Pointed, or hateful? Cartoon stirs debate

Way over the top. Clearly anti-Semitic. Offensive to me as a Christian. Newspapers were wrong to print it. It's not just a star, its the Star of David, David is part of the Jewish religion (Christian too, since he wrote the beautiful Psalms). Want to criticize the state of Israel, fine. Find another way.

I'll have to admit, it is a little offensive.

It doesn't bother me. It's called free speech. However, Oliphant and the NYtimes should have known that their readers are equally entitled to that right.

I'd love to see Mr. Oliphant display the same "courage" in creating a similarly "pointed" critique of Islam.

If this was a muslim attack can guarantee it would have not been published,
But the Jews have always have been open season.
I find this cartoon very anti-semitic and offensive.

I agree with wasserman. it's definitely provocative, I don't think it's offensive. It's not inherently anti semitic to use the star of david to represent Israel -- they use it to represent themselves. Is he inviting us to draw a parallel between Nazi persecution of Jews and Israel's persecution of Palestinians? I guess so. Is that inherently offensive? Not necessarily. For the sake of argument, we must be able to be anti-Israel without automatically being anti-Semitic.

Why are we not hearing the same kind of outrage over this cartoon that we did about the Obama stimulus package/monkey/cops cartoon? It couldn't be because there is a liberal bias in the media, could it?

Wasserman is absolutely right. The symbol referred to as a symbol of "faith and peace" is all over their military apparatus. And quite frankly, "faith" and "peace" are not synonymous, and rarely reside together. I know they never want to be seen as being the bad party in a conflict, they always want to appear to have the moral highground, but that's as false as any other stereotype. When you start to believe your own hype, or start to employ questionable gamesmanship, you can't expect the sympathy, even such carefully cultivated sympathy, to last forever. Just ask our former President.

No talking their way out of this.

Why not just stand up and be a man about it Pat - Of course its Nazi imagery - stand behind your work you coward!

The use of phosphorus bombs in Gaza was also "a little offensive"
The repeated bombing of UN quarters and schools where civilians were trying to find safe places to avoid the bombs was "a little offensive" as well.
The reports from UN Observers of shooting of civilian children and women AT POINT BLANK RANGE can be considered "a little offensive".
Israeli soldiers using UN Volunteers as target practice was, perhaps, just "a little offensive".

Sorry, but you cannot cry anti-semitism everytime someone calls out Israel on their deplorable and repugnant war crimes in Gaza.

If agreeing with this cartoon makes me a self hating jew, than so be it. I am utterly disgusted.

Use of the Star of David in this case is perfectly justified. Israel has chosen to use the Star to symbolize itself. It is the major feature of the Israeli flag. If it is appropriate for Israelis to use the Star to represent their nation, then it is likewise appropriate for others to use the Star in the same way.

Well, they are killing civilians using tanks and planes covered with the star of David.

regardless of how you feel about Israel, it isn't much of a stretch:

plane with star of David on the wings--> drops a bomb --> kills people, some of whom are innocent

to an image of the star of david killing inoccent people. If you don't like violent portrayals of religious symbols, don't put them on your tanks and planes.

I have to think it's pointed. I actually interpret the cartoon less as an indictment of judaism but of the headless jackbooted soldier parading as an army of the righteous using the Star of David as its tool.

In general, it is an arguable but legitimate point of criticism regarding the policies of Israel. If you believe Israel is beyond reproach for its actions and is completely blameless for its actions (and effect on innocents in Gaza) and wouldn't even consider that it is responsible, then you won't agree with me. The tough part is how strongly we might associate the Star of David with judaism in general vs. Israel, which is why I think the critics might have fixated on the cartoon as anti-semitic. Again, it is an interpretation of the cartoon - but it is the soldier who is using the Star as a tool, not the Star mindlessly operating on its own, which would seem different to me.

Maybe they should start calling the nobel prize the nobel "anti-Israel" prize. Between Oliphant and Arafat we seem to have a trend going.

Joe, did Oliphant not stand behind his work? When? And, sadly, the Star of David is being used as a military symbol by the Israelis. In much the same manner as the cross and the crescent have been used by others for their own military purposes. History shows that hippy is right - faith and peace rarely reside together when faith and government share a bed.

The cartoon is not anti-Semitic in the least. The Zionists have long tried to hide behind the symbols of Judaism in order to confuse the difference between Zionists and non-Zionist, while also trying to appear justified and righteous. The truth is theirs is a history of repression and murder against the indigenous Palestinian population. The historical record even proves their claim to have the most moral army is so much self-serving rot. That the Israeli and our governments will do their best to obstruct the prosecution of the latest Israeli round of war crimes and crimes against humanity shows that the world needs more of these cartoons to keep the issue of Zionist malfeasance alive.

