The Company That You Keep

Have you ever been "convicted" of something in the Court of Public Opinion? I have, and it ain't pretty.

My "crime" was to tell the truth about some people that had turned on me. To be fair, I do share some of the blame for what happened. It's not that I'm looking to shoulder more blame or portray myself as a "victim," it's that that is the truth.

I've always told the truth on this blog, and I'm not about to do otherwise. For me to spin stories or to bury others would be to ruin whatever credibility that I'd earned.

And this is one of those times. I've been "convicted" in the CoPO before when our role-playing Community was coming apart at the seams. My 'friends' had turned on me, and one of the others who'd been silent throughout the entire ordeal posted a message defending me.

I didn't ask this person to do it, and I hadn't known before hand that the message would be posted. Yet when that message defending me was posted to the forums, well. You'd think we were a Cabal and that our goal was to destroy our Community. Nothing could be further than the truth. But that doesn't matter to those with an agenda or with their own ideas.

But that comes back to the subject of this posting "The Company That You Keep." I was "guilty" of a "crime" because a person who was not liked in our Community posted a message defending me. Therefore, I was guilty by association.

And those are the most important words thusfar ... guilty by association.

The link: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125656 (Now bear in mind, that this is Israel National News.)

"(IsraelNN.com) Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama is currently hiding his anti-Israel views in order to get elected, according to a well-known anti-Israel activist. The activist, Ali Abunimah, claimed to know Obama well and to have met him on numerous occasions at pro-Palestinian events in Chicago."

Before we go further, you'll notice that they're saying he's doing this to get elected. That's because this article was written on 23-MAR-2008. But remember that name - Ali Abunimah - you'll be seeing it again.

" "As he [Obama] came in from the cold and took off his coat, I went up to greet him. He responded warmly, and volunteered, 'Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race.' I’m hoping when things calm down I can be more up front.' He referred to my activism, including columns I was contributing to the The Chicago Tribune critical of Israeli and US policy [and said:] 'Keep up the good work!'" "

But that's not all: "Barack, Michelle, Edward and Mariam Abunimah's report included a photo of Obama with his wife Michelle seated at a table with virulently anti-Israeli Professor Edward Said and his wife Mariam, in what Abunimah said was a May 1998 Arab community event in Chicago at which Said gave the keynote speech. " (emphasis added)

Why is that important? Here's that name again: Ali Abunimah. "Now, the other pillar of Israeli power -- Western support and complicity -- is starting to crack. We must do all we can to push it over."

Here's that link: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10215.shtml You'll notice the name of the person that wrote this: Ali Abunimah.

Mr Abunimah actually said this: " "I [Mr Abunimah] remember personally introducing him [Obama] onstage in 1999, when we had a major community fundraiser for the community center in Deheisha refugee camp in the occupied West Bank," he recounted. "And that's just one example of how Barack Obama used to be very comfortable speaking up for and being associated with Palestinian rights and opposing the Israeli occupation." " Link: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125656

The Company That You Keep?