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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2013)
LET TERS WHAT’S PROGRESSIVE? Jack Dresser’s complaint [letters, 3/7] that EW betrayed its “progressive” credentials when it excluded two documentary fi lms critical of Israel from its list of top documentaries raises the issue of what does it mean to be progressive when it comes to Israel’s confl ict with secular Palestinians, radical Islamists such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad who are unequivocally bent on Israel’s elimination, and Iran. There is nothing progressive about demonizing, as Dresser does, the only country in the Middle East that is a multi- ethnic, multi-religious, multicultural, pluralistic democracy (half of Israel’s population originated from the Middle East, 20 percent is Muslim, 120,000 are Ethiopian), that protects the rights of religious minorities, that does not harass its LGBT population, that protects freedom of speech and whose independent judiciary has sided with Palestinians against the government on issues such as preventive detention, interrogation techniques and seizure of land. There is nothing progressive about holding Israel, as Dresser does, to a double standard that would deny it the right that any sovereign country has to protect its civilian population from the murderous designs of its enemies. The security fence separating Israelis and Palestinians that Dresser decries has practically eliminated suicide bombings and drastically reduced deaths of Israelis and foreign visitors. Security fences separate Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, Sunnis and Shias in Iraq and Indians and Kashmiris among dozens of places, with little or no controversy. There is nothing progressive about promoting conspiracy theories by suggesting, as Dresser does, that EW is afraid of criticizing Israel because it has been intimidated by an all-powerful, pro- Israel lobby. EW has never been shy about promoting speakers or viewpoints that are profoundly critical of Israel. What is progressive when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict is promoting a two-state solution that establishes two states for two peoples. Craig Weinerman Chairman, Jewish Community Relations Council of Lane County EXPLOITING ATHLETES Despite its two closing losses, the Oregon men’s basketball team had a successful season beyond expectations. We all can empathize with the players for missing out on the Pac-12 Conference title that was within their grasp. More important, they need sympathy for having their fi nal exams preparation interfered with by an unjustifi ed Pac- 12 tournament. They are learning from excessive demands on them that higher education is based on bringing in TV money. This post-season tourney, and others like it nationwide, is the money- making scheme of TV networks which bribe schools with game fees. Like the many NCAA playoffs that follow, they exploit student athletes. Schools choose to not pay players, using the lie that they have educational standards of amateurism to maintain.That’s a sham. So is the published statement by Athletics Director Rob Mullens regarding the “ongoing NCAA investigation” of Ducks football: “I think we do things the right way here. I think people in the industry absolutely know that.” So now we hear it from the top. College sport is an industry. All it wants is more sports money at the expense of its players’ education — obvious when the Pac-12 tournament is played in Las Vegas. George Beres Eugene !"" #$ !" ## *++," "! " "- ' " ! " " *++." "! -"""- "$ /+ "0 '% " " " ! "- ' " " "" $ 1!" 0 "2 "--" "- ( " "!"! $3" &"" !"(!" $ "& 45$, ' 6! " ""- ( " $ 7102 " ! "- " " " $8 %&& %&" !" ## " !"" "& !"" '$ " " " !" (!"! ' "") $ “LTD lets me enjoy my LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print as many as space allows, with priority given to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words, keep submissions to once a month, and include your address and phone number for our files. Email to letters@ eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. freedom and independence by allowing me to go when I want and arrive on time, every time.” Ed Necker LTD Customer Since 1998 ltd.org 541-682-6100 (voice) 7-1-1 (TTY-Oregon Relay) eugeneweekly.com • March 21, 2013 7
