Mass Resignations at Carter Center

1689 Views 45 Replies 15 Participants Last post by LANMaster, Jan 26, 2007

sy2

Discussion Starter · Jan 11, 2007

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116852889902273906.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

ATLANTA -- Fourteen members of an advisory board at the Carter Center resigned today, concluding they could "no longer in good conscience continue to serve" following publication of former President Jimmy Carter's controversial book, "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid."

You need a WSJ account to read the full article, but another site (digg.com) has this up and someone in the comments section posted the letter from the article:

"Dear President Carter,

As members of the Board of Councilors each one of us has been proud to be associated with the Carter Center in its noble struggle to repair the world. However, in light of the publication of your latest book Palestine; Peace Not Apartheid and your subsequent comments made in promoting the book, we can no longer in good conscience continue to serve the Center as members of the Board of Councilors.

In its work in conflict resolution the Carter Center has always played the useful and constructive role of honest broker and mediator between warring parties. In your book, which portrays the conflict between Israel and her neighbors as a purely one-sided affair with Israel holding all of the responsibility for resolving the conflict, you have clearly abandoned your historic role of broker in favor of becoming an advocate for one side."

*EDIT: The end of the letter, from the LGF site:

"It seems that you have turned to a world of advocacy, including even malicious advocacy," the board members wrote in a letter, a copy of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. "We can no longer endorse your strident and uncompromising position. This is not the Carter Center or Jimmy Carter we came to respect and support. Therefore it is with sadness and regret that we hereby tender our resignation from the Board of Councilors of the Carter Center effective immediately."

Little Green Footballs has this up here along with a related article:

Melvin Konner, physician and professor at Emory University, declined an invitation to be part of a group advising President Carter and The Carter Center on Carter's recent book on the Mideast. Konner notes especially that "President Carter has proved capable of distorting the truth about such meetings and consultations in public remarks following them. In particular, he mischaracterized the meeting he had with the executive committee of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Phoenix, saying he and they had positive interactions and prayed together, when in fact others present stated that the meeting was highly confrontational and that the prayer was merely a pro forma closing invocation." Konner says also that "in television interviews I have seen over the past week, President Carter has revealed himself to be so rigid and inflexible in his views that he seems to me no longer capable of dialogue."

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linskyjack

· #17 · Jan 13, 2007

Carter is not an anti-semite. He is far to the left, which automatically means that you have to dislike Israel beyond helpful criticism.

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linskyjack

· #19 · Jan 13, 2007

From moderates who are looking for a just peace in the region rather then the destruction of the State of Israel.

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linskyjack

· #22 · Jan 14, 2007

Fidelista said:
The only people I know of that don't accept the reality of Israel--want to eliminate-- is not the left --but extreme right.:down:
Nearly everyone wants a just and peaceful solution. Few have worked as hard as J. Carter.
I don't know of anything that is considered "helpful criticism" of Israel however -- bait for attack, and will get immediate response from lobby. Off limits for Americans and others in the west. In some nations in Europe -- even speaking of disagreement with official descritption of holacaust can land one in jail--a fact. Thank goodness we still honor freedom of speech in U.S. --right or wrong >f

Nearly everyone? Thats a joke. Most people of your political bent are obsessively attacking Israel with absolutely no criticism of the Palestenians. You mention a lobby--what lobby is that? (Sounds like you are buying the Arab press hook line and sinker). I assume that you want Jews who support Israel not to react when attacks are made. As far as Europe goes, don't compare it to the US----we don't have their history vis a vis hatred for Jews. Next thing you will be telling us is that the "lobby" is the reason they have those laws.

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linskyjack

· #25 · Jan 14, 2007

The left practices selective morality. Then again, so does the right.

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linskyjack

· #32 · Jan 15, 2007

Fidelista said:
I honestly know no one on left--personally --that wants the Israeli to be wiped out , or without a nation, but you will hear critisism from the left , while the right is generally silent.
I believe the democrats do support Israel ,and always have , not likely Israel would have survived were it not so. There continues to be strong support in Congress --by both Dems and Repubs --but some of the liberals do have limits . Others offer blanket support regardless of subject.
The lobby? . Not the actual lobbies. By lobby I mean those very vocal defenders of anything Israeli. Make a negative observation of a Israeli policy or action and they make more noise than a frightened flock of geese !
I expect Jews to react to attack, not to would be unrealistic.
I believe Carters book, although written as he sees things, recollects, is not ALL wrong.
One thing that is frustrating about Israel vs Palestine is this . When bargaining for peace , Israel bargains from such a position of power , they are far less likely to make any real consessions. They are not worried with survival of State , and have continued to gain real estate over years. I think thats what frustrates people of my "political bent'.
Its a given that it would be this way as Israel is not only a military power, but a economic one , with complete and unconditional support of a super power.
As far as condemning the Palestinians, it obvious that their leadership has went downhill.
Hamas and other militant groups have made things nearly impossible to fix , and empowered the hawks {likud} in Israel. The best time for resolution has passed , in the 80's IMO.
The future looks pretty bleak to me now and I have no good anwers.
As far as current anti-semitism--hatred of Jews in Europe ? . I can't really offer opinion other than I have read history.
I do know that much support of Israel in the U.S. comes not only from politic, but from religious influences. How this plays in Europe , I don't know.
I am glad to see you recognize that Carter is not a anti-semite, or condones murder of Jews. Thats one reason I read your posts carefully, you don't seem to align with crack-pots.
I do really condemn the lack of free-speech in Europe !. If a nutcase says Jews were not slaughtered in WW2--he has right to make fool of himself.
I am amazed that Europeans would stand for speech restrictions -- not much different than Cuba!.
I guess I am spoiled with U.S.freedoms --proud actually. >f

Actually the right is more supportive of the State of Israel then the left. Just look at the neo-cons, the religious right, the Rockefeller Republicans etc. Now you might not know any members of the left who want to destroy the state of Israel. What many want is a ONE STATE solution, in reality the destruction of the state of Israel. Others, by their continuous attacks on Israel (with absolutely no corresponding attacks on Palestenian terrorists), engender the gross anti-semitiism that prevails in most of Europe and throughout the Middle East.

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