Most pro-Palestinian demonstrators are not just anti-Israel—they are also anti-American

Dear Friend of Israel, Friend of FLAME

Hamas’s brutal October 7^th massacre unleashed Israel’s enemies across the U.S. and around the world to demonstrate in support of the terrorist group’s primary objectives—the killing of Jews and destruction of the Jewish State.

Many protestors falsely designate Israel a colonial-settler state, asserting—also falsely—that Hamas is justly fighting to liberate a people of color—the Palestinian Arabs. They also maintain erroneously that Jews—as white people—hold a socially privileged position. These beliefs are consistent with the neo-Marxist ideology that holds Western civilization to be evil because it was founded on oppressor colonial conquest of oppressed people—mostly people of color.

This same ideology condemns the United States as a racist, oppressor state built on colonialism and slavery. This idea is at the heart of today’s prevalent “woke” philosophy, which holds white Americans and other “oppressor classes,” such as heterosexual men, responsible for the “oppressed status” of “victims” such as LGBTQ+ people, women and especially people of color.

But of course, Israel is not a white, colonial settler state, since Jews are neither white nor colonists. They are the indigenous inhabitants of the Holy Land, in which they have lived continuously for millennia, and in which they have established several independent commonwealths. In fact, the majority of Israel’s Jews are themselves people of color, hailing from North Africa and the Middle East. Another 20% are fully enfranchised Arab-Israeli citizens.

Indeed, Israel is the product of a modern-day liberation movement—in which an indigenous people successfully returned to sovereignty over their homeland. Ironically, this ancestral home, renamed Palestine by the Romans, had been colonized by numerous invaders over millennia, including by Arabs—the opposite of a colonial settler state.

Moreover, Jews are among the most persecuted people in the world. They have achieved success, not because of privilege, but because of the values they hold that are consistent with achieving success—values that are part of many cultures. Lamentably, the value of merit-based achievement is not respected, but rather is denigrated in the rigid DEI culture, which teaches activists to fight at any cost for what is “owed” to them. This leads to blocking roads, vandalizing stores, and other social disruptions—the kinds of tactics associated with today’s pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The neo-Marxist philosophy that drives pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas (in reality, anti-Israel) demonstrations are based on four tenets. First, it claims the world is divided into two categories—oppressors and the oppressed. Second, the West is built on the colonization and subjugation of the rest of the world’s population, most of whom are people of color. Thirdly, racism and bias are present in all white people. Finally, it is the right and responsibility of the oppressed to fight their oppressors, using any means necessary, including violence. Those who fail to practice “anti-racism” are just as guilty as the oppressors.

The fact is, many pro-Hamas demonstrators are as anti-American as they are antisemitic and anti-Israel—because they view both the U.S. and Israel as white, oppressor states. Israel is merely a smaller, weaker embodiment of American values. Israel’s attempt to fight off its Hamas attackers is viewed as evil, making it an easy target for these militants.

Neo-Marxists among pro-Hamas demonstrators have formed alliances with Islamist antisemites, sometimes called red-green coalitions. As such, the far left portray Hamas as a liberation movement fighting to free the Palestinian Arabs from their Israeli oppressors. This lie, of course, ignores 100 years of offers by the international community, including numerous offers by Israel itself, to implement a Palestinian state. The Palestinians rejected all offers.

How neo-Marxists lie about Hamas: The terror group does not share the values of America’s ultra-left. Though Hamas opposes Israel, it is not because the group is a liberation movement for an indigenous people. Hamas does not share woke values. It doesn’t believe in DEI, intersectionality, women’s or LGBTQ+ rights. Rather, Hamas leads an Islamist, religiously motivated campaign dedicated to reconquering Muslim land—land Muslims themselves colonized from the Romans in 638 CE, which was later recolonized by Crusaders, Mamluks and Ottoman Turks.

The neo-Marxists likewise lie about Israel. Israel is not a white, colonial, settler state. It is the realization of a people’s right to live free in their indigenous homeland. In fact, if neo-Marxists were true to their beliefs, they would praise Israel, because the Jewish state embodies indigenous self-determination.

Furthermore, Israel is far from being the apartheid state demonstrators claim. In fact, while Israel’s more than two million Arab citizens enjoy the same rights and opportunities as Jews, Palestinians in other Arab states are barred from many professions and denied citizenship or civil rights.

The neo-Marxist assertion that Israel is committing genocide is also bogus. Rather, Israel attacks only Hamas—not innocent Palestinians, whom Hamas constantly puts in harm’s way. Rather, Israel is trying to prevent genocide against the Jewish people, as the terrorist group attempted on October 7^th, when its members methodically butchered more than 1,200 mostly Jews, mostly civilians, and took more than two hundred hostage. No outcry of protest from the neo-Marxist left against this authentic genocide.

As pro-Hamas, neo-Marxist demonstrators fight to weaken Israel, so too do they try to weaken the United States. The U.S. has strong interests in the Middle East, and Israel shares and is a defender of those interests. Israel also shares U.S. cultural, political and religious values, and is one of America’s strongest allies on the global stage.

Make no mistake: The majority of demonstrators supporting Hamas’s savage slaughter of innocent Jews also support seizing control of America—through violence, such as shutting down airports and hospitals, or through cultural conquest, such as the DEI hegemony in many schools, governments and corporations. As such, Israel is the canary in the coal mine. Its capitalistic, democratic and religious values place it squarely in Marxists’ sights.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that pro-Palestinian/Hamas demonstrators are really anti-Israel and anti-American, guided by a vile, neo-Marxist ideology that opposes Western values and encourages acts of violence aimed at disrupting civil society. Such pro-Palestinian demonstrators who run afoul of the law should face harsh consequences—because their actions don’t just threaten Israel . . . they threaten America as well.

Best regards,

James Sinkinson, President

Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      The events of October 7 have changed our world forever—and especially the world for Israel and the Jewish people. Likewise, the words “Never Again” will never be the same for us. October 7 has shown us that despite all promises of equity and commitments against hate on campus and on our streets, we can never depend on it. We will likely never be free of the scourge of antisemitism, fueled by the most outrageous slanders. I hope you’ll agree that we opponents of Hamas and its savage massacre—and of all who support Hamas, against all humanitarian values—need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“Enemies of Israel Tell Five Big Lies”—refutes today’s most vicious lies against Israel and the Jewish people. I hope you’ll review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME published in the Washington Post, New York Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, Vice President Harris and President Biden. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.

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