"Talkback"

I really try to avoid reading the "talkback" section at the bottom of online articles--the people that feel compelled to write in this space are usually the most extreme, reactionary, and ignorant.*

I was just reading this article, "Report: 7 family members killed in IDF shelling," and then went down to the bottom, to read the awful, incendiary comments, because sometimes I can't help myself. This is one of the comments:

	9. Time has come
			I want to say we must vote some new laws to deal with traitors. First, this concerns arabs and leftists who demonstrate against our State during war. Second, we have to deal against journalists who work for the ennemy's propaganda. I feel very painful to see journalists as Charles Enderlin, and even Ali Waked saying whatever they want, without contradiction from our side. יואל , רעננה (01.05.09) Recommend this talkback click here Add talkback Close

I am amazed and shocked at this. Is he basically calling for an end to Free Speech?? Specifically, the line where he writes "this concerns arabs and leftists who demonstrate against our State during war."

Without people demonstrating against war or other kind of government policy, where would we all be today? The great tradition of protest got the US out of Vietnam and has brought some sanity to the situation in Guantanamo Bay , just to mention a few.

I more and more come to realize that, perhaps, Israel has a long way to go in terms of understanding the importance and necessity of criticism and analysis of its own government's decisions and actions.

If we don't ask why and demand answers, then what's the use in thinking?

*(If you're someone who does this, and happens to read my blog, you're probably not like that!)