Support for Israel: A gay liberal perspective By MICHAEL MICUCCI-KOSOWSKI

[King_David]

Goosebumps and shivers are the only words that come close to accurately describing how I feel when I consider the advancements the Western World has made in the past few years. Of course, when I speak of “advancements,” I am generally referencing innovations in equality for gender and sexuality.

In 2012, Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to endorse gay marriage.

In 2013, Queen Elizabeth signed the Succession to the Crown Act, canceling ancient laws of male primogeniture that have existed in Britain since before the time of the Anglo-Saxon kings.

As a gay college student, advancements such as these get me excited... they remind me what an exciting time it is to be alive.

I consider myself a staunch supporter of gay rights and women’s liberation, and I wish to see religious tolerance and western notions of just punishment implemented the world over.

I guess you can call me a typical liberal, and I accept that label with sincere pride. I am constantly baffled when I see my fellow “liberals” bashing one of the only governments in the Middle East that supports these ideals.



http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Support-for-Israel-A-gay-liberal-perspective-371033

[King_David]

1. Kick

[oberliner]

2. Another pinkwasher

I'm sure someone from Students for a Free Palestine at his college will get to him and set him straight, so to speak.

[King_David]

3. He's a Gay Liberal Jewish Zionist Youth

So I'm sure he will turn his back on Zionism and Israel any day now .

[oberliner]

4. I don't think you're allowed to be all five of those

Something has got to give!

[DanTex]

5. But it is pinkwashing, is it not?

He never actually bothers to discuss the reasons that liberals are generally opposed to Israeli policy -- settlements, occupation, military aggression. In discussing "human rights", he omits the fact that the human rights of Palestinians are routinely violated by Israel. The argument seems to be that Israel is less anti-gay than Hamas, therefore he supports Israel in whatever it wants to do.

[oberliner]

6. Exactly

I am confident that he will encounter passionate and persuasive folks at his college or elsewhere who will guide him towards that perspective.

[leftynyc]

7. Didn't work for me

Must have been those "Israeli's are worse than nazi's" that failed to convince me.

[oberliner]

8. Yeah they sometimes go too far

They need to learn to tone down that stuff if they want to get more recruits.

[King_David]

12. Why would Gay community within Israel support a 1 state solution ?

It would appear to be a community suicide.

A demise of the community and certainly if

not that a loss of fundamental equal rights.

[oberliner]

13. I don't know why any community would support that

My personal view is that the two-state solution is the way to go. Something along the lines of the Geneva Accord.

The notion, though, that speaking positively about Israel's record with respect to gay rights is a means to distract attention away from Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians is an argument that I think many college students who engage in these sorts of issues will encounter.

[King_David]

11. "Pinkwashing "

Is actually the "wishing" that Israel wasn't so Gay progressive because it ruins the narrative.

Well a lot of the Gay community seems to have bought in .

[DanTex]

15. What narrative?

The objections to Israeli policy towards the Palestinians -- occupation, settlements, military aggression -- don't seem to have much to do with gay rights. You're not really claiming that war crimes are OK as long as they are committed against a population governed by leaders that don't respect gay rights, are you?

[shaayecanaan]

14. Exactly

It is a bit like pointing out that Nazi Germany developed x-ray machines, aspirin, jet engines and were the first to introduce animal welfare legislation and paid annual leave for workers.

All very well, but its not a patch on the bad things that they did.

[azurnoir]

9. a rather simplistic assessment IMO for example

the same liberals that applauded Barack Obama's support of marriage equality in 2012 bashed his hints that the US might put boots on the ground in Syria in 2013 these things are 2 entirely different issues-just because we applauded one but not the other does not make us Obama haters

Same goes for Israel who's record on Gay rights is commendable but so much it's record on Palestinians living under it's military rule again 2 very different things

but then again some of us can indeed walk and chew gum at the same time

[King_David]

10. Doesn't make you Liberal if your anti Israel and very pro Palestinian

In fact it's all the rage for extremist right wingers for example David Duke.

[azurnoir]

16. first off define antiIsrael for us please exactly what does that mean? Israel no longer exists?

not supporting Israels occupation of Palestine? Both of the above something in between? along with what does ProPalestinian mean? again Israel no longer existing? Palestinian independence from Israeli siege and occupation? does one equate to the other?

I ask because such terms are so very open to interpretation