Boycott the Boycotters

I am sure anyone who has recently done no more than take a brief glance outside of the front door, or into the computer screen, knows about the anti-Israel boycotts going on around the world right now. They are done by high profile celebrities, leftist and neo-Nazi activists, unions such as CUPE, student organizations at universities (some of these, especially at York, have actually been bordering on anti-Jewish riots and have included physical violence against Jews), and it is even under consideration by certain religious organizations, such as local branches of the Anglican Church. The boycotts cover everything from Israeli products to academics to films.

Yes, films. The most prominent anti-Israel boycott going on right now is at the TIFF, or Toronto International Film Festival. At the heart of this particular one is a certain Naomi Klein. If you’re a rightist with any connection to Canada you probably already know and loathe this name. For the rest of you, Naomi Klein is an left-NDP type socialist, married to Avi Lewis, and the author of No Logo and Shock Doctrine. While of a Jewish background herself, the Jerusalem Post has described her various remarks as the “most perverse of aspersions on Jews, an age-old stereotype of Jews as intrinsically evil and malicious.”

So there you go. Her and a few other people, who apparently dislike the films produced by Israeli filmmakers in Tel Aviv, have launched this campaign to boycott the film festival. The sheer stupidity in doing this and in the logic behind it is something I do not need to explain, as people much more eloquent than I have already done so here and here. I do not need to point out her hypocrisy in choosing Israel when films from China, Malaysia, and Iran may play unmolested by her and her cronies.

I write this piece, rather, so I may suggest something. I have made it clear that I dislike when organizations that should not be political launch political operations, especially against Israel. I disagree with Klein’s desire to repress free speech by wanting the Israelis shut out of the Toronto International Film Festival. I also disagree with forbidding individuals such as Klein to state their points, however ridiculous those points may be. But while Klein continues to do such things, I think I’ll take a personal, private stand.

I am going to boycott Naomi Klein.

This does not mean that I want – as she desires of Israel – her opinions to be shut out. It simply means that I refuse to support her in any way. I will not buy books that she publishes. I will not give her website traffic (and her advertising money) from my browser. I will engage in democratic and positive debate on the inaccuracy of her views.

And I hope I am just the start.

I invite all fellow boycotters to use this sticker on their blogs. If you can make a better one than me for others to use, please let me know.