In Photos: Dyke March 2009

how funny the queers are against so called "israeli apartheid". Name one other middle eastern country where you can be openly gay or lesbian and serve in the army, get elected to the government, get equal pay and job opportunities and oh yeah have your own pride parade (there are 2 one in Tel Aviv and one in Jerusalem) without getting stoned to death, beaten on the street, imprisoned or shot, or let alone living a double life. I am sure these lesbians and gays would love to stroll around the Gaza Strip smooching and waving. How hypocritical. Israel is a gay positive country and I know that as a fact because i have been there several times and have tons of friends relatives living there.

Easy swift.

There are many Israeli's that have issue with the occupation in Gaza and West Bank.

Just because Israel doesn't stone gays to death doesn't mean that this group has to be support the occupation.

Israel is a sophisticated nation with strong connections to Canada and the U.S.; it's fairly logical to think they'll be responsive, or at least pay attention to what the international community thinks of their actions. This is in contrast to other Middle Eastern governments which probably don't give a shit what North Americans think. Calling it "apartheid" is arguably overstating the case but I find it interesting how many apologists try to derail discussions of human rights abuses by focusing on word choice instead.

Oops, the comment sent prematurely. Full version:

What bothered me, and still does, was the sign that read, "Anti Zionist does not mean anti-semite". I agree, it doesn't. However,
I think that one can be anti-Zionist without considering the situation "apartheid".
(Just to clarify I looked up Wikipedia's definition of "apartheid": "The crime of apartheid is defined by the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court which established the crime of apartheid as inhumane acts of a character similar to other crimes against humanity "committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime." It lists such crimes as murder, enslavement, deprivation of physical liberty, forced relocation, sexual violence, and collective persecution." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_of_apartheid)

Just because some orthodox jews dislike gays doesn't mean Israel isn't gay positive. You will find anti-gay religious groups right here in your own back yard. The fact that Israel allows gay rights is a step in the right direction despite opposition from religious groups. Also, most Israelis, even though the majority are jews, tend to lead rather secular lives.

Like I mentioned earlier, I find it ironic that a gay group is trying to promote "human rights" in "palestine" which is certainly known for human rights abuses...for example indoctrinating chirldren to be suicide bombers. i am not sayin Israel has a perfect track record, as every country has it's skeletons in the closet. I just find it funny that they fail to realise that it is highly unlikely that you would find people from the Gaza Strip and the West bank promnoting "their" cause.

The choice of the word "apartheid" is a clever way to delegitimize and demonize Israel without explicitly saying "Israel should not exist." Effectively, by using that "choice of words," anti-Israel protesters are saying "Israel should not exist in its current form as a Zionist state - it is illegitimate." I'm sorry, but Israel *is* a Zionist state, like it or not. That is its history, its heritage, and its raison d'etre. It is a haven in a world that has had, and in many places still has, a predisposition towards killing Jews for being Jews. Irrespective of disagreeable (and sometimes downright egregious) policies of the current (and immediately former) right-wing government, Israel is *not* an apartheid state as were South Africa and Rhodesia. Labelling it such is a way to effectively say, "there should be no safe haven anywhere on earth for Jews," and that, my friends, is indeed anti-semitic, despite the fact that there are some Jews who go along with this libellous label.

Relative to the QAIA appearing in the Dyke March and Pride Parade, in my opinion, is equivalent to people who might say, "there should be no safe haven for other than heterosexuals - they are not legitimate." When you effectively delegitimize one group, you give permission to delegitimize others.

have you even been to Israel? My mother served in the IDF aswell with my entire family. Most Israelis are very Pro Israel. Golda Meir once said "When they start loving their children more than they hate us, only then can there be peace".

I suggest that you read up on Israeli history, especially the Balfour declaration and how the British wouldn't allow us back into OUR OWN COUNTRY. Please also learn about the hundreds and thousans of middle eastern jews from Arab countries that were expelled and not allowed to take anything with them nor claim anything to this very day. Read about "Palestians" murdering jews in 1929 and prior before the country was even recognzied by the world community. Read about how the Romans changed the name of Judea and Israel to Palestine after the Bar Kochba revolts as to earase any indication of Jewish habition existing there.

I suggest you get your information from reputable sources and not from the mounds of anti jewish junk available on the internet. Maybe you can visit your local synagogue for a tete a tete with the rabbi.

When your own family's blood is spilled there, your family has been exiled for years in foreign lands, sentto death camps and STILL maintains their faith, maybe then you can talk.

Being Jewish has NOTHING AT ALL to do with Israel or being a Zionist. Let's make that crystal clear.

Sounds like you are a self hating jew. If you went to hebrew school you'd learn that Israel is intrinsically tied to Judaism on a fundamental level.

Do you honestly think that most Israeli's think that the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is a favorable thing?? Not all Israeli's are right wing xenophobes like the Likud Party.

Why do i have to talk to a Rabbi in order to learn about the history and peoples perception of the occupation?? Why cannot i not speak to a historian or political expert? I guess thats because I won't get the answer that YOU want me to hear.

Listen i know first hand about the people of Isreal, the issues that they have and struggles. Just because you live in Israel and are Jewish, there are many many people that identify themselves as ISRAELI not Jewish. (just like a Canadian should identify themself as Canadian before Catholic or Muslim)


Don't try to school me with qoutes from Golda Meir, I have relatives that saw her speak.

