The Gandhi Art of Non-Apology
Arun Gandhi, the fifth grandson of Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi, and the zillionth anti-Semite to come out of the Jew-hating closet, has followed up what he calls his “poorly worded post” …. with a poorly worded apology.
At least he’s consistent.
My Apology for My Poorly Worded Post
I am writing to correct some regrettable mis-impressions I have given in my comments on my blog this week. While I stand behind my criticisms of the use of violence by recent Israeli governments — and I have criticized the governments of the U.S., India and China in much the same way — I want to correct statements that I made with insufficient care, and that have inflicted unnecessary hurt and caused anger.
I do not believe and should not have implied that the policies of the Israeli government are reflective of the views of all Jewish people. Indeed, many are as concerned as I am by the use of violence for state purposes, by Israel and many other governments.
Here’s where he really starts digging a bigger hole for himself..
I do believe that when a people hold on to historic grievances too firmly it can lead to bitterness and the loss of support from those who would be friends. But as I have noted in previous writings, the suffering of the Jewish people, particularly in the Holocaust, was historic in its proportions. While we must strive for a future of peace that rejects violence, it is also important not to forget the past, lest we fail to learn from it. Having learned from it, we can then find the path to peace and rejection of violence through forgiveness.
Needless to say, the ADL are about as impressed as I am.
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About the Author: An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.
Everyone knows that NOT A SINGLE GROUP OF PEOPLE beside the Jews… er… the Israelis have “historic grievances” that they bring up ALL THE TIME, no matter how seemingly unrelated they are the topic at hand. Or no matter how detrimental they are to achieving peace. I mean, WHO ELSE is there?
Try discussing ANYTHING with a Jew and within 60 seconds out comes the Holocaust. Trade negotiations? Treat us differently because of the Holocaust. Sovereignty? Treat us differently because of the holocaust. Foreign aid? Subsidize our refusal to create our own wealth because of the Holocaust. Breakfast? Make me breakfast in bed because of the Holocaust.
Not only are the Jews the only ones who engage is such behavior on a regular basis, they take it to a level beyond all logic, reason, and rationality. Well, at least as far as I know.
But then again, I’ve never heard of the term “Palestinian Arab.”
“— and I have criticized the governments of the U.S., India and China in much the same way —”
That may well be. But are those criticisms justified and does he ever criticise Arab governments and specifically the “Palestinians” for trying to throw the Jews into the sea or invading Israel every now and then?
In other words, is violence also wrong if committed against Jews?
Erik,
Consider that the only dropping I will allow you to leave on my blog. I have a strictly NO ANTI-SEMITES/MORONS ALLOWED policy, I hope you understand.
P.S I’ve thought of a great nickname for you..it starts with F and ends with K. And goes great with your last name.
“But then again, I’ve never heard of the term “Palestinian Arab.””
That’s weird.
Gandhi: “I do believe that when a people hold on to historic grievances too firmly it can lead to bitterness and the loss of support from those who would be friends.” Israelis could take more than a few lessons from the Palestinians in how to wallow in a sense of victimhood and bitterness. Funny, though, how the Pals don’t actually suffer any loss of support from the likes of Gandhi. “Hold(ing) on to historic grievances,” then, isn’t really a variable that explains his disdain for Jews. Wonder what that variable might be.
(FWIW: I think Eric/Erik’s post was meant to be sarcastic. Either that or it was, as Andrew B. suggests, simply weird.)
I argued that there was no connection between his “apology” and his first post. Gandhi was very clear that he associated the Israeli government with the backwardness with Judaism. His apology was that he was sorry that he didn’t mean that all Jews supported Israel.
That’s a great reply from the ADL. Succinct, and hits all the right points.
Um, Erik, how many Jews do you know? Not worth the time to argue with this garbage. Nice trick there writing “everyone knows” in front of your opinion.
By the way, everyone knows that the Cowboys are going to win the Super Bowl this year! Everyone knows it! It must be true!
I thought Erik was being sarcastic. Like my mad libs post, substitute jews for another word/group.
The opt-ed wasn’t poorly worded, it proves string theory. The existence of parallel universes.
Did he really headline, “My Apology for My Poorly Worded Post?” Wowzers.
That sort of opener aways makes my missus nervous, as when I say, “well, I’m sorry that YOU heard it that way.” It’s a way for me to dodge responsibility for hurt feelings, et cetera.
Wish he’d a just said something like, “boy; THAT was idiotic!” No such luck?
Did he take back the part about the Jooos being the chief vendors of “victim” card(s)? No? Will he be telling the Rwandans to “get over it” in a few years? No? How about the Sudanese — oh! wait!
How about — he tell the Muslim/Arabs who have allowed the Palestinian people to fester in poverty lo these many years to “get over it” and move on? Any one want to take a bet that he’ll ever get around to that?
(for the record, I’m about as “goy” as they come)
What a yoksh, a momser, a nebach even.
Wow man, I’m not sure you even read my whole post. I thought it was plainly obvious that I was being sarcastic and completely over-the-top but I guess not. At least Jeff got it, and Wry Mouth echoed my sentiments in a different manner.
The point was that ANOTHER group of people exists with a so called “historic grievance” that not only in some abstract way causes people to shy away from friendship as Ghandi Jr Jr was suggesting about Israel, but that THIS OTHER group’s “grievance” is a direct roadblock to peace and and therefore responsible for the continuing loss of Israeli lives and THIS GROUP’s own bad fortune.
This OTHER group of people is, of course, the Palestinian Arabs and their “grievance” is their so called right of return.
I mean, would an anti-Semite really believe that the Jews/Israel aren’t able to create their own wealth? I thought the exact opposite was an age-old anti-Semitic criticism.
If you still think my post is anti-semetic, keep me blocked, but at least take down my email address. Do you think if I was really a troll I’d have given you my real address? Give me a break here. I get enough spam as it is.
If you want me to prove my bona fides look no further than my comments at Snapped Shot (which has very similar themes compared to this blog) in particular:
http://www.snappedshot.com/archives/1452-Its-All-About-the-Context.html
And also, my submissions to IMAO.us under the “lolterist” category (note the SARCASM):
http://www.imao.us/archives/cat_lolterizt.html
Though I’m sure you get more than your fair share of Jew haters here, I’m still disappointed you jumped to such extreme measures so quickly, directly violating your policy of not publishing email addresses.
If this doesn’t go through I’ll try emailing you, though I can’t seem to find your address.
Erik,
It was not obvious to me at all, perhaps because I get real numbskulls posting similar things in all seriousness. But I accept your explanation and have taken down your email address.
The problem with sarcasm when talking about Israel or jews. The things that neo-nazi’s and anti-semites say are so completely over the top and out there, and they come in such great numbers, that when someone makes fun of them, or parodies them, it’s almost impossible to tell the two apart.(which shows how absurd neo-nazi views are if you can’t tell them from sarcastic jokes).
I have had this problem on a newspaper forum I used to read. In the Israel section there were more “canadians”, Lebanese and Arabians than anyone else. Only way to tell sarcasm was by looking at their listed IP location!
It’s amazing their views are taken seriously by anyone. Absurd.
FWIW, I saw exactly what Erik said before, posted seriously on said forum I don’t goto. I still get a laugh out of it.
Posted by someone else, not by him. Don’t want any misunderstandings.
“Mahatma”? You’re questioning the sanctity of Gandhi? If you want to go after politicians, fine. But leave the Saints alone. It is only my love for Bapu that kept me from saying some bad things, and I’m a Catholic.