Will Al or Randi touch the Israeli Spy story?

[Must_B_Free]

Randi's official position is a refusal to touch any topic to do with Israel and all Al ever says is "You don't want to know".

Will they finally broach the subject and take a position or will they just ignore this completely?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. Why don't they want to touch Israel??? What is going on here?

Right Wing Hate Radio goes after everyone. Why are we restricted?

[brainshrub]

2. Malloy mentioned it last night.

You have to be very careful when you criticize Israel because you might give ammo to real anti-Semites.

Personally I think that a bunch of hog-wash. Israel is not a 51st state, it is an independent nation that is currently perpetrating a slow-motion genocide on the Palestinians.

But to say anything like that you get labeled as anti-semitic.

[Zinfandel]

4. Fuck that! I hate the butcher Sharon as well as Israel's duplicity...

when it comes to Terrorist.

I never have, nor ever will be anti-Semitic...I despise Israel's bullshit treatment of people THEY don't like or agree with and I'm sick of their right-wing politics, (all right-wing politic's anywhere for that matter).

I think Israel is Anti-liberal, I love the Jewish people but I hate the Zionist.

[hlthe2b]

6. Same logic that has us being labeled "unpatriotic" to criticize US

Crticizing Israel's official government policies is not "anti-semitic." Criticizing our own government is not "unpatriotic."

We have allowed some to use language to manipulate us. On this, I definitely agree with Malloy. But, the way to deal with it is NOT to tell those who don't like it or don't understand what you are saying that "you don't give a damn," as Mike M. does. I know this will annoy some Malloy fans, but when he does this, he reminds me of O'Reilly. It is a very bullying tactic to close off all discussion.

I like Malloy, but on this, he could and should take a few extra minutes to explain his position and why what he says is not anti-semitic (or similarly why some other provocative statement he makes should not be misunderstood). This very minimal amount of patience could readily make the difference between his bringing more people to his point of view or hardening attitudes against him and liberal-progressive policies. Stubbornly arguing that one should not need to explain, on the otherhand, reflects an arrogance that we all see readily in the Repub opposition.

[Malva Zebrina]

3. No the risk is too great in losing their careers over the accusation

of "anti-semite" and it will come no matter how fair the presentation.

Franken has avoided all mention or opinion of the Iraq war-at least the times I have listened. I may have missed it if he did- He does mention often, going to Iraq to entertain the troops but that is not an opinion.

Malloy did say something about it-and I believe he did mention the difficulty in addressing the issue because , inevitably, accusations of anti-semitism are hurled at anybody who expresses an honest and opinion , backed with fact, about it. He spoke mainly-in the context of the Christian right wingers and their connection to the AIPAC, helping god to start the Armageddon in which they believe that if Jews do not embrace the baby Jesus they will kill them according to the belief.

These are my words and not quotes from Malloy. I am telling the story.

Juan Cole on his blog has an interesting essay laying out the argument that AIPAC and another PAC is virtually running our government to favor Israel and the Likud party and to not take a Palestinian stand in any form and it is done with the power of money, ie the money will go to the opponent rather than to support the one who is not supporting Israel. Becasue people are apathetic about the ME and the problems there, politicans will do it, believeing their constituents will not even notice.

this is interesting to me as a theory because we see every congressperson fully supporting Israel and it's Likud, far right policies,virtually leaving the Palestinians on their own. Hillary and Kerry have both been strong in their endorsement of these policies.

http://juancole.com/

[LittleApple81]

5. I think both Randi and Franken are also Jewish, which makes it even more

complicated.

[hlthe2b]

7. I can understand why they may not wish to fully engage in these discussion

but I don't think they can ignore it totally. I doubt, frankly, that Al will totally avoid it, but will tread cautiously. It will be interesting to see what Randi does if this heats up as an enormous story.

[Must_B_Free]

8. I don't see what bearing that should have on anything

Al Franken and Rhandi Rhodes are American citizens. Randi even served in our armed services. Their alliances are and should be first and foremost to America.

The fact that they may be jewish should have absolutely nothing to do with the actions of the Israeli government, nor their handling of the topic.

To intimate otherwise is to suggest that the jewish religion has something to do with the country of Israel on a nationalistic level.

The separation of religion and politics is the founding principle of the nation of Al and Randi's citizenship, and I am quite confident that they are Americans, not Israelis.

[brainshrub]

9. I think LittleApple's reply was perfect.

S/he is right... it IS more "complicated" for them.

It is difficult for them to talk about Israel without a certain amount of emotion. I think Randi & Franken can be excused for being silent on this issue for a while until more facts come out.

I'm confused as to WHY Israel would need spys in the first place when they have the NeoCons feeding them all the info they need.