The Problem With the Global Left

As the United Kingdom’s Labour Party swallowed a staggering loss, it’s clear that we see a pattern across the world. Election after election, Left parties collapse against either centrist or frequently right wing parties. Does this imply a victory for the “Global Right?”

No – as Manu Joseph has beautifully explained, there can never be a Global Right.

The Localist

The crux of Joseph’s argument lies in the fact that Leftists have become constantly concerned with grand humanitarian conflicts and cosmopolitan problems while Right Wingers are more concerned with “skin in the game” local issues. The Leftist leader shouts in a city square about human rights abuses in Israel, America, India, the UK, etc… (all while conveniently ignoring much, much worse abuses in less pluralistic and less democratic countries). The Right Wing leader is on the hinterland battleground listening to disaffected and ignored voters about their latest economic or communal ailment. The Left has become caught up in the noise in the air while the Right have their ears to the ground.

Of course, you may notice that lately there has been some hobnobbing amongst many “nationalist” or Right Wing leaders. Yet this exercise will only go so far.

Consider this – put an American Evangelical Christian and an Indian Hindu Hardliner in a room together. While they may both agree on their disdain of radical Islam, they will reach an impasse when the Evangelical explains to the Hindu Hardliner that they will burn in hell for eternity for not believing in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Hindu Hardliner will then tell the Evangelical to stop sending missionaries who destroy indigenous Indian culture with their conversion agenda. This clash will overwhelm any commonalities in the long run.

Bring a group of Leftists from disparate places such as London, New York, and New Delhi and you will have free flowing conversations about the liberation of Palestine, proper pronoun use, and how one needs to read more Marxist theory for communism to work.

Even on economics, Right Wingers from different nations will have vehement disagreements. The British Tories are distinctly to the left of American Democrats. Narendra Modi (who many times is described as “Far Right”) has enacted more “Socialist” policies in 5 years than Bernie Sanders will probably ever do in his lifetime. Modi has achieved the wildest economic initiatives of American Democrats yet is labeled as India’s doom and gloom; which is in direct contrast to his staggering electoral victories.

International Media Spent 5 Years Relaying Apocalyptic Missives Regarding Modi, Only to See Him Gain an Even Greater Majority – Something Almost Unheard of in India

Finally, we have to acknowledge the grand chasm between international media’s narratives and ground realities. The raucous and slanted theater over the 2016 US, 2019 UK, and 2019 Indian elections show how massively wrong reporting was. This was a validation of localist siege mentalities regarding the media as well as the growing distrust people have in it.

The Other

What is a nation?

Is it its citizens? Its borders? Its values? Its history? Its present? Its future?

Of course, a reasonable take is that it is all of the above. The Left’s problem is that it has disconnected from its old base (the working class) partly because it has more or less forsaken the first 3 (notions of citizenship, borders, and local values).

The rural proletariat backbone of Left parties across the world have now been labeled as bigots, uncouth, and “deplorables;” simply because they refuse to digest runaway academic politicking, sneering towards their local tradition, and denigrating of their skin color or religion.

Anti-CAA Protestors in India Display a Morphed Om, the Sacred Hindu Symbol, in Nazi Swastika (A Symbol Stolen by Nazis) Style. Displays Such as These Inflame Majorities and Harm Protest Goals.

The Left’s relentless attack on their countries’ respective “majorities” has manifested into electoral backlashes. Even in loss, we’ve seen their ideologues double down on this suicidal oration.

On top of this is the perception of the Left engaging in vote banking with minorities. With the Left capitulating to certain antisocial elements in minority groups, majorities have become even more infuriated. Whether its the Labour Party massaging the antisemitism of Islamists in the UK, Indian opposition parties lionizing protestors who canonize terrorists, or American Democrats sticking their head in the sand over the spillover of drug and gang violence from Mexico – Left parties across the world have been made bare over their apathy towards their vote banks’ faults.