Strong opinion as Mr. Oliphant's drawing is should raise a few eye brows. It's clearly blunt but not anti-Semitic. The star, which is the symbol of Israel, is just that. How many times have we seen the eagle represented when making a point about the US. He is expressing his opinion about a nation. And even the use of the symbol if it were toward a religion would have to be used as prejudice or hostile in a way that creates hatred or discrimination, as this cartoon clearly does not. Would you have written about this Mr. Pelavin if it were a cross or an crescent instead of a star?

Actually, history shows more clearly that we rarely have peace when the government is not run by people of faith. Witness the 20th century.

Another misguided, anti-Israel, point-of-view being foisted upon the American public. Tell me, Mr. Oliphant, where in Israel's charter is there anything about refusing for it's Arab neighbors a right to exist? Yet, in the toxic world of Hamas and other Arab groups with similar sympathies, it is their raison-d'etre.
Why not direct your poison-pen towars THAT?

OnTheLeft-

Clearly Israel has been brandishing the Star of David for military purposes because of some biblical justification. Or, if we think about it more logically, the Star of David is on their flag and it's a good idea to have your flag on your equipment - seeing as how you want to avoid friendly fire and the Geneva Convention requires it.

The Crusades were fought to remove infidels from the Holy Land because the Bible said so. Radical Islamists fight to remove infidels from the Holy Land because the Koran said so. Biblical Jews fought to remove infidels from the Holy Land because God told them. Last I checked, as controversial as the wars have been, Israel (the country) has never declared war or fought a war because the Torah said so.

Hey On the Left,

I think it's more like religion and even-handedness never have a chance when liberalism and the media share a bed.

OnTheLeft's comments have of late been so well-considered and expressed that I rarely feel the need to comment further. Thanks OTL! If the cartoon had no bite then what would be the point. I don't see why the state of Israel should be beyond reproach either in text or in sketch. Unfortunately the bullied does often become the bully.

Agree with #15

Israeli should not be using the Star of David in anything other then a religious context, otherwise it's open season! And it's not offensive or anti-semitic---you don't see the Crucifix used withihn an 'official' context. It's reserved for religious purposes, for the most part. Religion and government need to be kept separate, otherwise you run into problems like this.

What I love is how no one would ever this this cartoon if Foxman did not open that mouth of his. He is so full of it I can't believe Jewish people allow him to speak on their behalf.

If you don't want the star of David to be used in cartoon take it off your bombers. In my view the Star of David is the same type of symbol as Uncle Sam.

redsoxpagan-

I just really hope that your passion for trying the Israeli army for war crimes for bombing innocent women and children is equal (or even similar) to your passion for trying the Radical Islamists for war crimes for bombing innocent women and children. Otherwise, your argument falls on deaf ears. The reality is nobody's innocent.

Shame on WASSERMAN for ignoring the obvious, that the Oliphant Cartoon IS ANTI-SEMITIC.
Since today's ULTRA- Liberal Boston gives SHAME to the Proud Role your city has played in America's History, this comment by Wasserman (who is a Lefty BEFORE Anything) is INDICITIVE of HOW Upside Down the Left-Wing Enablers of Jihad are.
Wasserman, BEING Jewish(or so it seems unless he is really WASSERMANN) is an Example of the Despicle Cretins on the LEFT who use their Jewish Identities to HURT THEIR OWN.

SHAME on Wasserman, whose NAUSEATING Left-Wing Ideas come before his OWN Flesh and Blood 's Legitimate Self-Defense.
The NEXT Arab/Muslim who ADMITS Israel's Right to Exist and Defend itself ,WILL BE THE FIRST!
Q-What has caused Boston & Mass., Cradle of our Liberty ,to turn into such a Left-Wing Outpost that Right And Wrong are Upside Down?

Clearly anti semitic. First time we have seen this so openly expressed in the United States for many years. Makes one wonder if it time to pack our bags for fear of what will happen here. Shades of Germany and anti semitism in the 1930s.

Obviously the truth hurts. Israel is partaking in genocide, plain and simple.

This cartoon is outrageous and obviously anti-semitic. Israel fights for its very survival surrounded by enemy muslims on the outside and enemy muslims in Gaza and the west bank. I applaud Israel for having destroyed Hamas and only wish they had totally eliminated every last member of Hamas. Thank GOD Binyamin Netanyahu is now PM. I hope he hits Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah simultaneously and destroys them all. Then maybe Israelis can sit back and relax a little.

When Israel decided to use the Star of David as the POLITICAL imagery associated with thier state, they gave up the right to call anybody's use of it to criticize Israel as anti-semetic. Like the article says, its on their tanks and bombs and guns and uniforms. It is no longer simply a religious symbol. If a similar cartoon was made about the US, the cartoonist would likely use an eagle (though, if he used a cross, that would be offensive!)

