Yesterday I mentioned my frustration with the hasbarim and their successes in blacklisting on SST to see what the reaction would be. It was 100 to 1 against my giving it up. Thanks to my own resources and "the kindness of others" I have no financial problems so that is not an issue for me. If my repeated enquiries about quitting bore you, sorry, but you will see it again, and one day it will be true.
I did get a couple of hasbara messages. Both were from supposed "people" who apparently have not written before. They were writing from hidden IPs with a pronouncedly foreign cadence to their prose. The best one was from something that told me that if I knew Israel, had ever visited Israel I would know how wicked were my "attacks" on the Jewish State. This 'person" held out the possibility that if I went on a JINSA sponsored visit to Israel and repented then there was some small chance that I might be forgiven. They do not do research. I have been to Israel more times in the last 45 years than the number of years this "person" has probably lived. Amen. pl
Colonel, I think it's fair to say that while most thoughtful and reflective people are disgusted with the sway that Israel holds over our media, it must be particularly frustrating for someone of your professional expertise to be locked out of a dialogue that should be front and center. More than most, you know the specific damage that our relationship with Israel has done and is doing to US interests.
Posted by: steve | 22 March 2011 at 10:18 AM
Col Lang, they hate you because they fear you, your truth. No one kicks a dead dog.
Some day I am sure you will quit but until that day comes, Thank you.
Posted by: Nancy K | 22 March 2011 at 10:19 AM
Col: The truth will set you free. My anti-Zionism stems from visiting Israel and going through their checkpoints. Sometimes "more information" actually weakens a cause.
Posted by: Matthew | 22 March 2011 at 10:58 AM
Carry on. Offer stands
Posted by: Charles I | 22 March 2011 at 11:15 AM
Col.
I thought about that "gang" when I read your post on the "Newshour" but told myself to wait a bit before making a comment.
This morning the post was gone and I saidto myself that I missed my chance.
I guess, for some, the truth hurts when they can't control the public ( via blogs and social networks) outside the corporate MSM through words or threats sometimes. May be they think that you are a "gauchiste":
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/military-intelligence-monitoring-foreign-left-wing-organizations-1.350713
Well, don't give them that pleasure and thank you, once again, for this blog
Posted by: The beaver | 22 March 2011 at 11:20 AM
I have just read The Army of Northern Virginia. Wow. Now that is an answer to my every question.
You are a beautiful man, inside an honourable soldier.
I shall have to be thoughtful, serious and respectful for a bit until the poem loosens its grip. . . I have never been a soldier, but today I could cry like a baby for one.
Posted by: Charles I | 22 March 2011 at 11:28 AM
Col Lang,
I would recommend that you pay no attention to their attempts to annoy you. It is just a sign of how much your blog rattles them. As a forum for enlightened opinion and reasoned debate, it is an island of sanity in an ocean of partisan shrillness and mindless chatter.
It is great work you are doing. Please keep it going!
Posted by: FB Ali | 22 March 2011 at 11:29 AM
Make that 101 to 1.
Posted by: Pirouz | 22 March 2011 at 11:36 AM
"I have no financial problems so that is not an issue for me."
I could go 10k for a weekend at the cottage, w or w/o spouses.
Posted by: Charles I | 22 March 2011 at 11:45 AM
Carry on Sir..What you do is important to many..and above all to your country
Posted by: Yusuf Al-Misry | 22 March 2011 at 12:00 PM
“Yesterday I mentioned my frustration with the hasbarim and their successes in blacklisting on SST to see what the reaction would be. “
I missed that, where could I find it?
Apologies if it’s in plain sight somewhere on SST!
Mark
Posted by: Frabjous | 22 March 2011 at 12:25 PM
Mr. Lang,
I hope that you'll be with us for a long time. This blog and it's twin, 'The Ateneaeum', are a treasure.
The last week alone saw one brilliant thread (the Brenner piece "Modernism's Empty Empty Spaces") in a sea of quite interesting and educative ones.
To you and your guest authors - keep it up!
Best.
Posted by: confusedponderer | 22 March 2011 at 12:32 PM
I am furious that Col. Lang is blacklisted by the slanderous actions of these these shadowy creeps, most especially since he has such wealth and depth of knowledge on Libya, which the media sorely needs right now.
It is so wrong and I am glad the Colonel is putting it on the record.
Posted by: Mary | 22 March 2011 at 01:32 PM
Col. Lang,
I consider the attacks upon you a badge of honor. Nothing upsets the Neocon Zionists more than someone who pokes holes in their worldview. You provide a much needed sounding board for those who oppose them. Keep up the fight!
Posted by: Vanasek | 22 March 2011 at 04:48 PM
Beaver,
Thanks for the link. "...left-wing groups..." yes, always the left wing, and of course, never about conduct of that nations policy, just "... efforts to delegitimize Israel and question its right to exist."
Well let's not forget the leaders on the right
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/03/sarah-palin-in-israel-why-are-you-apologizing-all-the-time.html
".....One of Palin’s tour guides World Likud Chairman Danny Danon said Palin “really connected to the story of the Jewish nation.”..."According to The Jerusalem Post, Danon said “I can clearly say from the questions she asked in relation to our conflict here with the Muslims in these holy sites that she knows that we are right and that the Muslims are just claiming things for provocation and they’re not right.”..."
The Jpost link is within the ABCnews story.
I wonder what Reagan would say about the Gaza wall?
Posted by: Fred | 22 March 2011 at 05:15 PM
Pat,
Apparenty, the propagandists haven't done a very good job. If they did, they would know you have been to Israel and that your last trip was enough to make you not want to go back.
Posted by: Jackie | 22 March 2011 at 05:33 PM
I didn't comment yesterday and should have, so make it 102.
Posted by: Ingolf Eide | 22 March 2011 at 07:14 PM
Leander pointed out this interesting document on another thread but germane on this thread:
http://www.zionismontheweb.org/Global_Forum_2009_Online_Antisemitism_Working_Group_Report.pdf
Posted by: Clifford Kiracofe | 22 March 2011 at 07:26 PM
Fred
Religious Sarah had to turn around and couldn't visit Bethlehem. Her handlers didn't realise that they needed IDF permission to enter West Bank.
Posted by: The beaver | 22 March 2011 at 07:53 PM
Pat - I am Jewish with a long association with Israel. My grandfather was Irgun and I had my bar mitzvah in Haifa in 1956. I am in Israel twice a year for the Holidays and all 37 of my relatives live in the settlements so I am in the West Bank most of my visit. I lived in Israel during the early 80's so I am one of those damned dual citizens.
I STRONGLY agree with your position and hope and pray you will continue to be an important voice on this issue.
Posted by: jdledell | 22 March 2011 at 08:15 PM
being a foot dragging lurker, i wanted to post a germane link only to find beaver had 'dammed' beaten me to it !
but has'nt israel being doing this for some time (monitoring leftwing groups) ? what were all those 'art students' doing in the early part of the last decade ?
Posted by: tunde | 23 March 2011 at 08:14 AM
Beaver,
I found it interesting that Sarah keeps saying 'we' when she's a Pentacostal and not Jewish. Of course she's at least smart enough to know which side of the bread the butter is on. As to what's going on on the other side of the wall, that's another story.
Posted by: Fred | 23 March 2011 at 09:37 AM