I agree that the blog can be a useful resource and offer perspectives that are absent in mainstream media, and that we can help motivate activism and even influence some people to change their minds.

We are still short politically; we lack a proper politics of organizing. Arab-Americans have many individual voices, but lack useful coordinated action. Spreading the word is not good enough I think.

I share with QuiQui the sense that we need to do more visionary politics, outside the traditional power structures. I think there is the DC game and people will always play it (and benefit from grassroots and other activism). But I would like to see what a veteran like Ted thinks about this.

Will

I must respectfully disagree here. ‘Our useless politicians’ are exactly who are enabling the Israeli regime. They are in fact very, very useful to AIPAC and the like. We need to work towards having more influence on them in order to have an outcome on the issues/policies that interest us.

I am all for ways of being effective without them – sending direct aid, cultural exchanges, etc. – but when it comes to what it is that really keeps this whole debacle going you’ve got to follow the money. The Israelis have no incentive to change behavior as long as the gravy train keeps rolling along. That money comes from our pols. And we won’t get anywhere without exerting pressure on our political classes.

We definitely need to continue the discussion and the action on new ways of moving forward. Ways that don’t include depending on our useless politicians. We are far more powerful than they are, but we transfer too much of that power in hopes they’ll do the work for us.

We also need to make inroads across intersecting struggles. The Third World (which includes the Third World living inside the First World) has no problem identifying with Palestine, and it’s time Arabs started getting into their camp, too.

Making social revolution isn’t pretty. It’s not a glamorous job, the lighting sucks, and the pay isn’t very good. We have to accept that, and many of us — especially those who are often vilified, threatened, and taunted for our political views — are already in the position accept it. And I defer to Cesar Chavez to finish the rest of my point:

“If you’re outraged at conditions, then you can’t possibly be free or happy until you devote all your time to changing them and do nothing but that. But you can’t change anything if you want to hold onto a good job, a good way of life and avoid sacrifice.”

[Tarboush Tip for the quote: Marcy]

As for activism – Will, your blog is an awesome service, so go ahead and feel like you are really making a difference. I have used information/links form here to send along ‘alternative’ news to many friends and colleagues. The posts from Muhammad in the West Bank are invaluable. Educating each other is a good and necessary part of activism, so I encourage everyone to email links to articles/posts that you find especially insightful/newsworthy. And have some courage and don’t only communicate with those you already agree with. (I have been sending along various articles to a Jewish-American friend who only just a few years ago admitted to me he’d been told and had always believed that there had never been Palestinians in the Holy Land – they’d only been sent there from Jordan to oppose the Zionists!)

i will continue to fight for you, just send me your info if you can

ya istifurullah wa salam

Excellent points about moving to practical steps… I’m grappling with these issues and have yet to really come up with anything really useful. I just know we need to get organized. Any real input on this from anyone is welcome.

Will