As one comment pointed out, the cartoon used the Star of David. The Star of David is a religious symbol. Oliphant would have used the Israeli flag was used, which is not a religious symbol, if he wanted to criticize Israel. Since Oliphant is no neophyte to political cartoons, I suspect that he fully understood what he was doing.

Rob L-

If it were so plain and simple, you'd think the large majority of people would be on one side. The fact remains this is a highly controversial case of chicken and egg and we haven't even figured that one out yet.

Just like the recent chimp cartoon, Naziism is so ingrained into the history of the Jews that referring to it in relation to the Jewish state can justifiably be considered an anti-semitic slap in the face. Either that or the outrage for both cartoons is over-the-top.

These are the reasons why,

http://www.islamway.com/gaza/gallery/photos/A134.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovOGCljV4aY

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/mar/23/israel-gaza-human-shields

Israel, like every nation, has the right of self-defense. Hamas was bombing Israel. Israel counter-attacked, admittedly quite strongly, to try to wipe out Hamas' ability to do it again. Don't like it? Don't pull the lion's tail.

AB, the Crusades were not fought because they Bible said so. They were fought because they Muslims would not let Christian pilgrims visit the Holy Land and were otherwise oppressing native Christians and Jews. That makes them defensive wars. The Christians didn't start the problem in the Middle East,
the Muslims did, when they conquered all the formerly Christian lands on the east side of the Mediterranean.

Is anything anti-Israeli necessarily anti-Semitic? Many posters here seem to think so. The most 'offensive' thing about the cartoon is simply that it is not very good. The Star of David looks silly with the face on it, and it looks like it was drawn by someone other than the person who drew the soldier and Gaza. The goose-stepping soldier is a bit over the top in making an obvious point, but I don't see anything in the cartoon that casts aspersions upon the Jewish religion or upon Jews themselves. The drawing is certainly opinionated, but not anti-Semitic.

Is this cartoon offensive? Sure. Is it hateful or antisemetic? No. I agree with Wassermann that it's a tough (and one sided) attack on Israel, but those sorts of attacks are expected in a political cartoon. Cartoons aren't journalism. They aren't meant to be fair or balanced. They are there to make you think, and/or laugh. The parallels to Nazism is perhaps too much considering what the Nazis did to the Jews, but I don't feel such comparisons are automatically off limits.

For those who take sides in this conflict: both sides have plenty to answer for. On the other hand, both sides have been shafted by history. My view of this conflict lately has been that it's as though the world took the two most bullied kids in school, and made them fight each other for their lunch. We just sit on the sidelines and get made at the kid whose winning for fighting, and tell the kid who losing that his only solution is to try to get his lunch back.

I wonder if religious people might not just lighten up. Your religion is not sacred to anyone else. In the market place of ideas, secular and religious, you take your lumps. That's the cost of having ideas in the first place.

Having said that, this cartoon strikes me pretty clearly as a criticism of Israel, rather than of Judaism. The two are not inseparable.

Star of David is on the Israeli flag, and Israeli military strength greatly exceeds the capbilities of Gaza. Seems like fair game as a symbol to me. It sure seems like the Gazans have been walled off into a self-mismanaged camp to me. If the Cartoon was completely fair, however, it would have included a caricature of Iran's Ahmadinijad shipping arms to Gaza, and the woman wearing a explosive belt as well.

The Jews are to be commended for responding to a cartoon that they find to be offensive by complaining about it and writing, not rioting and beheading.

Ohhh Nooo, "anti-Semitic". Is the real problem that the truth hurts?

Gaza has been Israel's Warsaw Ghetto for about 60 years. Why is anyone in Israel (or the rest of the world) surprised that there is an uprising there?

In just a few short years the oppressed became the oppressors. That's why there are cartoons like this.

For all the harm religion and superstition has done, it can afford to take it once in awhile. That being said, I don't quite get the cartoon beyond the fact that O really doesn't like the Gaza policy.

Foxman is giving anti-defamation a bad name- he is saying that anything he doesn't agree with is anti-semitic. I find his comments anti-human

Frankly I'm not the most religious person in the word so that may be why I'm less offended.

The star of David is not only a sybol of Judaism, but also the state of Israel. Based upon the artist's depiction I see this as a critic of Israeli military policy towards gaza and it's people, not a hate mongering piece against thsoe of Jewish faith.

To All of You Lefties:
Your COGNITIVE DISSONANCE is APALLING!
If You're as intelligent as you think you are, especially you "Academics", than YOU KNOW the TRUTH-This IS ABOUT Islam's NEVER-ENDING JIHAD against Israel and the Jews.
You are WILLFULLY Siding with Evil and you do it ALWAYS!
Actually, perhaps I give you TOO MUCH Credit by assuming your being Jihad's LITTLE HELPERS due to COGNITIVE DISSONANCE. Perhaps YOU'RE JUST EVIL!

