Poet booted from J Street meet for comparing Guantanamo to Auschwitz

so,some don't want him to speak truth because it will hurt jews.dont you think the truth will set you free.why live a lie.yes,the goyim are waking up-because they see its all a lie.you need better liars,or start telling the truth.do unto others as you would have them do to you.

Yes, it was a stupid comparison, Gitmo and Auschwitz; but let's let the poets speak. Silencing critics is undemocratic by nature, I'm not sure that the Israelis understand and appreciate that point. The professional defenders of Zionism are well-trained, well-financed, articulate and well-placed, yet they seem to fear the poets. Why? Because poets tend to expose unpleasant truths...and in most cases, they are not on anyone's payroll, ergo, they have credibility and can speak truth to power. J-Street and AIPAC are more alike than different, both groups are de facto Israeli agents. They differ on the methods, not the goals. Israel's national interests often conflict with those of the USA. It is time for America to part company with the apartheied Jewish State in Palestine...we tried, but it just isn't working out. You gotta go, baby. Holy Wars Suck!

The tenor of most Talkback messages on this topic shows that expelling the poets from J-Street was practical politics. The critics who self-righteously pound the poet conveniently ignore the ongoing occupation, settlement expansion, and similar issues of concern to Jews unblinkered by ethnocentrism.

J Street's thin veneer of "pro-Israel" advocacy is crumbling quickly. At last count, 17 speakers have dropped out of the conference, including a legislator from my state. I emailed him a letter with details about anti-Israel statements by J Street staff and speakers, and apparently other people did as well. How many other conferences have had so many people drop out? People are seeing through J Street's sweet words, and recognizing the evil behind the mask.

What do you call a Jewish organization that takes full page ads out in American newspapers asking the President of the United States to pressure Israel, that calls the IDF war criminals, and supports a boycott against the State of Israel? The answer: JStreet. Before you consider donating any money to this group please speak to residents of Sderot and Ashkelon, to families who have lost loved ones to terror, and to the familes who lost soldiers fighting Hezbollah in 2006.

"Not enough room in the pro-Israel tent?" J Street is a hostile, anti-Israel group, and the poet is a perfect example of their Orwellian "Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace" antics.

Healy's conflaction of Gaza and concentration camps is inexcusable. No poetic license can justify it. J Street is correct in refusing to allow itself to be characterized by Healy. People who want to who use poetry to dabble in politics are no less responsible for what they say.

Mrs Spirit obviously doesn?t see the difference between a death camp for innocent civilians headed for extermination of there race, and a prison for violent criminals. Its not rocket science, but common sense. your second grade education is not helping your argument.

"It is most unfortunate that J Street is not listening." (hf) It is most fortunate that J Street has listened to what Healy had to say, and decided they have no room for poets who make stupid comparaisons.

"Go and learn some history, Healy and friends." (Gilad) Here is, for your education, someone who was never suspected of not knowing history. "The attempt to rule over one and a half million Arabs against their will may bring about a demoralization which will disgrace our finest dreams of spiritual and national renewal. Not only will the effort to annex the territories not provide security; it will weaken the capacity to protect ourselves from our neighbors' hostility and the OPPOSITION OF THE NATIONS." From an Open Letter to then-PM Begin, 1980, by Jacob Talmon (1916-1980), Professor of Modern History at the Hebrew U of Jerusalem. 1957 Israel Prize for Social Sciences. www.fmep.org/analysis/analysis/a-prophetic-message-from-the-past In 1980, when our leaders were still denying the very existence of a Palestinian people, and no one had yet heard of Hamas.

Not in terms of accomplishments. Not in terms of fate. Don't flatter yourself.

Frank of Rome apparently doesn't understand the difference between "accused and never proven guilty suspects" and "violent terrorists". You might want to brush up on your constitutional law and criminal procedure over there, Frank, before you start criticizing anyone.

@ Lola tell me, how many convictions did we get out of Guantanamo? Surely you aren't arguing that all the detainees there are terrorists? I believe many of these so called "terrorists" were also "civilians busy with their day to day lives, well integrated and productive members of their societies"...for many of them "their only sin was to be" brown. Before calling someone insane you should check your version of reality as well.

But dialogues like this one have to take place within the Jewish community, internally, without involving the US government. And that's why I don't trust JStreet. Because if all they're about is dialogue, then they could be having the same dialogue without depending on the likes of Bernard Avishai for support.

It's Israel not J Street that loses from its boycott of J Street. Anyway, it doesn't matter and play9ng up to Likud is the wronga ddress anyway. It's America that has to pull the plug on Bibi-Lieberman, since Israelis won't!

"Comparing Guantanamo to Auschwitz is an obcenity ... " (Nechama) ... but comparing the PLO to the nazis, like M. Begin and his followers so often did, is permitted?

how many other comparisons can he make that make no sense at all - geez, I could do that!!! why doesn't he take a critical look at israel and make some arbitary comparisons? besides poetry in this day and age is SO passe'

Despite J Street's contortions and obfuscations, the fact remains they are an Israel-bashing, self-hating organization that attracts like-minded individuals. Why these people even generate news coverage is beyond me--they are so far afield and marginal.

