re: What Happens When A Jew Marries A Gentile In Israel

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Actually, Turkey is more like is than other countries in the region. In some ways, they're even more secular they we are. All the other countries, ichluding Israel, are either official theocracies or de facto theocracies. And remember that Israel has no constitution, and it has over 30 laws on its books that preferences Jews over Gentiles.

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Well I've never been to Turkey, but friends of mine who visited have nothing but wonderful things to say about the place. Considering the fact that we let them into NATO and that Europe entertained the idea of integrating them into the EU, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that they share more of our values.

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Of course there are differences but there also similarities. Aparthied South Africa, with the bantustans, the restriction of movement and the identity cards is a better analogy, but there are no perfect analogies.

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The only problem with either comparison is that blacks in the south and (by and large) in RSA didn't undertake sustained, widespread programs of violence against their oppressive governments. ANC was radical for much of its earlier history, but they their activities were limited, and almost never included the indiscriminate targeting of civilians.

The most recognizable symbol of the Palestinian struggle for most of my life was Yasser Arafat--a founder of modern terrorist tactics. For their first elected government they chose (drumroll) Hamas--a designated terrorist organization. I'm sympathetic to the plight of the innocent caught in between the extremists in the midsts and Bibi's government, but the Palestinians could do a lot to improve their lot.

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The only problem with either comparison is that blacks in the south and (by and large) in RSA didn't undertake sustained, widespread programs of violence against their oppressive governments. ANC was radical for much of its earlier history, but they their activities were limited, and almost never included the indiscriminate targeting of civilians.

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1) Nelson Mandela didn't spend 27 years in prison for sitting in at lunch counters, and at his Rivonia trial, not only did he admit to being a terrorist, but he was also unrepentent. When he was arrested, he was plotting to blow up passenger trains, and after he was released he said that the one good thing that came out of his time in prison is that it stopped him from killing a lot of innocent White folks. Google "Umkhonto we Sizwe" for more.

2) From Nat Turner to the Black Panthers and the Deacons for Defense, Black Americans weren't above using violence, but unlike the Palestinians, Blacks were severely outnumbered, which is why MLK argued that even non-pacifist Blacks should oppose violence for pragmatic reasons. Furthermore, once Ike set the precedent for backing up non-violent protestors with troops, violence no longer made sense, since the KKK and the segrgationists were never going to prevail over the U.S. military.

3) If during Jim Crow, Whites had come into Black communities and systematically confiscated our property and demolished our homes to make room for White-only towns and subdivisions, I'm sure they would have resorted to violence a lot more than they did, regardless of the consequences.

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The most recognizable symbol of the Palestinian struggle for most of my life was Yasser Arafat--a founder of modern terrorist tactics. For their first elected government they chose (drumroll) Hamas--a designated terrorist organization. I'm sympathetic to the plight of the innocent caught in between the extremists in the midsts and Bibi's government, but the Palestinians could do a lot to improve their lot.

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1) Actually, the founding fathers of state of Israel are the founders of modern terrorism and three of these terrorists went on to become Prime Ministers of Israel. Google "Irgun" and "The Stern Gang" and read the rap sheets on Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir and Ariel Sharon if you want to know more.

2) Hamas was elected in the Palestinians' second election. Their first election which took place in 1996, after the Oslo Peace Treaty was signed, brought Arafat to power. As for improving the Palestinians lot, I'm convinced that this is impossible to do using nonviolent means as long as you have a Likud government in power that has the blind support of the U.S. government.

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You don't do Israel any favors by comparing it to Sudan or any of other theocratic, authoratarian Muslim states in that region.

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Im shocked, you didnt answer his question