Alice Walker Pimps David Icke in the NY Times

[Brainster]

The interviewer asks her what books are currently on her nightstand. The second book mentioned is by Lizard Lad:

“And the Truth Shall Set You Free,” by David Icke. In Icke’s books there is the whole of existence, on this planet and several others, to think about. A curious person’s dream come true.

For a famous writer, she expresses herself poorly here, but obviously this is intended as a hook. "If you're curious, this book will be like a dream come true."

The interviewer does not challenge her on this bizarre recommendation, and there is not even a disclaimer at the bottom of the article. Tablet Magazine takes up the issue:

In And The Truth Shall You Free, the word “Jewish” appears 241 times, and the name “Rothschild” is mentioned 374 times. These references are not compliments. Indeed, the book was so obviously anti-Semitic that Icke’s publisher refused to publish it, and he had to print it himself.

Tablet notes that this is hardly a one-off incident; Walker has been promoting Icke's trash for years, as the media assiduously looks the other way.

Why has Walker escaped accountability for so long? Perhaps it is due to her Israel politics, which have been used to confuse the issue. Walker is a prominent supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, famously forbidding The Color Purple from being translated into the language of Hebrew. Because Walker—like Icke—is a strident critic of Israel, her defenders—like Icke’s—have dismissed allegations of anti-Semitism by claiming they are merely an attempt to quash her criticism of the Jewish state.

But it should not surprise anyone that the world’s only Jewish state, home to half its Jews, would attract the attention of anti-Semites, who would use the legitimate debate over its conduct to smuggle in their anti-Jewish bile. Anti-Zionism may not be anti-Semitism, but plenty of self-described anti-Zionists are anti-Semites. A progressive left that is serious about anti-Semitism will call it out not only when it comes from a white supremacist and is presented as “race realism,” but when it comes from their own camp and is presented in the righteous guise of “anti-Zionism.”

 

[carlitos]

I'm not a fan of her work, but if I were, it wouldn't surprise or affect me much. I'm merely amused when artists whose works I like turn out to be fruit loops. A person so lost in identity politics that she had to invent a word for being a black feminist turns out to be anti-Semitic and reads anti-Semitic conspiracy nutjob books? Well, knock me over with a feather.

 

[theprestige]

famously forbidding The Color Purple from being translated into the language of Hebrew.​

This is something I don't understand. If you have a vision for a better tomorrow. If you have ideas about relationships and values that you believe should be shared. If you have insights about the human that you think others would benefit from considering. Then why would you refuse to share with those who need it most?

If Alice Walker believes that she think and feels better than many Israelis, why would she deny Israelis access to her work? How will the Jews become better people, if better people refuse to interact with them and share the example of a better life?

 

[BStrong]

I thought Alice Walker would have better sense, but you never know.

 

[applecorped]

I thought Alice Walker was Jimmy Walker's mother from Good Times

 

[Allen773]

I'm more surprised about her being a fan of David Icke than being "merely" an anti-Semite.

 

[dudalb]

I thought Alice Walker would have better sense, but you never know.

Never understivmate the power and appeal of "Radical Chic".

As to why Walker has gotten away with this crap for so long the answer is easy:If you are highly regarded writer you can get away with murder. Ultimate example of that was Ezra Pound,the American Poet. He went so far to move to Italy in the late 1930's because of his support for fascism;made propaganda broadcasts during the war that were largely Anti Semitic rants, but when he was arrested after the war a good many of the American Intelligensia still made excuses for him and demanded his release. The more thing change, etc.

 

[angrysoba]

Never understivmate the power and appeal of "Radical Chic".

As to why Walker has gotten away with this crap for so long the answer is easy:If you are highly regarded writer you can get away with murder. Ultimate example of that was Ezra Pound,the American Poet.

Or William Burroughs who got away with.... murder!

 

[RolandRat]

One anti-Semite promotes another anti-Semite. News at 10.

 

[Dr. Keith]

famously forbidding The Color Purple from being translated into the language of Hebrew.​

This is something I don't understand. If you have a vision for a better tomorrow. If you have ideas about relationships and values that you believe should be shared. If you have insights about the human that you think others would benefit from considering. Then why would you refuse to share with those who need it most?

If Alice Walker believes that she think and feels better than many Israelis, why would she deny Israelis access to her work? How will the Jews become better people, if better people refuse to interact with them and share the example of a better life?

You presume that she considers Jews people, at all.