ETS! Prints Zionist Propaganda?

I am appalled at Janice Van Cleve's letter [Dec. 20, 2007]. Her "correction" does not do what she claims, fixing errors of fact to clarify the situation for Palestinians. She did nothing less than produce a Zionist propaganda piece full of misstatements of fact and twisted reasoning. First, an awful calculus is at work here, as evidenced by her implication that land was somehow taken away from the Jews when "handed over to" Arabs east of the Jordan. When the Ottoman Empire was replaced by the Colonial British (and French) Mandates, the indigenous populations were promised they would obtain their independence and gain their own nation-states. When, eventually, independence was won by some, this is seen as taking land away from the Jews--what a bizarre equation! The fact that some Arab peoples gained independence does not reduce the Palestinian loss one bit. It is especially tragic that they remain the only indigenous people of the region who have not gained their own independent state.

The Zionists' plan was to create a European imperialist settler-state on someone else's land, aided by the British even as they promised independence to the Palestinians. The British then dumped the Palestine matter onto the UN, which proposed dividing their homeland approximately 60-40. Naturally, the Palestinians didn't want their land partitioned--Jews comprised 33 percent of the population, owned less than seven percent of the land, and they were to be given the larger portion. The Zionists opposed UN Resolution 181 because they wanted all of it (and then some). A war began. The winners called it the "Jewish War of Independence." The Palestinians call it "al Nakba," the Catastrophe; they lost 78 percent of the land. There were also 800,000 Palestinian refugees who fled for their lives, largely in response to a series of vicious massacres, and, in total, over 500 villages and towns were completely depopulated and destroyed. The refugees were never allowed to return, against International Law and several UN Resolutions (including 194, to which Israel agreed in order to be recognized as a state in 1948), and remains a serious human rights issue to this day. Many live in squalid refugee camps, both in the Occupied Territories and neighboring countries, remaining citizens of no state.

The dispossession and displacement of the Nakba has never been acknowledged by Israel (or the US), yet continues to this day in 2008, its 60th anniversary year. Ms. Van Cleve's morally repugnant implication "let the Wall decide," suggests it to be an object with its own volition rather than a deliberate act by the Israeli government (with money and equipment provided by the US) to annex the most fertile land and all water resources. Any land remaining could never become an independent state, as Israel would continue to control all borders, air space, and water resources, etc. and the 'facts on the ground' create a non-contiguous territory similar to holes in Swiss cheese. Yes, apartheid is alive and well in Palestine.

As Ms. Van Cleve writes for ETS!, it is especially concerning that her letter seems in grave contradiction to the publication's stated objectives, to fight against imperialism and racism.

--Erin Wade, Seattle

A Reader Corrects A Correction

The usual racist apologies for ethnic cleansing [J. Van Cleeve's letter, Dec. 20 issue]. Trying to combine Jordan and Palestine ("the land east of the Jordan river" and "the land west of the Jordan river") is only one of the age-old tactics that apologists for Zionist apartheid have used to justify their racist acts.

Her other lie is the claim that Israel was attacked in 1967. I can't believe ETS! fell for that one! I really expected more of you all. How disappointing.

--Aram Falsafi Columbia City, Seattle

Homelessness: Society's "Coal Mine" Canary

Thanks so much for covering the homeless situation on Mind Over Matters last Saturday [Dec. 22]. Good on you! These folks are the "canaries in the coal mine" signaling danger to all of us.

In addition to Real Change, I commend the women of WHEEL for keeping this issue in the public eye year upon year with their Women in Black vigils at City Hall. I reckon there was one person standing vigil on Friday at Westlake for each of the 42 who have died this year. After the vigil we read the names and ages of the dead. The average age at death of a homeless person is 47.

Recently Rep. Marylou Dickerson convened a meeting of neighborhood activists and homeless advocates in Ballard to address what the neighborhood could do right away to provide shelter and services for the growing number of homeless, especially the women and elderly, who have appeared in Ballard this winter. It looks like there is a coalition forming to make some things happen. A very heartening development. Good on Rep. Dickerson and the activists who are stepping up to take action.

Now if the State could change legislation so more affordable housing could be built, perhaps local jurisdictions can go deeper and address some of the underlying causes of homelessness.

Thanks for all that you do.

--Jean Darsie

More 2007 Media Follies

Just wanted to add a few comments on the underreported stories:

a) Oil crisis--Apart from the domestic problems of high oil prices you mentioned it's created a whole set of other problems, ranging from shooting oneself in the foot to callous disregard for the poorest nations in the world.

One major benefactor of the oil price rise is, of course, Hugo Chavez, the guy Venezuelans love and Washington [DC] loves to hate. He has been able to perform great New Deal-type social programs largely because of the big revenues he received from nationalized oil. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

On the other end, the Financial Times is stating the International Energy Agency has released a report that "Africa aid wiped out by rising cost of oil." There are fears it could lead to a crisis similar to the '80s debt crisis, which practically wiped out Latin America's economy.

b) Pakistan--Anyone with a functioning brain cell could see the arranged marriage between Musharraf and Bhutto would end badly. Bhutto didn't live to see how it will go, but Musharraf, Bush, and John Negroponte (who was the broker) have managed to create an even greater mess than anybody thought they could. India's National Security Advisor MK Narayanan released a statement that India is seriously concerned about the region's terrorism--another achievement to this administration's already awesome record.

