Norman G.Finkelstein, de la culpabilité en… by clap36
I hardly agree with Norman Finkelstein on some fundamental issues. Yet, the American academic always manages to produce some very interesting and astute observations. In this one-year-old video, Finkelstein touches on some hot topics:
- The Holocaust industry is counter productive.
- Zionism/anti Zionism is an out of date irrelevant ideological dichotomy.
- Holocaust denial laws are absurd.
The Holocaust industry has backfired suggests Finkelstein, “the countries where the holocaust is most exploited by the Holocaust industry, happen to be the countries that are most hostile towards Israel”
Finkelstein contends that Zionism (or anti Zionism) is an archaic notion that has very little to do with contemporary Israel-“It doesn’t make any sense anymore to talk about Zionism because it just becomes an ideological issue which obscures, confuses more than shed the light on. Israel is a State and it should be held to the standard of law and morality as any other State….”
On Holocaust denial Finkelstein says
it is just a crazy law”
And about Bernard-Henri Lévy and the French Finkelstein says –
what can you say about a country that thinks of Bernard Henry Levi as a philosopher.”
Whether one agrees with Finkelstein or not, it is pretty impossible to deny the fact that the veteran academic presents a unique voice. Finkelstein certainly moves far beyond the old leftist and Judeo-centric clichés. It is hardly surprising that some cult enthusiasts within the Palestinian solidarity movement want to see him silenced.
Finklestein says something quite obvious, profound but frightening at the same time.
But this is what has happened in Europe with the Holocaust denial laws. But when regulation is not available intimidation and defamation are used to maintain supremacy of Jewish Suffering. And we see in the UK with anyone who dare critiques Jewish Politics.
Yes, he does present a unique voice and one that “cult enthusiasts” would like to silence as much as Israel that barred him from entering.
Everything he says in this clip is rational and laudable, except for the part about zionism.
It’s true that to the Israelis, especially the young (and youngER) generation, “zionism” is an ideology that belongs to the past somehow (as NF implies), like the shells of the egg that has been hatched already, so why talk about it; let’s talk instead about the state that exists.
To most other people who talk about zionism/zionists/ the zionist state, however, the term represents the very essence of the state like-no-other state and retains currency.
It created but it also continues to nourish its structure: the State for Jews.
To talk only about human rights and international law in Israel as if it were any other state, as NF urges, is to look away from its nature.
As a supporter of the two-state solution NF clearly wishes to ignore the intrinsic problem known to all-for better or for worse– as zionism.
No better symbol than the Wall. NF would make it legal and the problem would disappear.
In this clip a couple of Israeli Jews and a Palestinian look at the Wall as if they were on the same side of it. NF remains on the other:
http://christatthecheckpoint.com/
Afrikaners who wanted a two-state solution were fascists. Jews who want a two-state solution are progressives.
Well observed and excellently put. An aphorism worth framing (but let’s hope not for long…)
Jay Knott, this is such an astute observation. Also Jewish racists who operate within exclusive J only ‘peace groups’ regard themselves as progressives..
i used to think progressives were, well, progressive. don’t any more. i think they are (or have become) an alternate spelling for establishment liberal. middle of the roaders who want to be seen as having leftwing ideas, but who in reality dislike the left because they fear a loss of their suburban comfort and white status. liberals and progressives have reached a point of delusional, whacky thinking where it is difficult to tell them apart from conservatives on the far right.
“Why are we taking a stand to protect women’s rights in 2012? Because not that long ago a group of brave women took a stand, and in some cases a beating, to give us the right to vote,” explains the group via Facebook, stressing the importance of the American suffrage movement in securing women the right to vote. “Younger men and women may not remember the ‘good old days’ when the only reproductive choice we had was to deny men access to sex. In truth, if we lose our hard won rights to medical care, birth control and pregnancy choice, it won’t only affect women. Men will have to go back to the days when they waited for or paid for sex,” explains the group.”
http://rt.com/usa/news/sex-strike-liberal-lunch-417/
so how are these esteemed, middle class, white liberal ditzes proposing to change things? by withholding sex from their guys. upset that neanderthals are trying to limit their rights, who do these girls punish for it? their guys, the ones who agree with them on women’s rights?
does it get much more stupid than this? this kind of stuff makes sarah palin look intelligent.
Progressiveness is a form of choseness i.e. exceptional…It only means you are ok but someone else is reactionary…
Mr Finkelstein is very interesting man.
One of its own kind. He strongly believes in a power of logic,law reason,protection of human rights and so called common sense.
There is only one little problem with the Highest “priests” of Israel.
They do not care for all of above mentioned qualities,when it concerns their precious ,Chosen State.
They think they are above the law, logic, reason etc.. They seriously think that they have a very specical status among other nations, and nothing that applies to others may/should apply to them.
