Jimmy Carter's book

By Dave Winer on 1/27/07; 8:49:45 PM.

I haven't read Jimmy Carter's new book yet, but I have heard a few interviews with him on public radio, and I have read a bunch of stuff written about his book by people I respect, and I don't know what it is about Jews, but when it comes to Israel they lose all sense of perspective. Do they think the Palestinians are entitled to a point of view? Imagine for a moment if you were a Palestinian. Might the treatment you've received by Israel feel just a bit like apartheid?  

I think Carter is doing us a service, giving us a chance to see things from another perspective, and it's so disappointing to see otherwise intelligent and thoughtful people, including at least one person I respect enormously, refuse to consider the possibility that Carter makes a valid point. How are we going to get to peace if we don't see things from everyone's point of view? Come on Phillip, give it another chance. If I had been at your party, it wouldn't have been unanimous.  

This is something I don't agree with my parents about, either. When it comes to Israel all reasonableness goes out the window. I don't feel very good about this. I was raised to think Jews are smarter than everyone else, but when it comes to Israel, we're pretty damned thoughtless.