Jonathan Brun

Debates as they were

Intellectual debates (at least in North America), no longer resemble anything like this. Sound-bite interviews on the major networks make more time for the host than the guest.

The closest thing I see to the attached video are the debates on www.edge.org or posts with comments on 3 quarks daily. TED talks and Slate’s www.meaningoflife.tv offer interesting points of view, but are not interactive debates.

Anyways, I picked up Foucault’s ‘Histoire de la folie à l’âge classique” at a local bookstore. Despite my initial enthusiasm, French philosophy always seems magical on the bookshelf, daunting on the night-table and eventually heavy in the hands. I also think that Foucault is wrong regarding the basis of the judicial system and Chomsky is right (see clip Part II – linked on Youtube).

The brief mention of rising multi-nationals is noteworthy. Here’s to the dreamers:

Part II:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXBfOxfmSDw]

Herzog @ the UN

Came across an interested exchange regarding the non-contreversial israel-palestine debate. Thought this might substantiate my Birthright writings.

Here is extracts from Herzog’s plea to the United Nations in 1975:

Complete Exchange Here

“Mr. President,

It is symbolic that this debate, which may well prove to be a turning point in the fortunes of the United Nations and a decisive factor in the possible continued existence of this organization, should take place on November 10. Tonight, thirty-seven years ago, has gone down in history as Kristallnacht, the Night of the Crystals. This was the night in 1938 when Hitler’s Nazi storm-troopers launched a coordinated attack on the Jewish community in Germany, burned the synagogues in all its cities and made bonfires in the streets of the Holy Books and the Scrolls of the Holy Law and Bible.
….
It is sobering to consider to what level this body has been dragged down if we are obliged today to contemplate an attack on Zionism. For this attack constitutes not only an anti-Israeli attack of the foulest type, but also an assault in the United Nations on Judaism — one of the oldest established religions in the world, a religion which has given the world the human values of the Bible, and from which two other great religions, Christianity and Islam, sprang. Is it not tragic to consider that we here at this meeting in the year 1975 are contemplating what is a scurrilous attack on a great and established religion which has given to the world the Bible with its Ten Commandments, the great prophets of old, Moses, Isaiah, Amos; the great thinkers of history, Maimonides, Spinoza, Marx, Einstein, many of the masters of the arts and as high a percentage of the Nobel Prize-winners in the world, in the sciences, in the arts and in the humanities as has been achieved by any people on earth? . . .

….
I come here to denounce the two great evils which menace society in general and a society of nations in particular. These two evils are hatred and ignorance.
….
The key to understanding Zionism is in its name. The easternmost of the two hills of ancient Jerusalem during the tenth century B.C.E. was called Zion. In fact, the name Zion, referring to Jerusalem, appears 152 times in the Old Testament. The name is overwhelmingly a poetic and prophetic designation. The religious and emotional qualities of the name arise from the importance of Jerusalem as the Royal City and the City of the Temple. “Mount Zion” is the place where God dwells. Jerusalem, or Zion, is a place where the Lord is King, and where He has installed His king, David….

Zionism is our attempt to build a society, imperfect though it may be, in which the visions of the prophets of Israel will be realized. I know that we have problems. I know that many disagree with our government’s policies. Many in Israel too disagree from time to time with the government’s policies … and are free to do so because Zionism has created the first and only real democratic state in a part of the world that never really knew democracy and freedom of speech.

And on….Came across an interested exchange regarding the non-contreversial israel-palestine debate. Thought this might substantiate my Birthright writings.

Here is extracts from Herzog’s plea to the United Nations in 1975:Complete Exchange Here

“Mr. President,

It is symbolic that this debate, which may well prove to be a turning point in the fortunes of the United Nations and a decisive factor in the possible continued existence of this organization, should take place on November 10. Tonight, thirty-seven years ago, has gone down in history as Kristallnacht, the Night of the Crystals. This was the night in 1938 when Hitler’s Nazi storm-troopers launched a coordinated attack on the Jewish community in Germany, burned the synagogues in all its cities and made bonfires in the streets of the Holy Books and the Scrolls of the Holy Law and Bible.
….
It is sobering to consider to what level this body has been dragged down if we are obliged today to contemplate an attack on Zionism. For this attack constitutes not only an anti-Israeli attack of the foulest type, but also an assault in the United Nations on Judaism — one of the oldest established religions in the world, a religion which has given the world the human values of the Bible, and from which two other great religions, Christianity and Islam, sprang. Is it not tragic to consider that we here at this meeting in the year 1975 are contemplating what is a scurrilous attack on a great and established religion which has given to the world the Bible with its Ten Commandments, the great prophets of old, Moses, Isaiah, Amos; the great thinkers of history, Maimonides, Spinoza, Marx, Einstein, many of the masters of the arts and as high a percentage of the Nobel Prize-winners in the world, in the sciences, in the arts and in the humanities as has been achieved by any people on earth? . . .

….
I come here to denounce the two great evils which menace society in general and a society of nations in particular. These two evils are hatred and ignorance.
….
The key to understanding Zionism is in its name. The easternmost of the two hills of ancient Jerusalem during the tenth century B.C.E. was called Zion. In fact, the name Zion, referring to Jerusalem, appears 152 times in the Old Testament. The name is overwhelmingly a poetic and prophetic designation. The religious and emotional qualities of the name arise from the importance of Jerusalem as the Royal City and the City of the Temple. “Mount Zion” is the place where God dwells. Jerusalem, or Zion, is a place where the Lord is King, and where He has installed His king, David….

