Ralph Nader as David Duke? The ADL Wants You to Think So
By JOSH FRANK
On Thursday August 20th, the Washington Post reported that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has branded Ralph Nader a "bigot", which is a furtive way of saying they think the independent candidate for president is a vile anti-Semite. Nader has come under attack from the ADL and their executive director Abe Foxman for suggesting that the US should proceed in a new direction regarding the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
"The days when the chief Israeli puppeteer comes to the United States and meets with the puppet in the White House and then proceeds to Capitol Hill, where he meets with hundreds of other puppets, should be replaced. The Washington Puppet Show should be replaced." Nader said in Washington DC forum titled "The Muslim Vote -- Election 2004".
Nader's crack at Ariel Sharon for being the "chief Israeli puppeteer", and his jab at George W. Bush for being Sharon's "puppet", didn't sit well with the pro-Zionist defense organization. Nader's comments provoked a rejoinder from the league which stated, "[Nader's] image of the Jewish state as a 'puppeteer,' controlling the powerful US Congress feeds into many age-old stereotypes which have no place in legitimate public discourse."
Of course Nader wasn't speaking of Israel's control over all US policies, but simply the US's special relationship with Sharon's occupying government. But as usual, the penalty for condemning the Israeli military establishment amounts to nothing less than being labeled a filthy Jew-hater -- for which it seems Ralph Nader is not even immune.
Standing fearlessly behind his claim, Nader told Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! that, "The truth here is that there is no balanced determination. The U.S. government never connects with the deep and broad Israeli peace movement They put 120,000 people in the square in Tel Aviv recently. You would think that the U.S. government was not a puppet it would support the deep Israeli peace movement -- which has been in touch with the Palestinian peace advocates and has worked out more than one accord So, there should be a debate. The two candidates Kerry, and Bush, are both pro-Israeli military government."
Even if some progressives detest Ralph Nader's decision to run this year, pro-Palestinian advocates must admit that it is gratifying to finally hear such arguments made in the public arena -- for these criticisms have been political faux-paus for far too long. And certainly Nader is right to point out that little will change regarding the US and Israel if Kerry defeats Bush in November. As Kerry exclaimed to a Georgetown University crowd in January 2003, "Israel is our ally, the only true democracy in a troubled regionAmerica has always been committed to Israel's independence and survival. We will never waiver."
Ralph Nader isn't notorious for backing down from a fight, and hard-line Zionists are always quick to throw the first sucker punch. So you can bet this will not be the last of the anti-Semitic accusations hurled at Nader by the ADL or other pro-Israel factions. It seems their only response to allegations of the US's critical support for the brutal Israeli government, or one's compassion for the Palestinian plight, is to label such individuals as malicious Jew-hating-bigots. It just shows how insignificant the ADL's charges have become. Ralph Nader is not David Duke. Even if they want you to think so.
Posts: 10 | Registered: Feb 2004
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I dont know if I like nader or would vote for him but I do respect the fact that hes willing to run as an independent. we need more people to run and vote against the two juggernauts we call republican and democrat. As long as there the only two choices we dont really have one do we.
-------------------- To get what you want. STOP doing what isn't working. Posts: 1514 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I wouldn't mind voting for Nader, and I'd rather do it than vote for Kerry or Bush, but that's just my opinion. I don't know if I'll vote for him.
-------------------- Elz is my favorite model, but it's a close race! Sasha, Candi, and Nikki come very close! Posts: 652 | Registered: Aug 2004
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He isn't a great guy, but look at Kerry and Bush! In my opinion, he's better, especially since I'm tired of Dems vs. Reps shit.
-------------------- Elz is my favorite model, but it's a close race! Sasha, Candi, and Nikki come very close! Posts: 652 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Until we rebuild the system from the ground up no third canidate will ever win the election. We have to start with local politicians and work oour way up to the govenors then the president. even if a third party won the popular vote the Electorial college would still vote in one of the party canidates.
read this: Of the many uncertainties surrounding the Electoral College, one of the most critical is whether the electors of a state are bound to vote for the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. Occasionally electors do vote contrary to popular will, most recently in 1988. There is nothing in federal law barring such "faithless electors," as they have been called. Indeed, the Founding Fathers assumed that electors would apply their best judgment as free agents. Many states have acted to bind their electors, either by legally binding them to vote for the candidates of their party, or by requiring them to pledge that they will do so. However, there is serious doubt in the legal community that such state action is constitutionally enforceable. The Constitution requires a ballot process in the electoral college, which would seem to imply the exercise of judgement.
These people must first be replaced before a third canidate will ever win.
-------------------- To get what you want. STOP doing what isn't working. Posts: 1514 | Registered: Aug 2004
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As long as Bush or Kerry is in charge, it doesn't look like we'll have a party other than Dems and Reps for a while. I mean, it's been Dems vs. Reps since 1860, and then they were totally different from what they are now. I think it's about time a different party took power.
-------------------- Elz is my favorite model, but it's a close race! Sasha, Candi, and Nikki come very close! Posts: 652 | Registered: Aug 2004
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There aren't enough of us. Too many people just vote for Kerry because they think he's better than Bush. And too many people vote for Bush because they think he's better than Kerry. What about someone better than both of them, rather than settling for a candidate who's just "better than the other". If there were more non-partisans, it could work. But people are too stubborn.
-------------------- Elz is my favorite model, but it's a close race! Sasha, Candi, and Nikki come very close! Posts: 652 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Heres why I said Nadar blows....i dont like him because..he's had all year to form a party...MARKET himself....Talk about flipin...And has done nothing to earn support from anybody.......Now he comes along and tries to ruffle the feathers of the democratic party....Nobody this time around will take him seriously....NOBODY..what is nadar now..Green party...reform party..Beer party..See my point
-------------------- Xoxoxo Sasha
essenceofsasha.com
You wanna play with my warm hosed feet. Don't you? Posts: 2077 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I see your point, but I just prefer him to Bush or Kerry.
-------------------- Elz is my favorite model, but it's a close race! Sasha, Candi, and Nikki come very close! Posts: 652 | Registered: Aug 2004
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