Washington Metro Objectivism Discussion (WMOD)


                 Saturday, April 24, 2004
 
    Israel and Palestine: What Objectivism Requires and What It Doesn't 


                    By Irfan Khawaja 


There is a widespread assumption among Objectivists that a
commitment to the Objectivist politics entails a commitment not only
to a generally pro-Israel stance, but allegiance to the Right of the Israeli
political spectrum. This assumption, I contend, is false, and the
sum total of the arguments for it in the Objectivist "literature"
consists of a series of racist stereotypes, blanket generalizations,
historical misstatements, and arguments from intimidation.
To get clear on the proper attitude toward the Israel/Palestine
conflict, we first have to reject the falsehoods that have asserted
themselves, and then have to re-think the issues from scratch--without
falling into mirror-images of the same bad arguments, and without
insisting prematurely on a "solution" to the conflict that can be
implemented in the forseeable future. My talk is an attempt to
begin this process.

Irfan Khawaja is adjunct professor of philosophy at The
College of New Jersey and Mercer County College, and lecturer in
politics at Princeton University. He received his AB in politics
from Princeton University, and is a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy
at the University of Notre Dame. He has published essays and reviews
in Reason Papers, Teaching Philosophy, Pakistan Today, Free Inquiry,
and at the websites of the History News Network and Institute for
the Secularisation of Islamic Society. He has also published book
chapters in the volumes LEAVING ISLAM: APOSTATES SPEAK OUT (Prometheus,
2003), and RUMOR MILLS: THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF RUMOR AND LEGEND,
(Aldine, 2004).


        WHEN AND WHERE IS THE WMOD MEETING?


Please join WMOD on Saturday, April 24.  Anyone who is
interested in rational discussion of Ayn Rand's ideas is welcome.
There will be a $2 charge for the talk if you are not having 
dinner. Note that our meeting location is Metro accessible.  You can
either join us for drinks at 5:30 or for dinner at 6:00 PM or for
the talk at 7:00 PM at the Hunan Palace in Rosslyn, VA
just across the Key Bridge from Georgetown.  The street address is
1812 North Moore Street.  If you come by Metro, get off at the
Rosslyn Metro Exit and the Hunan Palace is only a few feet away.
Take the street exit on N. Moore Street (across street from Roy
Rogers/Burger King), go out of Metro and take a left, and the
Palace is a few feet down N. Moore Street.  If you drive, there is
a parking garage (Allstate) next door to the Palace that is free
weekends, or weekdays after 6:00 PM.  There will be a $15 fixed price
dinner (including tax and tip), or you can order from the menu. 
 
Please RSVP to WMOD at (703) 820-7696 before noon on the day of
the meeting so that we can tell the restaurant how many tables to
set up and how many to expect for dinner.  For more information,
call the Hunan Palace at (703) 528-8188, or call David Saum
at (703) 820-7696 (W) or (703) 671-5119 (H).  


                  FUTURE MEETINGS


WMOD meetings are generally held on the third Wednesday of each
month.  We are always looking for new stimulating meeting topics
related to Objectivism.  Please contact WMOD if you have
suggestions for meeting topics and locations, or if you can
volunteer some time to arrange meetings.
                     
                    NEWS


2004 TOC Summer Seminar will be at the University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, July 3-10, 2004
http://www.objectivistcenter.org/events/seminars.asp




New essays by Robert Bidinotto:
http://bidinotto.journalspace.com 
Also, his latest news and commentary on environmentalism at:
http://www.econot.com/




                   CALENDAR


Weekly on Thursdays: Objectivist discussion group meeting  at
7:00PM at La Madelaine Restaurant - Baileys Crossroads,  at the
corner of Route # 7 and Columbia Pike next to Borders Books.
Contact Jan Helfeld: JanHelfeld@aol.com


Every Monday: Socrates Cafe philosophic discussion group meeting,
at 7:00PM at Borders Books, second floor, at Bailey's Crossroads, 
VA. Contact Jan Helfeld: JanHelfeld@aol.com


        The Objectivist Center (formerly IOS) events
http://www.objectivistcenter.org


         GMU Objectivist Club Events
http://www.gmu.edu/org/objectivist/upevnts.htm


        Cato Institute Events
http://www.cato.org/events/calendar.html


        Free-Market.Net Calendar
http://www.free-market.org/directory/events/


       Future of Freedom Foundation Events
http://www.fff.org/events/events.htm
         
       Institute for Humane Studies
http://www.theIHS.org/
  
(please let WMOD know about other events that we should list) 
                
               WMOD Contact Information


Contact:
  Dave Saum
  WMOD
  PO Box 8202
  Falls Church, VA 22041
    Email: DSaum AT infiltec DOT com
    Phone: (703) 820-7696
    Fax: (703) 671-9350
    Web: http://www.infiltec.com/wmod.htm


--------------email list information
To subscribe to the WMOD email meeting 
announcement list, just send an email to 
WMOD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 
or visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WMOD/.
-------------------