False Dichotomies

It’s emails like this that make this blogging ish worthwhile.

Dear Alex,
 
Shalom!
 
I wanted to express my personal (and my people’s) thanks to you for valiantly highlighting our cause by your articles in the Guardian. Much appreciated.
 
We’re also grateful that you have taken a principled stand, despite the recent attacks in Mumbai.
 
The people in Kashmir are horrified by the targeting of Jews by lunatic killers. These killers were Pakistani and had nothing to do with Kashmir. Nothing could be more against Kashmir’s cultural ethos and its tradition of co-existence than the heinous actions in Mumbai.
 
Jews are and always have been welcome in Kashmir. In fact, in 1991 when Jews were taken hostage by Pakistani militants, it was a Kashmiri group – JKLF which stands for secular independent Kashmir – that rescued them.
 
The simple, decent folk of Kashmir have nothing but feelings of brotherhood and hospitality for the Jewish people. You are always welcome here.
 
Kind Regards

“If you don’t like it when Jews complain about being singled out, the slaughter in Mumbai should give you food for thought. In an attack that was in all other respects indiscriminate, two of the terrorists were specifically sent to the one building in the city where there were sure to be Jews. If terrorists intended to deliver a message that Jews can be attacked with impunity even in places where barely any of them live, it was received loud and clear.” Read on at Comment is Free.