Zionism is our attempt to build a society, imperfect though it may be, in which the visions of the prophets of Israel will be realized. I know that we have problems. I know that many disagree with our government’s policies. Many in Israel too disagree from time to time with the government’s policies … and are free to do so because Zionism has created the first and only real democratic state in a part of the world that never really knew democracy and freedom of speech.

And on….

Birthright and the Middle East – Part I

Been working on this ridiculous essay on my trip to the middle east for over 4 months. Well, not working that hard. Anyways, here it is in installments. Part I:

——————————————————————

“The difference between involvement and commitment is like a ham and egg breakfast – the chicken was involved, the pig was committed” – Unknown

Israel Historically

Religion is carved into the human psyche. From the ancient tribes of Africa, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific to the vast empires of Rome, Egypt, Persia and Babylon we see the commonality of religion. The only aspect which varies is the complexity of the belief structure.

Most traditional and eastern religions share a common trait: the concept that the gods are all powerful and humans are spectators to history. In which lies a fundamental belief that we are powerless to change anything.

The monotheistic Abrahamic religions; Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, maintain that humans can change their destiny and the destiny of others. This optimistic perception propelled monotheistic religions around the globe. Having only one god concentrates attention – and power – in one church, driving expansion and wealth creation.

The Ten Commandments, which were in fact distilled out of much more vague guidelines, set clear basic rules for a functional civilization. You shall not murder, though shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, house, slave, ox, … and you shall not bear false witness form the pillars of civil societies.

The dramatic shift from luck and happenstance to power and self-determination marked the turning point towards sustainable civilizations. The hope instilled through belief empowered the people to improve their families, businesses and societies. Israel is the birthplace of Hope. And hope is the mother of commitment.

Birthright

Birthright, a non-profit organization, provides free organized tours of Israel for young Jews. In the late 90s, Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt decided the greatest benefit their wealth could have for the Jewish community was to inspire the future generation of Jews.

In contrast to new community centres, better schools or promoting Judaism, Birthright creates an emotional bond that exponentially increases Jewish community involvement. Though not Zionist by name, its purpose is to commit the Jewish Diaspora to the land of Israel.

Zionism remains a charged term. As defined by Wikipedia, “Zionism is a political movement among Jews, although supported by some non-Jews and not supported by some Jews, which maintains that the Jewish people constitute a nation and are entitled to a national homeland.”

In my mind, there is nothing particularly controversial in that statement and because I believe in a Jewish homeland, I consider myself a Zionist. Quebec is a nation, so a Jewish Nation does not seem to mandate a Jewish state. Though many will argue that you cannot have one without the other.

As a liberal citizen, I initially hesitated to fully give into the birthright experience. My reluctance was reinforced at the orientation meeting when a representative spoke about the trip and how great it was going to be. After he explained that it was not a Zionist trip or a brainwashing experiment, he introduced the guest speaker, Mr. Gil Troy.

Gil Troy is an American history professor at McGill University, a fervent Zionist and publicly past supporter of George W. Bush. His presentation promoted “greater” Israel. That is, a biblical interpretation of the boundaries of Israel and therefore much larger that today’s or 1948 Israel. He explained how amazing Israel was, its people the best, history the greatest and technology the most advanced.

His right wing views and neo-conservative overtones led me to believe that Birthright may indeed be a plot to convert the liberal Jewish Diaspora to Support the Troops-bumper-sticker-wielding-SUV-driving-Zionists.

Two weeks later, I arrived at the Toronto Pearson Airport with my reliable backpack, an open mind and a commitment to new experience.

Agreements with Natives in Canada and Australia

Natives.

The way we (Canada) treat (some of our) natives:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070813.wnunavik13/BNStory/National/

And the Australians:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/22/news/outback.php

The Australians seem set on ‘telling’ the aborigines what is good and bad. Their hard handed approach smacks of colonialism and the white man’s burden to transfer our glorious way of life to the locals.

Canada, has made significant steps to transferring genuine authority to the natives in the hopes that they will slowly develop the skill set which is required for a civil society and self-governance. We have also started giving ‘one-time’ transfers of cash and ruling out future transfers; thus, forcing the natives to become self-reliant. This is the most logical and low-cost method of dealing with the natives in Canada.

Perhaps helping their communities enter the 21st century will absolve some of the crimes we committed.

Humility and Global Warming

Excellent article here on the potential pitfalls of the current global warming modeling. I am not arguing that global warming is not occurring or that we cannot prevent it, we must simply remember that we still do not know all the variables in the equation.

Canadian scientist David Suzuki was recently being interviewed on the radio when a global warming skeptic called in. He became furious at the mere thought that global warming was not tied to industrial activity. Refusing to engage in a possibly futile, but useful, debate, he stated that the debate was over and walked off the show.

This seems very unhealthy and not likely to win friends. The truth is, as E.O. Wilson has explained, we are so ignorant of our natural world that we do not even know what we do not know.

A little humility and scientific discussion can go a long way.