Zionism
Philip Mendes contribution to the debate on the Israel/Palestine dispute is typical of the Israeli public relations machine. Ceaselessly and selectively dragging up past Palestinian transgressions.
Maybe the Mufti of Jerusalem collaborated with the Nazis but so did the Zionists who negotiated with both Hitler and Mussolini during the war. Then, when the Stern gang blew up the King David Hotel, that was acceptable since it was the headquarters of the British Army. But it is never mentioned that 17 or 19 (depending on your count) Jews were also killed, illustrating the ruthlessness which George Orwell detected in 1945.
And so we can go on ... forever? Tit for tat. What is the situation now? In defiance of UN resolutions and international demands, Israel continues to illegally occupy Palestinian territory.
This is the First Cause. Until Israel withdraws from the West Bank and Gaza there will be no peace.
Bruce Anderson
Hawthorn, Vic
Corporate fraud
It is with great interest that I hear of our PM's call not to be too harsh on all corporations in light of the recent spate of fraudulent dealings, reporting and collapses. Apparently, we are not supposed to make it too hard for those already playing by the rules, because those who are not are only a small minority.
Hang on a minute! Isn't this from the same PM that just recently welcomed legislation to make it harder for those at the other end of the socio-economic spectrum, the welfare recipients? Haven't we just seen the introduction of harsh, across-the-board rules for eligibility for Disability Support Pensions, among others? Wasn't this to crack down on the minute percentage of welfare fraud?
Fair go, Mr Howard, let's have a bit of consistency!
Mitch McCosker
Blue Mountains Socialist Alliance
Katoomba, NSW
Religion
Recent comments in the letters page of Green Left on the Dalai Lama might be taken to mean that the religion of the Dalai Lama has nothing to offer the world at a time when many people clearly find religions such as Buddhism attractive.
The Buddhist Cittamaya school has led to insights into the development of linguistic philosophy, from Ludwig Wittgenstein to the further work of Noam Chomsky. The relationship between time and mass denoted by the Biblical word olam was the imaginative seed that led to Einstein's theories of relativity.
Psychology and philosophy have benefited from the Bible, from the depressive writings of the Book of Ecclesiastes to the painfully introspective Book of Job. The erotic poetry of the Song of Songs, or the chapters on devotion in the Hindu Bhagavad Gita, to the music and poetry of many religions, have enriched our intellectual and aesthetic histories
Where religion woefully fails, however, is in suggesting any alternative to a world being destroyed by capitalism.
What does the Bible say about capitalist imperialism? How does the Bhagavad Gita explain the historical oppression of women? How does any religion suggest a convincing response to the way we can build a better world socially, politically and economically?
The answer, of course, is that religion fails to do this. Religion simply endorses the economic structures prevalent at the time of its creation, from the endorsement of slavery (Old Testament), capitulation to Roman occupation (New Testament), hereditary monarchy (Buddhism), caste stratification (Hinduism) or mercantilism (Islam).
When it comes to comments on economics, politics and sociology, the Dalai Lama is going beyond his sphere of competency. The Dali Lama, with the best will in the world, is unable to offer world solutions to world problems, precisely because he tries to make truth-statements about material reality from a non-materialist perspective. For this, a Marxist understanding of capitalism can show the extent of capitalism's corruption and the way forward to replacing it.
Dale Mills
Sydney
[Abridged.]
Solidarity with refugees
I am aware of hunger strikes going on at the refugee detention centre in Woomera, Australia. I have heard much information about why the refugees are on a hunger strike and about many native people there who are also going without food in an attempt to help bring awareness to the plight of the refugees.
There are also people here in Israel who support the plight of the refugees, and we will also be going without food for at least two days, outside of the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv on July 9. We will be demonstrating against Australia's cruel treatment of the refugees.
It is our sincere hope that someone will be interested in listening to the refugees, and if not them, then to us. Please feel free to contact us at +972 053-785-749.
Casey Crouch From Green Left Weekly, July 17, 2002.
Tel Aviv, Israel
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