A number of items in this week’s Australian Jewish News deserve a mention.
This post will contrast the highly problematic style of the JCCV with the sophistication and achievement of Albert Dadon.
What is so striking about Dadon’s opinion piece (AJN page 25), is the way it manages to be both humble and without vitriol, while still [...]
Aug
23
2009
23
2009
Aug
20
2009
20
2009
In The AJN 1: The Stark Contrast between Albert Dadon and the JCCV
Aug
20
2009
20
2009
Part Four – The Axis of Honour: Honour, Modernity, and al Qaeda
To read the previous posts in this series, click on the links below:
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: Honour, Communalism, and Islamist Suicide Terrorism
Part Three: Honour and Shame
Part Four: Honour, Modernity, and al Qaeda
The first three instalments of this series asked whether it was possible to find an ultimate cause for suicide terrorism, without falling back on [...]
Aug
19
2009
19
2009
Bren Carlill of AIJAC Responds to Part Two – Axis of Honour
Bren Carlill, responding in comments, to the second in the The Axis series, makes some very interesting points – not least of which, is that his piece in The Australian was edited so that key information was omitted.
After reading his comment, I think it’s appropriate to retract my implication that he views all Muslims/Arabs as [...]
Aug
18
2009
18
2009
Part Three – The Axis of Honour: Honour and Shame
Honour and Shame
Parts one and two of this series have focused on how both right- and left-wing ideologies prevent us from understanding terrorism. I’ve mentioned that if we remove ideology from our analyses, we have a much better chance at tackling the issue, both theoretically and practically.
I’ve also suggested, “honour” as one framework that [...]
Aug
17
2009
17
2009
Part Two – The Axis of Honour: Honour, Communalism, and Islamist Suicide Terrorism
Terrorism, Terrorists and Suicide Attacks: Our Representatives Fail to Shed much Light
The first post in this series took issue with the flaccid thinking of some academics and policy makers. They are, however, no worse that many non-academics (in the media and lobby groups) on the right.
Bren Carlill of AIJAC, recently wrote in The Australian, [...]
Aug
14
2009
14
2009
In The AJN – The Holocaust: No Laughing!
I remember the story of two Jewish girls in their early 20s.
They were a bit tipsy on a weeknight when they arrived at one of the girls’ family home. The young ladies didn’t want to scandalise the parents, so they tried to compose themselves before entering.
“Stop laughing,” the girl whose house it was – let’s [...]
Aug
11
2009
11
2009
The Axis of Honour: Honour, Communalism, and Islamist Suicide Terrorism – Introduction
This is a huge topic. I’ve decided to devote a number of posts to it, rather than compose one mega thesis.
It will read as a series – the political analysis equivalent of a Dickens serial, though probably less lucrative.
Unfortunately, the nature of this sort of blog (until I get someone with technical abilities to spruce [...]
Jul
7
2009
7
2009
Defence of the Wertheim Appointment – Just Not Good Enough
About two weeks ago we began following the story of Peter Wertheim’s appointment to the position of Executive Director at ECAJ. The utterly opaque process by which this appointment had been made smacked of the very failings in accountability of leadership about which we have been writing from the outset.
In response to “letter writers to [...]
Jun
25
2009
25
2009
Questions for Robert Goot
The AJN reported today on the appointment of Peter Wertheim as Executive Director of ECAJ. The position is paid professional, as opposed to the voluntary position of President, currently occupied by Robert Goot.
Below are some questions I’ll be emailing to Mr Goot.
Sensible Jew in The Sunday Age
The Sensible Jew is once again featured in the Sunday Age.
I urge all our readers, old and new, to read Tom Hyland’s excellent article.
Heartfelt thanks to Mr Hyland for his thoroughness, and his sensitivity to my family situation.
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It’s amazing what a story in the The Sunday Age will do for a blog’s readership.
The page views [...]