A Limits to Growth Critique of the Radical Left

By Gilad Atzmon

The following is a collection of excerpts from a young Seattle radical’s call for action against an ‘anti- Semitic’ gathering in Seattle yesterday. The urgent call was from one revolutionary Matt*, who was apparently alarmed by my views. In perfect conformity with the ignorant attitude of the New Left, Matt has not read a single paper by me. The extracts below convey the depth of Judeo-centrism and crippled intellectual ability that are, sadly, embedded in whatever is left of the radical discourse.

Upset by my scheduled appearance in Seattle, our modern day Bolshevik tried to persuade his friends to debate the new Satan, me. Of course I warmly welcome such a development. Until now, not a single detractor of mine has had the ‘balls’ to challenge me openly in public. For some reason they prefer to implement the Talmudic herem (excommunication) practice. Maybe the growing popularity of my thoughts and the fact that a new discourse of alternative dissent is rapidly emerging, have started to trouble the half a dozen Red minds left in our midst.

“Hi folks, I'm writing to raise some concerns about one of the speakers at an anti-Israel event tonight, Gilad Atzmon…. Would any of you be willing to come with me to debate Atzmon at this event tonight?”

It didn’t take more than a few lines before he had to admit that he was not sure of Atzmon’s positions. He adopted an embarrassing gossipy manner of speech.

“It sounds like Atzmon, and possibly some of the other speakers (Ibrahim Soudy, Henry Hershkovitz and Greg Felton), are suggesting that Palestinians and Americans should unite in a struggle against Jewish identity itself.”

This is simply not accurate. I am offering criticism and analysis of Jewish Identity politics. I also argue that the Jewish Left and their Sabbos goyim attempt to block such criticism, as Matt himself, perhaps inadvertently, proves.

“In contrast,” Matt says, “I believe we should build alliances against Zionism, racism, and white supremacy - not against Jews - and that anti-Zionist Jews should be welcomed in these alliances.”

Do these modern days Bolsheviks really believe that anyone takes their verbal diarrhea seriously? Do they really assume that once they use the words ‘White’ and ‘supremacy’ in close proximity their argument is won? If so, they are wrong. I have never called for Jews or anyone else to be expelled from any movement, let alone Palestine solidarity. In fact it is the ‘Jews in the movement’ and their electronic Abunimah who are in the constant process of purging the ranks, expelling those who do not fit into the stagnated ideological collectivism they insist upon.

Matt further incorrectly argues, “Zionism is not the same as Jewish identity, and contrary to Atzmon's assertions, there are anti-Zionist Jews and non-Jewish Zionists.”

What I argue is that Zionism is just one symptom of Jewish identity politics, and Jewish anti-Zionism is another expression of the same Jewish identity politics. This is easily shown. The Zionist contends that Israel is good for the Jews. The ‘anti’ insists that it is bad for the Jews. In short, both Zionists and the ‘anti’ are committed to the Jews, they just don’t agree amongst themselves what is best for the Jews.

I have never managed to grasp how the Left purports to support Palestinian ‘nationalism’ while advocating anti patriotism and anti nationalism at home. Why is it that the Left always advocates national liberation movements in remote countries, yet despises the nationalist neighbor down the road? Our Seattle revolutionary doesn’t resolve the quandary, he simply shows how confused the Left is. “We should not make any kind of appeal to U.S. nationalism in the name of Palestine solidarity.” What are you afraid of Matt? Is there really a great categorical difference between Gaza and Detroit? Is the notion that we are all Palestinians and oppressed by the same rulers devastating to whatever is left of your moldy ideology? Is it simply the bond between Jerusalem and Washington that you try to conceal? As if you could.

Matt concludes “we need to say clearly: America is not being manipulated by Jews.” Perhaps not. But its foreign policy is certainly dominated by the Jewish lobby and this is a total disaster.

“America itself is a colonial project and the U.S. ruling class is Zionist because of it's own imperial interests in the Middle East. NOT because of the Israeli lobby, Jewish ideology, or any other ‘fifth column’.”

Almost right, Matt. America is indeed a colonial project but Israel is an imperial one and Washington happens to be Israel’s most subservient colony. It is the Jewish Lobby that has made young Americans into Zionist mercenaries. It is done in the open, and it has brought America down.

Matt was brave enough to show up at the Seattle meeting. He spread the usual embarrassing pamphlets - a mixture of lies that, more than anything else, reveal the paucity of the so called ‘Left’. He was keen to challenge me as he had promised; he raised his hand throughout the Q&A. I insisted that he be given the chance to speak his mind. He had very little to say. In the name of the revolution, he ordered us to drop the ‘J word.’ I politely told him that we have no intention of complying. We will talk about Jewish politics and the Jewish State and the Jewish Lobby and the Holodomor and the Yiddish Speaking International Brigade in Spain (1936) and, of course, Jewishness. We will address and discuss any topic that crosses our minds because this is the meaning of true dissent and the First Amendment.

But I can secretly inform you that if and when the Jewish state stops being the biggest threat to world peace and America finds the legal means to restrain the Jewish Lobby and Jewish power, we may have to move on and take care of some other issues.

*Update: the ‘revolutionary’ activist who happens to be the protagonist of this piece felt uncomfortable being exposed. He asked me to remove his surname name and to conceal his identity. Maybe Matt has enough dignity in him to acknowledge that he behaved unwisely. I followed his request.