Response with Questions

Submitted by Susan Heller-Somerville (United States), May 6, 2008 at 03:25

Dear Dr. Pipes,

I was fortunate enough to hear you, Yaron Brook, and Victor Davis Hanson as part of a panel on Islam and Totalitarianism last Monday at the University of California, Berkeley.

Prior to the event, there was some static at one of the local synagogues from people who usually voice their anti-Israel opinions. (This time they objected to email announcements of the program.) I managed to get into the thick of the matter with an email letter to one of the more vocal people. I sent copies of it to many people, including a Torah learning center to which I belong.

What I received in return - and by the way it was forwarded to many other people - was a refutation of your intentions leading up to the evacuation of Gaza. I definitely came to your defense and was referred to one Barry Chamish.

It seems that this person's view of what you said in 2005 comes across as more credible to some people than what I wrote about you. I would genuinely appreciate some comment from you about Mr. Chamish. (I should tell you that I Googled his name. He sounds like someone with a definite gripe about Israel, not to forget that he has some far-fetched conspiracy theories about the murder of Rabin, Sharon's stroke, and the implication of Shimon Peres in all of this.) Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.

Susan Heller-Somerville
susomerville@sbcglobal.net

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