Shootouts and explosions in Paris

[gourimoko]

Science is almost becoming scarier then religion. Science is actually all theoretical. Nothing is known.

Notorious, with all due respect bro, this couldn't be further from the truth.

What you think is fact today will be laughed at in 25 years. Just at it has been forever. Science is ever evolving. The problem today is people act like every scientific thing they learn is fact and insult others who don't know or don't believe this. That's exactly the opposite of science. Not much in science has survived 25-50 years in tact and that won't change for 1,000's of years if ever. Almost like people put all of this blind faith in science just like they do religions. Maybe it's a human nature thing.

I can agree with much of what you're saying; but I think you're grouping theoretical science with empirical scientific knowledge. One is believed and pursued, the other is known and observed.

It's like saying 2+2 != 4 because ... ?

 

[gourimoko]

My beef with Reza Aslan is that he doesn't go far enough. Being a recognizable voice, he would do wonders for the BDS movement in Palestine. He'd prefer to executive produce for shows like Dig, though.

Because there are many people out there that label anyone who is with BDS as an anti-Semite. I totally understand his position:

"I'm not #BDS but I admit I enjoy the sheer terror it unleashes among America's Liberal Zionists."

 

[kosis]

Because there are many people out there that label anyone who is with BDS as an anti-Semite. I totally understand his position:

"I'm not #BDS but I admit I enjoy the sheer terror it unleashes among America's Liberal Zionists."

This is true... though you're already issued an anti-semite card for any and all anti-Israel opinions as it is. He's already called that, so might as well go all the way. Whether you boycott Sabra hummus or stab a settler, your label is the same.

 

[The Oi]

For what it's worth, Sabra hummus is ok but it's easy to make better hummus at home with chickpeas, lemon, cumin, garlic, tahini and paprika.

@kosis

#bds
#iamcharlie
#homemadehummus

 

[kosis]

His issue, from a Middle East Studies Association viewpoint, is that the boycott would isolate scholars who are anti-Israel occupation but are Israeli/Jewish (such as Benny Morris, Noah Feldman, Joel Beinin, and Norman Finkelstein). Now, the response against that, were many of such scholars were supportive of BDS. Reza's viewpoint was that, to a certain degree, the full-on cultural boycott could actually hurt activists, academics, businesspeople, lawyers, doctors, etc. opposed to the occupation who, in some way, are affiliated with Israel.

I understand that position, but I just disagree with it. As you said, many Jewish/Israeli scholars support BDS as it is. Not to mention that it seems to be the most accessible and effective strategy today. His work on Dig seemed to be more of a cash grab than an attempt to preserve any type of academic support within Israel.

 

[gourimoko]

I understand that position, but I just disagree with it. As you said, many Jewish/Israeli scholars support BDS as it is. Not to mention that it seems to be the most accessible and effective strategy today. His work on Dig seemed to be more of a cash grab than an attempt to preserve any type of academic support within Israel.

I'm going to keep it one hundred @kosis... If I were openly supporting BDS, like if I had a Facebook page and Twitter account where I supported it.. It'd cost me well over a hundred thousand dollars a year annually in contracts. I'm quite certain of that.

Not "Israeli" contracts, but contracts with people who wouldn't want to do business with a company that openly supports and advocates for BDS.

It's a complicated situation, and I can respect an individual who would straddle a fence on this issue. It's not that he's supporting Israel's occupation, but he's not openly supporting BDS either nor is he calling for other public figures to do the same.

 

[Jordan]

I understand that position, but I just disagree with it. As you said, many Jewish/Israeli scholars support BDS as it is. Not to mention that it seems to be the most accessible and effective strategy today. His work on Dig seemed to be more of a cash grab than an attempt to preserve any type of academic support within Israel.

Oh I agree with you. I'm a Jewish scholar who supports BDS, lol. Dig, to me, seems like Reza being Reza. He is a public intellectual and I think his work is evident of that. Reza's public standing with the centrist American Jews would probably decrease if he publicly supported BDS, so, he makes the utilitarian calculation that more people will listen to him if not. I disagree with it but it is what it is.

 

[LennoxLewis]

This is true... though you're already issued an anti-semite card for any and all anti-Israel opinions as it is. He's already called that, so might as well go all the way. Whether you boycott Sabra hummus or stab a settler, your label is the same.

You would think it wouldnt be that hard to understand for some people. The only reason why they address the BDS with the anit semite comments is because its effective, like you mentioned. I wish people would look further into a conflict then just religion, there is almost always a political aspect to it.

