A few more thoughts about this clip I posted earlier today. I have just finished watching some of our pseudo educated children being interviewed, and that begs a bit of discussion, because some of the same naiveté appears here occasionally.
The first is the fallacy that all people are the "same" regardless of race or nationality or culture. We may speak different languages or look differently, but inside we are all equally reasonable people with the same aspirations and goals. One sees this ignorant even dangerous innocence everywhere on campuses today and even espoused by the middle age suburbanite proudly driving with his or her "Coexist" bumper sticker.
To be blunt, it is not true. Cultural difference, imprinted through the centuries are very real and can be be very different. For instance, it is almost impossible for a secular middle or upper class person in the West, and particularly in this country, to accept the notion that another person, representing another culture could hate them simply because they exist.
What is particularly grimly humorous at the moment is that many of these same people are themselves espousing profound antisemitism on our campuses and streets.
The second fallacy is related to the first, but is specifically associated with the current conflict. It is widely embraced by those who have some education but little real experience in Middle Eastern Culture or understanding of the region's history. That belief is that a two-state construct will somehow resolve the Palestinian question.
To those who still cling to that belief, I urge you to simply listen to this man. I am absolutely certain he means exactly what he says. Listen to the demonstrators in the streets of our own country and particularly in Europe. "From the mountains to the sea" means exactly that.
I don't cite any of this with any sense of hopefulness, because these profound differences point to what is inevitably the strategic weakness of Israel's geographic location. Those differences also point to the strategic, perhaps even existential, error Europe has made by introducing so many of this alien culture into their homelands. What is particularly worrisome is that many in the West have agreed to mute any discussion of these obvious issues under the guise of racism.
