both sides now

Submitted by Elihu D. Davison (United States), Jul 28, 2008 at 09:55

I've heard these arguments before, going back at least to 1976. Of course then it was the Jewish political right criticizing leftish doves of Breira, Peace Now and then New Jewish Agenda. (Who among us can forget B'nai Brith's witch hunt against such Hillel directors as Gerry Serrota and Stanley Ringler for voicing independent and critical concerns?)

It's heartwarming to see Daniel Pipes, a spokesman of the right, acknowleging the validity and legitimacy of dissent from "official" pronouncements. Sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Which is why, in Pipes' felicitous turn of phrase, it makes no sense that "when it comes to Israel, my mind should empty of thoughts, my tongue fall silent, and my keyboard go still..." Same for left dissents from rightist policies.

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