AIPAC and Anti-Gentile Racism

Whenever someone criticizes AIPAC--like Walt and Mearsheimer--the organization immediately trots out its standard accusation of anti-Semitism. The accused must then devote an inordinate amount of time explaining that no, he (or she) is not an anti-Semite. No matter how convincing his defense, the mud sticks and he is forever sullied by the accusation.

It is time to change the terms of the debate. Instead of AIPAC critics defending themselves against accusations of anti-Semitism, it is time for AIPAC critics to make AIPAC defend itself against charges of anti-Gentile racism.

After all, critics of AIPAC have never once lobbied for policies that would increase the risk of Jewish people dying for Christian interests. Yet, AIPAC has repeatedly lobbied for policies that increase the risk of mostly Christian US troops dying for Israel's interests.

Think about it. No one can dispute at this point that AIPAC lobbied for US military action against Iraq--TWICE. This was done to benefit Israel because, after all, this is why AIPAC exists.

Israel is not a defenseless country. It has an estimated 200 nuclear warheads, not to mention all the Apache helicopters, Patriot missiles, and all the other hardware that our foreign aid to Israel can buy.

If Israel had a security problem with Iraq, Israel had more than enough military might to handle this threat on its own--as it did when it bombed the Osiris reactor.

When AIPAC lobbied for a US war against Iraq, it was lobbying for a policy that would shift the risk of fighting and dying for Israel's interests away from members of their own ethnic group--Jews--and onto members of other ethnic groups--mostly rural white Christians, Latinos, and African-Americans.

By doing so, AIPAC has sent the not-so-subtle message that the death of Christian Americans is more acceptable to it than the death of Jewish Israelis. Their ethnic ties to people living half way around the world are more important to them than their ties to their fellow American citizens.

Do not be cowed. When AIPAC accuses critics of anti-Semitism, raise the issue of anti-Gentile racism. After all, we do not want Jews to die but they promote policies that cause non-Jewish US soldiers to die. AIPAC is promoting our deaths for their country!