Greta Berlin and Friends Berkeley hate fest part 2

Guest post by Emunah

“Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right’

An hour and a half of just listening to accusations of organ theft, of not being “real Semites”, of rich and powerful Jews controlling information and government was personally exhausting.  This  glimpse into the dark soul of anti-Israel activism revealed, as suspected, a core of  festering anti-Semitism.

It wasn't a surprise.  It wasn't just Greta Berlin’s now infamous tweet, or the cover-up that changed day to day. It wasn’t her step daughter Ava’s admission about the depth of Greta’s hatred .  For me, years of observing the seething anti-Semitism on the streets- and the silence of those who stood by exposed the “peace” movement for what it really was.

Illumination came to the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists in the unexpected form of a young Occupy activist, “Beth”.  Beth had been invited to the Fellowship by Janet Kobren, a flotilla participant, currently active in Occupy. Beth was invited with the expectation that she  “might learn something”.

Beth  spoke during the Question and Answer  period.

 “Hi. I appreciate all the work that is being done on behest  of the Palestinians. But I came here on the behest of Janet. She thought that I might learn things that I didn't know. I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know.  And I support the Palestinians. I support BDS. I support the flotilla. But recently there was an incident where someone in this room wrote on our non-violent list serve, that all Jews are immoral and that all Jews are secret Zionists... “

( At this point, Joseph Anderson, an audience member began screaming   "Not true, not true” )

She continued

 “... there is a danger of the mainstream  media goes totally to the right and defends Israel to no end, and won't point out any of the issues, but there is a problem on the left of going so far that anyone one who is even - when you talk about a 1 state solution, I have not heard of the particulars of how two groups, who are in this conflict and hate each other for 60 years are going to live side by side. And I've heard also there are many states that have divided into ethnic countries. Now I'm accused of being a Zionist, of being a Zionist, for saying that I believe a 2 state solution, is a better solution. So, what I'm saying is if you want the Jews to support the Palestinians,  you can't deny the history of the anti-Semitism, that started when Jesus was labeled as killed by the Jews. “

Joseph’s response ?  A variation on the theme of “all my best friends are Jews” , He then accused the young woman of being a plant and an agent provocateur .

Full disclosure:  Joseph Anderson (posting as JA on the various Indymedia sites) was alleged to have written a rant, justifying the collective punishment of the Jewish people worldwide:

“Personally, I *EXULT* everytime I see an Israeli Jew bite the dust. And the same goes for their American cousins! EVERY SINGLE JEW EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD is a just and appropriate target for anti-colonialist liberation! We need to start targeting *EVERY* synagogue, *EVERY* Jew community center, school and everywhere else that you racist devils preach and propogate your agenda.
BOUT  TO MEET YO MAKER, JEWBOY? HA, HA HA!!!!!!!!!!”

There are people on all sides of the political spectrum that question his mental stability

He began:

 “.. First of all, I come from a people that also suffered for centuries at the hands of Christians and often Jews. And no amount of suffering entitles anyone to go take, dispossess or be given  the land of another people.... Second of all, let me say I've had anti-Zionist, Jewish roommates and friends for at least 20 years. My first roommate was an anti-Zionist Jew. I've been friends with a majority of Jews in this room, for quite some time. So, for you to say, that I called all Jews immoral, is patently ridiculous. So, for my question, you know Malcom X said about the false accusation of anti-Semitism is that' that stick don't hurt me' and that's how I've conducted myself. And ironically I've been very rarely called an anti-Semite because, if Zionists tried to do something, I don't care. The other thing we have to realize with regard to the enforcement arm of the Lobby, if I were in charge of that, I would send people out on the left, to work on the left.”

 Beth attempted to have her voice  heard. Again.  She was under the impression that this was meant to be a discussion of anti-Semitism and Zionism

“This is supposed to be on anti-Semitism and Zionism… you are not allowing… to speak…You've had 3 speakers for an hour on 1 perspective and the one person who has a different… you wouldn't let speak for more than a minute.”

Alison dismissed her . “This happens frequently. There will be one person that thinks that they are entitled. That they are more important than everybody else in the whole room.”

Soon the audience joined in the attacks- threatening to call the police on her.

One patronizingly demanded, “Will you be quiet miss?”

“No. I will not,” she answered.  “Because this has been stacked with the Palestinian perspective.”

Greta Berlin, Alison Weir and Jeff Blankfort at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian  Universalists Oct 18, 2012.  Where Beth, a sensitive and involved Occupy activist learns that “groupthink” is alive and well on the fringe left, and that for them, "justice" means  "Just us".