I don't think it's especially about Islam, as there hasn't been this support given to other muslim groups. It's the anti-Zionist line that has fired up the protesters. The problem is that many don't seem to recognise any legalistic distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism
I think McDonald underestimates the impact of at least 70,000 innocent people dead in Zaza and the West Bank. The killing by Israel continues unabated as I write.
In a word, 'no'. I don't underestimate the impact of this ghastly slaughter. But it doesn't excuse the atrocities of October 7. One needs to find empathy with victims on both sides.
I support the invitation accorded to Randa Abdul-Farah to discuss her new novel. She would have been interviewed, not given a free platform. She would have spoken to mostly the converted who oppose the Zionist project in Israel. The event would have passed quite peacefully, I believe. Now, by cancelling her, she has become the story.
There are many parallels between the colonisation of Australia and the colonisation of Palestine. One difference is that murdering the colonised is now against international law.
Finally, I don’t believe the colonisers are innocent, as I don’t believe we in Australia are innocent since we enjoy the benefits and privileges associated with stolen land.
I respect your opinion on these matters, but there's a world of difference between saying someone is not 'innocent', in general historical terms, and justifying the murder of individuals. Ideology is dehumanising.
Thank you for unpicking these nuances and troubled discourses, you articulated what we are all trying to identifying the path to the core of our shared humanity.
Hi John, sure and nice. But who in the arts community is listening? The hypocrisy of people - who invented deplatforming and cancellation and ‘cultural safety’ - has been evident for the better half of the last decade. Nobody in the arts community listened then? Why now?
I mean 180 writers stood up for Randa - who openly called for the deplatforming of someone else, and I’ll love to see how many artists signed that letter of her.
I would love to believe that our arts community can be redeemed. But can it be when it can recognise ‘ordinary decency’.
I think unless we reclaim a better understanding of ‘ordinary decency’, ‘neighbourliness’, ‘service’, ‘harmony’ and ‘respect’ - things that are the essence of beauty - the ‘Arts’ will be a net negative to our society.
Thank you, John, a marvellous synthesis of the events and exposure of the hypocrisy and cancel culture of the so called progressive left leaning intelligentsia. In the name of free speech, they silence any opposing views. People have had a gutful. No wonder people like Trump get elected and Pauline Hanson now gets 22 per cent of the vote.
It’s hard to believe this saga is almost a carbon copy of the Venice Biennale debacle. I feel sorry for the people who bought flights, accommodation and booked hospitality and activities and the businesses who will now miss out on their custom.
I find the freedom of speech pronouncements increasingly hypocritical and hollow. It seems everyone is entitled to freedom of speech until someone disagrees with the speech. The left and right are both guilty of this. I often quote the brilliant line from Animal Farm: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
You're right. It's a fact that we never seem to learn. One might have thought Bondi would make everyone a little more thoughtful about these confrontations, but that lasted about two weeks.
Thank you , John, for another well researched and balanced article. Re the paragraph beginning "Perhaps the most disturbing aspect..." , yes, indeed. 'Freedom of speech' in this instance seemed to me a simplistic reason to justify the massive walk-out of those involved in the festival. The description 'herd mentality' is apt and should be considered no matter who those people are and what intellect their reputations suggest. I am reminded of a friend who remarked to me , after Trump's second election, 'Well, 77 million people can't be wrong'. Really?
BTW an irony about the lefts anti colonial agenda is that my Persian brother tells me that he and many other Persians view Islam as an Arab colonial imperialist impost on their culture.
Given the history of conversion by the sword and the awful murderous behaviour of the current regime towards their own people, I can understand why they feel the way they do.
Great read. Only thing I might suggest is distinguishing between anti-Zionism and antizionism. One is a conversation about Jewish statehood, the other is bigotry.
Antisemitism is to jewish people what antizionism is to the Jewish state. Neither are engaged in ‘criticism’, but instead create their enemy using libels, before offering their own movement as a solution to an evil of their own creation.
Antizionsts are not actually engaging with really existing Israel or really existing ‘zionism’—whatever that word even means…
Antisemitism is not ‘the opposite’ of Jewry, just as antizionism is not ‘the opposite’ of the jewish state. These are just hoardes of bigots buoyed by institutionalised libels—casting themselves as the ‘resistance’ to some racially wrong and/or colonising manipulating class.
So antizionism is best not given the rights afforded to it by a hyphen. We wouldn’t want people to get the idea that it actually engages with or responds to the object of its ire..