Im not certain why this poet wanna-be would compare a prison for violent terrorists with a death camp for innocent civilians. Im even less certain why he would pretend not to understand the incredible ignorance, and insensitivity in doing so. Roses are red Violets are blue I don?t believe This guy is a Jew

Perhaps you should ask those who survived Auschwitz, or the families of those who did not, if that poem is offensive. I think his poem is beyond simply offensive. And if this is the voice of J Street it simply gives additional proof that they are not pro-Israel or pro-Jewish. Perhaps this poet should petition some of the Saudi & Iranian supporters of J Street if he can recite his poem in their countries. (Guess what: as a Jew he wouldn't even be allowed to step foot in some of their countries!)

The imagery of the Holocaust has been abused, but comparing Guantanamo where enemy combatants are held, kept alive, given 3 meals a day, receive medical attention, etc., compared to concentration victims who were shipped there to die for no other reason than they were Jews, who were tortured,starved, subjected to sadistic experiments, watched their families sent to their death - dear God, how could you compare the two? You are either too ignorant or too hateful - or both! No pro-Israel organization would ever have considered giving you a forum.

this idiot comes along. isnt it enough that we have naturei karta,Ronny Kasrils,Steven Friedman and Goldstone??? Honestly do self hating Jews have too sink to a lower new level eachtime??? Or are they just trying to compete in the title of being self hating Jews??? makes one think :-(

Sadly this idiot feels unjustly persecuted. Wow! Dude wake up! The comparison is simply outrageous, the fact you don't get it only shows how simple and vacuous you really are.

Tom,great analysis and beautifully written.

J Street has it's own interests & agenda which are independent of, and in many cases run counter to American, Jewish & Israeli needs. J Street should be educated, they lack the information & comprehension regarding what's 'good' for Israel. J Street seeks to divide the Jewish people along 'party' lines, AIPAC supporters vs. themselves. It's this approach that makes J Street so dangerous, seeking a separation via an inapplicable alternative rather then pursue a unified, collective support for Israel.

this jstreet novelty is an invention of the "jewish" left,to opose everything that's Jewish and the State of Israel...a bunch of "progressive intellectuals",that never did a honest day of work,playing big boys driving he BMW's their dadys gave them for high school graduation...They do not have a clue of what they are doing and the pandora box they are sticking their sorry heads inn...Wonder who's paying for this circus number to go on...

Comparing Auschwitz to Guantanamo is an insult to the jews who died in concentration camps. These jews did not do anything wrong to get there. They were civilians busy with their day to day lives, well integrated and productive members of their societies. Their only sin was to be jews. They were herded & sent like animals from the 4 corners of Europe to industrial death camps. The liberal left should really concentrate on ways to improve the economy instead of worrying about avowed terrorists.

I wish we had some J-street in Germany! "Jewish" politics would become much more convincing.

in an organization with the same goals. They have the same problems - nobody notice them.

In the pre-Nazi era, Jews were wrongly perceived to have far greater influence and power. In the US are high profile Jews who are being attributed a similar level of influence. The consequences are dire. The Obama administration is setting up infrastructure to absorb minorities into government paid positions. Mechanisms are being put into place to transfer wealth and as the economy gets worse, angry people will be looking for simple answers to their problems. As unemployment grows in the white lower and middle classes, so the anger will grow and Jews will bear the brunt of this anger. History will back this up. Jewish intelligentsia insists on saying things that are both wrong and are sure to backfire. Idiots in the US will blame Jews for bringing about the release of terrorists from Guantonamo. If and when this backfires with terrorist acts in the US, combined with economic woes, so the Jews will be blamed.

Why do you call them pro-Israel? They are pro-destruction-of-Israel.

Who is this guy again and why is he relevant to influencing public policy? Ohh, I forgot he is another liberal arts major who feels that he is important to society and that his eccentric lifestyle and controversial poetic shock lines make him important to civilization. Go back to serving tables and spewing your poems in corners of Berkley bars. I'm sure people there will think you are a Torah scholar with your Jew card identity in leftist politics.

In the late 1920's and early 1930's, prior to the Nazi party forging forward, Jews were perceived, rightly or wrongly, to have far greater power and influence and this power made the masses uncomfortable. The so-called intelligent Jews in the US have no idea what is going on around them. The Obama administration is setting up massive infrastructure to absorb minorities into government paid positions. As unemployment grows in the white lower and middle classes, so the anger will grow and history has taught us that the Jews will bear the brunt of this anger. Why can't the intelligentsia, like Healy, not see this coming but insist on putting their heads, and ours, on the block? Go and learn some history Healy and friends.

I like what Healey had to say. It is most unfortunate that J Street is not listening.

If J street is to establish itself as an autonomous legitimate alternative voice for the Zionist cause it better rethink the "purge" of Josh Healey. His poem was powerful but not offensive. If J street starts dancing to the tune of it's critics it has already lost it's claim of independant thinking and moral courage. Start with the poets, then the gays, then the commies, then the intellectuals, then anyone that disagress. That's the path to just being another lobby with an agenda. And that's what got Israel into trouble in the first place. Listen to the different voices.