I suggest the supporters of this film go ahead and schedule a LGBTQ Pride Parade in Gaza - let's see how that goes.

@1: Why?

The Mayor disagrees with the viewpoints

That should have been the end of the press release. Actually it should have been placed on Durkan's LiveJournal, but whatever. The fact that there's a public discussion about this - which outright DOES NOT FUCKING MATTER should to be embarrassing to them both. I don't know much about Durkan, but I knew Sawant is way to self-centered to ever be embarrassed over anything.

Mayor Durkan agrees with your concern that the Commission should have included additional panelists and should have considered multiple perspectives

Not every micro-forum needs a diverse panel. I, straight male, don't demand a seat at a forum on, say, queer issues. If I have something to say, I can say it here on SLOG, or on whatever platforms are available to me - facebook, twitter, instragram, my e-mail contact list, whoever will listen to me at Westlake Square - I'm not entitled to someone else's specific platform to share my "gotta hear both sides" deal. OK, maybe imagine that this panel should have seated both an anti-Palestinian as well as a Hamas member - why aren't queer POCs included? Why aren't Blue Lives Matter people included?

The tunnel is infinite. The elegant solution is let people do their own thing, stock their own panels, for whatever discussion they want to have. It's beyond maddening that the result of the (yes, left-wing) push for inclusion has essentially forced left-wingers to disenfranchise even more voices than before ought to be alarming.

In the immortal words of Family Guy’s Peter Griffin: “Oh My God - Who The Hell Cares”? They aren’t exactly paid to be Siskel and Ebert.

Israel is an apartheid state which has flouted international law for decades and maintained a brutal occupation. Palestinian citizens of Israel face a two-tiered system of justice, while those living in the West Bank and Gaza live under a police state that subjects them to indefinite detentions without charge, random searches in the streets, uncompensated land seizures, the denial of employment and the right to emigrate, extreme indiscriminate violence, and the list continues.

Israel has in recent years attempted to divert attention from these realities with a 'Brand Israel' campaign that purports its democratic values and open society. No one is contesting that the country has certain qualities that may be desirable - what's at issue is that a discussion that promotes these aspects while ignoring the fact that Israel is an apartheid society is a discussion that seeks to 'make normal' a state of affairs that is quite exceptional in its racism and brutality. That's what's meant by 'pink washing' - it's a redirecting of a conversation about an intolerable and exceptional system of violent control to one that alleges that Israel values civil rights. Well, you can't have civil rights in the same place there is apartheid.

The very concept of “pink washing” is bullshit.
Go ahead and criticize Israel But trying to add pink washing as one of its flaws is simply asininely stupidly idiotically dumb.
EOF.

@1

It's no secret that fundamentalist Muslims, like fundamentalist Christians, are deeply bigoted homophobes.

But I'm not sure how we get from there to suggesting it's OK to gun down children trying to cross your border illegally, instead of simply arresting them.

(Don't bother drawing the diagram, if you please -- I'm really kind of comfortable in my ignorance)

The defenders of Israeli policies towards the Palestinians say we share their values. And when you look at how we treat people here in this country, its hard to disagree.

@6 What you think Israel is or what you think Israel does is not the issue here. The issue is whether City Hall can be used to advance a political position in a way that isn't balanced to represent both sides of the issue. I pay taxes to live in a country where free speech is guaranteed. I don't pay taxes to provide a place where people who are pro-Israeli or anti-Israeli to advance a one-sided political outlook. It's bad enough that an LGBTQ commission would support a government that persecutes gay and lesbian people. But to use City Hall to express this support is unacceptable.

Is it weird that I don't remember Durkan is gay? I don't believe I think of her as straight, it's just that I don't connect her to LGBTQ issues or to the community.

If only local mayors and local city councils confined their attention to only local issues. Why is it even on their radar? It's not their issue.

"In my view, as an elected representative of Seattle’s working people..."

Can we hear from some actual working people -- such as, say, union iron workers -- on that?

Oh, wait -- I myself am one of Seattle's working people, and CM Savant does not represent me. How do I know? Because she freely chose to represent a district, not the entire city, and I don't live in the district she represents.

She can get back to us after she's again representing a city-wide constituency.

@12 I think it's generational. Sam Adams was more openly gay, but he didn't run for mayor as a gay candidate; neither did Ed Murray. I have a personal suspicion that there a number of people in the politics world (not just pols, but the entire macrosystem of staffers, aides, journalists, etc) that have kind of decided the "running on gayness" is gauche?

The Israeli government has fully embraced the fascist tDUMBpissts and Evilungelical ChrISIStians that've unleashed neo-Nazis and the KKK on us here at home.

They will fuckover absolutely anyone--even American Jews--if it serves there own perceived short-term self interests. That despicable betrayal is simply unforgivable.

"The Mayor disagrees with the viewpoints in this film"

Could she be any more vague? It's not even worthwhile commenting on this lame exercise in ass covering.

"our community should be focused on coming together to stand against hatred. [...]host an event in the upcoming weeks to further promote dialogue around anti-Semitism"

As if "coming together to stand against hatred" didn't also demand denouncing Israeli war crimes against Palestinians and attempts at covering them up. Conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism to prevent criticism of Israel isn't an auspicious start to an anti-hatred campaign, which tells us a lot about Durkan.

@15

But wasn't Murray's spouse fairly visible during the campaign and didn't Murray's selling points include his activism and his legislative work on LGBTQ rights? So whether or not he ran as a "gay candidate" you were aware of his background.

@15: Not only gauche, but intellectually and professionally dishonest. Just as it would be to run on whiteness or blackness.

Let's see City Hall show a film that criticizes BLM, illegal immigration or political Islam. Strange that the "criticism of Israel isn't anti-Semitism" people sure cry racism fast when anyone criticizes any of their favored groups. Besides for voting Republican there seems to be no wrong blacks, Muslims or Hispanics can be criticized for. Don't kill the messenger.

What is it about this tiny democracy in ME—one of the few places in the region where minorities/women actually have rights—that drives far left regressives CRAZY? Radical chic? Racial identity politics? Good ‘ol anti-semitism? Truly mystifying. Totally uniformed people go berzerk virtue signaling. And some of these types actually get elected to the city council.

22 I'm curious. What do you see as the critical functional difference between current and planned future Israeli policies towards the Palestinians and South African apartheid?

We have the creation of Bantustans and the commitment to a long-term plan for second-class citizenship. The two states appear remarkably similar to me and the result in both cases is a heavy reliance on extra-legal brutality.

If theres one thing that rips White Moderate Democrats and People of Color/Progressive Liberals apart, its issues regarding support of abused people of color. Whether its foreign policy in supporting Israels racist aparthied system (just as Reagan Democrats supported South African Aparthied), or its pledging support for Blacklivesmatter or Native Water rights protesters.

Democrat moderates will say anything to beg for votes for people of color, but when the rubber hits the road tend to align with right wing republican ideals. Clinton, Obama, Hillary, Perez, Cuomo, they all took the side of "Those filthy arabs deserve what they get".

Honestly, most black folks assume they say the same about us whenever one of your cops murders one of us.

You know when reading other articles in other publications it really is kind of funny. The gay community got punk’d by the socialist and now they will be perceived as a threat by the Jewish community for supporting Palestine. I am gay and have long been embarrassed by my community’s recent over-the-top liberal oppression and group-think, but now - well let’s face it - you can’t write good comedy like this without bringing up the state of Florida at least once and still have it pass as interesting. By participating and sponsoring publicly this charade, the LGBTQ community is between a rock and a hard place not only with members of their own community who happen to be jewish, but the jewish community as a whole and no amount of back-peddling or spin is going to stop the perceived insult making its way aound the world at this very moment. I always knew the LGBT community was on a path to self destruction, but who knew it would be the Seattle LGBT community to set everyone else back 50 years - and with geopolitics no less. I have to admit I did not see that one coming.

@26: Well, if the black vote for Hillary was as large as it was for Obama, then Trump would not be president. Instead of feeling sanctimonious at how politicians are begging for votes, it would be really thoughtful and helpful if black folks voted in very large numbers this November.

Kshama talks about Palestine as if it's some true progressive bastion. Israel has a right to defend itself.

As a Queer person I'm curious how many pro-Palestine Queers would be fine living there. The fact is you would be slaughtered in the streets if you were found to be Queer.

Kshama publicly supports a government that would round up every Jew, and Gay they could find to eradicate and people aren't shocked. That's the sad part of all this.

The anti Semitic legacy of Sawant's historical predecessors throughout the world in the past century needs to be part of this discussion.

It’s that whole sodomites and disease thing that remains valid when not considering all of the terrible things capitalism did while you played WOW, again.

@28

And if Hillary won she would be doing the exact same thing in supporting Israels war crimes and racism that Trump is. Lets not forget the debates, where Trump was actually more moderate on policies involving Israel (turned out to be BS, but at the time...). Hillary, even in her debates with Sanders, claimed that her priority is with Israel and the Palestinians, quote "Had their chance".

As for the black vote, turns out a lot of us (not most though) got sick of lip service with no action. Even Obama didn't have anything substantial to offer the community in terms of our concerns (police abuse and racism, discrimination in employment). Hillary arrived after too many broken promises. But don't forget, a majority of black women and men voted for Hillary. The same cant be said for her defenders prime demographic (white men and women, mostly middle to upper class).

@30

So your claim is that, because Palestine isn't progressive with its LGBTQ community, its ok that Israel is ethnically cleansing them?

Please, tell me what your thoughts on right wing/Pro Trump countries such as Russia and Turkey are?

Does your defense only apply to homophobia? What about racial (instead of ethno-religious) hate? Israel has a bad track record with that. Come to speak of it, so does this very regime you and I and commenting from.

@34: No, as much as you want to extrapolate, @30 didn't claim that.

@34. What in God’s imaginary name are you babbling about?

You do know that Hamas is 100% ideologically, politically, and physically committed to the total annihilation of the Jewish state of Israel... Right?

By supporting Hamas you are supporting genocide. By supporting Hamas you are also supporting state sponsored bigotry, terrorism, murder, sexism, misogyny, and corruption.

You want to say Israel is an apartheid state? That’s like saying that Washington is an apartheid state for not letting isis set up shop and do their thing in downtown Seattle.

You lefty assholes always wanna call somebody a nazi. Well, if you support Jewish genocide, what the fuck do you think that makes you?

@Muffy

It's possible to hold two thoughts in your head at the same time.
It's possible to be against Hamas and for the human rights of Palestinians.
It's also possible to be against some of Israel's policies while at the same time supporting Israel's right to exist.

34 never said they support Hamas in the first place. In fact, they don't even mention Hamas in their post.

By the way, your kvetching about "lefty assholes" calling everyone Nazis, right before you call #34 a nazi is the type of asshole bulshit we've all come to expect from you.
You get all red assed anytime someone lumps you in with Trump supporters or conservatives in general, and then you turn around and make broad generalizations about all Progressives. That's not a very good way to prove your point.

It's not okay for terrorist to murder people in the street, and it's not okay for a government to shoot unarmed civilians.
It's not okay for Hamas to fire Rockets into Israel, and it's not okay for Israel to bulldoze the houses of people they suspect are related to terrorists.

The truth is there's a lot of blood on a lot of people's hands on both sides of this issue.
Until one of the sides finally admits to their own wrongdoing, and offers some form of forgiveness to the other side for their wrongdoing, the cycle of violence will continue.

I just watched the documentary. A bit repetitive yet regardless of what one may think about Israel, it is about local activists taking a stand, educating the public, and making a difference. As such it already has a merit and deserves to be screened.

