Richard Seymour responds to listeners questions (part one)
Added 2024-04-10 15:38:26 +0000 UTCIn part one of a two-part episode Richard returns to give his thoughts on an apparent turn against Israel on parts of the American right, the significance of the protests against Netanyahu within Israel, the role of students in the Palestine solidarity movement, and his view of post-Marxist thought.
Comments
I don't really see any evidence yet of a major shift within the GOP over the issue of Israel-Palestine. e.g. aside from Rand Paul in the Senate and Thomas Massie in the House (both from Kentucky), there has been very little opposition to continued funding of the Israeli military, or criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. Both of these representatives were seen as critics of Israel prior to October 2023. The main driver of zionism within the GOP coalition has been Christian Zionists and right-wing American Jews, which has been reinforced strongly by the Murdoch press and media operation. These groups still have outsized influence within the leadership ranks of the Republican Party. Even in the case of Trump, I agree he is an opportunists. However, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and the Kushner family have a personal relationship with Netanyahu that goes back decades. So for Trump the ideological commitment may be largely superficial, however, there is a deeper personal connection that informs his policy approach. The Alex Jones / Candace Owens faction I see as a minor current within the Republican Party (e.g. anti-zionism appears to be informed by anti-semtism, more than an anti-zionism rooted in a commitment to universal human rights or the right of self-determination of the Palestinians). e.g. these groups latched onto Trump in 2016, and were involved in Charlottesville protests in 2017. They tend to be younger, more secular, social conservatives, and may shape the GOP more in a few decades, but right now they are marginal. It is largely forgotten now, however, former GOP House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his seat in 2014 in a low-turnout Republican primary. I think it is likely that anti-semitism was a factor in his defeat even back then. So what we are seeing now does not represent a new shift within the Republican Party. What we are seeing is greater visibility of a political current that has long been part of the Republican Party coalition (albeit a very junior partner within the coalition).
J P 3
2024-04-11 08:06:30 +0000 UTCWhat happiness!
Jane Pickering
2024-04-10 18:02:01 +0000 UTC
