Nobody would deny New Times the legal right to publish a political comic accusing Israel of genocide, even though it’s an accusation that the International Court of Justice did not find plausible. Indeed, you have the legal right to publish a comic that weaponizes a minority group’s history of victimization against it, even if that will result in demonization and potential harm to members of that group right here in San Luis Obispo County.
You absolutely have the right to those opinions and to express them. It just seems that you do not do this with respect to other vulnerable minorities. You don’t publish comics like Stonetoss that do this, because, we thought, there’s little to be gained from expressing political views in hurtful ways like this.
But there’s always an asterisk, always a “but,” and always “context” when it comes to the Jews. Double standards like this are the essence of anti-Semitism.
Jon-Erik Storm
Los Osos
This article appears in Mar 7-17, 2024.
But there’s always an asterisk, always a “but,” and always “context” when it comes to the Jews. Double standards like this are the essence of anti-Semitism.
Is this always the case? C’mon, are you saying Russ is an anti-semite?
The minute Israel is accused of “something” , the anti-semite card gets played…..
Well, the United States is guilty of complicity in genocide and apartheid in Gaza . Israel has been systematically starving Palestian “subjects” for years, and brutally and savagely maiming and executing them. We are currently involved in a campaign of starving children, and if you don’t see this,you are involved in premediated ignorance.
If you want to call me anti-semite, I am fully expecting it, but how about addressing my claims first?
World Organizations are involved in politics and chess pieces, so I don’t care what they say. If it’s a duck, it’s a duck.
Billy, sadly you are misinformed. There is no systematic starvation, execution, rape or torture. Yes, these atrocities happen and are isolated cases as with any country, prison etc. What you wont find from Israel is systematic pre-meditated terrorism like Hamas and other Palestinians participated in and continue to perpetuate. We dont vandalize schools or physically hurt people in the US because of their religion or beliefs, we dont teach our children to bully others, nor do we pick a fight and then run back and ask or a cease-fire. What we did, and some may call a mistake, is march with BLM, stand with MLK, fight for LGBTQ+ rights, the list goes on and on. Sadly, those groups have turned their backs on us.
Billy, sadly you are misinformed. There is no systematic starvation, execution, rape or torture. Yes, these atrocities happen and are isolated cases as with any country, prison etc. What you wont find from Israel is systematic pre-meditated terrorism like Hamas and other Palestinians participated in and continue to perpetuate. We dont vandalize schools or physically hurt people in the US because of their religion or beliefs, we dont teach our children to bully others, nor do we pick a fight and then run back and ask or a cease-fire. What we teach to our children and have done as a Jewish community is march with BLM, stand with MLK, fight for LGBTQ+ rights, the list goes on and on. Sadly, those groups have turned their backs on us.
Thank you Mr.Storm for being a voice for a tiny minority of Jews, many of whom are afraid, hiding their identity and voices and being silenced right now. Jews make up 0.2% of the global population and have one tiny state while Muslims number close to 2 billion and have 49 states. Its not hard to silence us. We are constantly cancelled, we are talked over, we are gaslit. And the audacity of non Jewish progressives, who extend the utmost courtesy and respect to other minority groups -telling us what our own history, experience and trauma is is an outrageous double standard. New Times is complicit in publishing Nazi level propaganda. Its a disgrace. There is no balance whatsoever in the NT reporting of this war or conflict- despite the Jewish community reaching out to educate the paper and the problem is, when you repeat lies enough times, people start to think they are facts. To think I used to support this paper!
The above comment shows complete ignorance about how Hamas operates, stealing from their people, hiding behind human shields and manipulating public opinion (what is known as useful idiots applies), a profound lack of understanding of what genocide is, or the nature of war, especially when your enemy are terrorists who have no rules or code of ethics and whos stated goal is holy war, genocide and destruction (not peace!) and the history and context of Jews both in the land of Israel and their oppression under Muslim rule in surrounding countries as well as a profound lack of understanding about how Jew hatred- a 2,000 year old phenomenon, operates. I would be happy to address each of your unfounded, inflammatory accusations, but based on your approach, I wouldnt expect you to be someone who would listen with an intention to dialogue constructively and since we are constantly under attack, we have to protect our mental health from people who choose to see things the way they see things and dont seem amenable to dialoguing respectfully. If you dont know enough to weigh in on the conflict and the war (which includes most people unfortunately since Jewish history is not taught or considered important to most people and it is twisted and fabricated by those who hate us), its no crime to keep silent with an open mind, but reinforcing one-sided narratives and having a total lack of understanding or empathy for one side of a centuries-old conflict is irresponsible and actively contributes to perpetuating the cycle of violence which benefits neither Israelis nor Palestinians, only Hamas. Free Palestine from Hamas. Free the hostages. If the world had pressured Hamas to surrender and give up the hostages, not a single Palestinian civilian would have had the tragic misfortune of being used by Hamas as a human shield and a pawn in their public relations war. They sacrifice their own people who theyve oppressed for almost two decades, stealing aid from them meant for infrastructure to build terror tunnels and a never ending supply of missiles (a third of which fall short of Israel and kill their own civilians) indoctrinating their children with Jew hatred while they sit pretty in mansions in Qatar rolling in the aid money they steal to the tune of billions in some cases. Tell me how this has helped the Palestinians? They couldve built a Singapore in Gaza with the aid theyve received. Theyre leadership has spent it all on death and destruction- jihad- and filling their own coffers. They have no motivation to seek peace with Israel. Also- just fyi in real genocide the numbers do down. Drastically. Gaza population has actually gone up exponentially since the Arab war of aggression in 1948. Egypt occupied Gaza first, which nobody seems to care about, bc it wasnt Jews. Then Israel occupied after another Arab war of aggression against Israel. Then, Israel de-occupied about 18 years ago and the blockades subsequently imposed were in response to Hamas missiles and terrorism. Nevertheless, it hasnt kept Hamas from being able to smuggle in the materials they needed to build hundreds of kilometers of underground terror tunnels and missiles through Egypt, so it turns out they are quite resourceful when they want to be.
Look up how many current wars are going on in the world. Which side are you choosing on all of them?
“Billy, sadly you are misinformed. There is no systematic starvation, execution, rape or torture”
I never said there was rape or torture. I said Israel has been systematically starving the residents of Gaza for years through the occupation. The palestinians have been systematically targeted and maimed, killed and marginilised through the years and no matter how you refuse to see this, the world is becoming aware. I am aware Hamas is a brutal force, and is dedicated to the extermination of the State of Israel, BUT I find it ironic that victims and generations of a Holocast are now inflicting another Holocast , aparthied , and genocide on others.
The jewish voice has been instumental in fighting much injustice, there is no doubt. Many jews are standing up to the insanity of the policys of Israel and I applaud them. BUT those who accuse others who don’t totally agree with them as Nazis and supporters of Hamas are tools. Can anybody give an example of New Times Nazi propaganda? Jeeez, you guys!
The atrocities on both side need to be stopped. And the systematic starvation is being seen throughout the world.
And do not think I am just misinformed. I have been following this issue for years.
And one more thought. Hamas is brutal and savage. I agree. Can we focus on the brutal policys of Israel, though? You guys keep cutting back to Hamas….I agree, okay. They are FU.
BUT your focus on Hamas clouds your vision on what is happening NOW!
It is sad how divided we have become. There was a time in which we could all agree that those who started a war by deliberately slaughtering children and the elderly, and by taking hostages, were evil and should be denounced. We now hear them praised, and the atrocities that they deliberately committed excused as just part of a struggle for independence. Is there any sort of evil that we are still capable of agreeing about?