Monday, June 11, 2007

Where's the outrage?

I found a very interesting article on aish.com which combines both what I said the other day about the missing world outrage to what is happening daily in Israel, and my main reason for blogging. But the outrage that the article says is missing is OUR outrage. The outrage of the defenders of Israel.

Where's the outrage?

Who would have figured that two years after our heart-wrenching evacuation of Gaza -- two years of continued relentless attacks from an enemy that brazenly calls for our destruction -- we'd be the target of a boycott from British professors? Again, it's tempting to get all blase and say "Been there, done that."
But this blase attitude is a reason why we are losing the PR battle: We assume that getting all worked up about stuff doesn't really make a difference, or that it's not very becoming of Jews. The practical thing to do is to stay composed and look for solutions.
...
Israel needs the Diaspora to get more emotional right now -- because emotional outrage wins PR battles. Our enemy understands that a lot better than we do.
The most effective TV interview I ever saw happened about five years ago on a major network, while Israel was in the midst of numerous suicide bombings. The anchorman asked Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg, a very composed and sophisticated man, why Israel could not arrest these suicide bombers. Well, you should have seen the outrage on Mr. Burg's face.
With clenched fists and an almost growling voice, he said something like: "But how do you expect us to do that when they can blow up in one second?"
It was visceral, it was sincere and it didn't come from talking points. It came from his heart, and I guarantee you it played well in Wisconsin.


This is why I blog. I can't go out and yell slogans in the street, I'd just get stompled all over. And probably shot at. I'm not an important person, I don't get TV time or interviews. But I can write. Not very well, but I hope that wil improve. I can write and I hope people will read what I write. I am open for discussions on any subject regarding Israel and the conflict, though I probably won't be able to answer everything. But I will try. The Diaspora, that's us. We need to get our tushies in gear and protect Israel as best as we can.
By the way, if anyone can find a video of that Avraham Burg interview, I'd really like to see that...


For example, when the bombs fall on Sderot, instead of empty cliches like "no terrorist is immune" and "this is unacceptable" and so forth, we should have the guts to run ads all over the world and get on CNN and the BBC and say things like: "We gave them land, and they gave us war." "This proves that the occupation was never the key problem," and "How would England respond if the same amount of bombs fell on Manchester?"

My point exactly. Only said much much better.

In a brilliant article in Haaretz, Moshe Arens explains why you can't deter terrorists, you can only fight them. It's time for Jews of all stripes to get their mojo back, and join the PR fight.
Even if your only weapon is your PC, and your mouth.


Well, I guess my mojo was hiding in the closet for the last couple of years. I hope this is me getting my mojo back.

No comments: