[Cretaceous Bob]

It's really pointless to take any side.

There wouldn't have been a problem if the Zionists hadn't decided land ownership is determined by religious texts, and there wouldn't be a problem now if people decided their children's futures were more important than fighting over land they felt was promised to them. The same way there was a huge influx of Jews into Palestine/Israel, they can all leave. Just about anywhere else in the world would serve as a better Jewish homeland. It's one thing to reside in a country for hundreds of years and then protest when you get attacked, but it's another entirely when you chase the inhabitants out of a piece of land, fill it with your own people, and then protest to coming under fire.

It's their war, and it's a mistake to get caught up in it. We should always provide assistance to anyone who wishes to leave the area on either side, but, otherwise, we should just butt out. That sounds harsh, given that most people on both sides don't deserve the stress, living conditions, and death inflicted upon them, but the harm taking a side does is not justified by the cause.

I'd also like to say I've noticed for a long time how Chemda always says she knows very little about Israel and Judaism, and simultaneously is very sensitive and defensive about the two. Whenever KATG got a letter from someone offended by something, Chemda was always the one to say, "That's the one thing that offended you? We're offensive about everything, so either be offended by everything or by nothing," yet when Keith turns the same humorous eye he applies to every country to Israel, Chemda is always frustrated and defensive. Keith can stereotype anywhere else, and say he doesn't need anywhere else, but what he says doesn't warrant protest until he says Israel is not, in fact, beautiful, but rather alot of brown dirt. That's not even that bad. Since all land is largely made up of dirt, most things beyond the extremely urban New York City are going to have a very strong tendency to bear a resemblance to dirt. Keith may claim Israel has a more monochromatic variety of dirt than most, but that's hardly something to constantly treat with impatience and irritation.

Edit: Oh, also, it's rare when I like anything outside of metal/classical/baroque music, but that 4 Inch Stud song from their new EP is pretty killer.