Chris Penningroth’s Weltanschauung

     I’m pretty close to a number of Germans.  They’re very good friends (and family), and I really love them all.

     Occassionally we’ll discuss world events, and since the Middle East is nearly always in turmoil, it tends to come up as a good topic.  I tend to talk at length about the unsettled Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how and why it is often central to the problems that occur there. 

     Typically, my German counterparts will dance around the issue a little.  If they do offer an opinion, I generally forcefully advance and defend my opinions (often too bluntly, I’m told).  Most often, they will eventually offer that they don’t understand why their opinions about Israel don’t carry weight in discussions, from the personal level all the way to the United Nations. 

     I’ll leave that question open to the floor.  I may share my opinion later.

     Here’s some additional reading on modern European anti-Semitism.  Please be aware this is from the Center for Jewish Community Studies, just so you know where the biases lie. 

     Of course, it’s not really fair to analyze one side only without pointing out that there’s been at least some attempt to do something about the recognized problem. 

     For even more information on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I recommend reading Fawaz Turki’s The Disinherited:  Journal of a Palestinian Exile, and Alan Dershowitz’s The Case for Israel. 

    Here are a few noteworthy readings:

    On the Return of History. 

    When Cynicism Meets Fanaticism.