Comments on: Letter to Paris #2

By: Cover Your Mouth When You Blog

Cover Your Mouth When You Blog — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 17:00:29 +0000

Da Chozen 1z…

A debate’s been raging all day over at Citizen of the Month about whether or not “the Jewish fundamentalist belief of being God’s chosen people has allowed Israel to believe it can do as it will. Neilochka, the blog’s author…

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 07:37:02 +0000

Oy oy oy, why did I write this f***ing post!

You have my sympathies.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:54:47 +0000

But the very fact that HE SAID IT — as a journalist in the Middle East for many years — makes his opinion suspect to me.

It is just one of many ignorant comments he has made. I have read other comments and sometimes wonder if he isn’t suffering from a little Stockholm Syndrome.

By: Neil

Neil — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:23:54 +0000

Actually, I am for censoring of opinion at times. Call me one of those politically-correct guys, but I think we all need to be careful not to promote those who express racism or hate. John McCarthy may be a hero for his years of captivity in Lebanon. And he may make some excellent points about politics. But since we had this little thing going on about how we are understanding each other’s viewpoints, I wanted to be clear that I don’t tolerate the insulting of a religion to make a political point.

I should make it clear that I don’t agree with the views of Tatyana on my comments, even though I have left them on. She is out of line in her opinions on equating Islam with violence. I don’t see what is wrong with taking Mr. Mcarthy to task — or you to task — for linking to an article that equates Jewish thought with arrogance and war crimes. For the sake of peace, the easiest thing to do is just to say I’m right and you regret what he said, but you still think he made some good points on Israel. But the very fact that HE SAID IT — as a journalist in the Middle East for many years — makes his opinion suspect to me. I’m clearly biased, but I’m not a journalist. He is. He shouldn’t be throwing around anti-Jewish sentiments as if they were facts.

But now the fighting is over and we can all go back to enjoying Tevye and Golde getting it on. Ironically, considering our argument, in the bedroom, women have always nicknamed me “The Chosen One.”

By: Paris Parfait

Paris Parfait — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:08:55 +0000

Neil, I can’t imagine what you hoped to accomplish with this post. First of all, I would not presume to tell you what you should or should not publish on your site. Isn’t there still a free press, at least in the US and Europe? Since when are you interested in censoring someone’s opinion, simply because it differs from your own or offends you personally? Second, in all my years of living in and covering the Middle East, I have never once equated religion with politics, either with Israel or with any Arab country. To me, religion is a personal matter and not political. Third, I highlighted one paragraph of John McCarthy’s piece in the Independent and underlined the point I consider important: Until the safety and human rights of Palestinians - and of all people in the region - are valued as much and put on an equal footing with those of Israelis, there is no hope for a peaceful settlement. That’s the key to the whole piece. And in order to read the rest of the article, people had to go to The Independent website, where the article was originally published. I did not highlight what McCarthy said about religion; you did. I respect John McCarthy’s opinion, as he is a journalist who has lived and traveled in the region and was held hostage in Lebanon for five years. I respect many people’s opinions, but that doesn’t mean I agree with every word out of their mouths. I certainly don’t agree with yours lately! So whatever McCarthy’s personal beliefs about Israelis and religion, he is entitled to express them, just as you and I are. And on my weblog, I allow a variety of viewpoints to appear, including your own piece expressing your views, as you will recall.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 08:22:31 +0000

I have a hard time reading comments about how people think that Israel has gone too far.

Thousands of rockets rain down upon your country and it is only by luck that more people haven’t been murdered.

look at this Powerpoint presentation and consider what could happen.

Think about what you would want if this was happening to your country and then think about it again.

By: Non-Highlighted Heather

Non-Highlighted Heather — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 06:42:43 +0000

Finally!!! Some common ground. We’re both drunk. Stand alone? I think I’m doing more swaying than actual standing.

By: Tatyana

Tatyana — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 06:07:30 +0000

Heather, “an intelligent, well-spoken woman”? I assure you, it’s the drink in me; Saigon Cosmo in particular. [aside: googled "sapience", found 'snorkeling equipment. choose from variety of styles'...mused for 3 min.] Isn’t it nice, both of us stand still, on our mutual positions of confidence!

Danny, family of the last Russian monarch were not murdered by atheists for being devoted christians; it’s not a “hate crime by religious fantatics”. It was a calculated cold-blooded elimination of the threat to the new communist regime in the country where the royalty were traditionally respected and supported by 80% of population, to prevent them becoming a banner for consolidation of the anti-bolshevist forces. [aside: who's Barbara Stanwyck?]

Have to disappoint you: there will be no match Tatyana vs. Sophia since we have no disagreements whatsoever. Unless she insists I fly to LA and supply Neil with my underwear…it is too dear (literally) to me…

By: Non-Highlighted Heather

Non-Highlighted Heather — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:25:46 +0000

Indeed, the only breath given to a statement is in life of its bearer. Yet, I still stand by my position. I just deleted everything I said after that because I don’t want to turn Neil’s blog into a message board. You’re clearly an intelligent, well spoken woman. Unfortunately I think much of your sapience is lost in your style, but perhaps thats of no matter to you.

By: Danny

Danny — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 05:06:48 +0000

Sorry for the typo, Tatyana—and to think not two hours ago I was reading a really excellent novel about one of my favorite Romanovs—the Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaievna.

It is precisely because you were talking about “Islam itself” and not Islamic fanatacism that made me blather on about Christianity. Incidentally, as you know, Tatyana Romanov was murdered at the age of 21 by atheist fanatics so I’m not saying that wild-eyed fanaticism is limited to religious zealots.

However, not being a scholar on organized religion or the Russian Imperial family, I think I’ll shut up and go back to ruminating about Barbara Stanwyck on my own blog.

P.S. Forget Neil vs. Tatyana, I think everyone would rather see a Tatyana vs. Sophia match.