--Sankaran Anand, Bellevue

ETS! Is Shamelessly Biased, Just Read Our tiny print

Wow, that was not cool. I was thinking it was decent up until I read this

Say, where is Osama bin Laden, anyway? [Formally retired as a Permanently Underreported Story after six consecutive years on this list.]

Damn man. If you're gonna report about "the truth" you might want to use his real name rather than the one the media has given him. Very lame. Not to mention your rampant Bush bashing. The guy's a punching bag, it's like beating up a retarded four year old in a wheelchair, it ain't that hard but you like the rest of the reporters in the world don't ever say anything about some of the good he's done because you never see it. I'm not a Bush guy, but fair's fair. So until you actually embrace nutrality and get over yourself, you'll never have the journalistic integrity or respect you so obviously desire.

Fuck Barry Bonds. He's being persecuted not because he's black. You're a retard if you actually believe that. You're a douche for actually writing it. Hank Aaron is a God to most baseball fans and coincidentaly enough, black. Barry Bonds is getting lynched not because he cheated. He's being lynched because he flaunted his cheating in front of America and said fuck you and then proceeded to break the single most important record in all of sports. Had he left the game in third or fourth place, it wouldn't have gone this far. It doesn't matter that steroids weren't banned by baseball at the time. It was wrong and people know right from wrong. He will be stripped of his record. You don't get to cheat and still win. Not here. Pete Rose gambled, Barry Bonds raped the record books. Pete Rose will never be in the Hall of Fame, just for gambling. What do you think is going to happen to Bonds? You're dead on right though, the story was way overblown. Dead on wrong as to why.

I want you to know that I dig your writing and I dig your speach about independent media on YouTube, I really think you need to work on your impartiality though.

--Matthew

[Ed. note: Letter unedited by writer's request.]

As for "Osama bin Laden's real name," I'm using the name that every major media organization in the world (with variations depending on how the original Arabic is transliterated) uses. I don't speak Arabic, so I can't tell you whether "Osama" or "Usama" is more phonetically accurate (and since when did English versions of foreign pronouns care about that?), but since the purpose of media is to communicate, and since using "Osama" clearly communicates who I mean to almost anyone in the world, I don't understand the problem. I hardly think it qualifies as hiding "the truth."

Boycott AMC's Pre-Movie War Mongering

Has anyone gone to AMC Loew's Theaters to see a movie lately? My family and I went to see a film on Christmas day and, to my amazement and horror, prior to the previews a 'movie video' version of a Three Doors Down song ran as part of a National Guard recruitment ad. This lengthy promo attempted to make war look so righteous and cool, especially when given the opportunity to 'rock out' to all the war images. It even made war appear patriotic using art images of the American Revolution.

The three of us looked at each other in disbelief. Had we paid ticket prices to be captives to nauseating war propaganda? We could sit there and endure the humiliation, frustration, and anger over this mockery of our consciences--or we could protest and leave the theater. We chose the latter, went to the front of the ticket line, and, explaining the reason, politely but firmly requested our money back.

When we got home, we wrote letters to AMC. My son blogged about the experience on myspace--and we are inviting you all to do the same. Plan an adventure to AMC. Share your thoughts with their corporate offices: AMC Theatres, PO Box 725489, Atlanta, GA 31139

None of us seems to have much power over the politics in this country anymore, but we certainly can vote with how we choose to spend or not spend our money. When our taxes pay to fund a war we don't support, then pay again for the production costs of this kind of perverse, war-glorifying music video, we certainly don't need to pay again to be hostages to this kind of overt war propaganda.

Join me in boycotting AMC.

--Denise Mannino, Kirkland, WA

Local Housing Law Values Profits Over People

ETS!,

It's legal for a landlord to convert an apartment to a condo in Seattle (per Washington State Condominium Law). It is also legal to evict a tenant if he can't afford to buy the apartment being converted even though he lives in it.

By the same token it was "perfectly legal" to evict Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor, as well as the Jews of Nazi Germany--which was ethnic cleansing. In Washington State today, Seattle engages in equally noxious "legal" economic cleansing. Indicative of economic cleansing is how much Seattle and Olympia do for developers and the building industry, and how little they do for the victims of condo-conversion. $500 or $2500 and a "Dear John" letter doesn't address the issue of eviction without cause.

Such as the Northlake Group's impending purchase of Ballard's 192 Lock Vista apartments and the possible eviction of its tenants. With low vacancy rates and landlords raising rents obscenely, where are Lock Vista tenants supposed to go? To join the increasing homeless? "Rent Control" are not dirty words to $7.50 an hour baristas and poor seniors. Either they, too, are Seattle or they are second and third-class citizens.

Putting profit before people isn't democracy but profitocracy. Where are the rights of citizens to be secure in their homes, safe from predatory landlords and condo-converters? Turning 192 or even one poor or elderly tenant out of her apartment is the practice of a totalitarian regime. Yet, it is carried out under the "legal" cover of Washington State Condo-Conversion Law. If eviction without cause is the policy and practice of the Seattle and Olympia Democratic regimes, I shudder to think what Republican rule would bring to the poor and voiceless of Washington State.

--Bob Miller