A Response to RC

I invited BDS supporters to engage in dialogue.  RC was kind enough to post something.  Below is his note and my response. 

Dear Barbara,

You relentlessly attack your political enemies, yet you post videos lauding Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu? You are a shill for the State of Israel. You have never once criticized Israel for anything. Most BDS supporters like myself condemn nationalism and chauvinism of all sorts. Neither Hamas nor Kach! You cannot claim the same objectivity, as you are a liberal in terms of your food choices, but a far-right-winger in your politics.

--RC

Dear RC-
Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I hope you will respond in kind to my comments.

You relentlessly attack your political enemies,

My fellow Coop members who are promoting BDS in Park Slope are not my enemies.  I have no problem with their buying tofu and organic produce at discount prices as long as they don't slack off in their work slots.  I do not believe that BDS can make a positive contribution towards bringing peace between Israel and the Arabs.  I feel the BDS promoters are woefully misinformed.  Furthermore,  I object to their exploitation of the Park Slope Food Coop for promotion of their political agenda.  I criticize and mock their arguments, but I do not attack the people.

yet you post videos lauding Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu?

I don't follow your logic of your connection here.  I have posted one video that shows Netanyahu and Sharon and other Israeli leaders expressing support for a two-state solution.  The video is interspersed with statements by Palestinian Arab leaders rejecting the recognition of a Jewish State.  Can you find for me statements by an Arab leader endorsing a Jewish State?

You are a shill for the State of Israel.

I am a lay advocate for the State of Israel.  A shill is a person who poses as a customer in order to decoy others into participating, as at a gambling house, auction, etc.  Shill is not accurate.

You have never once criticized Israel for anything.

This blog deals with an effort to stop a campaign to join BDS at my food coop.  The blog's purpose is to point out that 1) the campaign violates our neutral space, undermines Coop good will, and exploits our organization and 2) the campaign is erroneous in its assumptions, claims and conclusions.

Most BDS supporters like myself condemn nationalism and chauvinism of all sorts.

I condemn greed, jealousy, hatred, bigotry and arrogance.  I, too, condemn chauvinism - an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory.  Historically nationalism has made positive contributions to civilization.   Like all human endeavors, it has also been abused.

How is your support of BDS consistent with your condemnation of nationalism and chauvinism?   What is your opinion on Arab nationalism, Palestinian exceptionalism and Islamic supremacy?

Neither Hamas nor Kach!

Here you and I have common ground! Do you also agree that there exist many positions between those extremes?  Are you aware that the Kach party is illegal in Israel, while Hamas is the elected government of Gaza?

You cannot claim the same objectivity, as you are a liberal in terms of your food choices, but a far-right-winger in your politics.

I do not understand what you are writing here.  Did you claim objectivity?   I do not know what a "liberal" food choice means.  Other than what I have written here, you have no information regarding my politics.  My purpose at this blog is to show that the claims and arguments of the BDS group are either wrong, illogical or do not support peace. 

I sincerely hope that you will respond, and we will continue this conversation.