15. something to ponder from an anarchist in the Israeli struggle
21st June 2006
Post No. 15 to On the Ground category, by Bill Templer
David (Ashan) of Anarchists Against the Wall has a posting June 21, summer solstice, about the CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) decision to call for a boycott against Israel. [tao.ca/~CUPE3903/web/?q=node/372 ] I think he says something that needs to be heard. About struggling against capitalism in the backyards closest to you.
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Ashan: It feels good to get support from an international organization for the cause with which we are involved, specifically, in this case, tear down the wall. However, as someone who has spent most of my life in occupied First Nations land (KKKanada), I can tell you that the Canadian genocide of the Aboriginal peoples of Turtle Island (North Amerikkka) is of Holocaust proportions. First Nations people are still fighting till this day to reclaim their land, their rights, and the dignity. Even right now, there is a standoff in Ontario between evil capitalist land developers (and their evil capitalist government allies) and the Mohawk peoples of Caledonia. You can read more about their on-going struggle at: http://sisis.nativeweb.org/
Today is Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year, a pagan holiday — and also National Aboriginal Day in KKKanada. On today of all days, I ask of you; before blindly supporting an organization that calls for a boycott of the Israhelli government, remember: the enemy of our enemy is not always our friend! It’s all very nice that CUPE is condemning the stealing of Palestinian land, suppression of Palestinian rights, and squashing of Palestinian dignity, but why are they not doing the same for Mohawk peoples right in their own backyard? Where is the anti-KKKanadian colonialism resolution on the CUPE website? Plainly, it does not exist; because as people of European origin, they *benefit* from it.
In summary, I would like to say something that may not be popular in Israeli (A)narchist circles, but I feel needs to be expressed nonetheless: In my mind, anti-Zionist activity by non-Middle Eastern peoples is legitimate if it is coupled with anti-colonial and anti-capitalist activity, as well. But anti-zionism without anti-capitalism IS antisemitism, plain and simple. Please do not allow these people to wash their hands clean and walk away feeling holier-than-thou because they’ve pointed out *our* problems. They cannot be allowed to have a clean conscience, while the First Nations peoples of Turtle Island continue to be genocided with the help of CUPE’s active participation of in the KKKanadian colonial capitalist economy.
In our rush to crush the wall, let us not abandon our First Nations Canadian cousins who are fighting for freedom, by supporting CUPE’s racist hypocritical stance. I say, boycott every capitalist country, starting with the one closest to you.
Your loving sibling in the struggle,
David
xoxo
from: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/againstwall
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In the spirit of what Ashan reminds us, “anti-Zionist activity by non-Middle Eastern peoples is legitimate if it is coupled with anti-colonial and anti-capitalist activity” is a good watchword, maybe a yardstick. From a guy risking his body on a nearly daily basis in struggle on a dangerous front against the Israeli state. I don’t know if you can agree with xoxo’s “But anti-zionism without anti-capitalism IS antisemitism, plain and simple.” But keep in mind the principle behind it: “I say, boycott every capitalist country, starting with the one closest to you.” Maybe pass that on to the Presbyterian Church AmeriKKKa. Go into CUPE’s web site and you’ll learn that their Anti-Racism Working Group is “currently inactive” ….