Does this mean all minorities should be shamed and hounded for their misdeeds? Absolutely and unequivocally no. All communities in a nation, whether in majority or minority should move to remove their faults and prosper forward. However, the reality is that localist parties have now been given enough ammo from the Left to consolidate majorities in their countries. The Left’s vote bank vetos have lost their old potency and must face the mirror or face the music.

From Revolution to Rosé

Soviet Bolshevik Era Propaganda Poster – Emphasis on Workers

The march of muddied boots under red flags used to send shivers up the spine of capitalists. Now capitalists rally around the latest “woke” trend and other inane culture wars that are ripe for the investment into perpetual outrage. Old Left leaders came from factory floors, while the current crop comes from Ivy Leagues and ivory towers. The formally faithful worker base asks for policy changes regarding welfare, wages, and trade; while the bourgeoise urban elite donors and leadership demand new articles highlighting “X-phobia” and identity politics.

And when the Left does decide to finally wade into economic issues, the results have been lackluster.

The topic of the Left’s economic evolution is worthy of a book in and of itself. Every country’s economic situation and externalities are very unique; so it is futile to paint their economic portrait either free market green or a socialist red. However, a common theme across the world has been Left parties holding the torch of economic reform only to run either half measures or trip up over useless communal quarrels.

America is a prime arena as the economic tug of war is in full force here.

While markets have recovered and wildly prospered post-2008, many Americans feel like they missed the ship. These same Americans would propel Trump into power as they saw the Democrats’ half hearted economic agenda failing them. The Democrats would face a wave of economic populism to finish what Obama started, but this would drown under toxic identity politics introduced by the mainstream Clinton camp to nullify Sanders’ swell. The problem came about when Clinton lost and now a new wave of Democrats combined both Clinton’s social agenda with Sanders’ economic direction. As various elections across the world have shown, this is not a reliable concoction.

While older Left parties were seen as champions of the working class, they have increasingly championed policies that hurt them. Open borders and mass immigration rhetoric would be devastating to lower income people with depressed wages and increased job competition. Scathing criticism of the “billionaire class” by multi-millionaire politicians not only looks like ridiculous rhetoric but is absolutely ineffective policy. Billionaires and the mega rich are indeed the global citizens that many Leftists wish they were. As Europe’s failed wealth tax experiment showed, the rich will simply move abroad or tell their accountant to move their money.

A Path Forward

A light in these dark times for the (Western) Left is demography. The youth overwhelmingly favor Left parties in places like the US and Europe (India is the opposite where youth are placing faith in the BJP). American youth even have a positive tilt towards socialism. I can imagine a recession in the near future will shatter the walls to universal healthcare, major subsidies in education, and maybe even UBI.

However, what the Left must work on is ushering in renewed faith amongst the majorities of their nations. A ceasing of incessant attacks on majority culture, customs, and values is a must. It is all right to call out the problems of slavery, imperialism, etc… of the past, but the crimes of the past should not rest on the shoulders of those in the present. Likewise, current issues regarding discrimination shouldn’t be blanketed over whole populations.

Concerning immigration, it is a topic for individual nations dependent on context and demographics. An open or loose border ideal won’t work for most nations if any due to either economic constrains or demographic antagonism.

Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard at the Democratic Debates

In America at least, I see glimpses of a future winning ticket in politicians such as Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard (though both will most likely not win the primaries) who shun the vociferous social histrionics of much of their party while presenting decidedly Left articulations of economics without wading into full blown socialist visions. They stand their ground all while standing up for minorities as equal citizens instead of coddled vote banks or vilified communities. All this, while tackling the impending massive changes to the economy as the information age veers into full swing.

It is more than clear that Left parties have their work cut out for them. Introspection is the best prescription I can offer them as their current path will only lead to ruin. The world needs their kind for ideological balance, sensible opposition, and checks to an increasingly dominant right wing across the world.

Time will tell when sense returns to the Left. Till then, localism will reign.

This is a repost from The Emissary. Please visit the blog for more content and thanks to Brown Pundits!

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The Emissary

Find more of me at: https://theemissary.co/

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Saurav
Saurav
4 years ago

Just feel its a cycle.

