Political debate

Posted on March 5, 2008
Tags: Politics |

There’s a bit of political debate going on at the Trading Fraternity (this link may be NSFW) about Israel. It’s not all about trading and sexy girls over there ;-) If anyone else has any opinion about the discussion there hope you’ll post a comment.

Comments

8 Responses to “Political debate”

Jay on March 5th, 2008 2:35 pm

I wrote that email to John. I don’t appreciate your manipulation of my observations, and especially dislike the race baiting. In fact I find the race baiting disgusting. You don’t know me or what I do for a living, yet you make attributions that depict someone I dislike very much. I resent that. And I’m sick and tired of putting my life no the line for people like you. To me, you’re not much different than someone from Hamas. So say what you want. Make all the attributions that you want. In fact, convince the entire world that I’m a hater of jews and of Israel. I don’t care. I’m tired and my health is suffering from all of this. And that is the damn truth.
eyal on March 5th, 2008 2:50 pm

Jay - you’re right I don’t know you, what you do, what your health situation is or your shoe size. My response was written based on the text you put forward. And I stand behind all of it in that context. If you had different intentions or meanings or some other hidden thoughts, then either I failed to see that and I would be interested to be pointed out what they are or they just weren’t there. Maybe you should ask yourself why you came across as someone you dislike very much to someone who reads your text without knowing anything else about you.

I have nothing to convince anyone about you, I was merely providing what I feel is a different view to the one you presented which was both biased and sometimes historically incorrect as I demonstrated in my original response.
Jay on March 5th, 2008 3:32 pm

Eyal, I find your attitude morally repugnant and I also think all the cheaps shots you take are intellectually dishonest.

I’m not going to get into a historiographical gunfight with you because you will choose to believe what suits your personal fealties. In that sense, you’re no different than the average Palestinian. I think I am very much qualified to make that remark, after dealing with hundreds of people with similar views. These aren’t armchair observers. These are people in positions of some modest political import — but certainly more import than you possess.

You greatly underestimate my understanding of the situation in Israel/Palestine. Your condescending attitude and your straw man arguments do not make your case stronger — except perhaps to those who already share your skewed views. And the insinuations that I am anti-Israel and that I have a problem with Jews and jewishness to discredit me is disgusting.

I think I know enough about you now to make a fair judgement of your character.
eyal on March 5th, 2008 3:49 pm

You keep attacking me personally but never answer any of the points I raise. And you talk about “cheap shots”? All my comments were on-topic and in direct response to the views you expressed, while you choose to ignore all of that and just slander me while claiming you have some special understanding and qualifications and are able to assess my character. But in fact you’re the one who doesn’t know anything about me, who I voted for and what I did in my life.

You can think and do as you wish. It’s a pity that text didn’t get more responses. But I’d be willing to bet a couple of R’s that most Israelis would find it offensive while most Palestinians would find it sympathetic. And that says it all. Too bad you can’t check it for yourself while you’re there.

Enjoy your stay in Israel. King David is a nice hotel.
John on March 5th, 2008 4:01 pm

so much for keeping names out of it :-)
eyal on March 5th, 2008 4:07 pm

:-) Well, now you know why I usually don’t get into political arguments. You can never convince anyone of anything they don’t want to believe in in the first place and on top of that someone always ends up attacking the other side personally with name calling and personal bashing instead of their opinions and facts.
eyal on March 5th, 2008 4:18 pm

I read his text again. And it’s ridiculous, he takes offense to being called biased and that I consider the text being anti-Israeli while according to his piece the underlying theme is:

Israel = Jews with weapons and barbed wires vs. Palestinians = poor frightened boys playing football. While the conflict today = no suicide bombings should be mentioned, but Jewish dirty secrets and the Haganah started it all.

And let me guess, I’m now taking cheap shots again. Forget-about-it, it doesn’t matter how many countries a person traveled to, sometimes they still live in their own world without even realizing it.

Time to sleep, it was a nice day in the markets today. Tomorrow is another day.
Bill aka NO DooDahs! on March 5th, 2008 7:14 pm

My favorite line: “And I’m sick and tired of putting my life no [sic] the line for people like you.” Usually spouted by someone in the military as some sort of justification/martyr complex BS.

You, and no one in the military - ANY military - are not doing jack shit for me. Matter of fact, if you’re in the U.S. military, I would argue that you’re making the world a worse place. Please stop.

No thanks for nothin’.