When did you and/or Rabbi Sol last spend time in the home of a Palestinian family in the West Bank, Gaza, or East Jerusalem, Martin? You and Rabbi Sol, and others here in the Mudcat profess to know what is in the minds of Palestinians, but you refuse to actually listen to what they have to say. You and Rabbi Sol may know a lot about what goes on amongst Israeli Jews, but I'll bet I know more about what life is like for Israeli Arabs than you do. And I know that I know more about what life is like for Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem than either you or Rabbi Sol.

Suburban Illinois is far away from the living hell the Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem are being subjected to by the Israeli government. Go spend some time as a guest in the homes of some Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and/or East Jerusalem and then come back and tell me what to do.

On the subject of the south. I've only lived here in Alabama since late November of 2003. Before that, I lived for about six months in the Detroit, Michigan area (lots of Jews there), and before that, about nine months in the city of Columbus, Georgia. Columbus has a very healthy and thriving Jewish community. Before I moved to Columbus (that would be slightly less than two years ago, I lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Shepherdstown is considered a part of the Greater Washington DC area. The greater Washington DC area has an incredibly healthy and thriving Jewish community, and it extends as far out as Shepherdstown. I was living in Shepherdstown during the Peace Summit between Israel and Syria that was held there. I performed music for Israeli diplomats during that summit.

Anyway, considering my family background in human rights and civil rights, I think it's not too surprising that I would tend to put my faith in Jewish human rights organizations much sooner than I would in the Israeli government (or any government for that matter) or anyone who is promoting the agenda of the Israeli government. After all, as Rabbi Sol himself has pointed out, George Wallace was once a pivotal figure in the US government. And I share the Rabbi's opinion that the US is well rid of him.