George's - Writings

Ilan Pappe's ISRAEL ON THE BRINK: and the Eight Revolutions that Could Lead to DECOLONIZATION and COEXISTENCE  is a thought provoking, fascinating book which should be of interest to readers who care about Israel and Judaism and are open to a vision of the present and future that may be at least partially new to them.      This book, if not Pappe's greatest writing, seems his most important one both in evaluating the past through the present with its many false narratives, and in looking to the future (with at least a little hope) in this era of ongoing genocide! Pappe talks of Israel's evoluation from a significantly secular Jewish country, to one where extremely religious (mostly) men wield a lot of power.  He speaks of a  split between "The State of Judea" - racist, religious, and rabidly anti-Palestinian, in contrast to often not particularly religious Israeli Jews, whose core values are different. The latter people are noted as being similar to the for...

  December 20, 2020 MEDIOCRE: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America , Ijeoma Oluo’s wonderful follow-up to  So You Want to Talk About Race , is well worth reading, especially for us white men! Some quotes from the book are a good place to start: Biden got the message.   If he continued to defend busing, he ran the real risk of becoming a one-term senator.  In 1975, Joe Biden stunned his Senate colleagues by throwing his support behind known segregationist Jesse Helm’s proposed antibusing amendment to the Constitution.  p.65 … In a later television interview, Biden told the Senate, “I have become convinced that if the US government didn’t come up with a different solution for school segregation than busing, “we are going to end up with the races at war.”  Biden explained that the good white people he represented weren’t racist, but busing might make them so: “You take people who aren’t racist, people who are good citizens, who believe in equal educ...

  I Live in a World Today Where - NOT ONLY Fascism – is threatening – Deeply Threatening All of Us – Something I’ve Never seen before in my lifetime since the mid-60’s when I first had some awareness of “politics” and similar But Also: Where clearly I see two – slightly overlapping Groups – both of Caring, Loving People who: 1.     1,   Despite – being – “Intellectually – Intelligent – Highly Formally Educated” – still: Don’t See – Literally Don’t See How The Genocide in Gaza, the West Bank and even in “Israel” itself both: a.      Literally – is dangerous – in the coming days, months, and years   - including potentially – causing – Nuclear War – which could destroy our entire world – related to:   Israel, The United States (most deeply), India, Pakistan, Russia, China – and likely reluctantly Iran – and faintly conceivably – countries like Syria, Saudia Arabia, and Yemen as well as b.     Mo...

  March 29, 2019 Growing up in West Lafayette, Indiana, I lived in a very white world.   People of color were almost exclusively Purdue foreign graduate students and their families.   I remember one black person who lived in West Lafayette, a professor, whose wife was white.   During my freshman year in high school there was one black student, a sophomore, whose family had moved I think from Gary.   I heard that they moved back to Gary, after one year in West Lafayette because she couldn't handle being the sole black student at our high school. One summer during high school, there was an Upward Bound Program for academically promising "inner city" kids at Purdue.   I went to a meal there, hoping to meet and talk with Leroy Spikener: Leroy Spikener (Gary Froebel 1966-1968) who was known as ‘Cap Man’ because he wore a baseball cap and tossed it to the infield as he began his vicious kick down the backstretch.  Leroy was shot to d...

  April 17, 2019 Are you racist? White People: 1.  Yes  - I agree with you.   I know that I am racist.   It is not because I am "worse" than other people. It is not because I am "blatantly racist", like many white nationalists.   I live in a racist world and have learned to be racist, despite a lot that I have done to try to not be racist. 2.  No  - I suggest that you start watching at least the beginning of   White Fragility  on YouTube. People of Color: 1.  Yes  - You might want to read my blog writing:  Can Black People Be Racist? 2.  No -  I agree with you.   You can only be racist if you, as a person of color, have power over me, because of your race.   You can treat individual white people unfairly, with hatred or otherwise inappropriately.  That does not make you racist. Should I be working on racism issues in my personal life? White People: 1.  Yes - ...

  June 02, 2019 An aunt of my daughter-in-law is a white woman who needs a cane to walk most of the time.   She parked her car at a store in a regular parking spot that was close to the store entrance.  A black woman driving by began berating her for not parking in a handicapped spot.   She indicated that people with handicaps such were unjustifiably favored in various ways.   Without any argument, the woman said multiple negative things to the aunt. A white man began strongly criticizing the black woman.   J’s aunt wasn’t happy at his intrusion, being very aware of the racial aspect of what was happening. It remains unclear why the original incident occurred.   J’s aunt tried to be understanding.   She also told me that when she is feeling good, and doesn’t need her cane, she always avoids using handicapped parking spots. No, the black woman was not “racist”.    ...

  June 23, 2019 I believe that the increasing discussions of reparations for Black People is important.  It could have a big impact upon the depth of racism that we may have in our future. I recall talking with three high school classmates, asking them to look at a YouTube video on "White Fragility".   One of them clearly indicated to me that:  1.) I was accusing them of being racist and 2.) That my interest in racism related to the fact that my wife is Black, implying that they needn't have a significant interest in racism. White Americans (such as myself), presuming that they oppose racism) can commonly:  1.) ignore racism most of the time, 2.) try to oppose racism in various small ways, not ignoring it, but not having it impact upon their lives in major ways or 3.) become active in major ways, working to help end racism. Listening significantly to discussions about reparations may have a significant positive impact upon helping move White Americans furth...