Tacoma says it embraces anti-racism. Can it do that without also supporting Zionism? | Opinion
The city of Tacoma recently passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s War against Hamas. The resolution was fairly generic and ultimately an expression of a desire to live in a better world.
What was interesting about the resolution was the claim that its motive was derived, at least in part, from the city’s broader commitment to anti-racism and to combating “racist systems.”
The word “Zionism” was not invoked in the resolution, but given that it has become a slur for racist systems by ceasefire advocates and increasingly on college campuses, it’s worth reminding ourselves what Zionism actually is.
Broadly speaking, Zionism — the theory upon which Israel is built — is a political/social theory that argues the Jewish people require and deserve a county of their own, in their native land, because so long as they are a stateless minority their lives and rights will be at risk. A Jewish state is therefore necessary to ensure equal treatment in the global community and to improve the fortunes of the Jewish people both within and beyond the borders of a Jewish State.
There are secular and religious Zionists, right- and left-wing, but they all have that underlying common belief which has seemingly proven true by the experience of the Jews as well as other marginalized peoples.
Anti-Irish sentiment and persecution was real in this country and beyond until The Republic of Ireland achieved independence in the 1920s. Shortly thereafter, hostility toward the Irish went into dramatic decline. Not surprisingly then, some of the founders of the Irish Republic were very sympathetic to the cause of Zionism, with some — like Dublin Mayor Robert Briscoe — actively promoting the cause and even providing tips on guerrilla warfare to Zionist leaders during Israel’s war for independence.
Similarly, the American Civil Rights movement largely mirrored the decolonization of Africa, with actors on both continents drawing strength and legitimacy from each other as free African states dovetailed freedoms for African Americans. That generation of activists saw parallels in their situation with the Zionist, appropriating the language of the Hebrew experience to describe their own.
Martin Luther King openly expressed support for Zionism, and a young Senator Bernie Sanders volunteered his labor to the cause of Zion by working on an Israeli Kibbutz. By confronting systemically racist systems, are certain activists asking us to undo the work of MLK and Sanders?
As a Jewish person, I can confirm antisemitism is real, it’s here, and has been my entire life. But thanks to the successes of Zionism, it’s nowhere near what my parents or grandparents survived. Despite the normalization of fear and outrage, you would have to look back thousands of years to find a better time to be a Jew.
Which begs several questions, including: Can a city truly commit to the principles of anti-racism and reject Zionism?
If not, how can Tacoma expect Israel to achieve a “durable peace” with an opponent whose founding creed is its total destruction?
Most importantly, recognizing the humanitarian situation is deplorable for the innocent people of Gaza, what excuse is there for the global effort to prevent civilians from fleeing to other countries for safety?
The free world did not show its support for Ukraine by demanding their women and children remain on the battlefield for the sake of ensuring Russia would not erase their homeland. Why are Gazans different?
How is the omission consistent with the tenants of anti-racism?
Chris Van Vechten is an attorney and a former candidate for Tacoma City Council.