Dear Editor:
You are to be highly applauded for a very detailed, credible account of the awful actions of New Paltz Accountability in ousting a cofounder for proudly expressing her Zionism. By contrast, the NPA rebuttal was pathetically defensive and far from credible. What a classic
example of complete self unawareness! ” [T]o say that we only advocate for those who share our political beliefs is a gross lie. We only organize with people who share similar political views. which are simple. You must denounce all forms of oppression and exploitation.”
Their touching concern that the mere presence of Zionist Jews would inevitably “exclude Palestinian students” evidently doesn’t extend
to excluded Zionist Jews. NPA knowledge of the history of the Arab Israel conflict is not only abysmal and incorrect in every respect, but proudly:
proclaimed:. “We are not interested in debate over what the ideology of Zionism is”.
Cassie Blotner and Ofek Preis got it exactly right: Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people. They have returned to their
historic homeland, but not with the noxious falsehood of “systematic killing and displacement” of others. They purchased and reclaimed barren land,
and build the sinews of a future state, even under attack from the most radical Arab elements. Those were responsible for their own “displacement”,
in attacking, encouraging population flight, and then losing their wholesale onslaught on the nascent Jewish state. Even now, they refuse to accept
its legitimacy, refusing even to negotiate for a peaceable, mutually beneficial solution.
NPA imposing an ideological purity test on a totally unrelated issue can only detract from its own stated mission. That it should result from an
unquestioning acceptance of a totally libelous portrayal of Israel, makes it particularly despicable.
Sincerely yours,
Richard D. Wilkins
