I'm an Orthodox Jew and I know Rashid Khalidi
Here's my Rashid Khalidi story:
In around '99 or 2000, Prof. Khalidi's daughter and I turned a bunch of double plays together for the Cambridge University Baseball Society (CUBS, get it?). She played shortstop and I was on second base. At the time, I was a graduate student studying Hebrew Literature and also the Executive Director of one of the two main Jewish student groups on campus, the Cambridge University L'Chaim Society.
She was a great girl and a heckuva ballplayer, one of the best players on the team (and the only female). When her dad came for a visit, I took advantage of the situation to have him come to our student center for a debate with a Hebrew University scholar on the 'Future of Jerusalem.'
I picked up Prof. Khalidi from Heathrow and drove with him up to Cambridge. We had a good, intense discussion about the peace process, Arafat, the War of Indepence vs. the 'Nakba', etc... At no time during our private conversation or during his public debate did Prof. Khalidi ever condone the use of violence to achieve political ends, nor did he ever resort to anti-semitic attacks against the Jewish State or ad hominen attacks against Jews. And he was absolutely more critical of Arafat than even some of my yeshiva buddies. To be sure, I vehemently disagreed with much of what he said, but that's exactly why he was invited - to offer an alternative viewpoint on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He debated it, defended it, took questions from the mainly Jewish audience, and that was that. He was very kind to accept our invitation and has my gratitude and respect.
And if you're out there, Khalidi daughter (I don't want to bring her name into this) - Do you think we had any success bringing the American pastime to the cricket-loving Brits?
In around '99 or 2000, Prof. Khalidi's daughter and I turned a bunch of double plays together for the Cambridge University Baseball Society (CUBS, get it?). She played shortstop and I was on second base. At the time, I was a graduate student studying Hebrew Literature and also the Executive Director of one of the two main Jewish student groups on campus, the Cambridge University L'Chaim Society.
She was a great girl and a heckuva ballplayer, one of the best players on the team (and the only female). When her dad came for a visit, I took advantage of the situation to have him come to our student center for a debate with a Hebrew University scholar on the 'Future of Jerusalem.'
I picked up Prof. Khalidi from Heathrow and drove with him up to Cambridge. We had a good, intense discussion about the peace process, Arafat, the War of Indepence vs. the 'Nakba', etc... At no time during our private conversation or during his public debate did Prof. Khalidi ever condone the use of violence to achieve political ends, nor did he ever resort to anti-semitic attacks against the Jewish State or ad hominen attacks against Jews. And he was absolutely more critical of Arafat than even some of my yeshiva buddies. To be sure, I vehemently disagreed with much of what he said, but that's exactly why he was invited - to offer an alternative viewpoint on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He debated it, defended it, took questions from the mainly Jewish audience, and that was that. He was very kind to accept our invitation and has my gratitude and respect.
And if you're out there, Khalidi daughter (I don't want to bring her name into this) - Do you think we had any success bringing the American pastime to the cricket-loving Brits?
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Thanks, Ari. That was very interesting!
October 31, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
How dare you suggest that Khalidi is not a militant Palestinian characature!
October 31, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Prof. Khalidi is a decent and honest man
joe the plumber ain't a plumber
sarah palin isn't a patriotic honest person
and you can't believe a word john mcsame says
those are the facts
October 31, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've spent most of my day looking into the Azerbaijani government's decision to kick out all international broadcasters next year. Imagine my surprise to learn that Gov. Palin today said that all this media criticism of her ticket is a threat to the First Amendment!
In other words, the First Amendment exists to ensure that leaders are free to speak without being criticized from the press? Breathtaking ignorance (to be charitable) or a fascist constitutional interpretation(not being charitable)? What do you think?
October 31, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Breathtaking ignorance would be my judgment for Palin. She demonstrates an astonishing lack of depth for a national policial figure every time she opens her mouth. That's not to say it wouldn't turn into a totalitarian crack down on the press if she had the power. Ignorance in a leader can be as chilling as lies,deceit,and overt radical ideology. I believe
And thank you for your post. I enjoyed reading your view as an orthodox Jew.