How can you talk to somebody in a reasonable, logical, respectful way if NO matter what you say or do, they will always look down at you and treat you accordingly?
Israel’s intentions are NOT good, and it shows everyday in a way that treat those, whom they perceive as their enemies, ( which is almost everybody). To excpect them to change, all of a sudden, is very illogical and unreasonable.
I would say it would be a miracle, and I don’t think that Mr Finkelstein, being a “devout atheist”, believes in miracles. But…..one never knows.
“what can you say about a country that thinks of Bernard Henry Levi as a philosopher”
Great quote:))
Unfortunately, nowadays many countries hold in the highest esteem “authorities” a la Bernard Henry Levi.
Well paid and known, educated in well regarded schools, “intellectual” celebrities, who in reality are shallow, empty, corrupted,sleazy opportunists who serve only those, that can make or break them.
“Give me any,any ideology, and I will always find those (pseudo-intellectuals), who will praise it”
one way to help keep things from changing is to advocate policy and actions which will be unable to change the status quo. the idea is to keep people running in circles and busy on wont-work projects and ways of thinking. like with chomsky, and many other gatekeepers, when one looks at what finkelstein is really advocating, it is obvious these are things that will do little to change the status quo in palestine. these soft zionists are just the “good cop” side of the good cop/bad cop team, who are not so much interested in an independent palestine as they are in an israel with sparkling clean image they wont have to feel ashamed promoting. these people are illusionists doing political “magic tricks”. whether they do this out of cynicism or are sincere self-decepted, it matters little. the victims of ziofascism remain victims.
For those who follow the saga of Norman Finkelstein, a new interview with him by Haaretz reporter Natasha Mozgovaya breaks no new ground but nicely sums up his current perspective. The headline it carries on the Haaretz website – “Norman Finkelstein bids farewell to Israel bashing” -
Link to the article Eldon refers to:
This interview is a “little” confusing.
Does Finkelstein plan to fulfill the role of a Jewish Ghandi??
I do not like his liking of the idea of non-existing states. Of one, big, happy,global government that rules justly and peacefully over the nationless people… and blah, blah,blah.
Those kind of experiments were done in the past (eg. communism), and they NEVER worked. They took milions and millions of innocent lives and brought unimagineable suffering to many more.
Finkelstein, still believing in this utopian, unreal idea, (he claims to be an “old fashioned communits” shows his almost child-like naivness.
I love the man, but Iam a little concerned. Should I be??
Searching writes:
Israel’s intentions are NOT good, and it shows everyday in a way that treat those, whom they perceive as their enemies, ( which is almost everybody)…….
Well name me ONE enemy Israel has in Europe or America……
Or is it, the old fashioned Antisemite paranoia, that the Jews see all the Non jewish world as an enemy…….
“We are raised to believe that we are hated” says an Israeli high school girl on her way to a concentration camp…
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/defamation-must-be-seen-a-film-review-by-gilad-atzmon.html
“what can you say about a country that thinks of Bernard Henry Levi as a philosopher.”
Being considered a philosopher is one thing but there is nothing more pretentious than someone referring to himself as a philosopher (Gilad Atzmon).
Cosmo,
What do you know about philosophy??
Philo-sophy is just a love , pursuit of wisdom, the Truth. Gilad and many others are doing it.
Honestly, painfully and true to themselves.
You do not know anything about it, becasue you prefer to stay locked in a cage that was put on you. You have no guts to follow the Light, because it means to start an unknown journey.
You prefer to sit in a comforted bay and whine that others dare (-d) to leave.
philosophy to the likes of cosmo consists of deep questions about whether it’s cost effective to drive 5 extra km to save a shekel when trying to decide which shop to purchase some trinket at.
He would send his wife to walk those 5 extra km to purchase the “unnecessary, yet totally needed for Cosmo’s overrall hapiness”" trinket:)
“Younger men and women may not remember the ‘good old days’ when the only reproductive choice we had was to deny men access to sex.
In truth, if we lose our hard won rights to medical care, birth control and pregnancy choice, it won’t only affect women.
Men will have to go back to the days when they waited for or paid for sex,” explains the group.”
What a bunch of balooney!!!!!!!!!!!!.
“Pregnancy choice”?? What kind of a choice??
To murder an innocent, vulnerable unborn baby is a “choice” for a women??? Wow, I am impressed.
A “choice “to murder , something to brag about? Being a women means to protect, defend, nourish, take care , NOT to kill, murder, hurt.
Man pay for sex even right now , they have plenty of opportunities if they want to.
Oftentimes they don’t have to because they have readily available women, “on a pill”, (that destroys their health) ,who are always willing to satysify them according to their wishes and needs.
For free. No need to pay.
Great improvement for women. That’s one of the reasons that many of them wind up as a single mothers while their men try sex with other available and willing women” on a pill”.
For free. No need to pay.