Anti-Zionism was an academic and genuine conversation—one that involved Jews. It didn’t survive the 20th c in any meaningful sense—jews were still beng exiled by the thousands until the early 1970s from Poland—guess where most of them went..?!
Manichaeism roughly speaking is a very Dualist view that sees everything as either being intrinsically part of a demon god or part of a good god.
The Manichaen thread in Islam for example: the roughly Wahhabist line divides the world and people into intrinsically evil or intrinsically good etc as being intrinsically evil - no nuance no complexity and no Love .
So does much of the modern western Left.
Needless to say.
The above is a very simplified explanation.
There have been a number of Christian’s heresies that had (or have ) similar Manichaen traits for example the Paulicians who believed that there are two Gods, an evil God, known as the Demiurge, and a good god
Such sects have often been eschatological and in some cases actively seeking to bring on the end of this world etc.
my empress ;Anna Komene of the most eastern theme of Byzantium loved your comment
🙂🙏
I’ve had a fascination with Byzantium since I was a teenager and in recent years as Western Christian a growing interest in the Byzantine churches: the Greek and Armenian orthodox churches
My main point for the purposes of this discussion is the West generally and the left in particular has little to no knowledge of the sheer complexity and history of the world roughly bounded by Constantinople, Isfahan and Antioch .
I don't think it's especially about Islam, as there hasn't been this support given to other muslim groups. It's the anti-Zionist line that has fired up the protesters. The problem is that many don't seem to recognise any legalistic distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism
As per usual, "freedom of speech" really means "freedom of speech for me, and everyone else has to shut the fuck up". It never changes.
I'm afraid it's too often the 'freedom of speech' we find on Elon Musk's X - the freedom to say vile & hateful things with impunity.
Very well balanced John. Clearly explained, it makes a lot of sense in a troubled argument. Thanks.
I'd like to see everyone step back and try looking at this whole thing with a bit more empathy & less ideological fervour.
I think McDonald underestimates the impact of at least 70,000 innocent people dead in Zaza and the West Bank. The killing by Israel continues unabated as I write.
In a word, 'no'. I don't underestimate the impact of this ghastly slaughter. But it doesn't excuse the atrocities of October 7. One needs to find empathy with victims on both sides.
I support the invitation accorded to Randa Abdul-Farah to discuss her new novel. She would have been interviewed, not given a free platform. She would have spoken to mostly the converted who oppose the Zionist project in Israel. The event would have passed quite peacefully, I believe. Now, by cancelling her, she has become the story.
There are many parallels between the colonisation of Australia and the colonisation of Palestine. One difference is that murdering the colonised is now against international law.
Finally, I don’t believe the colonisers are innocent, as I don’t believe we in Australia are innocent since we enjoy the benefits and privileges associated with stolen land.
Brian Peat
I respect your opinion on these matters, but there's a world of difference between saying someone is not 'innocent', in general historical terms, and justifying the murder of individuals. Ideology is dehumanising.
No offence to Brian but his approach can create fences that could keep us separated for ever.
My brother
agrees that when we come to a fence that seperate us
we use one foot to push one wire down and a hand to pull the next wire up, then
bend and squeeze a bit
into a brand new field
and keep on walking together
Thank you for unpicking these nuances and troubled discourses, you articulated what we are all trying to identifying the path to the core of our shared humanity.
Dehumanisation is the worst thing, no matter who's doing it
Hi John, sure and nice. But who in the arts community is listening? The hypocrisy of people - who invented deplatforming and cancellation and ‘cultural safety’ - has been evident for the better half of the last decade. Nobody in the arts community listened then? Why now?
I mean 180 writers stood up for Randa - who openly called for the deplatforming of someone else, and I’ll love to see how many artists signed that letter of her.
I would love to believe that our arts community can be redeemed. But can it be when it can recognise ‘ordinary decency’.
I think unless we reclaim a better understanding of ‘ordinary decency’, ‘neighbourliness’, ‘service’, ‘harmony’ and ‘respect’ - things that are the essence of beauty - the ‘Arts’ will be a net negative to our society.
Read ‘can’t’ recognise ordinary decency.
'Decency' is a deceptively simple idea that seems to be incomprehensible to all these people high on their own anger
Yes, sympathy for victims on both sides ... but enough is enough. After 70,000 deaths, reason demands an answer other than retribution.
I'm with you on that completely
Thank you John, your clarity is appreciated.
By some!