We might soon see left,liberal parties in these democracies. In USA, democrats have a good chance, in India too the regional+Congress is not as weak as the map suggests. In UK it seems more of Corbyn failure than a Labor one.

There is one structural thing which ails all left leaning parities around the world though. They have given in far too much to the woke culture abandoning their earlier working class base. So they win the college/internet world but those folks need not be voting as much as the older crowd. You see that in USA , UK and in India too. In India at least these working/under class (OBCs , dalits) still vote for Congress in the state elections (where Modi is not a factor) but not in the national ones.

So the hegemony of the Right in today;s world is still very shaky, just as shaky as left liberal world order was.

AnAn
4 years ago

Excellent article “THE EMISSARY”!

Might give a detailed response later. For now, please read:
https://www.brownpundits.com/2019/12/15/why-did-so-many-bame-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-voted-tory/
Please read the later parts which have been added.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK celebrity Katie Hopkins (I don’t understand what she is . . . right, left, middle, something else . . . maybe something else?) is trying to ally with Indian Hindutva (whatever that means) leaders.

I am a globalist and think there is great potential for global unity and collaboration to solve most of the world’s problems. I think the “non post modernists and non Islamists” can lead this.

The world breaks down into three major factions:
——woke post modernists (psychotic in need of urgent medical services)
——Islamists
——“non post modernists and non Islamists”

“non post modernists and non Islamists” can lead globalization. We should remember that many global left are “non post modernists and non Islamists”.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Nimco Ali says that most African Britons vote Tory. I think that among the leaders of the global “non post modernists and non Islamists” are:
——Africans
——moderate and minority muslims
——Asians
———“Eastern Philosophy” (closely tied to “European enlightenment classical liberalism”)
——Native Americans—who appear to be closely tied to “Eastern philosophy” . . . many in the east refer to them as American Adivasi Sampradayas
——“Eastern Philosophy”, Native American and “European enlightenment classical liberalism” tilted Latin Americans
——“Eastern Philosophy”, Native American and “European enlightenment classical liberalism” tilted North Americans
——“Eastern Philosophy” and “European enlightenment classical liberalism” tilted Europeans
——reasonable left

This is a vast global coalition that represents most members of the homo sapien sapien modern species. Currently planet earth has approximately 7.8 million homo sapien sapien moderns.

I would love to touch base offline “THE EMISSARY”.

Cheers,

Mayuresh Madhav Kelkar
Mayuresh Madhav Kelkar
4 years ago

Don’t think about Right or Left. Think about Right or Wrong.

AnAn
4 years ago

“Leftists have become constantly concerned with grand humanitarian conflicts and cosmopolitan problems”

Are the post modernists really worried about these things? Perhaps this is a euphemism for backing conservative muslims against moderate and minority muslims? And calling successful “minorities” and “people of color” and “darkies” all sorts of bad insulting names?

“the perception of the Left engaging in vote banking with minorities. With the Left capitulating to certain antisocial elements in minority groups”

Perhaps better expressed they back Pakistanis against Afghans, Indians, Iranians, Shiites and Sufis. Hence a majority of UK Indians and many African Britons appear to have voted against Labour.

“human rights abuses in Israel, America, India, the UK, etc…”
Let us take Israel aside which does have significant human rights challenges. India and the US in particular have among the best human rights records in the world–and they are getting better. India in particular is a champion of LBGTQ.

“Bring a group of Leftists from disparate places such as London, New York, and New Delhi and you will have free flowing conversations about the liberation of Palestine”
They are not pro Palestinian though.

“proper pronoun use”
In India the main supporter of LBGTQ has been the BJP. Post Modernists love to yell at LBGTQ to demand that LBGTQ agree with them on “proper pronoun use”

“and how one needs to read more Marxist theory for communism to work.”
True.

Post modernists are viewed with horror by most people around the world. For example see the comment section here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ldbOsXyWno
They back Moduro against the Venezuelan people. Venezuela use to be one of the four richest and most successful countries in the world per capita with an excellent education system and the ability to attract many high quality immigrants. Today Venezuela (despite the largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world and a population of only 25 million) is poorer than India per capita.

