Note to McCain: Fire Your Ad Guy

Ok, so I understand that the "elitist" line of attack utterly collapsed and that McCain needs something else to work with. I know that the McCain feels that Barack's experience seems like an appropriate thing to go after (even though it didn't work for Hillary in the primaries).

That being said, if you're going to spend the money for national ads, you might as well make sure that they are going to be serious. While my comments come with a liberal bias, I can say that this ad was an utter failure. My more conservative mother and I were cracking up at the horrible voice-over. My parents are certainly the type that these Israel ads appeal to (i.e. older Jews), and you don't want even those voters laughing at your apocalyptic ads.

If I were a Republican strategist, I'd be hoping that they didn't put too much money into this one. It reminds me too much of Rudy's failed noun/verb/9-11 strategy. Time to get back to the drawing board.

Breaking the Silence

So, the Progressive Jewish Alliance is showing an exhibit called "Breaking the Silence", which consists of mainly photos (and one 15 minute video) about the actions of Israeli soldiers in the occupied territories of Israel.

I could tell that it was the sort of thing that bleeding hearts were supposed to melt over - oh goodness, occupiers are beating up civilians. I sighed and steeled myself for a tough time. Just another gritty, angry look at what's wrong with the supposed "good" powers of the world.

But I was surprised at how even the exhibit was. The soldiers represented are seen as normal people - they are frightened kids charged, in at atmosphere of fear, with the protection of a state. They are told to be frightened of everyone - guilty until proven innocent. It is no wonder that they are not nice and cuddly with the occupied people. It is not so much that this army is particularly hateful, but that their world is by necessity a police state, where humans do not have basic rights.

I think that the result of this exhibit is just to help us realize that this world is not black and white - what we may get lulled into thinking is "good v. evil" is actually a complex and human conflict, not something easily condensed into a children's story.

For information on where to find this exhibit, go here: Breaking the Silence.

This should make you contemplative, I hope, but not too grossly sensationalized - because that is a mere inversion of the lazy good vs. evil mentality, and not a real development on it.

~Meryl

Love and Falafels (and no Bill O'Reilly)

Did anyone catch the gem of A MUSICAL ABOUT THE ISRAELI-PALESTINE SITUATION that WON AN OSCAR?

Indeed, the award for Live Action Short, went to "West Bank Story," a parody of the West Bank situation set to music vaguely along the lines of a West Side Story plotlne, wherein the charming young Fatima, who works at the Arab fast-food joint Hummus Hut, falls for an Israel Soldier, whose family owns the rival "Kosher King." Hilarity does not quite ensue.

The film is absurd--Oscar-worthy I suppose just for the novelty of someone daring to poke fun at such a dire situation. The Israeli-American director claims it's been warmly recieved in both Israel and Arab countries. I think it's just too stupid to even offend. If you really think you can't miss a vision of Middle East peace where a man in a Menorah suit and a man in a Keffiyeh serve up falafels side-by-side, iTunes has it. The opening sequence has snapping and everything.

Ahmadinejad's Letter to America

This is actually my first post to the blog, so be nice... I tried to send this out over demstalk, but the fas server is down, so here it will go.

AP is reporting that Pres. Ahmadinejad of Iran has written a lengthy letter to Americans that will be released in New York, but it seems to be on his blog (www.ahmadinejad.ir) already. You can find it there in whole, but here are some interesting excerpts -- I've bolded a few sentences that I found particularly interesting:

"You know well that the US administration has persistently provided blind and blanket support to the Zionist regime, has emboldened it to continue its crimes, and has prevented the UN Security Council from condemning it. Who can deny such broken promises and grave injustices towards humanity by the US administration? Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the US administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people."

"You have certainly heard the sad stories of the Guantanamo and Abu-Ghraib prisons. The US administration attempts to justify them through its proclaimed "war on terror." But every one knows that such behavior, in fact, offends global public opinion, exacerbates resentment and thereby spreads terrorism, and tarnishes the US image and its credibility among nations."

"Even the privacy of individuals is fast losing its meaning. Judicial due process and fundamental rights are trampled upon. Private phones are tapped, suspects are arbitrarily arrested, sometimes beaten in the streets, or even shot to death. I have no doubt that the American people do not approve of this behavior and indeed deplore it."

"Undoubtedly, the American people are not satisfied with this behavior and they showed their discontent in the recent elections. I hope that in the wake of the mid-term elections, the administration of President Bush will have heard and will heed the message of the American people."

"Now that Iraq has a Constitution and an independent Assembly and Government, would it not be more beneficial to bring the US officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical US military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people? As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty and homelessness."

"What has blind support for the Zionists by the US administration brought for the American people? It is regrettable that for the US administration, the interests of these occupiers supersedes the interests of the American people and of the other nations of the world. What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors? I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American people and for humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in their own homeland should be recognized so that millions of Palestinian refugees can return to their homes and the future of all of Palestine and its form of government be determined in a referendum. This will benefit everyone."

"I'd also like to say a word to the winners of the recent elections in the US: The United States has had many administrations; some who have left a positive legacy, and others that are neither remembered fondly by the American people nor by other nations. Now that you control an important branch of the US Government, you will also be held to account by the people and by history."

"I pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success."

What does everyone think of this? When I first read it, I was pleasantly surprised that Ahmadinejad still differentiates between our policymakers in Washington and the American people. Admittedly I know very little about his perception of America, but after reading this, it seems that he recognizes that we're unfortunately in the wrong hands. I don't know or think that Democratic partial rule will go so far as to return some contested land to Palestinians, but maybe the midterm elections will usher in more willingness on his part and on Bush's part to pursue a more diplomatic course. Any other thoughts?