John, I prefer to comment on your final sentence. Yes art has given us much to appreciate and admire. Thank you. I do not support division. Jeff
I'm afraid division is the new black nowadays. I'd like to see a little less of it myself.
Thank you, John, a marvellous synthesis of the events and exposure of the hypocrisy and cancel culture of the so called progressive left leaning intelligentsia. In the name of free speech, they silence any opposing views. People have had a gutful. No wonder people like Trump get elected and Pauline Hanson now gets 22 per cent of the vote.
The intolerant behaviour of a new breed of lefties simply provides fuel for the growing bigotry of the right. It's a vicious circle.
It’s hard to believe this saga is almost a carbon copy of the Venice Biennale debacle. I feel sorry for the people who bought flights, accommodation and booked hospitality and activities and the businesses who will now miss out on their custom.
I find the freedom of speech pronouncements increasingly hypocritical and hollow. It seems everyone is entitled to freedom of speech until someone disagrees with the speech. The left and right are both guilty of this. I often quote the brilliant line from Animal Farm: All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
You're right. It's a fact that we never seem to learn. One might have thought Bondi would make everyone a little more thoughtful about these confrontations, but that lasted about two weeks.
I think it’s had the opposite effect.
That surprised me also. It seemed as if there was jumping on the bandwagon- if so-and-so is out , I better jump too.
Thank you , John, for another well researched and balanced article. Re the paragraph beginning "Perhaps the most disturbing aspect..." , yes, indeed. 'Freedom of speech' in this instance seemed to me a simplistic reason to justify the massive walk-out of those involved in the festival. The description 'herd mentality' is apt and should be considered no matter who those people are and what intellect their reputations suggest. I am reminded of a friend who remarked to me , after Trump's second election, 'Well, 77 million people can't be wrong'. Really?
That was one of my major surprises - not a lot of independent thought on display from these supposed leaders of opinion
BTW an irony about the lefts anti colonial agenda is that my Persian brother tells me that he and many other Persians view Islam as an Arab colonial imperialist impost on their culture.
Given the history of conversion by the sword and the awful murderous behaviour of the current regime towards their own people, I can understand why they feel the way they do.
Great read. Only thing I might suggest is distinguishing between anti-Zionism and antizionism. One is a conversation about Jewish statehood, the other is bigotry.
Antisemitism is to jewish people what antizionism is to the Jewish state. Neither are engaged in ‘criticism’, but instead create their enemy using libels, before offering their own movement as a solution to an evil of their own creation.
Antizionsts are not actually engaging with really existing Israel or really existing ‘zionism’—whatever that word even means…
Antisemitism is not ‘the opposite’ of Jewry, just as antizionism is not ‘the opposite’ of the jewish state. These are just hoardes of bigots buoyed by institutionalised libels—casting themselves as the ‘resistance’ to some racially wrong and/or colonising manipulating class.
So antizionism is best not given the rights afforded to it by a hyphen. We wouldn’t want people to get the idea that it actually engages with or responds to the object of its ire..
Anti-Zionism was an academic and genuine conversation—one that involved Jews. It didn’t survive the 20th c in any meaningful sense—jews were still beng exiled by the thousands until the early 1970s from Poland—guess where most of them went..?!
Thanks, Josh. It's a distinction I've never heard before.
Until recently, neither had I!
Where did you hear of it ?
Interesting point thanks
Manichaeism roughly speaking is a very Dualist view that sees everything as either being intrinsically part of a demon god or part of a good god.
The Manichaen thread in Islam for example: the roughly Wahhabist line divides the world and people into intrinsically evil or intrinsically good etc as being intrinsically evil - no nuance no complexity and no Love .
So does much of the modern western Left.
Needless to say.
The above is a very simplified explanation.
There have been a number of Christian’s heresies that had (or have ) similar Manichaen traits for example the Paulicians who believed that there are two Gods, an evil God, known as the Demiurge, and a good god
Such sects have often been eschatological and in some cases actively seeking to bring on the end of this world etc.
You should have been a theologian, John!
my empress ;Anna Komene of the most eastern theme of Byzantium loved your comment
🙂🙏
I’ve had a fascination with Byzantium since I was a teenager and in recent years as Western Christian a growing interest in the Byzantine churches: the Greek and Armenian orthodox churches
My main point for the purposes of this discussion is the West generally and the left in particular has little to no knowledge of the sheer complexity and history of the world roughly bounded by Constantinople, Isfahan and Antioch .