Maybe this is more a European ancestry post modernist problem, but still . . . this scares darkies around the world.

AnAn
4 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV6prKVkexk

Post modernists appear to be anti Jewish and anti Israeli versus pro Palestinian. In this clip they back Hamas–the Palestinian branch of the lightly Salafi Islamist Ikhwan (many Salafis are not Islamist)–against other Palestinian political currents who they insult as colonialist collaborators. Why? Is it because of pent up anger against feminists and LBGTQ?

Where is their advocacy for pro business pro corporate pro venture capital pro free trade pro free investment pro free cross border product development policies that economically develop Palestine? Most post modernists support sanctions (trade protectionism) against Palestinians and other darkies to suppress Palestinian and darkie economies.

Many post modernists support BDS–which generally supports a one state solution for Palestine. They do this, knowing that a majority of the wealth of West Bank and Gaza residents is domiciled inside Israel. Supporting BDS is anti Palestinian.

Palestinians want day work visas, longer term work visas, student visas and scholarships, business travel visas, tourist visas, religious visas. The right to freely sell their goods and services in Israel without tariffs. The right to freely own assets and conduct business inside Israel.

If post modernists were truly pro Palestinian, wouldn’t they fight for Palestinian interests and demands?

The majority of post modernists opine about issues they have spent next to no effort studying or understanding. Sadly this is not just true of post modernists. 🙁

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  AnAn

“Supporting BDS is anti-Palestinian”. BDS is a movement that emerged out of the demands of Palestinians themselves. It’s a bit rich for you (a non-Palestinian) to decide that you know better than the people concerned.

A one-state solution means a secular and democratic state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. It means a end to the supremacy of people of one religion over other people simply because they don’t share that religious identity. It means equal rights for everyone, not Jewish privilege. All of these are laudable goals. I’m genuinely curious whether you were OK with apartheid in South Africa (BDS is based on the anti-apartheid movement) since you seem to be OK with the apartheid state of Israel.

Totally agreed with you about people opining on issues they don’t know enough about. I just wish you would apply that standard to yourself as well.

VijayVan
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

\ I just wish you would apply that standard to yourself as well.\

Excellent point; when are you going to demand Pakistan stops being Islamic republic and declares itself as .. a secular state.
or Malaysia or Saudi Arabia or any one of 57 other Islamic countries. The end result would be ” It means a end to the supremacy of people of one religion over other people simply because they don’t share that religious identity. It means equal rights for everyone”

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  VijayVan

I have consistently maintained that I prefer secular states to religiously defined ones. I am not a Pakistani politician and there is little I can do about how the country defines itself. I’m not responsible for Saudi Arabia or any other “Islamic” country as I am not a citizen or resident of any of them.

However, at a moment when India is fast on its way to becoming a Hindu Rashtra, it’s a bit rich for you to be constantly criticizing “Islamic” countries. Someone who truly believed in secularism would be completely against the Citizenship Amendment Act and other attempts to destroy Nehruvian secularism.

VijayVan
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

/ I am not a Pakistani politician and/
One doesn’t have to carry a badge ‘politician ‘ to demand changes , that is if the change is really desired.

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

If Pakistan is going to drop the name “Islamic Republic”, it’s going to be the national assembly that is going to have to make this decision. The common person on the street can do nothing, no matter how much they demand it.

We can play this game all day but why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and go protest the Citizenship Amendment Act before questioning other people’s commitment to secularism?

VijayVan
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

\protest the Citizenship Amendment Act\

CAA is the right thing to do and within Indian constitutional parameters. It is possible a future gov can give refuge to Uyghurs, Rohingyas , Ahmedis, etc and it will be fine.
As long as there are national borders, the govts are going to determine who is included or excluded for immigration or asylum, any country for that matter.

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

“CAA is the right thing to do”– OK then, you are not a secularist. People who support majoritarian and exclusionary laws do not have the right to question other people’s commitment to secularism.