Gay women accusing Israel of apartheid? What do they call the treatment of women by Hamas, Hezbollah, Egypt (70% illiteracy rate among women), Saudi Arabia and so on? There is clear apartheid against women by every government in the area except Israel. We don't even have to get into treatment of gays in the Arab/Islamic countries. (Except for Iran, which has no gays.)

If those dykes were honest, they would have simply carried a sign saying, "Dykes against Kikes", as this is really what their beef is about.

Agreed.

Now how about that Dyke March? You know, the parade that happened on Saturday that involved many groups of people marching in support of lesbians? Lesbian solidarity. Woooo!

I don't think they should be bringing another political issue into a parade that deals with another, separate, political issue. The whole Israel/Palestine thing is too complex to distill into a flag with no frame of reference.
I do wish that people would stop misusing the term "semite", though. An Arab who hates a Jew isn't an anti-semite since he is semitic himself. Arabs are also semites. In fact, people who only hate Jews and not Arabs or Iranians, etc can't truly be called anti-semitic either.

>Saying that being Jewish has nothing to do with Israel is like saying that being black has nothing to do with being from Africa. Where on earth do you think Jews originally came from???

lmao!

You know us Jews originated in Africa right?
And what does being black have to do with Africa other than genetics? You realize that "black people" come from more places than Africa right?

The original Jews in Africa 2000 years ago were a Black African people as an ethnic group. (Massey: Egypt Light of the Word p501) Many of them still are Black, in northenrn Africa such as the Falasha Jews of Ethiopia. A New York Times editorial (3/2/84) described them as "a lost tribe that has kept it identiy for more than 2,000 years in a remote corner of Africa." Abraham, ancestor of the Hebrews, was from Chaldea; the ancient Chaldeans were Black. In fact, Africa takes it name from Ophren, a son of Abraham by his wife, Keturah (Whiston: The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus p50) Like Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the lineage of Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie also goes back to Judah -through Solomon/Queen of Sheba and King David.

Roman historian Tacitus wrote that many of his time believed that the Jews "were a race of Ethiopian origion." The Bible classifies the Ethiopians & Jews together, "Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord." (Amos 9:7) Black Paul is mistaken for an "Egyptian" and declares himself to be a "Jew." (Acts 21:37-39, 22: 2,3) That the Jews got their language, religion & culture from the Canaanites & Sumerians through Babylon, is well documented by historians. The original ancient Hebrew alphabet was identical to that of the Phoenicians. "Semitic languages" are really dialectical variants of African languages.

>Israel is our homeland and we are staying there!!!!

Says who? Certainly not the Hebrew Bible!

"The Hebrew Bible provides three different sets of borders each with a different purpose. The passages where these are defined are Genesis 15:18-21, Numbers 34:1-15 and Ezekiel 47:13-20."

Seems like God himself can't even decide where the holy land is :P
Stop listening to your rabbi. He's not a historian.

P.S. The word Semite is from semi which means half. Half what? Half BLACK! (mulatto!) Semite refers to the descendants of Shem, one of Noah's sons. The word originates from the Latin prefix semi which means half. "half Black and half white... therefore Black (since Black is genetically dominant)"

You're so wacky, I couldn't help but laugh at your posting. I am sure when i need any information on the origins of humanity I will consult you.

Yes, of course you are right about Semite referring to a group of languages tollah, and I don't disagree that the term is correctly used in reference to hating Jews. However, I still don't think someone who is a Semite is properly called an anti-Semite since that would imply they hate their own kind as well. This is a semantic argument and I sure we could go on forever back and forth but if you look at your explanation then one could argue that a Jew who doesn't speak Hebrew isn't a Semite.
Also, the examples you used are a form of urban vernacular and not proper speech.
It's a moot point and either of us could be right or wrong but we at least agree that people who hate another group irrationally are ill.
Shalom.

Give me a break.

You can't keep calling people that have issue with Israel's policies anti semitic.

I am very very very far from anti semitic.

So BJ by your logic anyone that has issue with say Kenya's foreign or domestic policies are racist towards blacks (well 99% of them.

Also if "Hate turns into action, and another suicide bomber takes the lives of the innocents." The same can be said about an Arab that is trying to get through a check point while his sick wife dies in his arms.

How did a Dyke march turn into a Likudnik convention?

Love the mother and child photo. It warmed my heart to see so many queer parents and their children. Also liked seeing the sex workers. It gave me something to think about.

BTW, I agree with everything BJ said except for the "99%" because I'm sure that the number of anti-Semitic anti-Zionists is lower. However, I'm trying to change the subject. This is a post about the Dyke March, not just about Israel despite the question posed below the related photo. Pride weekend is about acceptance and community. Let's move on and get some additional commentary going.

What did people like about the march?

While people may discriminate against blacks, or have other negative feelings, they do not generally want to drive them as a whole into the sea, nor make blanket attacks on their leaders. I haven't heard much about demonstrations against Kenya's policies. Please share.

Stop spreading racism against African people. Stop spreading your words of homophobia and stop being such a racist asshole against Arabs. You're a racist and a bigot.

>While people may discriminate against blacks, or have other negative feelings, they do not generally want to drive them as a whole into the sea, nor make blanket attacks on their leaders.

What distorted world do YOU live in?

>The world has a clear history of hating Jews

the world? lol

easy there buddy with the hyperbole.

exactly.

I am a VERY proud Jew. I however do not agree in the slightest with Israel's policies towards actually almost anything (A WHOLE other discussion)

People like somechick would automatically label me as a anti-semite. Which makes not sense, since I am a proud Jew.

Straw man arguments are funny to say the least.

What a stupid dykes! they have never even been to Israel, they do not know what they are standing for.