Badtux the Snarky Penguin

In a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin.

Religious fundamentalists are motivated by the sneaking suspicion that someone, somewhere, is having fun -- and that this must be stopped.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Myth #54232: Israel is a democracy

No. Israel is a Jewish state.

There is a difference. If you do not know the difference, then you need to go back to high school Civics class and read up on it.

In a representative democracy, the majority, other than a small number convicted of "high crimes and treason", vote for whom amongst the various candidates will rule them.

In a Jewish state, the minority who have been granted Israeli citizenship vote for who shall rule the Palestinian Arab majority on the West Bank and Gaza Strip that outnumbers them and that would vote out a Jewish state and vote in a multicultural democracy if allowed to do so.

See the difference?

"But," you cry, "the Palestinians have their own government!" Really? Creating a South Africa style "Bantu-stan" on the West Bank and Gaza Strip does not eliminate the reality that Israel rules them, that Israeli soldiers go into those areas at will, that Israel completely and entirely controls access to those areas via checkpoints, fences, and walls. A "nation" that lacks territorial integrity is a contradiction in terms. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are nothing more than territorial possessions of Israel, and the denial of Israeli citizenship to them is no different than the denial of South African citizenship to the Bantu and other blacks who were relegated to Bantu-stans there.

"But", you cry, "democracy in Israel would mean the end of the Jewish state."

Exactly. You can have democracy, or you can have a Jewish state. You cannot have both. Any system of government that allows only a minority of the population to vote for who rules the majority is not a democracy, and should not be confused with such.

Israel is a Jewish state, not a democracy. That is reality. Deal with it. Just quit lying and saying that Israel is "the only Middle Eastern democracy". It is not. That honor lies with Lebanon.

-- Badtux the Geo-political Penguin

Posted by: BadTux / 12/18/2006 05:58:00 PM

Comments:

*pats him on the head*

Silly, silly Penquin... delusions are for kiddies.
# posted by Lab Kat : 18/12/06 6:29 PM

"Israel is a Jewish state, not a democracy."

Either one is shit. Democracy would be okay done right, but it isn't.

You seem to have gotten somewhat derailed. Are you okay?
# posted by BBC : 18/12/06 9:06 PM

Segregation, Minority rule - smells like apartheid.
# posted by niCk (Mem Beth) : 19/12/06 3:22 AM

Simple, down and dirty. Really nice analysis, BT.
# posted by Lurch : 19/12/06 1:31 PM

I kinda thought Israel was a Tehocracy but I have never been deluded enuff to call it a "Democracy".

d.
# posted by deuddersun : 21/12/06 6:23 AM

dam! Theocracy
# posted by deuddersun : 21/12/06 6:24 AM

Yes, Israel is a Jewish state. It is also a democracy. Not a perfect democracy, but a democracy nonetheless. Your argument about the Palestinian majority is bogus, even if one accepts your disputed population numbers, because the West Bank and Gaza Strip are occupied territories; it might surprise you a great deal, but occupying territories does not make a country undemocratic, and does not commit a country to making occupied people citizens. Israel commits some abuse of its control of the territories, which is wrong, and yet, Israeli citizens -- including the ~18% of them who are Palestinians, for those of you who think "racist apartheid" -- enjoy far greater equality and personal liberty than the citizens of any other middle-eastern country, Lebanon most certainly included.

There are valid criticisms one can raise against Israel. Your analysis of this summer's conflict, for example, was essentially correct. This one, however, is quite completely misguided.
# posted by Anonymous : 27/12/06 3:36 PM

Honor Roll

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Liberated Iraqis

Children celebrate liberation of parents
More pics of children celebrating
Liberated baby
Liberated women and children
More liberation, yessiree
More to follow, after I finish cursing SOB chickenhawks and get my breath back...

"Keep fighting for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce." -- Molly Ivins, 1944-2007

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

-- Plato

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