[WCUSP] Forwarding Nancy Pelosi's pep talk to AIPAC

Tue Nov 14 14:52:29 CST 2006

Marlene,

You ask what can be done.  I think one of the most important things that
can be done is for Jewish Americans to stand up and be counted.  If she
gets a million postcards from American Jews that simply say, "I'm
a Jewish citizen of the U.S., and AIPAC doesn't represent me.  In fact,
I think that AIPAC is one of the greatest dangers to Israel that there
is" perhaps she will start to pay attention.  

Another possibility is to use AIPAC's tactic of taking Congresspersons
on trips to the region.  On AIPAC trips, they only see one side.  It's
about time that our members of Congress get a chance to see the other
side. Those who have done so have come back transformed.  There is
nothing like meeting real flesh-and-blood human beings to change one's
perspective.  Seeing what life is like for the people who suffer from
U.S. policy gone berserk could be eye-opening.  I would like to see a
bunch of groups get together to finance this type of Congressional
visit.  She is unlikely to go on such a trip sponsored by Arab-American
organizations, so I think that this would need to be done by some of
our great Jewish groups.

Barb Taft

--- Marlene Santoyo <marlsan at cavtel.net> wrote:

> This is an interpretation ( & probably an accurate one) The question then
> comes up, What can be done by folks such as us, Jewish or otherwise, who
> would like to present another view & not appease AIPAC.
> 
> marlena santoyo in philly
> 
> PS: One optimistic & another of a totally different nature:
> 
> Global Pact to Clean Up Unexploded Arms Takes Effect
>  http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1112-01.htm
> 
> 
> Foreign Sales by US Arms Makers Doubled in a Year
> http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1111-02.htm
> ----------
> From: Jennifer Loewenstein [mailto:amadea311 at earthlink.net]
> Sent: 2006 November 13 Monday 3:46 AM
> Subject: Nancy Pelosi's pep talk to AIPAC
> 
> 
> Same s --- , different team.
>   S.
> 
>   EXCERPT: But her most revealing statements concern nuclear proliferation,
> and they show why the Democrats (who don't get it) are no improvement over
> the Republicans (who always get it wrong). In fact, the Democrats may be
> even more dangerous, precisely because there is still the perception in the
> land, however mistaken, that the Democrats are the party of enlightened
> ideas.
> 
> 
> 
>   Pelosi Gives A Pep Talk To AIPAC
> 
> 
>   The Democratic leader in her own words
>   By Mark Gaffney
>   11-11-6
> 
>   http://www.rense.com/general74/peppy.htm
>   Rep. Nancy Pelosi's recent speech to the Israeli-American lobby (AIPAC)
> ought to be a clarion call for peace activists. Her address did not contain
> any big surprises. But it is, nonetheless, remarkable for its transparency.
> The speech (see below for the text) affords a up-close look at what Pelosi
> thinks about Israel, the Palestinians, the Mideast, and nukes.
>   It's worth a look too because Pelosi's beliefs on these matters are not a
> departure. Most of the Democratic Party leadership espouse similar ideas.
> The bipartisan voting record of Congress in recent years on Mideast issues
> proves this to be the case. Remember, this is the party that's supposed to
> represent the grassroots, i.e., we the people. So what is the Democratic
> leader of the House doing, anyway, giving a pep talk to the second largest
> lobby in Washington? Indeed, to the lobby of a foreign power? It's a
> question more Americans ought to be asking.
>   Most of the speech is the same old stuff. I draw your attention only to
> several points:
>   Pelosi denies that the key issue is Israel's occupation of the West Bank
> and Gaza --- at a stroke repudiating numerous UN Security Council
> Resolutions that the US voted for and supposedly still supports. But
> clearly, that's no longer the case, and hasn't been for many years.
>   The real issue, she states, is the survival of Israel. This is the
> familiar mantra by which anything and everything becomes possible. Only,
> there's a minor catch: The statement isn't true and hasn't been since
> probably 1949.
>   If nothing else, Pelosi is well-versed. She recites another familiar line,
> the one about how there was no partner for peace until Arafat expired, when
> light suddenly came flooding in. Pelosi makes it clear that in her view the
> Palestinian leader Abbas' real job is to serve as policeman for Israel.
> Evidently, his legitimacy largely depends on this. Looking after the best
> interests of his own people comes in a distant second.
>   But her most revealing statements concern nuclear proliferation, and they
> show why the Democrats (who don't get it) are no improvement over the
> Republicans (who always get it wrong). In fact, the Democrats may be even
> more dangerous, precisely because there is still the perception in the land,
> however mistaken, that the Democrats are the party of enlightened ideas. I
> would be willing to bet that most registered democrats are not aware of how
> extreme their elected Democratic representatives are on these key issues.
> Nor can most thus have a true sense of how dire the situation is.
>   According to Pelosi, the biggest danger to Israel today comes from Iran,
> whose nuclear ambitions, though still unproved, also threaten the US. Her
> perspective contains the seed of ominous things to come, because, after all,
> something will have to be done about Iran, right? Yes, and soon.
>   Meanwhile, Pelosi manages to overlook Israel's brutal treatment of the
> Palestinians, which undoubtedly is the greatest danger to Israel, by far,
> and comes from within. Nor does she mention Israel's massive nuclear,
> chemical and biological weapons arsenal. But her statements additionally
> contain the tacit and troublesome assumption that the only people in the
> region who matter are Israelis and Americans. Everyone else, virtually the
> entire population of numerous countries, though no less imperiled by nuclear
> weapons (arguably even more so), simply doesn't count in this calculus. In
> fact, Pelosi's remarks are implicitly racist for this reason.
>   The shocker, though, also near the end, is where Pelosi takes the US and
> Israeli nuclear monopoly in the region for granted, as if this were a good
> and necessary thing. The purpose of the NPT in her view is to shut down the
> rogue proliferators, who by definition are always those other guys, never
> us. It's the stuff of which nuclear nightmares are made. I would also bet
> that the vast majority of people who live in the Mideast take sharp issue
> with Pelosi's thinking, and probably have a bone to pick with her about
> where the actual threat lies.
>   George Washington, our founding father, who warned against entangling
> alliances, must be turning over, about now. But don't take my word for it.
> Read Pelosi's speech (which follows) and draw your own conclusions.
>   Mark Gaffney is the author of Dimona: the Third Temple?, a pioneering 1989
> book about Mordechai Vanunu and the Israeli nuke program. Mark's latest book
> is Gnostic Secrets of the Naassenes. Mark can be reached for comment at
> mhgaffney at sbcglobal.net
> 
>   Pelosi's Pledge Of Allegience Speech To AIPAC:
>   http://judicial-inc.biz/pdelosi1_aipac.htm
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