I agree that if it was a critique of islam the paper would have never run it. Pick on catholics and jews: No problem. Pick on islam: No, we don't want to offend
Double standards

"Actually, history shows more clearly that we rarely have peace when the government is not run by people of faith. Witness the 20th century."

Posted by Huh? March 27, 09 02:22 PM

OK, let's do that. Stalin studied for the priesthood, but I'll grant that his government was atheistic. The Wehrmacht had the expression "Gott mit uns" - "God with us" on their uniforms (belt buckles, I believe) during their rampage through Europe. Hitler was, in fact, a self-described Christian. Israel's behavior has become increasingly aggressive as the religious conservatives have become increasingly powerful. George Bush (OK, he's early 21st century) is a self-described man of faith. Jihadists are people of faith. And the history of religious involvement in government is a history of massive bloodshed.

Again with the .. Picking on Us crap..

The Star is on the Israeli Flag.. So Give it a rest.. Goosestepping.. If I was hunkered down in Palestine.. with F-16 's blowing stuff up for the last 10 years.. What would you think..

IMO freedom of speech comes with the likelihood that someone will say something you don't agree with eventually. I believe everyone should be able to express their opinions, the flip side is everyone else has the ability to comment and either support or denounce these opinions.

Once we decide what can and cannot be said we begin a dangerous decline into censorship and oppression.

If the United States had been unwise enough to adopt the Christian Cross as its symbol instead of the Stars and Stripes, would people object to usage of the cross in cartoons criticizing the actions of the government?
The Star of David is now the symbol of a political entity, the modern state of Israel, and government activities are fair game for criticism.
Nice to see you defending the grotesque Medieval Crusades, though, gaudete- I suppose you're an apologist for the Spanish Inquisition as well.

Israeli nationalism has hidden behind religious Judaism for too long. Nobody cares whether someone is a Jew in this day and age. What people care about is how you treat your fellow man. Genocide is the crime, not Judaism.
http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/
http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/
Give that star of David back to G-d, and choose another symbol for your Caesar.

"My view of this conflict lately has been that it's as though the world took the two most bullied kids in school, and made them fight each other for their lunch. We just sit on the sidelines and get made at the kid whose winning for fighting, and tell the kid who losing that his only solution is to try to get his lunch back."

two_sheds, I love this comment of yours. To me, as a lifelong liberal who's becoming disillusioned by leftist politics in general, it captures the essence of what aggravates me: There seems to be a mandate to always side with whoever happens to be on the losing end of a social or political battle, regardless of what forced the "winning" party to push back. I do find the cartoon offensive, but that's another matter.

I think that if Israelis just turned the other cheek over and over and got absolutely pummeled as a result (or pushed back at a level that appeared more measured but wasn't actually effective), then their victim status would put them in the liberal camp's favor. But small comfort that would be.

So it's forbidden to portray the state symbol of Israel when criticising the excesses of its government? Israel's government has always tried to portray itself as symbolic of Judaism entire, but those of us with working brains know otherwise. I'd have thought any intelligent adult could tell the difference between calling a sitting government on its behavior and condemning an entire people. Then again people who reflexively scream "anti Semitism" in response to any and all criticism of Israel's actions, no matter how extreme, would willingly re-do the cartoon with a Muslim symbol in its place. Ignorance thrives on every side of every debate.

FYI goose-stepping, sword-pointing troops date back to ancient Rome and beyong, and were not invented by Hitler. Those without heads (and thus without thought) have survived ever since.

Choi : look up cognitive dissonance, dear. You clearly don't understand the term.

"Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously."

Don't use terms you don't understand.

BLITZKREIG!!!!!
The Jews are coming ! The Jews are coming!
They're marching across the middle east.
They're conquering Palestine.
They're conquering Syria.
They've annexed Iraq and Iran.
Now they are pushing into Turkey and then .....
Europe!!! Bwahhh ha ha ha.

Give me a friggin' break.

There hasn't exactly been a BLITZKRIEG.
Let's not forget who the Israelis are defending themselves against.
We're not ever going to see a Jewish, 'fatwah,' against Oliphant .

It should be pointed out that Jewish organizations are just asking for an apology. If this cartoon had been critical of Islam, they'd have already issued the death threats against the cartoonist.

Our forefathers had it right. Separation of church and state is the only way to go. Is the cartoon offensive? Yes. Provocative? Yes. Anti-semitic? No. Once you put a symbol on a tank, it is no longer a symbol of peace, period. There's blood on both sides of the fence and neither group can claim innocence.

DOT:
I was taught that "Cognitive Dissonance" is SO WANTING SOMETHING TO BE TRUE and therefore MAKING and MOLDING THE "Facts" into a creation to JUSTIFY the Conclusion.
But, Who am I to Question a BOSTON LEFT-WING ACADEMIC?

