Blogblather on Lawrence, Islamism, and Israel

By Lawrence Helm

Billy Blogblather left the following comment on Lawrence's post "Third comment by Undercurrent on the Jews and Isla...":

"Lawrence, you're a Presbyterian, as I recall. Your allegiance to Israel isn't religious or cultural -- what then? Your're a very well read, intelligent man -- whence comes this obsession with Islam? Baffles the hell out of me. It seems to be some deep psychological need for an enemy to me, but then, I'm not a psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, I'm just a guy confused by your gung-ho desire to mow down Muslims. Israel is a nation among many nations. It's nothing special. We (people of Europe and of European extraction) tend to romanticize Israel in a ersatz kind of atonement for 2000 years on our shitting on Jews, but we've treated other peoples just as horridly -- it's the sordid history of humanity. Israelis get no "Get Out Of Jail" cards from me."

LAWRENCE RESPONDS TO BILLY BLOGBLATHER:

            I would probably ally myself with any Western Nation that was under attack by a non-Western force.  That is my prejudice and I admit it.  I very much favor self-defense at the personal level and I continue to favor it all the way up to wanting to defend the West against those who would destroy it.

            I just responded (in another note) to a criticism of MacPherson who thought The Waste Land meant what it said and nothing more.  Would that he would apply his attention to the meaning of the Islamists who have said that they wish to subdue the West.  When they are in a position to do so, they will offer all Westerners the choice of submitting and becoming dhimmis or being executed. While I think it rather bold to claim that T.S. Eliot in his complicated poem meant something simple, straightforward and clear, I see no reason to treat the statements of the Islamists with the same degree of uncertainty.

            The Islamists have declared war against the West.  Various Islamist organizations have said this, but Billy Blogblather and his fellow Leftists treat these belligerent statements as though they were poetic metaphors that couldn't possible mean what they seemed to be saying.  Instead of accepting the Islamists at their word, Blogblather is mystified that I would want to defend myself against them.  In fact he doesn't see what I am doing as defense.  For if the belligerence of the Islamists is mere metaphor and not to be considered a real threat, then my reaction must be interpreted but as raw aggression.  So he wishes he were a psychologist so he could figure out why I "desire to mow down Muslims."  Would that he were a grammarian or a linguist, or even a critic of poetry.

            To apply MacPherson's method of examining matters superficially and not seeking anything deep in them; which I tend to use in regard to the many attacks the surrounding Arab nations have initiated against Israel, I -- I don't see how to avoid a redundancy --  tend to see these attacks as . . . well, attacks.  Blogblather sees something deeper, but I see them as attacks and believe (sounding rather primitive to myself as I say so) that Israel has the right to defend itself.   Further, staying in the guise of a MacPherson-like interpreter, I am not inclined to quibble with the plans they have put into place in order to assure (if that is possible) their security in the midst of their enemies. 
            Blogblather insists that Israel is just "a nation among many nations."  In his saying that, I can almost get the depth of his perception, the irony.  Israel is indeed a nation among many nations -- all of which want its destruction. 

            Blogblather goes on to say Israel is nothing special.  I quite agree with that.  I try to treat Israel as just another Western nation, but I have noticed the constant attacks, the constant pressure the nations Israel is among apply, and think we should seek to encourage and defend this fellow-Western nation -- not as "anything special" but as a fellow Western nation under the gun.

            Blogblather concludes with the following: "We (people of Europe and of European extraction) tend to romanticize Israel in a ersatz kind of atonement for 2000 years on our shitting on Jews, but we've treated other peoples just as horridly -- it's the sordid history of humanity. Israelis get no "Get Out Of Jail" cards from me."  I must confess that I find Blogblather's metaphor's a bit overwhelming.  "Romanticize Israel in a ersatz kind of atonement"?  I have difficulty getting mind around that.  I try to look on "the face" of what is going on in the Middle East and don't see many Western nations going to Israel's defense  -- only the U.S. -- and the U.S. seems to be a weak reed during Obama's administration.  In fact from what I read a better metaphor might be a group of dogs piling on a canine interloper -- Helen Thomas probably should have used a metaphor like that rather than her in-your-face suggestion that they go back to where they came from.

            Blogblather does seem to recognize that Israel is being subjected to mistreatment, but subdues his natural Liberal inclinations, perhaps hiding his liberalism from himself . . . indicating, perhaps, a need for the psychologist he referred to earlier.  Surely he is doing damage to his psyche if as an anti-racist he condones the racism of the Arab nations bent on Israel's destruction.  Israel gets no "Get out of Jail" card from Blogblather; which is another interesting metaphor -- assuming Israel to be "in jail" which they sort of are.