Real Change News | Letter to the Editor

March 17, 2010
Vol: 17 No: 12

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor - 03/17/10

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Wrong on Israel

Dear Editor,

I am a long supporter of your journal and the underlying mission it attempts to fulfill. I buy one usually whenever I have the opportunity to do so. I was deeply offended and appalled by the article you published in the Feb. 17-23 edition attacking the nation of Israel. In particular the section quoted below is simply a slanderous lie:

“Within its own borders it practices a ruthless and relentless apartheid alongside an utter disregard of world values. Through its intelligence agencies it continually inserts itself in the business of other nations. It plays a huge role in brokering arms deals throughout the Middle East and was pivotal in our invasion of Iraq. It has an overwhelmingly militaristic influence on our foreign policy, and has crafted a diabolical alliance with right-wing Christianity to culturally influence our political structure and undermine any notion of compassion toward the other. In other words, Israel and America are hand in glove.”

The author goes on to smear those Christians who support Israel as “heretics.” This too is deeply offensive, I assume, to those to whom it applies.

These few sentences are wrong on many levels. I lived in Israel for many years, I have personal knowledge about these topics. If Israel were a person, she could sue Rev. Lang for slander, he is that wrong.

But what is truly amazing is that nothing in this article has any connection whatsoever to the plight of the poor and homeless in Seattle! Why did you publish this, how does it help your mission?

I cannot continue to support your newspaper if you do not take some corrective measure to distance the paper from Rev. Lang’s vitriol. I know for a fact there are others in Seattle who share my views; it should be a full retraction and an apology, and a decision not to engage the paper in controversial issues that are irrelevant to its mission.

David Shayne

Seattle

Ed. responds: This is our mission statement, which appears on page 2 of every issue: Real Change exists to create opportunity and a voice for low-income people while taking action to end homelessness and poverty. For us, presenting poor people’s issues in isolation is part of the problem: that’s why we strive to put out a well-rounded community newspaper that keeps issues of social and economic justice at the core. As in most publications, columnists don’t represent the unified opinion of the paper, but they do maintain a prerogative to write from the heart on matters that concern them.

Rev. Lang was not invited to write columns explicitly on Israel, but his is one of those faith-based voices that can speak critically about our national situation. He frequently examines the viability of a world where U.S. power has undeniably religious overtones. His series last fall on Christian Zionism — readers can look it up on our web site — was in keeping with an interest in American responses to the situation of the Palestinians.

We often struggle against people’s misconceptions about what Real Change is and isn’t, and we’re happy to hear feedback, good or bad. It’s disconcerting to me that ours has been described by others as an “anti-Israel” paper. I’d love to discuss what this perception means and how we can change it. Send ideas to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or call (206) 441-3247 ext. 207.

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