Ontheleft,
Glad you had the intellectual honesty to admit Stalinism (but don't forget Lenin and his strarvation of millions) was an atheist regime. Toss in the Chinese communists under Mao for more tens of millions.

I didn't think it possible, but you've exceeded your usual absurdity with your comments about Fascist Germany. "God with us" on belt buckles; I could wear a Patriots jersey with a number 12, but that doesn't make me Tom Brady. Hitler as a self-described Christian; yeah, and I'm a self-described billionaire. Hitler was closer to the anti-Christ than a Christian. Even describing Stalin as a seminarian is a red herring; why do you think he got bounced out? For his un-Christian opinions and actions.

Dan,
No, there's nothing good about the Spanish Inquisition to defend (at least the violent parts of it.) Besides the unjustifiable killings, the worst part was what it did to Jews, who were forced to convert or exile or both. Many of the Jews simulated
conversion (good for them), many moved to the Netherlands, including Spinoza's family. Their bitterness against all religion (understandable) created Spinoza, who really is at the beginning of your beloved secularist so-called enlightenment. So indirectly, the Spanish Inquisition, to purify Catholicism, led to the irreligious, secularist, bent on cultural suicide Europe we now see.

If many of these posters don't find this cartoon offensive, Kristallnacht is not far behind.

As a Jew who does not feel a connection to Israel, I'm often frustrated when it's assumed that portraying Israel negatively is anti-Semitic. I'm unhappy with Israel's actions, both currently and historically, with regards to Palestine, and I don't think it's at all anti-Semitic or unwarranted to criticize Israel in the way that the cartoon does.

What's problematic here is that the Star of David is both a Jewish and an Israeli symbol; since Israel uses the Star as a national symbol, it's difficult to create an image criticizing Israel without having that image appear to criticize Judaism.

I do think that if this particular cartoonist has been in hot water for other religious cartoons before getting heat for this one that yes, he should consider laying off religion for a while. But I really don't appreciate the assumption that there's no distinction between Judaism as a faith and Israel as a country.

Mark Montgomery - can't you see the irony (not to mention the hypocrisy) in your statements?

[i]"I applaud Israel for having destroyed Hamas and only wish they had totally eliminated every last member of Hamas. Thank GOD Binyamin Netanyahu is now PM. I hope he hits Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah simultaneously and destroys them all."[/i]

Hi Pot, its the Kettle calling....he wants his spoon back.

Funny how for many criticism of Israel is considered to be iron-evidence of anti-Semitism. Pure nonsense. The cartoon is not anti-Semitic and the level of outrage many are showing toward the cartoon is considerably less than what they show toward Israel's racist policies toward Palestine. The hypocrisy is palpable.

I grew up Jewish, often fearing for my life when I was younger, and suffering from anti-semitic neighbors, and teachers in high school. Later in life, after becoming somewhat better integrated into society, I studied law. At that period, and now, I would sometimes read the Nurenberg trial transcripts, and also everything else; Dante has always gripped my interest. During this recent electoral sortie I was reminded of Stoessinger's thesis that wars are started by weak leaders, but seeing the extremely strong support it evoked from some Jews, I found myself also and uncomfortably asking whether Israel, refuge for the victims of the Nazis, may be turning into the image of them. I was not offended by the cartoon.

Why should he apologize to any Jewish organization for anything? Is there some unwritten law that says you can't criticize Israel? Is there a book of sacred imagery or messaging that is NOT ALLOWED by anyone of any faith anywhere in the world if it is directed at the Jewish state? Are Jews a protected people?

I know, I know you're the chosen people, but these days that seems to mean something more like, we're better than anyone else, instead of, we have an obligation to God.

"BLITZKREIG!!!!!
The Jews are coming ! The Jews are coming!
They're marching across the middle east.
They're conquering Palestine.
They're conquering Syria.
They've annexed Iraq and Iran.
Now they are pushing into Turkey and then .....
Europe!!! Bwahhh ha ha ha.

Give me a friggin' break.
"

Pat Oliphant, the anti-semite is coming
he's spreading his filthy anti-semite lies
he's starting a skin-head organization
he's donating a portion of his income to a foreign government.

Give me a friggin' break. It's his opinion and he's entitled to it in THIS country. Don't like it, I'm sure it's not being run in Israel, why don't you move there. We won't be sensoring any opinions IN THIS COUNTRY.

BTW, if this were pointed at Muslims, instead of Jews, who would be taken aback? Would Keller really be doing his "Stooge of the Week" about Oliphant then? Come on! You don't get to spin everything your way.

