Comments on: The Michael Backman Column: Weird and Unpleasant Happenings at The Age

By: Doos

Doos — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:14:46 +0000

As a Jew & a committed Zionist in the traditional sense, ie as espoused by Herzl & others, I have to admit in all honesty that some Israelis can be a real pain in the ass!
They can be arrogant, rude & downright petty as I have observed travelling in Asia & Europe.
But then so are a few Aussies!

By: Backman’s Columns Suspended - The Content Makers

Backman’s Columns Suspended - The Content Makers — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:01:27 +0000

...] for running a column perceived as anti-Semitic. (Read previous coverage of this controversy here, here and [...

By: Jkad

Jkad — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:47:09 +0000

“Lawrence, that is unmitigated crap and paranoia. The public in Australia wouldn’t know a jew if they fell over one. You don’t need all this stupid security at your schools, they are not in danger and never were.”

Marilyn-
Oh marilyn, so we need no security at schools? Have you been at a jewish school? Ever had a bomb threat? No? I am so suprised. Newsflash, I GO to a jewish school, and have had a bomb threat. No one would know a jew if they saw one? Of course not, the “jew hat”, isnt associated with Jews. Your right. Havent had people violently throw money at you as a joke when your walking by, why am i not surprised? I have. Lawerence has unmitigated crap and paranoia? Really?

By: Margaret Simons

Margaret Simons — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:56:21 +0000

D Pruitt, I resent that. I have made my views about what Israel is doing clear. I am horrified by what is happening in Gaza. The fact that I think the Backman article should not have been published has absolutely nothing to do with that.

By: D Pruitt

D Pruitt — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:52:51 +0000

The Backman article is spot-on. Those who misquote him do so with prejudice. The fact that the Age meets with certain known Zionist elements to approve their stories even after the fact of publishing shows the power of the Zionist movement in this country. And now we know where Ms Simons sympathies lie; certainly not with the victims in Gaza. Hamas may kill its opponents but in Australia the Zionist lobby destroys you financially. You may as well be dead.

By: kme

kme — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:20:24 +0000

Margaret: The page has not entirely disappeared down the memory hole, yet – it is still in Google’s cache at http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:-k5×03mDggwJ:www.michaelbackman.com/NewColumn.html&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au

By: Zoe

Zoe — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:46:53 +0000

The cached article is here

By: Molly

Molly — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:17:22 +0000

For Chaim Morris, abuse masquerades as reason (I must wish that Arab armies had wiped out Israel at the beginning and I’m merely ignorant) and no one is to criticise Israel unless there is also criticism of the Armenian genocide, Chinese actions in Tibet, and so on. On this basis no one is ever accountable no matter how distasteful or criminal or morally reprehensible their conduct. Once again I ask that the specific reasons why Backman’s article is anti-Semitic be explained to me. If this isn’t done then one reasonable explanation is that the article is NOT anti-Semitic. Why is that not the ONLY reasonable explanation?

By: Irish Pete

Irish Pete — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:56:09 +0000

One final point:

Hamas rules Gaza, democratically elected by the people. When its government issues information, that information deserves to be treated with the same respect or cynicism as that from any other government media service (and I highly recommend cynicism). Comments above cite Israeli Government claims as “fact” while deriding Hamas claims. On what basis other than bias?

By: Irish Pete

Irish Pete — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:49:42 +0000

Interesting that the Baccman article has now been removed even from his own website! Thanks to the power of Google’s cache, I was still able to read it today. What does this say about censorship in 21st century Australia?

As someone who grew up Catholic in Northern Ireland, through the 20+ years of the “Troubles”, I’m perhaps more qualified than some to distinguish racism from politics. Of course “racism” against Jews still exists, though so too does “racism” against many other religious and ethnic minorities – indigenous Australians anyone? Muslim Australians?

In this case, I see Backman’s article as valid political statement. While he reports on the alleged racism of Nepalese shopkeepers, and while the point of some of his statements never seems to be made (which suggests to me too much editing by someone, rather than not enough), I do not detect racism in his own opinions.

To say that many Muslim extremists target the USA and other “Western” countries because of our support for Israel is a no-brainer. It’s a political fact.

Why did this piece appear on the Business page? Well it started out as a point about how much MONEY that support for Israel costs us all. He strayed from the point, and the article just tails off, but had he stuck to that point it would have been a valid one.

Pete