| Double Standards of Radical Gay Academics: A Question of Credibility |
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Editorial Note
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) have made impressive strides in Israeli society; the Israeli Defense Force was among the first militaries to allow openly gay and lesbian soldiers to serve in its ranks. Such attitude of acceptance stands in stark contrast to the fate of homosexuals in many Muslim societies; in Iran they are hanged on trees in public parks and in Taliban- ruled areas of Afghanistan the punishment is even more gruesome - they are buried up the their waist against a brick wall that is then toppled on them by a bulldozer. Fearful for their lives, gays in Hamas- controlled Gaza have fled to Israel to seek asylum. The recent elections in Egypt raised the possibility of a stricter application of Sharia Law that demands capital punishment for homosexuals.
One would assume that gay professors would acknowledge the liberal treatment of the GLBTs. But Aeyal Gross (TAU), Roy Wagner (TAU) Orna Ben Naftali (Colman), Yishai Blank (TAU), Dalit Baum ( Haifa U) Hannah Safran (Emek Yizrael College), Yuval Yonay (Haifa U) and others have nothing but condemnation for Israel. Indeed, in the convoluted logic of their neo-Marxist, critical studies paradigm, even sheltering of the Palestinian gays is a "sin", a public relations gimmick to cover the "sins" of colonialism, imperialism, racism, and homophobia. As their articles indicate, they have used thousands of words to denounce Israel without as much as noting the egregious violations of human rights in many Muslim countries.
But as the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is a question to Professor Yonay; would he be able to hold an academic appointment in a Muslim country when attired in this fashion?
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Roy Wagner pasolini@tau.ac.il
To: againstwall againstwall
Sent: Sunday, 20 November 2011, 1:02
Subject: [againstwall] This Friday in Bil'in
The threat of rain resulted in a smaller than usual demo in Bil'in. Only 5 internationals and about 15 Israelis joined the Bil'iners in their protest against being excluded from their own lands by the apartheid wall. The theme was Thawabet - the elementary demands of the Palestinians. By the time we got to the fence, the shabab had already been busy throwing stones, but only when the the peaceful procession approached did the army bother to shoot a few canisters to welcome us. The protesters gathered next to the fence, chanted, were threatened by the soldiers, and had gas shot over their heads in the direction of the shabab. A lively discussion developed across the wall between some shabab and some settler kids revolving mainly around their mothers. The settler kids swirled some stones in a makeshift sling, but didn't seem to know quite how to launch them.
הציפייה לגשם גרמה להפגנה קטנה מהרגיל בבילעין. רק 5 בינלאומיים ו כ 15 ישראליות הצטרפו להפגנה הפלסטינית נגד מניעת הגישה של אנשי הכפר לאדמותיהם שמעבר לגדר האפרטהייד. נושא ההפגנה היה ה"ת'וואבת" - הזכויות הבסיסיות של הפלסטינים. כשהגענו לגדר השבאב כבר היו עסוקים בהשלכת אבנים, אבל רק כשהתהלוכה הלא-אלימה התקרבה החיילים טרחו לירות כמה רימוני גז לכיוון הכללי שלנו. המפגינים נאספו ליד הגדר, קראו סיסמאות, אויימו על ידי החיילים, וצפו ברימוני גז שנורו מעל לראשיהם לעבר השבאב. דיון ער התפתח דרך לגדר בין כמה שבאב וכמה ילדי מתנחלים שנסב בעיקר על האמהות שלהם. ילדי המתנחלים סובבו אבנים בקלע מאולתר, אבל לא ממש הצליחו להעיף את אבנים.
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