It's a tough shot at Israel, but definitely not over the edge, just very provocative.
Anytime someone says or prints something anti-zionist, there is an attempt to shut them up by calling them anti-semitic. I have many Jewish friends, but I am anti-zionist.

how come it is alright to bash israel and be anti-semitic, but its not ok to publish cartoons about mohammed without getting death threats, funny how the left allies themselves with the same "tolerant" people who would have them killed, you think they like gays and women in gaza?

send the cartoonist to Gaza and let him publish anti-Hamas cartoons, we'll send the body back to his family

notice to the liberals, if hamas is so great then move to Gaza, I am sure they will welcome you all with your tongue rings, gays, feminism, and even cartoons dissing on mohammed, obviously the US, Europe and the rest of the world have it wrong to label these oppressed people as terrorists, they are obviously just trying to get their view point out by suicide bombing and other wonderful persuasion techniques

Jews and Muslims are two sides of the same coin. Neither believe in free speech or have a sense of humor. Neither wants their symbols besmirched - because they can't stand the real world or themselves. Their symbols are all they have left. They're tragically both blinded by their "eye for an eye" dogma. The Zionists carried that to an extreme by building up an arsenal of nukes that it knew would force their Mulim neighbors to do likewise - Iran being just the first - as far as we know. So Oliphant's cartoon pictures Israel pretty accurately. Except its not just Gaza those teeth want to tear apart - its all of us.

I like how Pelavin mentions that the star is a "symbol of faith," as if faith is such a noble thing. Hmm, unexamined deliberate suspension of disbelief? How noble!

Oh, and the cartoon is not "anti-" anything.

Its a government symbol...perhaps its a religous symbol as well but thats what happens when you are not dealing with a secural country. Everyone gets in a tizzy about everything. This discussion is absurd.

Besides the fact that the cartoon is not anti-semetic in the least, as it is quite obvious to all but the most jaded viewer that it is a critique of Israeli nationalism and jingoism, nothing is sacred.

Religions are especially legitimate targets for humor as each one makes ludicrous claims with no evidence to back those claims up. Condoms make people more vulnerable to HIV; It's ok to kill women and children who shelter "terrorists"; speaking in tongues and rolling on the floor with snakes is proof Jesus loves you; eating bacon is a sin; Tom Cruise is going to the planet Xenu.

"To All of You Lefties:
Your COGNITIVE DISSONANCE is APALLING!
CHOI”
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Hey Choi ... I am a lefty. Unfortunately, I am pretty useless with my right hand, so I have to rely on the hand of my natural inclination.
The way you speak to left-handed people is appalling. We really are not that different from you... we just orient a little differently.

That being said, I think a line needs to be drawn between that which is criticial of the Jews because they are Jews and that which is critical of a Jewish state in the open world forum. When the military carries the Star of David into battle, it ceases to be just a religious symbol and becomes a geopolitical one. A similar cartoon could be drawn, for example, using the Chinese star and using the Tibetans instead of the Gazans. Would that be an indictment of the Chinese people or the government? Whether you agree with Israel or not, this is pretty clearly a geopolitically inclined cartoon, so it is not a criticism of the Jews as a whole because they are Jewish. It is a criticism of the political and military actions of the State of Israel, which is, like any other, open to criticism.
Now, please go take your medication, I hear it was working, until recently.

Yes, this cartoon is pointed. It's actually not scathing enough.

Mass murderers do not deserve sympathy, "even-handedness" or especially this much space in any "news"paper.

I am amazed by the jaw-dropping bigotry displayed here, justifying the worst impulses amongst some of you.
Of course the cartoon is anti-Semitic (anti-Jewish, specifically for both Israelis and Palestinians are Semites.) The cartoon is Kristallnacht on paper, ignoring the facts and history, re-writes aside.
Demonizing a country which is defending itself and taking pains to minimize civilian casualties is helpful just how now?.
Oliphant's cartoon would make Goebels smile.

Is this the type of society we have become? Why is it that all you seem to hear about is how this person or that person was offended by a cartoon or a comment? What is the next step; the defamation lawsuit?

My recommendation is that this cartoon be taken for what I believe it was intended. A biting satirical look at a current event. Instead of being "offended" take the opportunity to submit your own editorial cartoon!

I agree with Wasserman; this cartoon is not, on balance, anti-Semitic. It does have one anti-Semitic component, which is the use of the Nazi soldier to imply that Israel's over-the-top military operation is akin to the Holocaust. That is a common element of Holocaust denial that I think Oliphant blundered into. Remove the obvious Nazi imagery from the soldier, though, and what you have is an appropriate critique of Israeli military operations. You may not agree with the critique, but one has to admit that Israel and American Jews have done a terrible job on the battle for hearts and minds. Maybe we Jews should stop pounding the big red anti-Semitism button ("you're with us or against us") and exercise some actual political strategy.

If the cartoon is anti-Semitic then 90% of these comments should be termed anti intelligence. Why does criticism always have to be reacted to in a knee jerk manner rather than a thinking manner. Is it not the state of Israel which uses the star of David as well as the religion.
the 2 are not the same!