 

[LennoxLewis]

I'm going to keep it one hundred @kosis... If I were openly supporting BDS, like if I had a Facebook page and Twitter account where I supported it.. It'd cost me well over a hundred thousand dollars a year annually in contracts. I'm quite certain of that.

Not "Israeli" contracts, but contracts with people who wouldn't want to do business with a company that openly supports and advocates for BDS.

It's a complicated situation, and I can respect an individual who would straddle a fence on this issue. It's not that he's supporting Israel's occupation, but he's not openly supporting BDS either nor is he calling for other public figures to do the same.

My mother and sisters went to Palestine last summer, they checked my sisters facebook account which had a lot of Pro BDS movements, detained them for over 12 hours, just to make sure they "checked out".

 

[kosis]

I'm going to keep it one hundred @kosis... If I were openly supporting BDS, like if I had a Facebook page and Twitter account where I supported it.. It'd cost me well over a hundred thousand dollars a year annually in contracts. I'm quite certain of that.

Not "Israeli" contracts, but contracts with people who wouldn't want to do business with a company that openly supports and advocates for BDS.

It's a complicated situation, and I can respect an individual who would straddle a fence on this issue. It's not that he's supporting Israel's occupation, but he's not openly supporting BDS either nor is he calling for other public figures to do the same.

I know, I know.

It's more me being selfish and wishing he'd go there and spread the message/issue further.

 

[gourimoko]

My mother and sisters went to Palestine last summer, they checked my sisters facebook account which had a lot of Pro BDS movements, detained them for over 12 hours, just to make sure they "checked out".

My wife wants to go to Palestine.. well, Jerusalem, so Palestine today; but by the time we go it'll be Israel proper.

Anyway.. I keep trying to explain to her that it's not really a good idea to go with my background, last name, and family association. I don't feel like being treated like shit, detained, beaten, or killed - and I know my country wouldn't do jack shit to protect me either.

 

[Jordan]

My mother and sisters went to Palestine last summer, they checked my sisters facebook account which had a lot of Pro BDS movements, detained them for over 12 hours, just to make sure they "checked out".

This is a story about an acquaintance of mine. http://mondoweiss.net/2013/04/continues-israels-arbitrary

It's a lot of bullshit. I've accepted Israel's role on the world stage, and as Jew I'm not infuriated about that; rather, I'm very happy that there is a Jewish state. Yet, their policies are such, total bullshit and have ruined the state I could support. I hate having to say "I'm a Jew who's not pro-Israel." But, because a lot of my religious brothers and sisters bought into bigoted views espoused by the Likud, I will have to for the foreseeable future.

 

[LennoxLewis]

My wife wants to go to Palestine.. well, Jerusalem, so Palestine today; but by the time we go it'll be Israel proper.

Anyway.. I keep trying to explain to her that it's not really a good idea to go with my background, last name, and family association. I don't feel like being treated like shit, detained, beaten, or killed - and I know my country wouldn't do jack shit to protect me either.

Its pretty much the reason why I wont ever go knowing how it is, especially with the questions they ask. I was born here and I know they wont do shit, look at what happened to the Palestinian American teenager from Florida. They gave the officers 45 days community service and 4 months leave, justice!

I used to joke around with friends and say, hey lets all create dummy facebook and gmail accounts that are pro Israeli and anti Palestine and see how that goes.

 

[LennoxLewis]

This is a story about an acquaintance of mine. http://mondoweiss.net/2013/04/continues-israels-arbitrary

It's a lot of bullshit. I've accepted Israel's role on the world stage, and as Jew I'm not infuriated about that; rather, I'm very happy that there is a Jewish state. Yet, their policies are such, total bullshit and have ruined the state I could support. I hate having to say "I'm a Jew who's not pro-Israel." But, because a lot of my religious brothers and sisters bought into bigoted views espoused by the Likud, I will have to for the foreseeable future.

That was a great read. I think thats where a lot of confusion is for some with the Palestinian and Israeli conflicts, people are always saying that Palestinians and Israelis dont want to live along with each other, or dont want a two state solution, when most of the time, its the government officials themselves that are mentioning this to justify what each side is doing.

 

[David.]

Again, why so anxious to get them here? This guy wants to keep them near home and employ them and all from his own pocket. Why not do that and save our money for our issues?

because our issues are almost exclusively spending a literal fuckton of money on wars we never win.