Confrontation at protest of men carrying Israeli and Palestinian flags

The dominant self-conception of the Jewish story is innocence, repeated persecutions, and then redemption by creation of the Jewish nationalist State of Israel.

This narrative is critically examined in Peter Beinart's new book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning.

Beinart's book says the maudlin story we Jews tell ourselves of our virtue and heroic endurance inoculates Jews from seeing Israel's agency in creating the resistance it faces:

“We must now tell a new story to answer the horror that a Jewish country has perpetrated… We are not history’s permanent virtuous victims.”

Beinart, former editor of The New Republic, is now an editor-at-large of Jewish Currents, and a New York Times contributor.

He has been in a 20-year progression of seeing, more and more sharply, the “Jewish and democratic” state of Israel as anti-democratic and incompatible with Jewish tradition.

He writes that support for a Jewish state has become “idolatry,” permitting endless killing, torture and oppression of Palestinians:

Older white man scowling

TELL THE U.S. SENATE: The International Criminal Court is being targeted for attempting to hold Israeli leaders accountable for war crimes against Palestinians. The U.S. should not issue sanctions to the Court for pursuing justice. 

Sign the petition: Block U.S. sanctions against the ICC!

The U.S. Senate will vote TODAY, Tuesday, January 28 on sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in retaliation for the Court pursuing justice against Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel’s war crimes in Gaza.1

It’s clear that these sanctions are meant to shield Israel from all accountability related to its siege on Gaza and the murder of more than 46,000 Palestinians. The House has already passed the sanctions bill. Now, our Senators must stand against such unjust, undemocratic sanctions.

During my sixteen years in Congress, I fought consistently for peace, accountability, and the protection of our nation’s core values. I understand the gravity of the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI)—a role essential to the security of our nation, where the person in charge must evaluate and interpret military intelligence that informs decisions affecting the lives of millions. That is why I fully support Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the Trump administration.

This critical position requires a person who understands the urgency of truth and the severe consequences of sending America’s sons and daughters into battle based on false or manipulated intelligence.

The Kucinich Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The problem with political analysis is that it often lacks historical perspective and is mostly limited to recent events.

 The current analysis of the Israeli war on Gaza falls victim to this narrow thinking. The ceasefire agreement, signed between Palestinian groups and Israel under Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediation in Doha on January 15, is one example.

 Some analysts, including many from the region, insist on framing the outcome of the war as a direct result of Israel's political dynamics. They argue that Israel's political crisis is the main reason the country failed to achieve its declared and undeclared war objectives—namely, gaining total "security control" over Gaza and ethnically cleansing its population.

 However, this analysis assumes that the decision to go to war or not is entirely in Israel's hands. It continues to elevate Israel's role as the only entity capable of shaping political outcomes in the region, even when those outcomes do not favor Israel.

People marching with sign Stop State Killing

The State of Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1847, and constitutionally prohibited it in 1963. Human rights norms prohibit the transfer of prisoners to other jurisdictions where they may suffer punishment that is disallowed in the originating jurisdiction. And yet, Michigan sent Demetrius Frazier to Alabama to be suffocated to death.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has a chance to uphold Michigan values and halt the next Alabama execution. Learn more and take action!

The eminent Roman historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus in a biography of his illustrious father-in-law Gnaeus Julius Agrippa famously wrote “Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium, atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.” Which translates in the Loeb Classical Library edition as “To plunder, butcher, steal, these things they misname empire: they make a desolation and they call it peace.” Lord Byron, in his poem the Bride of Abydos, rendered the Tacitus Latin as “Mark where his carnage and his conquests cease! He makes a solitude, and calls it — peace.” Per Tacitus’ no doubt second hand account , the words were originally spoken by the Caledonian chieftain Calgacus who was addressing his assembled warriors concerning Rome’s insatiable appetite for conquest and plunder. The chieftain’s sentiment can be contrasted to pax in terra “peace on earth” which was sometimes inscribed on Roman medals (phalera) awarded to soldiers returning from the imperial wars.

Movie poster

A 6-week series of African Americans in cinema. Beginning Friday January 24, 2025
St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 639 E. Long St. Columbus, 43215

The films will be screened at The Annex directly across the street from the church

FREE ADMISSION – FREE PARKING
Show time 6pm Doors open at 5:30

Each week will be a double feature. Two films starring, written by, produced by, and or directed by African Americans. Before the screening there will be a brief intro and vintage cartoons. Hot dogs, popcorn, pop and hot chocolate will be available for purchase.

All are welcome! However, in general these films are not for children under 14

1/24 - “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), “Black Klansman” (1966)

1/31 – “The Birth of a Nation” (2016), “Harriet” (2019)

2/7 – “The Emperor Jones” (1933), “Voodoo Macbeth” (2021)

2/14 – “BlackkKlansman” (2018), “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021)

2/21 – “The Butler” (2013), “Green Book” (2018)

2/28 – “Black Panther” (2018), “Wakanda Forever’ (2022)

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