VijayVan
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

\you are not a secularist\

I did not know someone gives certificates for secularists.

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

I was pushing you on CAA to see whether your animus towards Pakistan and other Islamic countries comes from a principled defense of secularism or anti-Muslim bias. Your support for CAA now proves that it is the latter.

Anyone who is a truly principled secularist would be against the Indian State introducing a religious component into citizenship. There are many Indians who have been out on the streets for weeks doing just that. Your kind are not among them.

Those who are OK with India becoming a Hindu version of Pakistan have no business criticizing Pakistan. Pakistan never claimed to be secular. India, on the other hand, is a constitutionally secular state which is now going back on its founding ideals.

Vipul Kumar
Vipul Kumar
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

Kabir, I am a Sufi Dargah goer Hindu who hardly visit a temple. I am surprised how supporting CAA is against secularism. One thing is sure that no country can absorve entire population of other country. Merely fasting a process to grant citizenship to religious persecuted minorities can’t be said a communal step particularly if there are some historical responsibilities. It is easier to be generous if you are rich but for poor one generosity sometime means empty stomach. I go to sufi Dargah instead of temple but non of my hindu friends ever objected. But you will be surprised to know that many of my muslim friends disapproved it by saying they do not believe in such things. After seeing sectarians conflict in my neighborhood country I feel that it is easier for a hindu to visit a Dargah in a country with Hindu majority but not in muslim one.

Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

Vipul,

If you don’t see how introducing a religious test into Indian citizenship is against Nehruvian Secularism, there is not much I can say to convince you. CAA applies to all religions except Muslims because apparently Muslims can’t be persecuted in Muslim countries. The Ahmadiyaas would beg to differ. Amit Shah’s latest statements reveal that is is really about Partition. The ruling party sees Pakistani Hindus as Indians living in Pakistan rather than as Pakistani citizens. By that same logic, Indian Muslims are really Pakistanis and should “go to Pakistan” (as they are so often told). CAA in combination with NRC will be used to disenfranchise Indian Muslims who may not possess documents while legalizing those Hindus who don’t have documents (because they can claim they are refugees). This is why so many people in your country are out on the streets in protest.

AnAn
4 years ago

“A one-state solution means a secular and democratic state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. It means a end to the supremacy of people of one religion over other people simply because they don’t share that religious identity. It means equal rights for everyone, not Jewish privilege. All of these are laudable goals. I’m genuinely curious whether you were OK with apartheid in South Africa (BDS is based on the anti-apartheid movement) since you seem to be OK with the apartheid state of Israel.”

Did Kabir really write this? Let us assume this is really Kabir. For anything approaching this to happen, then Shariah has to be defined very liberally. The Indian constitution must be accepted as halal Shariah. The US constitution, Canadian constitution, English common law, Singapore constitution must be Shariah.

Full freedom of art and thought must be Shariah. Including the right to draw pictures of, defame and blaspheme Mohammed–peace be upon him. Full LBGTQ and feminism rights must be Shariah. Including child custody, divorce property rights, inheritance rights for woman. No triple talaq or nikah halala. Any girl or boy needs to be at least 15 years old to be married. {Ideally older.}

This ain’t the Ikhwan position mate. This isn’t Hamas’ (Palestinian branch of Ikhwan) position. “IF” a post modernist European American favors this, then they should not back Hamas against Mustafa Barghouti, Fatah, Palestinian Authority and independent liberal Palestinians.

Not only were they backing Hamas against liberal Palestinians–they were insulting liberal Palestinians in the worst possible ways . . . as if they were colonialist imperialist Israeli collaborators.

Anyone who supports the romantic solution, a blended Israeli Palestinian state, needs to favor . . . well . . . romance. Where is the cooing of Israelis? Marriage is about falling in love. A shared heart song. A common dance. Sweet sweet love. Love on all sides.

Discussing how awesome Israelis are. Discussing how awesome Palestinians are. And how much they have in common.

Of course if they favor divorce–a two state solution–then it is different.

