Thank God for Rick Salutin! (I realize the irony in that statement considering Rick Salutin, as a Jew, has a different idea of God, however, I'm sure he'll make due with the compliment- it's not like he reads my blog anyway). Rick Salutin engages in a debate with Canadian Jewish Congress president Keith Landy in today's Globe (sorry, it's not online so no link).

Anyway, he espouses exactly the position I have been trying to articulate in my debate over whether or not I'm an anti-semite. And considering the argument is being so well-articulated by a high-profile Canadian Jew, I feel a lot better about myself. Not to bore you with too long a diatribe on the subject, but here's one of my favorite exceprts...

"There is a complexity in the notion of solidarity with Israel... Because the "fundamental right" at issue, the one at the root of the current trouble, it seems to me, is not the right of Israel to exist, but its right to expand, settle and control for 35 years. It's an occupation which is the problem. There are certainly those on the Palestinian side who want to annihilate Israel, as there are those on the Israeli side, some in the cabinet, who want Palestinians driven out, in a disgusting echo of Judenrein. But it seems to me, for the sake of an end to the killing, you must focuse on the fact that this is happening in the context of a 35-year illegal and oppressive (by definition) occupation of other people's land and lives. The ability to speak about the murders of innocent Israelis without acknowledgeing that context is remarkable.

As for "the confluence of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism," here it seems to me the crucial point is that the scourge of anti-Semitism cannot justify actions themselves comparable to anti-Semitism, like seizure of Palestinian land, expulsion, denying national rights, etc. Those who have been abused by anti-Semites, past or present, do not acquire the right to abuse others in similar ways. If it is a confluence, it is a complex one"

he gets taken to task for most of this, but I really do appreciate his thinking. I'm also scaring myself because I'm beginning to like both Margaret Wente and Jan Wong (Nat, did you read her conclusion to Lunch With?- so funny!)

More later on a sunny Saturday...