Leonard Cohen, Antisemitism and Neverthelessery
Three via Engage:1. Jonathan Freedland on the boycotters' ignorant exhortation to Leonard Cohen not to go to Israel. Interestingly, Chris from Cafe Crema is a big fan of Leonard Cohen, who is also featured by my fellow "contrarian" Poumista here.
2. Norman Geras on the "It doesn't matter if criticism of and attitudes to Israel are anti-Semitic, so long as they are also anti-Zionist" attitude, as expressed by various Guardianistas.
3. David T takes up the theme, describing it as "neverthelessery", and uses it to argue for a re-founding of the anti-racist movement. Extract (some hyperlinks added):
There are some who are prominent within anti-Zionism who are also opponents of anti-semitism. Andy Newman, and even George Galloway, have been fierce in their condemnation of anti-Jewish racism. Yet, when it comes to the crunch, they’re enthusiastic “neverthelessers”. You can’t cheer on Hamas - hand money over to Hamas, even - but either ignore or attempt to explain away their genocidal antisemitism, and still claim to be an anti-racist.
This, incidentally, is why a new anti-racist politics - one that will never, ever tolerate strategic racism - is more vital now, than ever.
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