Protesting the NAACP
Three members of Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends responded to a request from our friend Ed Pinkney to help him protest the NAACP dinner and fund raiser held at Detroit’s Cobo Hall on Sunday, April 28. As Ed explains, the NAACP “has failed for decades to represent the interests of African-Americans and is out of touch with the community … The only word that can define the gross negligence of the NAACP is betrayal. The organization has abandoned our community’s morality, and our economic and educational needs – for corporate money.”
Strange Bedfellows
A local group representing the National Pro-Life Congress, led by Director Levon R. Yuille was also present at this protest and far outnumbered those of us there to protest the corporate sellout of the NAACP. Apparently the NAACP has been working with Planned Parenthood, and the protesters were claiming higher abortion rates within the black community, carrying signs saying the NAACP was supporting “black genocide”. See newspaper article about Sunday’s protest here.
Tolerance Lacking from Pro-Life Supporters
This writer – decked out in his “End ‘Israel'” hat – was questioned by more than one pro-life protester outside Cobo Hall. Where, one protester wanted to know, did I find my hat’s message “in Scripture”? He was informed that I did not recognize Scripture as a valid historical reference, and what kind of God would support and condone the killing of Palestinian babies, anyway? Another protester informed me that God gave Israel “to the Jews”, but didn’t produce a cogent response to my statement that Ashkenazi Jews – recipients of this apparent land offer – never came from Palestine.
But just when the argument was getting good, both Reverends Yuille and Pinkney asked that the conversation end, and this writer – recognizing the bond between myself and Ed Pinkney – ceased discussion. The other fellow, though, saw this silence as an opportunity to lecture me on “the Arabs”, and prattled mindlessly on. The price we protesters pay …
Plans Warming for Gilad Atzmon
Protester L has taken it upon herself to plan for the arrival of musician/philosopher Gilad Atzmon in southeast Michigan May 23-25. Sharp readers of last week’s report identified the typological error when we reported that Gilad would stand vigil with JWPF on “April 25”. Sorry about that, we should have reported “May 25” as the date you should circle and join Gilad with us at Beth Israel Congregation (2000 Washtenaw Ave.) at 9:30 am. We will report details of his concerts and discussions as they become available.
Quote of the Week
“If a Zionist is a Jew, it is anti-Semitic to mention his Jewishness; if an anti-Zionist is a Jew, it is mandatory to point that out.”
– Gill Kaffish, UK
Comments?
Eight vigilers
Americans Need to Know What Israel is Doing
Henry Herskovitz
Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends
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