October 31, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll go with breathtakingly ignorant fascist. Fascists are like that: "Reality is what I say it is." (Gee, that sounds familiar.) Yeah, I'd say willful ignorance and an anti-democratic/fascistic bent pretty much define movement conservatism--especially for "religious" reactionaries like Plain.
October 31, 2008 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a Reform Jew and I don't know Khallidi. I do know however when I and my people are being used by people to stir up fear and hate to advance their cause.
Shabbat Shalom
Obama '08
October 31, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yet, McCain would sooner demonize him to win an election than examine the reality of the situation in a nuanced, intelligent manner. That's all I need to know.
October 31, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes, demonize him but give him half-a-million bucks. Isn't that mavericky?
November 1, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you so much for sharing that story!
Very much appreciated.
October 31, 2008 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoH4f0sQ7n0
This is a most moving song in Yiddish and English about the Jews being lied to again in Florida during this political campaign. My Brazilian daughter-in-law sent it to me from Brazil. I am not Jewish but I am a humanist and greatly touched by the Jewish journey. In my family we are Unitarian, Catholic and two "who knows?"
Please watch this and see how lies in a campaign can deeply affect its targets in cruel ways unimagined (?).
October 31, 2008 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
You said Unitarian twice. ;)
November 1, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great post. Thanks so much for writing it up!
October 31, 2008 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Jewish community should be as aware as anyone what demonizing and hate speech of an ethnic or religious group can come to.
Thank you for defending Khalidi, who seems like an honorable and decent man.
October 31, 2008 9:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, I *coached* that CUBS team. I want to say for the record that the Goldberg/Khalidi double-play combo was great, and it was great to have you both on the squad. I've often thought back on the experience as a great example of how common ground--in our case, an improvised baseball field in a public park in Cambridge--makes it easy to relate to people from very different backgrounds on a human level.
As to our success playing baseball in a land of cricketers--well, a good many of our British players were cricketers to begin with. They took to the field pretty well, but as I recall it took them a while to get used to batting.
October 31, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
So glad to hear from our esteemed coach, Luigi, from the Cambridge baseball team. Forgetting about politics for a moment, people should know that America owes Luigi a huge debt of gratitude for his hard work in bringing baseball to the British Isles. Luigi had real uniforms shipped via DHL and was a tireless advocate to get the university to recognize us as a 'real' sports team, rather than a cute novelty.
As for everyone else, thanks for your comments. Yes, kk, listening to opposing points of view is an admirable thing, but it shouldn't be. It's a standard part of Jewish tradition (cf. the Talmud), but too many people, especially in my religious community, forget that. It's also an American value (cf. the Constitutional Convention), but again, people often talk past each other, rather than to each other.
Finally, let me just say this: HOPE OVER HATE in '08!!
November 3, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I saw Khalidi interviewed by Bill Moyers a fews ago and found him so interesting I read a couple of his books. He spoke with extensive historical and cultural knowledge about why the War with Iraq was doomed from the start and about the ignorance of the Bush Admnistration entering into the War without knowing anything about Middle Eastern culture and attitudes regarding occupation. He was compelling and he was absolutely positively correct in everything in analysis and predictions. McCain and Palin are as dumb or dumber than Bush. They have hindsight and they still haven't learned any lessons which makes them even more dangerous.
October 31, 2008 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
While his outraged diatribe is his "advice" to his sister (give ALL the bums the single finger salute and stay home) re an internal political battle over the control of Jersusalem, Haaretz' Yossi Sarid speaks to the larger truth:
"Deeds that should not be done are 10 times more offensive when they are done in our name."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1033075.html
Insh'allah.
November 1, 2008 1:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nice point on Prof. Khalidi and on the importance of, well, listening to one another instead of talking past one another. It's good to read that someone really does want to engage in a much-needed debate on this subject and will organize discussions and post blogs to make it happen. We need more of that.
November 3, 2008 4:14 AM | Reply | Permalink