Sunday, August 23, 2020

Opuscula

Do “boycotts”
Do any good?

ARE WE HYPOCRITES?

If I am against Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) when it comes to Israel, can I honestly be for a boycott of Chinese products?

Is there a difference?

 

WHY WOULD I BOYCOTT Chinese products?

Because, time and time again, Chinese products have proven to be

  * Shoddily made

  * Unhealthy

  * Unsafe

I’m not so concerned about shoddy workmanship, but there too many risks that the product may be unsafe.

  * Drywall as an example.

  * Tires as an example.

  * Toys with lead paint as an example.

  * Clothing that lacks fire-retardant.

Anyone who is concerned about health needs to know:

  * How farmed fish are fed (human feces).

  * How Chinese mushrooms are fertilized (human feces).

  * How the Chinese adulterate food products.

  * How Chinese pharmaceuticals are below minimal FDA standards.

Anyone who is concerned about racism and segregation based on religion should boycott China. The Chinese government has reportedly detained more than a million Muslims in re-education camps. 1

If a person claims to be a “progressive,” that person should avoid Chinese products due to the sweatshop environments in which laborers work. (Also think about the lack of responsibility U.S. companies such as Apple show for the people who make their products.) After the Tiananmen Square massacre in April 1989, Americans began to look more closely at all things Chinese.

Between President Trump’s efforts to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and the Chinese (Corona) virus (Covid-19) messing up the supply chain, many companies are taking some or all of their production out of China to “points elsewhere.”2

Stealing secrets

Like the Japanese shortly after WW 2, the Chinese government steals whatever it desires from wherever if desires. The U.S. is just one source. Russia also has been victimized.

Not only do the Chinese steal industrial secrets, they also steal national secrets.

It is a matter of record.

BDS against Israel

First and foremost, most of the people promoting BDS against Israel have never BEEN to Israel; their information is third or fourth hand from leftists who want to believe that, DESPITE FACTS TO THE CONTRARY,

Israel

  * Is an apartheid country

  * Oppresses minorities

  * Keeps “Palestinians” behind a fence

  * Prevents “Palestinians” from working in Israel

  * Is racist and discriminates against Christians, Muslims, people of color

Never mind that

  * There are Muslims in Knesset, on courts, including the highest court

  * There are Muslims in the army and the national police

  * There are Muslims teaching in schools from kindergarten to university

  * There are Muslims practicing medicine in all government hospitals

  * That hundreds of “Palestinians” come to work in Israel every day

  * That an Israeli Muslim may live anywhere in Israel

  * That an LGBTQ? safely parade down the streets of major cities

  * Honor killings, and misogyny, in general is illegal in Israel

Conversely, a Jew cannot live in “Palestine” nor can a “Palestinian” sell land to a Jew on pain of death; a person who is LGBTQ? must fear for this life in areas controlled by the PLO/PFLP and Hamas/Islamic Jihad. Women also must fear for their lives if a male relative even suspects they brought dishonor to their family.

BDS hurts “Palestinians.”

Companies, such as Soda Stream that had facilities close to the Israel-PLO/PFLP border, hired “Palestinians” to work alongside Israelis; equal pay for equal work. The “Palestinians” had a higher salary than they would have working under the PLO/PFLP.

Thanks to the “progressives’” BDS, Soda Stream shut down the plant, leaving the “Palestinians” unemployed. (The Israelis could, if they wished, relocate with Soda Stream to the south of the country where the company employs both Israelis and Bedouin in its plants.)

Soda Stream is not the only company that employs “Palestinians.”

True, there IS discrimination in Israel.

The Euro Jews look down on anyone who is not one of them, but over time, non-Euro Jews have made their mark. That Israel has Iron Dome is a credit to a Moroccan. Another Moroccan was deputy prime minister.

There is discrimination against “Euro-Orthodox” soldiers when they return to their old neighborhoods.

Israel is not a perfect country.

Its politics are, by U.S. standards, a kluge, a beligan, a mess.

I have no problem boycotting Chinese products. I have no problem with Chinese PEOPLE, just as I have no problem with Muslims who prefer peace and cooperation to hatred and obstinacy such as consistently shown by the PLO/PFLP, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad regarding Israel.

Boycotting Israel, especially when it hurts the people the boycotters claim they want to help, is stupid. Boycotts don’t stop people from buying products made in Israel, despite UN and EU resolutions.

Yes, I have been to Israel. In fact, I lived there, so I know of what I write.

Sources

1. Chinese Muslims: https://tinyurl.com/yxb5r8zx

2. Exiting China: https://tinyurl.com/yxh9mttf

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

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Friday, August 14, 2020

Opuscula

A few thoughts
About Israel-UAE
Peace agreement

With a great deal of hoopla and self-congratulations, Trump’s son-in-law is taking bows for lining up the third Muslim country in the region to make a pact with Israel.

