Yes or No?

[porphyrian]

Is the current Middle Eastern conflict going to continue to be a wedge issue dividing Democrats for this year's elections? Yes or no?

[porphyrian]

1. Heh, don't hold back, now. - n/t

[On the Road]

2. I See We Have a Nice Wedge Forming Already

:smoke:

[porphyrian]

7. At least, there are a number of people who want to tell me...

...I suck. Heh.

[sui generis]

3. yikes; I thought it was a lounge thread

nevermind

:blush:

:rofl:

[porphyrian]

4. Gotcha! - n/t

[meganmonkey]

5. A "wedge issue" is a meaningless political game

This shit is REAL. Children are getting blown up RIGHT NOW and to look at this from the perspective of what it is doing to a complicit US political party and its supporters in light of upcoming elections is...well... pretty sick, IMO.

But what can be expected from a nation whose entire political system is a broken joke-ass deMOCKracy?

:banghead:

While there were 2 places I could have voted, I chose "You Suck". For the record.

[porphyrian]

6. What good's complaining if we aren't represented in govt.?

I'm not without outrage myself, and I certainly don't begrudge anyone for venting here - I do it all the time. I'm just thinking along the lines of solutions and how we get there from here.

[meganmonkey]

17. Honestly, I'm at a point where I don't think

elections (no matter who wins them) are the solution at all. I have seen NO evidence that a significant number of Dems or any other current politicians will make the deep changes needed in our foreign or domestic policy.

I think by putting every issue in the framework of our electoral politics, we just perpetuate the arrogance and imperialistic nature of our foreign policy.

I can't really say much more than that due to the purpose of DU and its rules which I try to respect.

[porphyrian]

18. Cool. And, from what I gather, you are hardly alone in that position. -n/t

[porphyrian]

8. No one says no? Interesting... - n/t

[QuestionAll...]

9. i don't like dead people in wars called 'wedge issues'.

makes me bristle.
wtf's up with language lately?

[porphyrian]

11. I didn't call dead people wedge issues...

...I said the conflict was a wedge issue. Dead people are a result of the conflict. However, it's interesting to see it interpreted your way.

[QuestionAll...]

12. sorry, wasn't meant to jump on your bones.

I just take offense at so much of the accepted phrases and nonsense that are fed to us.

I intrepreted your post this way:
The war is secondary to getting elected. Let's take whatever stand that can get us elected and once again do fuck all about all the war pigging about.

[porphyrian]

14. It's alright, I can take it. And you should take offense at certain...

...language, as it's being used to manipulate public opinion and frame issues without most people realizing it.

[WildEyedLiberal]

10. No

No one is going to vote against DEMOCRATS because of this. Most average Democrats are more pro-Israel than DU opinion would suggest, anyway, so I really don't think this is a big deal in terms of our chances in 06, at all. Not as a wedge issue, anyway. Wait for the GOPtards to start spinning this as Bush's resilience in the face o' terra. :eyes:

[porphyrian]

13. You're probably right. It's just difficult to keep things in perspective..

...some times, especially when there's a passionate issue dominating the discussion. Anyway, this was just to see what others thought, and that is primarily that I suck. Heh.

[WildEyedLiberal]

15. At least there's a consensus

:evilgrin:

[porphyrian]

16. Heh, really. - n/t

[porphyrian]

19. I'm almost sucking more than Primus... - n/t

[Fozzledick]

20. Splunge!

[porphyrian]

21. Did he say splunge? - n/t

[Fozzledick]

22. Yes! No! I mean, yeah splunge.

:hide:

[porphyrian]

23. Is there a hell for Python-quoting geeks?

I'm afraid I may have to enact the Holy Grail for eternity...

[SammyBlue]

24. Yes. . .too many Democrats blindly hate Israel

and sound like the Hal Turners of the world, sans the genocide of Jews thoughts.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

25. While even one is one too many,

There aren't very many Democrats who "blindly hate Israel" even here on DU, and there are far fewer in the party as a whole than here.

They are outnumbered many to one by those who blindly support Israel (and frankly there's no other way to do so nowadays), especially among the Democratic leadership.

[mnhtnbb]

26. Too many Democrats aren't willing to criticize Israel for fear

of being called anti-Semitic

[porphyrian]

28. I think that's just ignorance and resentment most of the time.

Most non-Jews have no idea about most things Jewish, and probably likewise about things Arab and/or Muslim. Fewer know the unbiased history of the region of Palestine, and there is unfortunately a great deal of propaganda circulating surrounding it all. Thus, when people say "Israel" or "Palestine," they often make the mistake of assuming they are simply political entities like their own Western nations.

There is also a phenomenon I've observed where people are resentful of feeling they have to tip-toe around all subjects Jewish for fear of being attacked for their position. I'm not sure what kind of -ism that is (and calling it such is part of the excuse for the resentment, ironically), but it seems to be uniquely applied to Jews by non-Jews. I don't hear people complaining that El Salvadorians are "uppity" when they react defensively to another's mistaken claims about the death squads, etc.

Israel, Palestine, religion, terrorism, military actions that murder civilians, these are all very passionate and personal issues for many, and few are able to fully put those emotions aside long enough to really understand the position of those they see as holding a contrary position to their own. More often, they simply lash out.

[Lilith Velkor]

27. The ME is not a wedge issue, it's a third rail

As in, touch it the wrong way and you are (politically) fried to a crisp.

On edit: I voted no.

[porphyrian]

29. That's a good way to put it.

Wasn't there an article about that floating around...?