How can anyone who is pro Palestinian favor sanctions? Most of the wealth of Gazans and West Bank Palestinians is in Israeli assets. Occupied territory Palestinians are completely dependent on selling goods and services to Israelis. Palestinians demand and need the right to freely conduct business in Israel, travel to Israel, get day work visas and long term work visas in Israeli, get student visas and scholarships to study in Israeli schools, visit Israel for tourist and religious reasons.

None of these are consistent with BDS sanctions against Israel.

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  AnAn

What does shariah have to do with a secular state? Obviously secular states cannot be based on religious laws. That is the very definition of secularism. The Indian Constitution has nothing to do with Palestine, so I don’t know why you are bringing up a totally irrelevant issue.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank have made the two state solution impossible. In order for a viable state of Palestine to exist, the Zionist settlers must move back into Israel proper. Alternatively, they could live in Palestine without any special privileges because of their religion (which I don’t believe they are willing to do). If the two state solution is impossible, the only alternative is for all the Palestinians whom Israel currently rules over to have equal rights in one secular state. No more special privileges for Zionists.

“Sweet sweet love” is not the issue and totally irrelevant. The issue is the dismantling of a settler-colonial regime and equal rights for all citizens. If sanctions ended White rule in South Africa, they can end Zionist rule in Israel-Palestine.

AnAn
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

“What does shariah have to do with a secular state? Obviously secular states cannot be based on religious laws. That is the very definition of secularism. The Indian Constitution has nothing to do with Palestine, so I don’t know why you are bringing up a totally irrelevant issue.”

European American and European post modernists are trying to impose a conservative interpretation of Shariah on the West Bank and Gaza by backing Hamas, the Palestinian branch of Ikhwan, against Mustafa Barghouti, Fatah, the Palestinian Authority and independent Palestinian liberals. Watch the clip. They were insulting liberal Palestinians (presumably including Mustafa Barghouti and Fatah) horribly, implying they were imperialist collaborators.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Do you favor all West Bank and Gazan Palestinians becoming Israeli citizens? This is the romantic solution–where all Palestinians become flag waving, anthem singing, patriotic Israelis. Where Palestinians volunteer to take care of Israeli elderly, tutor Israeli children, mentor troubled Israeli young people, and solve Israelis many other problems. Palestinians and Israelis blend into one loving people.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Another option is a two state solution where:
——many Israeli Palestinians (Israeli Arabs) become patriotic dual citizens of both Israel and Palestine
——many Palestinian Israelis (settlers in the West Bank and Gaza) become patriotic dual citizens of both Israel and Palestine
——domicile is determined in a way that maximizes the taxing ability of the Palestinian Authority to maximize her tax revenue
——Palestine and Israel become a free trade, free investment, free cross border product development collaboration zone with lots of day work visas, longer term work visas, business travel visas, tourism/religious visas, student visas, student scholarships, mass affirmative action for people with Palestinian ancestry in Israeli schools and universities
——Israelis and Palestinians can donate money to politicians running for office in each other’s countries
——Israel’s and Palestine’s electricity grid becomes fused
——Israel’s and Palestine’s roads, rails, ports and airports become densely interlocked
——have many more ideas, but they need to described in a series of blogposts

++++++++++++++

In general your writing is heavy in generalities and lacks detail. Either you don’t want to share what you think (so that more people think they agree with you than truly do), or you have not thought almost anything through. Rarely do you offer practical solutions to any of the many challenges you reference. You also constantly self contradict.

