Regarding the anti-Semitism in the Hamas Charter, I submit this ripe verbage from the third stanza of our National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner." This was originally written in 1814 to commemorate the successful defense of Baltimore from the British thugs:

"And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Obviously Francis Scott Key was commemorating some very strong anti-British feelings which are no longer prevalent among Americans. But we're stuck with that embarrassing third stanza because it's part of the song which was officially adopted as our National Anthem in 1932. The best we can do at this point is to ignore the existence of this stinking turkey and apologize profusely whenever it's exposed to the light of day!

Indeed, some people insist that "America The Beautiful" would be far more appropriate, especially since the current anthem is difficult for even professional singers to manage.
Montag | 05.03.08 - 6:26 pm | #

I remember in Ireland in the 1980s there was a move to replace the Irish national anthem because the "A Soldiers Song" was considered too militaristic and therefore too republican. The trouble was that any alternative conveyed the idea of a united Ireland and the government, even under Fianna Fail, was keen to appease the Unionists of the north.
Mark Elf (aka levi9909) | Homepage | 05.03.08 - 10:22 pm | #

I don't know if David Hirsh has a narcissistic personality disorder (like Atzmon), but he does seem to have some narcissistic traits: the web of lies he weaves in his refusal to admit that he was wrong; the way he projects his faults onto everyone else; his need to feel superior; his attention seeking. Bullying is a feature of narcissism. But all of this is to hide a fragile self-esteem. Poor David.
Deborah Fink | 05.04.08 - 12:44 am | #

I thought the word buffoon sufficed to describe both Hirsh and Atzmon. They are strikingly, but not surprisingly, alike
Mark Elf (aka levi9909) | Homepage | 05.04.08 - 12:59 am | #

There was a great line in an old movie: "The Iron Fist has a glass jaw."
Montag | 05.04.08 - 5:23 am | #

It's interesting seeing Strawson in the JC in light of Hirsh's apologetics for the siege, in the form of a post he did quoting the mayor of Sderot:

http://www.engageonline.org.uk/b...cle.php? id=1744
Mayor of Sderot:
Added by David Hirsh on March 14, 2008 12:55:39 PM.
“In this crisis between the Gaza Strip and Sderot, we are right. We withdrew from the Gaza Strip, we gave the Palestinians all the dreams they dreamt about, all the land demanded by them. We did it unconditionally. So I don’t see why somebody is shooting at Sderot. There is no political, no historical reason. We are not occupying anyone.”
Hulkagaard | 05.04.08 - 7:46 pm | #

'I thought the word buffoon sufficed to describe both Hirsh and Atzmon. They are strikingly, but not surprisingly, alike'

I was just being a bit more sophisticated, Mark, though buffoon would do.

I wonder what Hirsh would be like at playing the saxophone? I'm sure he'd be better at it than pretending to be a left-wing supporter of Palestinain rights.......Yes, he doesn't seem to agree with Strawson on the status of Gaza.
Deborah Fink | 05.05.08 - 3:40 am | #