Anger is a legitimate emotion in the face of injustice. Passive acceptance of evil is not a virtue.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Rendering public opinion irrelevant
How are views that are held by large majorities of Americans on key policy issues rendered forbidden in our political discourse? By Glenn Greenwald (Thanks vza)
Thanks for this valuable poll. Notice that almost every nonmuslim country is more or less neutral. Notice how symmetrically India is divided. Part of the issue is that almost no one knows much about Palestine/Israel.
I suppose that this proves fleming's point that all US citizens are not 'mindless drones' (or did he concede that they are?). That point having been recognised then the US political class and its media cheerleaders' refusal to heed the voices of those they should (but don't) represent proves TGIA's point, which most of us who are not mindless drones accept.
"Notice how symmetrically India is divided." Which gives the lie to your claim of India's universal and unconditional love for Israel. Time to dig up another of your surveys, preferably a 99%/1% split.
I can only speak about the US portion of the poll with any insight(hopefully). The results reflect a general disinterest in foreign policy, which is not really good news for the Palestinians. Furthermore, while Israel's supporters are a minority of the electorate, they are still about seven times the number of Palestine's supporters. And since followers of this issue are passionate about it, the 20% who support Israel are a significant factor in most elections. Not many candidates can afford to start a campaign 20 points down.
There may be a few in the 71% of the sample labeled as neutral who are passionate about America's neutrality, but for the most part they would be in the don't know/don't care camp. I think it is possible to get enough of that 71% to care about the Palestinians to challenge US policy from within the country, but it has got to be a sophisticated effort.
Thanks for this valuable poll. Notice that almost every nonmuslim country is more or less neutral. Notice how symmetrically India is divided. Part of the issue is that almost no one knows much about Palestine/Israel.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that this proves fleming's point that all US citizens are not 'mindless drones' (or did he concede that they are?).
ReplyDeleteThat point having been recognised then the US political class and its media cheerleaders' refusal to heed the voices of those they should (but don't) represent proves TGIA's point, which most of us who are not mindless drones accept.
"Notice how symmetrically India is divided."
ReplyDeleteWhich gives the lie to your claim of India's universal and unconditional love for Israel. Time to dig up another of your surveys, preferably a 99%/1% split.
I can only speak about the US portion of the poll with any insight(hopefully). The results reflect a general disinterest in foreign policy, which is not really good news for the Palestinians. Furthermore, while Israel's supporters are a minority of the electorate, they are still about seven times the number of Palestine's supporters. And since followers of this issue are passionate about it, the 20% who support Israel are a significant factor in most elections. Not many candidates can afford to start a campaign 20 points down.
ReplyDeleteThere may be a few in the 71% of the sample labeled as neutral who are passionate about America's neutrality, but for the most part they would be in the don't know/don't care camp. I think it is possible to get enough of that 71% to care about the Palestinians to challenge US policy from within the country, but it has got to be a sophisticated effort.
<span style="">nicely put Joe</span>
ReplyDeleteGood point!
ReplyDeleteJemmy
ReplyDeleteI left you a message..