Local actions target Israel – but land squarely on area Jews

posted 01:08 AM 05/02
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I read an article about Norwegian immigrants facing discrimination in Iceland. Not surprising. As an anthropologist I know that humans in social groupings over 12-15 individuals stratify themselves. For a group to justify control, someone has to be oppressed, and that requires a rationale. They look different, have a different religion or nationality, but somehow they must represent the “other.” In one of my favorite examples, a friend told me, as a Catholic growing up in Minnesota he wasn’t allowed to play with the Lutherans. My response: “how did you tell each other apart?” The answer: “We just knew.”

I grew up in New York, London, Connecticut, attended college in Montreal, New York, Nevada and worked professionally in South Dakota and Minnesota. Some places had a substantial Jewish community, while in others being Jewish made me a novelty. But nowhere did I feel the Jewish community was a surrogate for the problems in the Middle East until I moved to Olympia. Perhaps it’s because Rachel Corrie attended Evergreen, or it’s where the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement encountered success, but somehow, in Olympia, the small Jewish population seems an unwitting proxy for the Israeli Palestinian conflict. From the Olympia Food Co-op’s decision to boycott Israeli goods, to intimidation against a local Jewish business if they hosted LGBT Israeli speakers, to discussions of whether Temple Beth Hatfiloh (TBH) needs to keep the doors locked and have a doorbell for security ... it just, at times, feels oddly uncomfortable.

During the conversation about safety measures at the temple, it wasn’t clear to me who we were trying to lock out, but it was obvious that some members were feeling insecure. I wondered whether anyone else was having these conversations. Was the Board at St. Michaels discussing how to protect themselves from the Gloria Dei Lutherans? Was Gloria Dei taking preventive actions against the Westwood Baptists down the road? Jews all over the world worry about security, but it seems especially sad that in the small city of Olympia, the Jewish community also feels compelled to take precautions.

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League carries on valuable tradition of encouraging, informing voters

posted 11:48 PM 03/20

A few years ago, at an event for arts and heritage, I ran into a friend of mine active in the Washington Women’s History Consortium and preparing for the Suffrage Centennial. As I listened to her plans for celebrating voting rights for women, it occurred to me that it was time I joined the legacy organization of our former suffragettes, the League of Women Voters.

Learning to love the General Administration Building

posted 11:46 PM 02/07

This coming Valentine’s Day it’s time to consider giving the General Administration building the appreciation it deserves.