We're those comedians or Cub Scout leaders?

Hehe, I'm glad that Scott mentioned Columbia as being one of the universities where there's lots of tension about the Israel/Palestine conflict. I'd say that "tension" is quite the understatement ;-) I'm a Columbia student and am neither Jewish nor Arab, but whenever there's a speaker about the Middle East on campus, it seems that WWIII erupts! I've been rather pessimistic about any peace in the MidEast -- if Americans can't keep from tearing each other to shreds over the issue, how will Israelis & Palestinians ever make peace?!!! Unfortunately, Columbia has a far larger Jewish majority so any pro-Palestinian sentiment seems to be expressly forbidden on campus. It's such a shame, which is why I've decided to leave it to Jews and Arabs to blast each other to pieces. Lets hope comedy will work...it seems that logic has failed.

Now that I've finished the entire diavlog, I'll say that I'm happy to hear that both Dean & Scott are so optimistic about this subject. It's true that in the US, debate on this issue is rather non-existent since it's such a politically incorrect issue to debate. I agree that many college groups invite such controversial speakers, which only worsens hostilities. Hopefully Columbia will have the privilege to host the two of you once again.

Thanks to Dean and Scott for compassionately standing up for peace. It takes artistic brilliance and a generous soul to create humor from the blood, sweat and tears of the terminally unfunny Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

in the last segment one of the speakers says people ( americans ) should get behind and support the two state solution. Why? Should Tamil and Sri Lankan Americans be rallying their fellow Americans to be involved in the war in their homeland? Of course not. Something I dont think is right is Jewish and Arab Americans want the US to be involved in the fight for Palestine, yet, based on anecdotal evidence, their ethnic groups are more than a little underrepresented in the US military. esp the combat arms. to paraphrase a question Michael Scheurer asks in his latest book, is the prime concern of Arab and Jewish Americans the well being and safety of the citizens of the country they live in? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/bo...yt&oref=slogin "...Is the protection of U.S. interests and American citizens, and the maintenance of American sovereignty, independence, and freedom of action, any longer the primary, overriding concern of the U.S. federal government? ..." btw, David Rieff reviews and trashes the Scheuer book in the Times. He does not say he opposes the Scheuer proposal of ending US aid to Israel and all Arab States. Only that such a policy would destroy the world economy. So the US has

Quoting laurelnyc: Columbia has a far larger Jewish majority so any pro-Palestinian sentiment seems to be expressly forbidden on campus.

Is this a joke? There are a number of pro-Palestinian professors in the Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures department at Columbia. From 1963 until his death in 2003, Edward Said was professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia. Rashid Khalidi now holds Said's chair. Ahmadinejad spoke at Columbia last September, for crying out loud. Sorry, but pro-Palestinian sentiment does not seem to be "expressly forbidden" at Columbia.

Scott and Dean: I am impressed by what you two are trying to do and I strongly support your message. You're absolutely right that laughter is the best medicine and is a powerful tool for airing political grievances. You're absolutely right about getting together and talking is the only way forward. You're absolutely right about understanding how the other side sees things being key to progress. However, as a diavlog, this was possibly the most tedious thing I've ever heard on this site (that didn't involve Ann Althouse). I listened for a long while, thinking, and then hoping, and then faintly hoping, that you'd get past the "introduction." I finally had to give it up after about 25 minutes. I realize that this is an unfamiliar format for you two, and I know that your stand-up routine would have been weird to try to pull off when you were just talking to each other on the phone. However, if you ever have occasion to do something like BH.tv again, please feel free to take five or ten minutes to explain what you do and what you're after, but then move on from the preaching to some

According to a new poll out of Tel Aviv University, only 17% of Israelis favor negotiating a ceasefire with Hamas.

Yes, perpetual war is such a more attractive alternative.

Michael/CC, what do you think of the policy adopted toward Hamas after they were elected into power?

For the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War, I thought this one was worth reprising: Sunday March 16 2003
The Observer

An obscure Jewish sect in New York has been gripped in awe by what it believes to be a mystical visitation by a 20lb carp that was heard shouting in Hebrew, in what many Jews worldwide are hailing as a modern miracle.

Many of the 7,000-member Skver sect of Hasidim in New Square, 30 miles north of Manhattan, believe God has revealed himself in fish form.

According to two fish-cutters at the New Square Fish Market, the carp was about to be slaughtered and made into gefilte fish for Sabbath dinner when it suddenly began shouting apocalyptic warnings in Hebrew.

Many believe the carp was channelling the troubled soul of a revered community elder who recently died; others say it was God. The only witnesses to the mystical show were Zalmen Rosen, a 57-year-old Hasid with 11 children, and his co-worker, Luis Nivelo. They say that on 28 January at 4pm they were about to club the carp on the head when it began yelling.

Nivelo, a Gentile who does not understand Hebrew, was

I maybe sick but I find that hilarious.

Oy, Vonderment, you think this is FUNNY?? *spit spit spit*

Quoting look: Michael/CC, what do you think of the policy adopted toward Hamas after they were elected into power?

Given that Hamas made clear after the election that they would not honor agreements signed with Israel (Oslo, the road map, etc.), and that their aim remains to destroy Israel, I'm pretty much fine with it. I agree with Gershom that it was a mistake to support Hamas' participation in the elections in the first place, given Hamas' unwillingness to disarm. Other reasons I'd add are their anti-democratic, Islamist, political ideology, and lack of a clear commitment to recognize Israel's right to exist (i.e., a 2-state solution: two states for two peoples). Do I think that given that we did support their participation in the elections, we must follow through and treat them as a legitimate, democratically elected government? Well, I think Israel probably is treating them as they'd treat any democratically elected government whose stated aim is to destroy Israel and to do away with democracy. But even if there is something inconsistent (unprincipled, hypocritical, whatever) in Israel's policy toward Hamas after their election, when the choice is between looking foolish (admitting a mistake, etc.) and putting your own existence at greatly increased

mvantony, You realize that Likud did not accept the two state solution and called for scrapping Oslo as well...did that make Likud illegitimate as a negotiating partner for the Palestinians? http://abunooralirlandee.wordpress.com