Peace almost always is a good thing.1

The accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), regardless of what it actually entails, should be a good thing for the region. 

The Sunni-dominated UAE is a winner in the deal as it, like Israel, is threatened by Shiite-dominated Iran.

The UAE military is smaller (not being threatened by an immediate neighbor is helpful) than Israel’s Defense Force.

For 2020, United Arab Emirates is ranked 45 of 138 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. 2

Always in a state of readiness, the nation of Israel fields one of the most capable military forces in the world - despite its size. For 2020, Israel is ranked 18 of 138 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. 3

The UAE is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. The GCC was established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 1981. The purpose of the GCC is to achieve unity among its members based on their common objectives and their similar political and cultural identities, which are rooted in Arab and Islamic cultures.4

 

Countries belonging to the GCC (Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski @ https://tinyurl.com/y47oxzm5)

 

Because the UAE is a GCC member state, it is likely, albeit not assured, that the other member states will either follow UAE’s lead or at least use the UAE as a conduit to Israel.

Qatar currently is the main source of revenue for Hamas, until recently depositing US$15 million-a-month into the terrorists’ pockets. The funds were earmarked by the Qataris for humanitarian aid. Qatar also funds some PLO/PFLP activities.

Qatar recently sent two planeloads of medical supplies to the PLO/PFLP. Abu Mazen and friends rejected the aid since the supplies were landed in Israel sans Abu Mazen’s permission! (The PLO/PFLP lacks an airport to accommodate a modern jumbo jet.)5

Despite funding Hamas and the PLO/PFLP, Qatar apparently has, as do most of the GCC states, a pragmatic relationship with Israel. This is not new; as early as the 1970s Saudi were buying Israeli-made air conditioners; they worked better in Saudia’s climate than the European brands.

Israelis visit GCC states

Netanyahu visits Oman, Oct. 2018 6

Communications Minister Ayoub Kara's trip to Dubai, Oct. 2018 7

Sport & Culture Minister Miri Regev at UAE judo competition, Oct. 20188 Regev, of Moroccan descent, also visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.9

 

Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev, middle, shakes hands with Mohamed Bin Tha'loob Al Derai, President of UAE Wrestling Judo & Kickboxing Federation, after one Israeli player won the bronze medal during the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Judo tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. (AP/Kamran Jebreili @ https://tinyurl.com/y266oxes)

 

Some concerns

The rapprochement between Israel and the GCC is not without concerns.

For example, Qatar had been at odds with other GCC members and Egypt for some time. 10

Direct Flights Emirates and Etihad already overfly Saudia to deliver aid to the PLO/PFLP. Will Israeli airlines (El Al, IsrAir) be allowed to overfly Saudia? Saudia is a GCC member.

Iran is troublesome for ALL middle eastern countries (and beyond).

Will agreements between Israel and individual GCC states include mutual military assistance? Israel has the strongest and best trained military in the region. While there is military cooperation with Egypt, a mutual assistance agreement to defend against a belligerent state (e.g., Libya) is not part of the public peace deal.

PLO/PFLP & Hamas Will the GCC states abandon the “Palestinians” and would that be good for Israel.

Both the PLO/PFLP and Hamas, with Islamic Jihad at its side, have proven their dependence on Israel, yet all are bent on Israel’s destruction. If the GCC quits funneling funds to the terrorists, if the GCC quits supporting the terrorists politically to the rest of the world (primarily the EU), will the terrorists finally be driven to abandon terrorism and make a true peace with Israel? One that does not have an “expiration date.” Or will the terrorists continue to receive support from the EU, and — like Pharaoh — “harden their hearts” and continue their sworn goal of a Jewish-free “Palestine.”


Sources

1. Peace is not a good thing when it is faux paxcq (see https://tinyurl.com/y4utkrv3) that allows a sworn enemy, e.g., Hamas or Hezbollah, to rearm and prepare for a new aggression.

2. UAE military: https://tinyurl.com/y45g4cy6

3. Israel military: https://tinyurl.com/ya9wppoa

4. GCC: https://tinyurl.com/y47oxzm5

5. Medical supplies to PLO/PFLP: https://tinyurl.com/y2dtsu37

6. Netanyahu in Oman: https://tinyurl.com/yd48z583

7. Ayoub Kara in Dubai: https://tinyurl.com/y6c9yput

8. Mimi Regev at judoka: https://tinyurl.com/yytd8buk

9: Miri Regev outside mosque: https://tinyurl.com/yarefvqx

10. Qatari conflicts: https://tinyurl.com/y4fd63ep

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Web sites (URLs) beginning https://tinyurl.com/ are generated by the free Tiny URL utility and reduce lengthy URLs to manageable size.

 

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