Comments on: Tadamon! supports Dru Oja Jay for MEC board candidacy

By: roodseuk

roodseuk — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:19:05 +0000

Am I the only one who remember how people boycotted South-Africa without much debate ?
The boycott then was not questioned much, even if China, Sudan, etc… were (sadly) the same as they are today
Explain me how what was legitimate and successful in the 80′s is pointless and biased now ?

By: Russell

Russell — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:30:51 +0000

Anyone who supports the boycotting of Israel without first condemning the practices of China, Libya Burma, Bahrain, Cuba, Pakistan, Nigeria, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe to name a few, is using this as a cover for anti-Semitism. I will not vote for Dru.

By: DC

DC — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:20:26 +0000

Thank goodness for this site. I wasn’t impressed by Dru’s bio in our MEC flyer – it seems heavy on the activism and independent journalism, light on real work experience – but this seals the deal. Sorry BDS folks, after decades and decades of attacks upon Jewish people, they certainly have the right to defend themselves in Israel. I worry about the negative impact these professional activists will have on MEC.

By: andrew halper

andrew halper — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:03:10 +0000

rosa, you are repeating the same old trope: “as a Jew”, “in my name” – it might feel emotionally satisfying but it isnt well thought out. You describe the palestinians as the indigenous inhabitants of the land on which israel was built. True. But so were/are the Jews, who have had continuous historical presence there, even if as a minority. And the jews of Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria……hundreds of thousands dispossessed by Arab governments — refugees in France, Canada, Israel and elsewhere. What about them? this is a destructive game, this business of selectively adopting a class of victims. The coop itself is built on land taken from native peoples of the southwest coast of what we now call british columbia. There are unresolved land claims and as a result, you dont feel shame?. And you have adopted the Palestinians as your pet cause? Because, i suggest, “as a jew” you feel guilty/? I too am a jew and I believe in a just two state solution with east jerusalem as capital of a palestinian state. but turning selectively on your own people, identifying only with one side in this bloody complex historical mess….does that feel rational?

By: Holden

Holden — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:49:51 +0000

Dru should be armed and bring a Hezbollah flag with him to MEC meetings. That way he will reflect the sentiments and wishes of those who support him., in the name of peace, social justice and the extermination of Jews everywhere. Idiot.

By: Jose

Jose — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:12:07 +0000

I’m somewhat confused by Dru’s position. Is it only products from Source that he is opposed to MEC purchasing from, due to their contracts to supply the military, or is it all Israeli companies he wants to see banned from MEC? Are the goalposts being moved to suggest that any Israeli company benefits from war and occupation?

Won’t be supporting Dru and will probably vote in the board election just to vote against him.

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:04:08 +0000

If you are members of MEC and do not support Dru’s position of boycotting, please be aware that Jon Gallo, as one of the other candidates, stands against Dru’s position. As another member on this chat mentioned it is unrealistic to single out one country based on geo-political issues beyond the scope of MEC’s mandate.

We at MEC need to focus on the factories and how they treat their workers and the environment as part of our sourcing policy, not greater geo-political issues that the COOP has no business getting involved in.

Lets stay focussed on what makes the COOP great, and not get side tracked on issues that have little to do with the environment, nature, fitness and the outdoors.

By: Annie

Annie — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:54:30 +0000

Correction:
When considering the boycott please recognize that it ultimately hurts Palestinian employees who are specifically employed by the social enterprise that has been sourced by MEC to manufacture the high quality goods found in the store. It would be completely counter-intuitive to remove this excellent source of income from a place that goes out of its way to employ both Jews AND Palestinians in an effort to bridge both communities and sew the seeds of understanding between both peoples, in addition to your gear.

By: Saib

Saib — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:03:14 +0000

I am a longtime member of MEC. I joined for a number of reasons. Two of these are 1) For the co-op structure which enables and empowers members to have a say in the co-op decision(s) andc2) For the moral and ethical principles that MEC supposedly espouses. Combining these two makes MEC a co-op where the members have a voice/say in determining the direction and decisions of the co-op. Having said that it is obviously unethical to source and support financially a military that maintain a brutal military occupation in contravention of International law. And that same military regularly violates human rights as is reported by all international human rights organizations including Israeli ones. In addition the Israeli military’s actions are so unethical that there are a large number of it’s own soldiers who are conscientious objectors. If they refuse to support the violations committed by the Israeli military then peace seeking nature lovers should definitely do the same.

By: KP

KP — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:35:07 +0000

thanks for the info I will definitely boycott Dru. The BD “industry” is predicated on delegitimizing Israel whilst ignoring the real fascist racist states of the world”: Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. Where were you all these years when Libya was butchering its citizens? Demonstrating against Israel of course.
Hypocrisy!!!

“A lie travels around the world faster than a man can put his pants on” Mark Twain