An Evening with Bernard Lewis: Terrorists, Tea and Hatred

[Classical_Liberal]

I stand in line and wonder: Do these new Lewis fans, many of whom descend from Holocaust victims and survivors, know that a French court once fined him for denying the Armenian genocide? Do they know that today’s date—April 24—marks the Armenian genocide’s 89th anniversary?

It is my turn: “You claim the Ismaili Assassins are the precursors of modern Palestinian suicide bombers. I wanted to ask about Masada—“

Lewis jumps, as though poked with a pin. “Masada!” he says emphatically. “Damn! I meant to say something about that.”

I nod.

“I wonder whether this tradition actually started much earlier in Palestine with the Jewish tradition of the Sica.....

http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story.php?sid=20040513103628345

[Quetzal]

1. Ha

Bernard Lewis doesn't know what he is talking about. Martin Kramer, his prodigy, is leading the attack on Islamic Studies in America because of his intense hatred for Edward Said.

It was really funny to see him on Charlie Rose recently. He claimed that the WMD could still be in Iraq and he couldn't give an answer as to why the people of Iraq didn't greet the American as liberators.

He also claimed that Chalabi had a lot more credibility and legitimacy than what is portrayed in the media. This guy is a loon whose ideas are untested and not grounded in reality.

[RafterMan]

2. I saw him on Rose

It was encouraging, because it was Charlie's clearest shift from war apology to rationality.

Lewis was indeed lost on the show, but his analysis is okay as far as it goes. The problem is that he doesn't recognize that the other 95% of the muslim world doesn't have an existential difficulty with the US. I always felt Said was a master of the straw man as well, so they were a good match.

Khalidi, on the other hand, is a big step forward. One of a very few people who can communicate an Arab point of view to Americans without completely alienating them.

[Quetzal]

3. I've got to buy his book

I've been too busy lately

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0807002348/qid=1084285155/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1__i1_xgl14/102-4595143-7344958?v=glance&s=books

I didn't get a chance to watch him on Charlie Rose, but they will have audio recordings of him on Rose's website soon.
http://www.charlierose.com/archives/archive.shtm