I don't believe anyone on this blog is questioning Oliphant's right to draw this cartoon, or the paper's right to print. The question is, whether they ought to have. That is, in our society, our rights are balanced off by our duties, responsibilites. In fact, i would argue the latter come first, and the rights flow from the responsibilities. I think we have a duty not to unduly hurt the sensibilities of our fellow Americans.
Of course, critiicism of the state of Israel, and especially its military policy, is most
appropriate, in word and cartoon. Its the nazi overtones that are unnecessary, especially in light of what happened to the Jews at the hands of the nazis.

Some of you seem as if you are for a completely unlimited right to print. How about i draw a cartoon of a doctor who had just completed an abortion holding the dead bleeding baby up and grinning, as a 'legitimate' way of arguing the abortion debate ? In favor of that? didn't think so, so there are limits of propriety. Of course, no mainstreammedia would publish such a cartoon, they would exercize their broadminded censorship.

My dear devout Jewish friends, coming from a devout Christian, i hope you can see from the comments on this blog that your greatest enemies are not devout practicioners of other religions, but from atheist/agnostic secularists, many alas Jews by birth, who have turned on and gutted Western culture, and have turned on you on a dime. The are trying to sink our culture, and actually seem surprised that we don't want to go down with their ship.

Threeve called it right. Since Israel put the star of david on thier flag, they took it out of the realm of the religious and made it a political icon. That makes it fair game for satire and political cartoons.

Not only is this cartoon offensive, it's stupid and biased. To criticize Israel is one thing; to use a religious symbol symbolizing an entire religious population is bigotry.

Additionally, it's published in the context of it being open season on any religious group that isn't going to threaten the lives of newspaper staff.

It always amazes me how Israel is completely off-limits when it comes to criticism. If you say a negative thing about Israel or Zionism, you're labeled an incorrigible anti-Semite for life.

I guess we're not supposed to pay attention to the fact that the Israelis have been staging their own private Holocaust since 1948.

Offensive? What Israel did to the indiginous peoples pushed into the open air prison of Gaza offends all of humanity. The 21 month long siege of Gaza that denies basic food and water and medical care to the 1.5 million people there is offensive. If this cartoon forces us to clear our eyes and not look away at the horrors committed by the terror state of Israel then it is effective. A shame is that it is needed to make people see.

You can rationalize however you like, but I'd prefer to not be told how I should feel, and this cartoon feels way offensive. I'd like to whack Oliphant upside his prejudiced head. It's all too easy for anti-Semites (or anti-[whoever]) to hide behind a cloak of expressing a political viewpoint.

Since the Palestinian Arabs are Semites, and since the cartoon is showing them as being terrorized by the Israeli military, I do not believe it is antisemitic.

Israel is committing atrocities in the name of religion. Israel EXISTS in the name of religion. This cartoon is not off the mark. It only seems anti-Semitic to people because Israel has equated itself with Judaism, which does a great disservice to the religion.

If Israel chooses to represent itself with a religious symbol, they leave people no choice but to use their symbols of choice as a means of protest. Protesting Israeli political policies is not the same as being an anti-semite.

Just b/c he doesn't agree with Israel's policies does not mean he is anti-semitic. The point of the soldier is to show that there is not a distinction b/t soldiers on any side. You are free to agree or disagree. I'm wondering, what ever happened to "do unto others as you would have done to you". Lots of states have a bible or in this case the star of david in one hand and bombs -n- guns in the other. The cycle of violence continues. Something doesn't add up..........

Nazis killed 6 million = Israel

WOW!

THE CARTOONIST HAS A DISTORTED MIND IF HE CAN EQUATE THE TWO.

Instead of denying that some of Israel's actions against Palestinians are reminiscent of the worst things that were done to the Jewish people, why doesn't Israel and those that support it use this moment to examine the IDF's behavior?

As for Pat Oliphant's cartoon: I didn't' see the cartoon concerning the Star of David and the shadow of a guy with a drawn sword and a Jewish woman running with her child as offensive; quite the opposite. I saw it as Palestine trying to destroy Israel just as every other nation on this planet is trying to do in one form or another. I just do not see anything offensive in that. Maybe it's my perception of the cartoon and how I have watched the nation of Israel be continuously persecuted and attacked. If you think Israel is just going to sit there and take it, then you all have another thing coming! Shalom Israel! Shalom! [By the way I am not Jewish myself. I am half swede and half blackfoot indian]

Israel attacked a civilian population. This past year. It is what it is. Can't stand the heat of a cartoon, don't kill unarmed civilians...

Why is it utterly impossible to condemn Israel's brutality toward the Palestinians without being called anti-semitic? Are these quickdraw anti-semitism accusations attempts to silence all criticism by impugning the character of the critic?

