What is Zionism

1
What is Zionism
?
2
Many honest people of good conscience have been
taught to believe nowadays that Zionism racism.
The first word that comes to their mind when they
hear Zionist, is racist. But this connection
stems either from malicious intent, or ignorance.
For those who are malicious, we leave them to
their thoughts.
But for those who are ignorant, we would like to
educate what Zionism really means.
3
All quotes in this presentation are taken from
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter to an
Anti-Zionist Friend, Saturday Review XLVII (Aug.
1967), p. 76. Reprinted in M.L. King Jr., This I
Believe Selections from the Writings of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (NY 1971), pp. 234-235.
4
. . . You declare, my friend, that you do not
hate the Jews, you are merely 'anti-Zionist.' And
I say, let the truth ring forth from the high
mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of
God's green earth When people criticize Zionism,
they mean Jews--this is God's own truth.
Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people,
has been and remains a blot on the soul of
mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So
know also this anti-Zionist is inherently
anti-Semitic, and ever will be so.
5
Why is this? You know that Zionism is nothing
less than the dream and ideal of the Jewish
people returning to live in their own land.
The Jewish people, the Scriptures tell us, once
enjoyed a flourishing Commonwealth in the Holy
Land. From this they were expelled by the Roman
tyrant, the same Romans who cruelly murdered Our
Lord. Driven from their homeland, their nation in
ashes, forced to wander the globe, the Jewish
people time and again suffered the lash of
whichever tyrant happened to rule over them.
6
The Negro people, my friend, know what it is to
suffer the torment of tyranny under rulers not of
our choosing. Our brothers in Africa have begged,
pleaded, requested--DEMANDED the recognition and
realization of our inborn right to live in peace
under our own sovereignty in our own country.
How easy it should be, for anyone who holds dear
this inalienable right of all mankind, to
understand and support the right of the Jewish
People to live in their ancient Land of Israel.
All men of good will exult in the fulfillment of
God's promise, that his People should return in
joy to rebuild their plundered land.
7
This is Zionism, nothing more, nothing less.
8
Gentle readers whether you are Jewish,
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist,
agnostic, or of another faith,
If you believe the Jewish people deserve to have
an independent state, then you are a Zionist.
Its that easy.
Zionism is not a dirty word. It is a credo which
reinforces the legitimate right of the Jewish
people to self-determination.
You dont have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, the
same way you dont have to be a woman to be a
feminist, or a black person to believe in equal
rights for blacks.
9
Being a Zionist does not mean that you believe
Israel is perfect or makes no mistakes.
You can support Palestinian national aspiration,
and still be a Zionist.
As a Zionist, you can disagree with Israels
policies, you can criticize her government. You
can speak out against policies, and demonstrate
against them.
But you cannot take away her right to exist as a
state for the Jewish people.
10
Famous Zionists
11
If, on the other hand, you believe the Jewish
people do not deserve to have an independent
state, which means you believe that the Jewish
people is the only people in the world that dont
deserve a state, then
12
And what is anti-Zionist? It is the denial to
the Jewish people of a fundamental right that we
justly claim for the people of Africa and freely
accord all other nations of the Globe. It is
discrimination against Jews, my friend, because
they are Jews. In short, it is anti-Semitism.
The anti-Semite rejoices at any opportunity to
vent his malice. The times have made it
unpopular, in the West, to proclaim openly a
hatred of the Jews. This being the case, the
anti-Semite must constantly seek new forms and
forums for his poison. How he must revel in the
new masquerade! He does not hate the Jews, he is
just 'anti-Zionist'!
13
My friend, I do not accuse you of deliberate
anti-Semitism. I know you feel, as I do, a deep
love of truth and justice and a revulsion for
racism, prejudice, and discrimination. But I know
you have been misled--as others have been--into
thinking you can be 'anti-Zionist' and yet remain
true to these heartfelt principles that you and I
share.
14
Let my words echo in the depths of your soul
When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews --
make no mistake about it.
15
Famous Anti-Zionists
16
The Jewish people is one of the most ancient
peoples in the history of humanity still
surviving today.
For over 3000 years, since Biblical times, the
Jewish people have kept all the elements which
define them as a people culture, tradition,
religion, language, and connection to their land.
On 1948, the Jewish people became, once again, a
sovereign nation in their home, the land that
they were promised thousands of years ago, and in
which they had a continuous presence since then.
17
The French people have an independent state
The Japanese people have an independent state
The Arab people have 22 independent states
18
The Jewish people, who had sovereignty before any
of these people, certainly deserve to have an
independent state of their own.
This is Zionism!
19
This presentation was created by
http//www.MidEastTruth.com
All quotes in this presentation are From Martin
Luther King Jr., Letter to an Anti-Zionist
Friend, Saturday Review XLVII (Aug. 1967), p.
76. Reprinted in M.L. King Jr., This I Believe
Selections from the Writings of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.