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Jerry Rubin, an Icon of the '60s Protests, Knew the Difference between Genuine Activism for Peace and Today's Violent Extremism

(Times of Israel) Adam Rubin - While my father, Jerry Rubin, a renowned antiwar activist, advocated for peace and social justice, there is a dangerous trend in which certain factions, under the guise of antiwar sentiment, openly support violent organizations such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hizbullah. These groups do not promote peace but rather espouse ideologies that promote violence and hostility towards Jews. There is a vast divide between genuine antiwar activism, which seeks to prevent conflict and promote dialogue, and the insidious agenda of those who use the rhetoric of peace to justify their support for organizations with violent aims. During the Vietnam War era, college students protested against the military draft and the war, not in support of the Viet Cong or calls for the eradication of South Vietnam. Today's purported intersectionality with LGBTQ/feminist rights is not only fictitious but also abhorrent. Hamas has perpetrated significant sexual violence against Israeli women, prohibits Palestinian women from property ownership, and executes individuals based on their sexual orientation. During the 1960s, protesters advocating for civil rights and against the Vietnam War often took to the streets, their faces uncovered, to demand change. It was the Ku Klux Klan that wore hoods to conceal their identities while perpetrating acts of violence and intimidation. At colleges like Columbia University, demonstrators are advocating for the murder of Israeli soldiers defending their homeland. These protesters are far from embodying antiwar sentiments; rather, they espouse a fervent enthusiasm for war, with chants like "Al Qassam you make us proud, kill another soldier now." Authentic peace activists recognize the importance of dialogue, negotiation, and mutual respect in resolving conflicts. They understand that lasting peace can only be achieved through compromise, understanding, and acknowledgment of the fundamental rights and aspirations of all people, while also rejecting terrorism as a means to achieving political goals.
2024-04-30 00:00:00
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