Haitian Mother Names her baby Israel

[Thunder]

As a response to the disaster in Haiti , the IDF has sent a Medical and Rescue Team of over 220 members,

Israel is tiny in comparison to the dozens of Arab countries.

I pray, that Israel is not doing this to score political points. Cause your posts suggest they are.

 

[Cleon]

I pray, that Israel is not doing this to score political points. Cause your posts suggest they are.

Israel might be. But I doubt the individuals who are actually doing the rescue work are.

 

[Elizabeth I]

Israel is tiny in comparison to the dozens of Arab countries.

How big is it compared to Iceland?

Oh, and Israel is not all that uncommon a name. I have known several Mexicans and Hispanic Americans named Israel. Biblical names are often popular in countries whose populations have a high percentage of Christian believers.

 

[Thunder]

Israel might be. But I doubt the individuals who are actually doing the rescue work are.

it is not a sin to do a good deed even though you are sent for less then angelic reasons.

 

[Travis]

I know a guy named Israel too. Ironically he became a Buddhist a few years ago.

I believe there is also a Haitian baby named Vinson (born on the aircraft carrier) now too.

 

[yairhol]

why do they have to bring politics into this?

Israel might be. But I doubt the individuals who are actually doing the rescue work are.

It never ceases to amaze me how, in the face of a disaster of this magnitude. Some human Garbage can't get past political point scoring.

True for both the OP and Cleon.

 

[Cleon]

True for both the OP and Cleon.

In what possible way am I trying to score political points? I was trying to pay these rescue workers a compliment.

 

[Skeptic]

On the one hand, there are those who think their country sending support is "proof" their country is better than everybody else. On the other hand there are those who say that it is wrong to be proud of your country showing support because it implies one thinks one's country is better than all others.

Both are wrong about what patriotism actually is. Both of them assume that the main reason for loving one's country is that it is better than other countries. But it's the other way around: you care and like your country more than other countries because it is your country.

I am an Israeli. I am proud of Israel sending support. This doesn't mean I necessarily think Israel's support is the best in quantity or quality, or belittle other countries' help. Jordanians should be proud of their country's help, Americans of theirs. That does not imply they think Israeli help is inferior.

 

[Skeptic]

She got lucky, her infant could have been saved by Great Britain, that would have made a strange first name.

Well, one baby was saved by a US team from Virginia. That went well. As for the baby that was saved by a team from Idaho, however...

 

[GreyICE]

Very good!

There are two extremes to be avoided. On the one hand, there are those who think their country sending support is "proof" their country is better than everybody else, nyah nyah nyah.

On the other hand there are those who hysterically say that it is wrong to be proud of your country showing support because it might be interpreted as thinking that your country is better at something than everybody else.

I am an Israeli. I am proud of Israel sending support. This doesn't mean I am trying to use it to prove Israel is better than every other country in the world, or to belittle other countries' help. Jordanians should be proud of their country's help, Americans of theirs.

Very oddly, I don't think that anyone in this thread has meant to suggest that you shouldn't be proud of your country's support, especially if you yourself contributed to it.

As you so perceptively noted, that's not quite what the OP had in mind.

 

[Debaser]

I am an Israeli. I am proud of Israel sending support. This doesn't mean I am trying to use it to prove Israel is better than every other country in the world, or to belittle other countries' help. Jordanians should be proud of their country's help, Americans of theirs.

Thinking back on TV coverage, in every disaster which has required search and rescue expertise (dogs, heat sensitive sensors, etc.), the Israelis have been in the forefront (surprisingly distinctive those olive drab uniforms). I can't remember any of them waving the Star of David flag and shouting 'Jooos Roooool OK!' when they've retrieved anyone. Nor, as far as I am aware, have any of their compatriots subsequently tried to use it as some smoke screen to allow them to bulldoze some more Palestinian housing.

Sometimes help is just help for humanity's sake (see also those ubiquitous white USAID food sacks much in evidence in the background, usually while some reporter is in the foreground condemning the slow reaction to whichever disaster it is this time).

 

[yairhol]

In what possible way am I trying to score political points? I was trying to pay these rescue workers a compliment.

And in the process suggest that Israel may be trying to score political points by helping the poor Haitis.

 

[Cleon]

And in the process suggest that Israel may be trying to score political points by helping the poor Haitis.

I think you may have misread something; that was not my suggestion, that was parky's characterization of boyntonstu's posts.

The point in my post was not meant to agree with the idea, but to say that it doesn't really matter to me one way or the other.

Or, to rephrase my post completely:

Maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but I don't give a damn. Either way, these people are doing mitzvahs in Haiti and should be commended.

If that came across differently, I apologize, it was not my intention.

 

[Thunder]

My support for Israel's efforts in Haiti have increased since I read about some anti-Semites warning Haitians to watch out for Jewish organ thieves.

 

[bigjelmapro]

That's some strange logic there. But not surprised at all...

 

[yairhol]

I think you may have misread something; that was not my suggestion, that was parky's characterization of boyntonstu's posts.

The point in my post was not meant to agree with the idea, but to say that it doesn't really matter to me one way or the other.

Or, to rephrase my post completely:



If that came across differently, I apologize, it was not my intention.

I'm glad to read the rephrasing of your post. I understood your original post exactly the opposite of what you wrote here.
I apologize for my attack on you.

 

[Skeptic]

Parky keeps eyes on what's going on with antisemites by reading their rants. He sure reads some strange stuff. While he surely doesn't intend to believe it, it seems that he is more effected by it than he seems to realize, as see, for instance, in his bizarre claim that Israel is saving lives in Haiti for PR reasons to "make it easier to demolish Palestinian homes".

 

[Thunder]

in his bizarre claim that Israel is saving lives in Haiti for PR reasons to "make it easier to demolish Palestinian homes".

I enjoy how Skeptic finds it virtually impossible to avoid ad hom attacks. His inability to stick to the topic is clear.

 

[bigjelmapro]

Stating that its a 'bizarre claim' does not constitute an ad hominem.

What I personally find astonishing is that you're accusing Skeptic of pointing out your deflection as a deflection. Care to explain?

 

[Skeptic]

I enjoy how Skeptic finds it virtually impossible to avoid ad hom attacks.

You don't seem to understand what "Ad hominem" means.

Here is an "ad hominem":

"So and so said X, but he's fat and ugly, so don't listen to him."

Here is a non-"ad hominem":

"So and so said X, Y, and Z; I conclude that he thinks W; W is bizarre; so don't listen to him."

See the difference?

I reached certain conclusions about what you think based on what you said and posted. This is not the same as an ad hominem attack.