While not always comfortable with the language used, I’m afraid the documentary confirms that pink washing is indeed the case here.
The “anti-Semitism” and “self-hating Jew” comments thrown at the activists are sadly those expected to be directed at anyone criticizing Israel, regardless of the subject. Intended to shame the critics and cut off any discussion, they also water down the real hate crimes.

Why are activists so focused on Israel in particular and when there are so many human rights issues around the world, including within the United States? Why aren't we advocating a boycott of our own nation - and especially when you consider that Israel is virtually a U.S. satellite nation much in the way certain countries were satellite dependent nations of the former USSR?

I think there's a big question about tactics. They're employing a boycott, for example, when "Jewish boycott" was such a virulent tool of fascism. They like to speak the language of equality vs equity - but this goes out the window, here, and boy, does it ever.

I also have to wonder about some of these activists often throw around the assertion that their parents were Holocaust survivors. This one woman - was her name, Dean? She says her father was a Holocaust survivor? How is this possible at her age? The other woman too - a heavier blonde lady - she claims Holocaust survivors (albeit more generally). But - where are their family photos- the documentation? A bit more explanation here? With such zealousness on behalf of their cause, and such flippancy at times - not by themselves - but certainly others - about the Holocaust - how can you not wonder if people would go so far as to casually suggest they had Holocaust survivors in their own families - or that they might have Jewish heritage when they don't?

If you look at some of the history here - there were Nazi war criminals who went to Palestine after the war - along some of the same "rat lines" (supported by our own government BTW since the Cold War was about to ramp up) that led them to other places - including Argentina and our own United States. Some of them -who went to Palestine- were later in these same crowds shouting about how Israel was violatlng the human rights of the Palestinians. You had a Dr. Death - cutting people up in concentration camps - suddenly - he was a human rights activist in his new life in Palestine!

Now, I'm a big fan of Durkan, myself. What we're seeing in the Middle East is a land dispute and Durkan is bought by developers. So why would anyone be surprised that she'd be on the developers' side with all of this? And being that this is the case - why did so many of these "Pro-Palestinian" activists vote for her - if they really know what they're doing, to begin with?

I think it is, indeed, "pink washing," BUT it is also true that Israel, as a society, DOES have these strengths sorely missing in Palestinian views on law and culture.

There's not enough focus on the specific problems with specific solutions. The Palestinians need their own land and nation. Just like the Israelis. And the international community is far too content to allow people to point at one or the other rather than themselves - where this all started. They should decide on an area of land of even greater value and area than that of the entire area represented by Israel and Palestine. Then - one or the other group should be subsidized to move there - and it should attractive enough that, whoever moves, basically is getting the better deal. (Which shouldn't be hard, considering the hell hole they are both sharing now.)

Then .. let's all move on with our lives. I, for one, whether I were Israeli or Palestinian, would be jumping for the chance to go - to grab such an offer.And let that nation be called "NEW Israel" or "NEW Palestine."

And give these two groups a break from one another - and the time to possibly heal these very deep wounds. Hey, we're not best of friends with Germany. So, it should be possible for Israel and Palestine.

Edit/Correction @39 Paragraph 5: I meant I'm NOT the biggest fan of Durkan. And .. Last Paragraph: we're NOW best of friends with Germany.

We conquered Germany.

@ 42
Just like the north American golden boy@ 39 who went out of his way to pretend an "innocent" mistake: "This one woman - was her name, Dean? She says her..."
Good boy golden boy, good boy.

It's rather amazing that Sawant can write "In my view, as an elected representative of Seattle’s working people..." Here I thought Sawant was elected to represent all of Seattle's people.

@44: Indeed, the true dispostions of demagogues are often revealed inadvertanly in their own words.

1) Note that Sawant refused to condemn anti-Semitism that happened in her own district. Omari Garrett told a Jewish man to "go back to Nazi Germany and let them Nazis get at you again". There were other incidents caught on tape. She refused to condemn it.
2) Titling this a "pro Palestinian film" seems a bit dishonest. Calling it "anti Israel" seems more what it is. Just curious why all the boycott Israel folks call it racism and a "Muslim ban" when similar attitudes are directed towards Muslims. The left shows over and over that the exact same singling out for criticism other groups-blacks, Muslims, Hispanics, women- is not okay. But with Jews it's okay. They will condemn Jewish violence towards Muslims on the other side of the planet but never when Jews are on the receiving end, including here at home. Then they are baffled as to why they are perceived as anti-Semitic.

