – ALL OF IT.

~A

The full list of AIPAC’s financial contributions to members of Congress is found on the following website: http://www.wrmea.com

Campaign contributions and in many cases, loyalty to a country due to their own ethnic/religious background. Bottom line – if you are in the Congress, your loyalty should be to the American people and what is best for THIS country first. Otherwise, as far as I’m concerned, these people can resign from their office in either the House or Senate, immigrate to Israel, give up their American citizenship or get dual-citizenship and run for office over there.

Please remember that the Israeli Govt. and the Israeli People are Not the Same thing…

anymore than the American people and the Bush Administration are the same thing.

The Neocons are no longer in Charge….that makes a BIG Difference in the Prospects for Peace in the Holy Land.

At least I hope so.