This is part of why so many of your sisters and bros (Razib for example) rib you so much. We rib those we love. 🙂

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  AnAn

“Palestinians will become flag-waving Israelis”–
This is a truly ridiculous notion and shows that you have zero understanding of what the one state solution is. Israel as it stands today is a settler-colonial regime that is ruling over a population of non-citizens. Palestinian citizens of Israel (“Israeli Arabs” is a Zionist term) don’t have all the same rights as the Jewish population (to whom the State is said to belong) though they certainly have more rights than Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
The one state solution calls for the settler-colonial regime to be replaced with a state of all its citizens with equal rights for all. This state can be called “Israel” “Palestine” or whatever but it is certainly not identical to the current Zionist regime. The state would no longer be “Jewish and democratic” but simply democratic. This is why Zionists fear this outcome so much.
Regarding the two-state solution,the Zionist settlers are not inclined to give up their privilege (settler-only roads etc) as Israeli colonists in Palestine. They have no intention of becoming what you call “patriotic dual citizens”. A viable Palestinian state would need to control its borders and all of its territory–not possible when much of the West Bank is controlled by Israeli security forces.
Before criticizing my understanding, you would do well to learn what settler-colonialism and apartheid are. Otherwise, this conversation is entirely pointless. Also, you should defer to the Palestinian people–the ones who actually first advocated for BDS.

AnAn
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

Many Palestinians are upset with BDS. Many Palestinians favor a two state solution. Many Palestinians favor increased economic integration with Israel. What Palestinians are you talking too? The heroes of Palestine are the nerd. the techie, the entrepreneur, the business person, the Palestinian National Security Force (NSF) soldier.

BDS is mostly a move by non Palestinians who don’t really care about Palestinians.

“settler-only roads.” Where do you come up with this stuff? These “settler-only roads” are frequently driven upon by the West Bank living Palestinian upper middle class and rich. What is wrong with roads and safe spaces tailored for the Palestinian upper middle class/rich and Israelis? In time as the West Bank has an economic miracle the percentage of West Bank Palestinians driving on these roads can be increased.

“They have no intention of becoming what you call “patriotic dual citizens”. The Palestinians can still make this offer in negotiations.

“A viable Palestinian state would need to control its borders and all of its territory–not possible when much of the West Bank is controlled by Israeli security forces.”

Couldn’t disagree more. Hong Kong had an economic miracle and became one of the richest regions in the history of the world under harsh English occupation.

Let the IDF and Palestinian NSF (who are deeply respected and loved by the Palestinian people) work out security details collectively.

What matters far more is how “domicile” for the purposes of tax collection and business regulation is decided. And what laws and courts the Palestinian Authority decides upon. The Palestinian NSF (in collaboration with the IDF if the NSF insists) should follow out the instructions of the Palestinian courts, Palestinian legislative branch and Palestinian executive branch.

If the IDF prevents the NSF from following the legal orders of the sole legitimate internationally recognized Palestinian government, this can be taken to the UN, UNSF and international courts. If Israel refuses to allow the free importation of Palestinian goods and services, Palestine can take Israel to the WTO.

“settler-colonialism and apartheid” . . . “zionist”

Write a DETAILED article about how “YOU” define these phrases and post it on Brown Pundits. Please be SPECIFIC.

“Palestinian citizens of Israel” . . . I prefer this phraseology to the more commonly used phrase “Arab Israelis”.

“Palestinian citizens of Israel . . . don’t have all the same rights as the Jewish population”

Could go off for 10 pages about this. Let me just say this . . . Palestinian Israelis have vastly more rights than almost all muslim citizens of almost all muslim majority countries.

Only Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tunisia, Kosovo are partial exceptions. {I would not even put Albania, Bosnia, Lebanon, Bangladesh,Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Morocco, Nigeria on this list.}

Kabir, I “PARTLY” agree with you on this and usually argue on your side with Israelis. But you are arguing without bothering to learn many details. Read:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0771047843/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
Israel is one of the only countries in the world where a muslim can safely practice their faith as they choose to practice their faith. Almost all muslims in almost all muslim majority countries (with the partial exceptions of Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tunisia, Kosovo) do not have freedom of thought or art.

“This state can be called “Israel” “Palestine” or whatever but it is certainly not identical to the current Zionist regime.”

The Israeli constitution is halal Shariah compliant. It is more than sufficient for Palestinians.

