Thursday, October 30, 2008

Rubin: My Friend, the "Neo-Nazi"

It is really strange to turn on the television and see actual presidential and vice-presidential candidates charging that someone who had dinner at my apartment two weeks ago -- Professor Rashid Khalidi of Columbia University -- is a "neo-Nazi." Yet John McCain actually said this yesterday. Sarah Palin also attacked him, as a "radical professor" and "former spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization." (Rashid never held such a position, though he did at one time try to present the Palestinian point of view to journalists in Beirut. I think this is the same PLO whose leader, Mahmoud Abbas, is the elected president of the Palestinian Authority, the U.S.'s preferred "moderate" Palestinian leader, and Israel's partner in negotiations, but maybe it is some other PLO, known only to Sarah Palin.)

But all this is beside the point. I actually find it demeaning, insulting, and depressing to have to defend Rashid. I could say, I know him, he has been a guest in my home in New York and in my rented house in Provence, he bears absolutely no resemblance to the image these despicable people are trying to project of him, and lot's more. I could point out that I am Jewish and have VISIBLE JEWISH ARTIFACTS IN MY HOME, which did not appear to alarm Rashid, if he even noticed them, but it is all just so ridiculous I don't know what to say.

I don't want to treat these charges with the respect of a refutation. I just want to express my disgust with those who uttered them and my solidarity with my friend, Rashid Khalidi.

UPDATE: After I put this up, I saw that Juan Cole has commented on this far more cogently than I, as has Scott Horton, a fellow guest at the above-mentioned dinner party and house in Provence.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, from someone who knew Rashid in Hyde Park (and remembers you fondly and gratefully as the TA of Leo Goodman's statistics course 30 years ago).

Tom

Barnett R. Rubin said...

Nice to hear from you. I rarely receive thanks from people I taught statistics.

Anand said...

I had no idea McCain actually said this. I am shocked. Did he really say this? He knows better. There is no way he doesn't know about Rashid Khalidi. I can't believe it.

I heard a clip from Sarah Palin that was so badly pronounced, I thought that it couldn't be Professor Rashid Khalidi. I was sure she must have been referring to someone else.

Sarah Palin appears to be somewhat rogue in the way she discusses issues. There are reports that she campaigned in Michigan over the objections of the McCain campaign and says things that the McCain campaign doesn't like. Sarah Palin cannot be managed. A McCain presidency is likely to be very chaotic.

But then, Obama is almost certain to win.

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Your sister Tomoko? Is your sister from Eastchester Scarsdale New York?

Anonymous said...

Tomoko chan....kore wa nani? Tyotto okashku nai no? Ohashiburi da ne!! 28 nen gurai sugoi desyoo! Obuetemasu ka? Gomen!! shimpai shi nai de desu kedo!! Tomoko san no namae google o shimashita...

I owe you alot! :) Genki de ne!!!! JO

What is this silly stuff!!!

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