Steve, your response helped orient me inside your point of view, and I thank you for that. Seen for your perspective, your views make sense to me.
That said, I am not agreeing or disagreeing with you. I merely have a different point of view.
From my perspective, three violent and destructive creations that emerged out of European culture remain so entrenched throughout the world, we can't seem to overcome them. I am talking about Christianity and corporations, both of which spread the ideology of white supremacy all around the globe - at the point of swords, terror, guns, rape, murder and genocide etc.
The parallels between Israel and America today, are impossible to ignore. Both citizenries have been split in half - half have been convinced to keep the old ways and half have been convinced to break from the past. Personally, I am in the latter camp. I am morally and intellectually horrified by Netanyahu and his government and could not be more opposed - and back my views with my words and actions, every effing day.
Steve, you brought religion into this discussion not me. If you conflate ethnicity with religion that is your business, not mine. However, they are not interchangeable in my mind and I do not conflate them.
That said, The Doctrine of Discovery was the seed and Zionism was one of many fruits it produced. An invention of the 1600s Christian church, Zionism became the foundation of a religious theology that not only justified, but created a moral imperative for corporations and Christian missionaries to brutalize and exploit non-Christians. Personally, I am wholly opposed to Zionism, in any shape or form. However, I will not turn a blind eye to the carriers of the Zionist DIS-ease.
Steve, you write "In fact, many of Zionism's strongest, most devoted opponents are Orthodox, religious Jews..." and you are wrong about that. In both Israel and America, Orthodox Jews are strong 'proponents' of Zionism - not opponents. In both countries, reform Jews are strong opponents of Zionism, especially as defined by, and practiced by the right and far right.
The demise of Israel is a certainty and my question to you and others of your mind-set is this... what do you plan to do when Israeli Jews are refugees again?
