by Aner Ravon
“Patriotism is the last resort of a villain”, Samuel Johnson
I never thought I’d tackle this subject in Degardener and still have some doubts about infusing politics into what is supposed to be a blog of totally different mindset. These days, however, I simply can’t avoid it.
I grew up on the left side of the political spectrum. As a teenager I used to play John Lennon on my guitar and wear a big peace sign earring. I grew my hair and considered myself a flower child, even though I clearly wasn’t. I voted for the first time in 1992 and for the first 10 years could consider nothing but left side choices. Like many people, I started drifting towards the middle as I reached my 30th birthday. But what happened since was nothing I could expect.
I always thought it was all about freedom and economics. Immanuel Kant suggested that the free to choose (hence: democracies) do not go to war. Growing up in Israel I always believed that once we level the plain field, meaning once we withdraw from Palestinian territories and reach a democratic, Palestinian state the conflict would be over. After all, who wants to jeopardize comfort and freedom? Who can argue against occupation leading to war?
The war in Lebanon, as well as the recent turn of events in Gaza is just another evidence that I had it totally wrong. This war is not between Israel and Lebanon and it is not between Israel and the Hezbollah. This war is about religion and fundamentalism and not about territories, self proclaiming or equal opportunities. It is not even about occupation. Occupation is wrong, but in many ways is the inevitable result. Yes, Shiite Lebanese are victims as are Palestinians, however not of external colonialism but of Darwinism. In very simple terms they are simply jealous and sick of lagging so far behind. It’s impossible to compete with western civilization without democracy, westernized education, cultural assimilation and acceptance of individualism. Is there decadence involved? sure. But let’s all take a look at Nassralla (smart, educated and charismatic) and see ourselves what the alternative is.
While Hammas and Hezbollah robbed me of my innocence I do have to thank them. I remember now what the hassle of keeping Israel safe at all cost is about. No, I don’t believe peace will be reached in our days, not anymore. I don’t believe the fundamental Muslims are interested in reaching independence or Peace to begin with. Yes, I am not as sensitive to the pain of the other side as I used to be because the “other side” has to make a different choice first. World War III has already started (even if the French are still in denial). Israel is not just the Jewish state, it is the middle-eastern front of western civilization. Of Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Of Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood. I know we do lots of wrongs, but at least I am reassured that we are on the right side.
And of that, I am a patriot.
Aner Ravon
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I am as critical as you are of westernized hypocrisy. I also am critical of modern economic colonialism - of the way it corrupts local civilization on one hand (McDonald’s) and of the way it ignores civil rights when money is involved.
I differ then you on my view on who’s responsible. At the end of the day, people have to make their own choices. China opted for a gradual shift towards capitalism and it created the fastest growing giant in the world. India always invested in top level education and once the economic and technical enabled it has started blossoming.
My problem with Islamism is not with it being a “parallel black hole”. I remember too how influential Islam was in the formation of modern culture and science. I remember too how the west was the darkest of all not so long ago. So I don’t think this situation is eternal but I do think it takes many generations.
However, blaming British, French and American businessmen for having martinis in Beirut is over simplistic. Yes, they should insist on pushing the Syrians and Iranians out but the bad guys are still Syria and Iran who push themselves in. Unfortunately nobody but the Lebanese can fight their own war. Germany and Japan are interesting case studies, but we must remember they were totally grinded in war first. The only possible candidate I can think of is Iran. Perhaps Iran will have to undergo a colossal war and then it’s own version of Marshal plan. With modern weaponry I certainly hope there is another way out.
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Within this whole “Clash of Civilizations” zeitgeist many people who should know better tend to accept this basic narrative of two parallel lines with no chance of ever meeting. This can only be done by forgetting or denying the fact that merely 60 years ago, almost nothing on the historical time scales we are looking at, it weren’t the muslims that were responsible for the darkest hour of humanity.
08.13.06 @ 10:47 amIt might be that the muslim world would have to go through a holocaust (to which will be the victims again) in order to banish its demons, but we can still hope that won’t be the case. Something right was done in the reconstruction of Japan and Germany, and I can’t help but wonder how comes nobody is seriously trying to implement that lesson in the middle east.
I’m not blaming Israel, but I am blaming the Europeans who rushed to spend vacations in the newly reborn Beirut and ignored the presence of Syrian forces and the steady growth of the Hizbollah in southern Lebanon.
In a similar manner, I’m blaming IBM for selling their PCs manufacturing to the Chinese Lenovo, or a million other western companies not giving a damn about chinese civil right as long as China opens its markets.
I do see those two as part of the same picture in which western democracies fail to behave responsibly, preferring to believe that if they can drink their martinis in a fancy bar in Beirut or make a deal with a Chinese businessman in an Armani suit everything is fine. Or at the other end, to just sigh and claim that there’s this unbridgable gap between western and muslim mentalities that we can only hoard weapons and wait for the inevitable. It is up to the western democracies to start behaving responsibly.
I am as skeptic as you are about the chances of reaching peace in our days, but then, would you believe if you were a British soldier back in 1945 that you’d live to see England beating Germany in the World Cup finals merely 21 years later?