Friday, September 22, 2006

On the Eve of Rosh Hashanah

There's a blog I often appreciate for its concrete and practical information for book reviewers. I used to link to it right here.

But this summer I removed that link. Why? Because that blog, maintained by the board of directors of the National Book Critics Circle (an organization I joined just this past summer), too often takes an anti-Israel stance, both in its choice of links and in its summaries/introductions of that material. I simply can't condone such a practice, however implicitly.

I've taken my share of attacks on that blog for my protests within "comments." But I'm not sorry I said what I said there this summer, when the posts proliferated (as it happened, right after my membership application was processed). Yes, my open disagreement may have damaged my own career, now or in the future. (How "smart" is it to alienate members--including the president, the chief anti-Israel poster [he struck yet again yesterday]--of the National Book Critics Circle?)

But some things are too important. Sometimes, you can't just ignore what others say or "be nice," as my mom has always urged. As Sanford Pinsker's new essay at JBooks.com has reminded me, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.

Happy New Year. See you back here next week.

4 comments:

Leah Miranda Hughes said...

In the South, our mothers take a big stand on "pretty is as pretty does," or says. I've usually had, in these contexts, a big mouth. What can I say: claim freedom, speak your mind, have open conversations. Happy Rosh Hashanah, ED, to you and yours and all of us who value an open mind and tolerance for freedoms.

Leah Miranda Hughes said...
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Anonymous said...

Brava, Erika! I couldn't agree more.

Why is it when Israel is being threatened with outright destruction; invaded by terrorists intent on kidnapping Israeli citizens; and its citizenry bombed while going to market is Israel the enemy?

I can barely contain myself when the issue arises. Don't go to writers.net, by the way. The posters there want to negotiate with Iran.

Erika D. said...

Thanks, folks. I appreciate your support.