Kabir
Kabir
4 years ago
Reply to  Kabir

“The Israeli Constitution is halal shariah compliant and more than sufficient for Palestinians”

If you don’t see how a state defining itself as Jewish is inherently discriminatory towards the 20% of its citizens who are not members of that religion, I can’t really help you. Not to mention that this “Jewish” state was created by dispossessing the Palestinian people–the natives of the land.

I am clearly opposed to states having any kind of religious definition. States should belong to all their citizens. You don’t seem that bothered by this. That seems to be a major difference between us.

BDS is a Palestinian movement and the demands come from the Palestinian people.

“There is disagreement over exactly when and how the BDS movement began. According to the BDS movement’s website, on 9 July 2005, the first anniversary of the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in which the West Bank barrier was declared a violation of international law, a broad spectrum of over 170 Palestinian non-governmental organizations initiated a campaign for a boycott, divestment and international sanctions against Israel until it complied with international law and universal principles of human rights.[28] A number of scholars with differing perspectives concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, from the right-wing Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs to the left-wing historian Ilan Pappé, dispute the BDS movement’s account of its origins. Some of them have asserted that the BDS movement has been active since at least 2001, that some of the Palestinian NGOs referenced in BDS literature do not exist, and that a significant percentage of the NGOs that do exist come from countries outside of Israel or the Palestinian territories.[29]

At the first Palestinian BDS conference, held in Ramallah in November 2007, the BDS National Committee was established as the Palestinian coordinating body for the BDS campaign worldwide.[28] The movement’s main example and source of inspiration is the international boycott of South Africa by anti-apartheid activists.[30]”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boycott,_Divestment_and_Sanctions

I’m no longer interested in pursuing this conversation with you. You are free to oppose BDS and I am free to support the Palestinian people in using BDS as a tactic to end the Zionist Occupation of their lands.

AnAn
4 years ago

Let the global post modernists speak out about:
https://m.timesofindia.com/world/pakistan/muslims-mob-attack-gurdwara-nankana-sahib-with-stones/amp_articleshow/73088062.cms?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR2G7uINBIO5ZznAaM5sLB3Rbs7s-AYffhNzFNNwF28yrITotw7N3K7vlRY

Hat trip Kushal Mehra.

Suspect the large majority of global post modernists will quietly condone the attacks against Pakistani Sikhs.

AnAn
4 years ago

Vipul Kumar,

I love Durgahs too. Do any great Pirs create mast (Sufi equivalent of Bhaava or Bhakti) for you?

I have many favorites, too many to write down. But here goes some:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moinuddin_Chishti
and many, many others from the Chishti order
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_Baba_of_Shirdi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janardan_Swami
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nund_Rishi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mian_Mir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fariduddin_Ganjshakar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazrat_Babajan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tajuddin_Muhammad_Badruddin

What are some of your favorite Dargahs?

++++++++++++++++

I think and hope that the CAB will be amended to include the following Mohammed, peace be upon him, Sampradayas, Panths, Paramparas, Sinsilas:
—Muraqabah Sufi Chistie
—Muraqabah Sufi Qadiri
—Muraqabah Sufi Irfan twelver Shia
—Muraqabah Sufi Irfan sixer Shia
—Ex muslim
—Atheist muslim
—LBGTQ muslim
—femnist muslim
specify that “NO Islamists, Jihadis, conservative Sunnis, Rohingya or people who believe India should adopt conservative interpretations of Shariah will be able to use CAB to get easy citizenship
All other muslims can use existing methods to travel to India and try to gain permanent residency (with a much longer and harder path to Indian citizenship . . . this is what everyone had to do 1947-2019 pre CAB announcement)

I would start with these. I think it would be popular among the BJP, VHP and RSS base. Most of these muslims in India are allied with the BJP anyway. The global post modernists and global media and Indian “liberals” will scream and howl even loader and call for sanctions against white supremicist, racist, Nazi, imperialistic, hegemonic India. Indians should completely ignore them and do it anyway.

On the other hand the reason this was not included is because I think the BJP felt the Indian Supreme Court would rule this as unconstitutional because of such explicit sectarian religious groups being mentioned.

Brown Pundits