Dougherty Arts Center
Ventura's Cautioning Not 'Anti-Israel'
RECEIVED Wed., Aug. 16, 2006
Dear Editor,
So Adam Loewy, in his response to Michael Ventura’s "anti-Israel screed" ["Postmarks," Aug. 11] (as he calls it), believes that if a group of Mexican terrorists kidnapped several American soldiers we should bomb the living bejeezus out of northern Mexico, destroy the infrastructure of the country while causing billions of dollars in damage to not only public but private property and effectively scuttle Mexico’s entire economy? He thinks we should bomb indiscriminately any house or car where we suspect these terrorists might be hiding or traveling in with complete disregard to civilian casualties? He believes that we should respond with force ridiculously beyond the scope of the original crime, punishing and displacing more than a quarter of the population of the country who have nothing to do with the attack (so as to attempt to turn public opinion against the terrorists whose "fault" it is)?
To think this type of action would be tolerated by not only the American people, but the rest of the world is a ridiculous fantasy. The standards we should hold Israel to are only those standards that we should hold any decent, civilized country to. I wonder if he even read Mr. Ventura’s piece past the line he so takes issue with about Israel’s worst enemy being its reliance on American money. It is certainly critical of Israel, but "anti-Israel"? Hardly. I find it ironic that criticizing Israel or Israeli policy, to many people, immediately brands you as anti-Israeli or worse, anti-Semitic. For the record, I’m a Jew and deplore the actions of the Israeli government in both Lebanon and Gaza. I think Ventura’s warning to Israel is an important one even to those who support Israel. American power in the world is on the wane and as goes the U.S., so goes Israel.
So Adam Loewy, in his response to Michael Ventura’s "anti-Israel screed" ["Postmarks," Aug. 11] (as he calls it), believes that if a group of Mexican terrorists kidnapped several American soldiers we should bomb the living bejeezus out of northern Mexico, destroy the infrastructure of the country while causing billions of dollars in damage to not only public but private property and effectively scuttle Mexico’s entire economy? He thinks we should bomb indiscriminately any house or car where we suspect these terrorists might be hiding or traveling in with complete disregard to civilian casualties? He believes that we should respond with force ridiculously beyond the scope of the original crime, punishing and displacing more than a quarter of the population of the country who have nothing to do with the attack (so as to attempt to turn public opinion against the terrorists whose "fault" it is)?
To think this type of action would be tolerated by not only the American people, but the rest of the world is a ridiculous fantasy. The standards we should hold Israel to are only those standards that we should hold any decent, civilized country to. I wonder if he even read Mr. Ventura’s piece past the line he so takes issue with about Israel’s worst enemy being its reliance on American money. It is certainly critical of Israel, but "anti-Israel"? Hardly. I find it ironic that criticizing Israel or Israeli policy, to many people, immediately brands you as anti-Israeli or worse, anti-Semitic. For the record, I’m a Jew and deplore the actions of the Israeli government in both Lebanon and Gaza. I think Ventura’s warning to Israel is an important one even to those who support Israel. American power in the world is on the wane and as goes the U.S., so goes Israel.
Douglas Benjamin
