Wednesday, October 28, 2015

BDS is Not Bellatrix, Dumbledore or Snape. Maybe It’s Hermione

















pabelmont said...

I haven't read the Potter books for a while, so I don't really see * * *.

But as to JKR or anyone else's "take" on the avenues available to Palestinians in their search for freedom, dignity, human rights, nationhood, etc., I see three very distinct possibilities: [1] do nothing (called negotiating with Israel; also called making nice with nice Israelis, JKR's apparent preferred view) which hasn't worked in 48 years (or 67 years); [2] resort to violence (as Hamas and various terrorist (not "other terrorist" IMO) factions have done, without notable success (the PLO's former violence may possibly have bought OSLO, which was not an advance for Palestinians, though it was sold as one; or [3] a mid-ground: social pressure aimed at economic pressure, which is, close enough, the plan of BDS -- including its academic and cultural boycotts.

If one supports the goals of BDS, what mechanism for achieving them can be better than the mechanisms of BDS? JKR -- are you listening? Achieving the goals of BDS is not usually seen as "good for Israel" but, rather, as "good for Palestinians". So one would expect that any mechanism for achieving those goals would hurt Israel, hurt Israelis.

Roberto Rodriguez said...

Yes, it's better to leave Potter out of this. For your argument and for the fact that there are people, like me, that have not read the books either watch the movies, and don't understand the references.
But what you say about BDS, I agree with.

lazgoo said...

BDS is a meaningless, empty gesture - not to mention hypocritical in its condemnation of Israel while ignoring the complicity of the surrounding Arab countries. I agree with JKR that engagement on as many levels as possible is a superior paradigm.