Extremely anti-Semitic. I swear off the NYT as they published it. All Jews should boycott the Times for this crap, comparing Israelis to Nazis. Remember Hamas has constantly been firing missiles at Israel and continually swears to destroy Israel.

OLIPHANT WOULD NEVER DO A CARTOON LIKE THIS ABOUT THE MUSLIMS, CAUSE HE WOULD FEAR RETRIBUTION.

Thank you very much for this nice cartoon.
Really you are a hero.
I respect you a lot... keep going

Because of the Nazi inference the cartoon is more assuredly Anit-Semitic. This poster could very well be hanging on a Jewish owned store in 1939 Munich.

And to all you haters out there......you are indirectly supporting Israel through your tax dollars....about $3 billions per year not to mention military hardware. Those planes with Stars of David on them are US made. Israel thanks your for your hard earned dollars.

The Gaza civilians, depicted in the cartoon, voted for a Hamas government which (after eliminating their democratically elected Fatah opposition in a bloody coup) routinely shells Israeli cities and terrorizes their civilians. I don't see any of that context in the cartoon.

Anti - Israeli government is NOT equivalent to Anti-Semitism. War cannot be truthfully depicted with sugar plums and gumdrops.

Oliphant's cartoon hits the nail on the head. Israel's flag depicts the Star of David and is therefore as legitmate in identifyng the self-procalimed "Jewish State" as the Stars and Stripes represent the USA. Furthermore, Oliphant accurately and cleverly conveys the views of the great majority of informed people regarding Israel's recent massove land, air and sea attacks against the essentially defenceless, beseiged and imprisoned inhabitants of the Gaza Strip. My heart goes out to them. They and their fellow Palestinians have suffered dispossession,,, exile and brutal occupation far too long.

For the sake of context: I'm Jewish. I'm not an anti-Israel Jew, and I'm certainly not a self-hating Jew.
That cartoon is powerful stuff. It's what the best cartoons must be.
Sadly -- for this is not the Israel I was taught to love, and hopefully will again -- the cartoon is right on the mark.

Thank goodness for Abe Foxman, Mr. Anti-Antisemitism. It's this kind of thing that keeps him employed. He had been awfully quiet lately.

Will it ever be possible to be anti-Israel without being called anti-semetic? There's a big difference.
Personally, I'm a dog lover but I have to admit that sometimes I'm very uncomfortable around pitbulls.

sure, oliphant's cartoon is provocative. that's what political cartoons are. however, i think the portrayal is anti israel and her policies and not anti-semitic. i know there is still a great deal of anti semitism in the world today and i understand the need that many jews feel to be vigilant. however, i think the impact gets lost when everything depicting israel in a negative way is branded outrageous and anti-semitic.

Jews have used symbols of the Holocaust to their advantage- to steal Palestinian land, to silence criticism about their extent of power, to steal hundreds of billions from American taxpayers, etc. Why should Oliphant not be allowed to do the same.

However, as a Canadian I am impressed that so many educated Americans are aware of the tragedies of Israeli rule and not afraid to stand up to these Zionist thugs! Sure, fanatical Christians and rabid Jews love Israel but the rest of us don't have to. Heck, if they love Israel so much why don't they just go and live their!!!

As for the "what if they did this about Islam" bit- go to any right-wing website and it is full of anti-Muslim bigotry. Many on the Christian right fanatically attack Islam- Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart, Falwell, etc- they don't get condemned nor do they get their heads cut off (unfortunately)!!!! It is much more easier and popular to bash Islam than Judaism in predominantly racist Christian Amerikkka!

Oliphant's cartoon does a disservice to the truth.

Unfortunately the resolution of the image is too poor and you can't see the Iranian operative dodging behind the, 'Gaza,' character.

BTW,

I think Iran has a new found friend in Oliphant.

I dont understand how this is funny or clever in any which. besides the fact that this is offenssive comparing people to nazis is dull and tired. why has newprint become so mediocre.

THIS CARTOON IS BEYOND ANTI-SEMETIC AND I AM ASHAMED OF THIS PAPER FOR PRINTING IT AND WILL CANCEL FOR IT HAS NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO ADD. THIS CARTOONIST MEANT IT AS AN ANTI-SEMETIC MESSAGE. THE GAZEAN 'MEDIA THEATER' WAS SET UP AS A PUBLIC RELATIONS PLOY BY HAMAS AND IRAN TO MAKE ISRAEL LOOK BAD. ISRAEL DID NOTHING WRONG BUT RESPOND TO EIGHT YEARS OF HAVING ITS CHILDREN TERRORIZED BY ROCKETS. THE HAMAS AND IRAN BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND FOR USING ARABS AS SHIELDS FOR IRAN
iANTHE WORLD BETTER WAKE UP