@46

"Just curious why all the boycott Israel folks call it racism and a "Muslim ban" when similar attitudes are directed towards Muslims."

I can't speak for the boycott Israel crowd, but but that isn't necessary in order to answer your question.
Israel is a nation, and Islam is a religion.

Criticizing a nation is not racist, even if that Nation is a monoculture, which Israel is not. Nobody claimed it was racist to go after Nazi Germany during World War II, even though the Germans were a near monoculture, and Nazism was specifically about race.

Banning people from a specific religious group is religious discrimination and therefore unconstitutional. Many people call that racist, but racism is not the proper term. It is religious bigotry.

In fact, in order to pass his "Muslim ban", Trump had to reframe it as a ban on specific nationalities, or the court would have struck it down as religious discrimination again.
So you see, the US court system has already answered your question.

Also, progressives of all colors and Creeds have spoken out against anti-semitism since before modern Israel was Palestine.
American Progressive spoke out against Nazi anti-Semitism before the US entered World War II, and progressives have continued to speak out against anti-Semitism to this very day.

@44: Sawant was originally elected when all of our City Council’s seats were at-large. (She was Not Richard Conlin when he had grown old and out of touch, after about twenty years on the Council.) She fled into the safe seat of District 3 the moment it was created, but she still believes she rules City-wide (and, of course, with the Mandate of Heaven).

That she could not again get re-elected City-wide is one of the many, many doupleplus unfacts which her followers will never, ever be permitted to acknowledge.

There are some -- I'm one, at least -- who are leftist but don't share the seemingly-required attitude toward Israel as being the most inhumane nation in the world. Perhaps that's because I'm Jewish, although Jewish Voice for Peace and some other organizations feel that way. So perhaps that's because I'm not a university student, although I've talked to some who can see further than the standard leftist-student opinions. But more likely it's because I'm older than Israel and have extensively in the recent (last 150 years) history of that region. Knowledge of that extremely complex history makes it all but impossible to see a people -- Jewish or Arab/Palestinian -- isolated from the politics of their past and current governments/empires. That includes the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas. I implore everyone to read that history before making emotional and irrational statements. I'd also like to see our attention being brought back to our own people, which needs us a hell of a lot more than any other people. We have a dangerous strong man in DC and our inattention won't help.

@49: I found David Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace" to be a really good basis for understanding the modern situation in the Middle East. Scott Anderson's "Lawrence in Arabia" is another good read on the topic.

As for this silly kerfuffle here in Seattle, well, it does sound like disputes over Israel and sexuality from my undergraduate days -- and I'm no spring chicken, either.

Let's do this bitches!! Seattle Gay Pride 2019 to be held in ... GAZA!!! Who's got the balls to do this?

@51: Celebrating the anti-gay bigotry and anti-semitism of Hamas conveys the wrong political message and does nothing to promote sexual freedom, identity, and expression.

Interesting to see Netanyahu/AIPAC/arms industry minions claiming to be the “knowledgable” crowd.
Did any of you actually watched the video? It is about local activists educating the people and making a difference. They’re calling Israel on it’s pretentious facade bs.
Israel’s actions should not be justified on the grounds of “but look at Gaza,” just like US or any others can’t claim, “but look at North Korea” to justify their own actions.

Hum, never knew one had to be a supporter of Hamas to oppose the Palestinian Genocide. As someone who is proud to be Queer, I don't get why I should be silent as children are murdered, because their fathers would spit in my face? Genocide is genocide, and colonialism is colonialism, regardless of how the parties otherwise treat us queer folks.

54 posts in and SLOG's peanut gallery hasn't solved the Middle East? Surprising.