Author Archives: David Schraub

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Posted on February 21, 2009 by David Schraub

Another blizzard is coming through Chicago. Julie’s post on the ADL’s 2009 European anti-Semitism survey inspired me to read the survey memo for myself [UPDATE: You know what would rock? Actually linking to the survey memo!]. The data can be … Continue reading →

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Let's Put It In a Different Context

Posted on February 20, 2009 by David Schraub

Working off this conservative ad against the stimulus, Ezra Klein writes the following: Ever watched a parent explain math to a child? “Imagine Johnny has three power rangers, but you only have one power ranger…” That’s sort of the tactic … Continue reading →

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Criticism as Punishment: Retribution, Utility, and Outrage

Posted on February 19, 2009 by David Schraub

In the field of criminal law, there are two main philosophical schools on how society is allowed to punish offenders. The first is the retributive school — basically arguing that we can punish people solely based on how much they … Continue reading →

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Breaking the Seals, Part II

Posted on February 19, 2009 by David Schraub

Eamonn McDonaugh responds to my post: ….I find it hard to understand why he might take seriously the weird notion that any but the most mealy-mouthed critique of Israel risks being tarred with the brush of antisemitism. No one who … Continue reading →

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Peace Pulse

Posted on February 18, 2009 by David Schraub

The Israel Policy Forum has set up camp in the blogosphere with its new venture, “The Mideast Peace Pulse”. The IPF states its mission as “to promote active U.S. engagement to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and … Continue reading →

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J.D. Hayworth: Anti-Semite

Posted on February 18, 2009 by David Schraub

Trust me, we’ll all be in agreement about this former Arizonia Congressman.

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Is there a "firewall" between anti-Semitism and criticism of Israel?

Posted on February 18, 2009 by David Schraub

Allen Hertz, writing in the Jerusalem Post, says no. He’s not arguing that all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic. He’s arguing against the idea that the two activities (“anti-Semitism” and “anti-Israel”) can be hermatically sealed off from each other. The … Continue reading →

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Breaking the Seals

Posted on February 17, 2009 by David Schraub

The Z-Word Blog (guess what the Z stands for) is, if anything, more focused on the intersection between anti-Zionist and anti-Semitism than I am. Which is why I think this post is important — it not only affirms that “It … Continue reading →

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Rights and Left

Posted on February 17, 2009 by David Schraub

Rights discourse is internally inconsistent, vacuous, or circular. Legal thought can generate equally plausible rights justifications for almost any result. Moreover, the discourse of rights imposes constraints on those who use it that make it almost impossible for it to … Continue reading →

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Dialogic Respect and the Segue

Posted on February 17, 2009 by David Schraub

In her writings about how people debate and discuss political and social issues with each other, one of the points Iris Marion Young tries to impress upon her readers is the importance of certain norms of conversational etiquette, such as … Continue reading →

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