Michael Walker

Why’s that offensive?

I don’t think people should be ashamed for joining the Jewish group that’s affiliated to the Labour Party.

You can clearly see what he’s done there: she said “shame on you”, so he’s flipped it round. She has also continually falsely claimed Asa is targeting her because she is Jewish. I would be offended by that if I was Asa. Funny noone defends Asa from those calumnies. He’s fair game

I’m don’t need to look into the history of the two to know that what Asa tweeted was stupid and offensive. I disagree with lots of what Miriam tweets as well.

Michael. Do you agree that falsely accusing people of being antisemitic is gross? Miriam has form here. She has also accused Marc Wadsworth of being an antisemite. Are false claims like these, designed to cause immense emotional distress, not worthy of condemnation?

I've been incredibly specific, but you remain in denial of the facts concerning matters you are incredibly ignorant of. I haven't accused "every member" of JLM of being an Israel lobbyist -- what a ridiculous characterisation.

Then don't go after individual members because of their membership!

What a preposterous lie. I didn't "go after" anyone. Miriam Mirwitch starting lying about me on Twitter, claiming that I am an antisemite -- only because I oppose Zionism. She is the chair of Young Labour. I have a right to respond and accurately call her lies, lies.

You said she should be ashamed to be a member of JLM.

She said my defense of Chris Williamson -- and condemnation of Gilad Atzmon -- was "shameful" and racist. I'm supposed to just ignore such deliberate smears and calumnies?

You should respond, of course. But if you imply every member of JLM should be ashamed for having joined that organisation you shouldn't be surprised when many people on the left don't jump to your defense.

Michael, this isn’t difficult. Every member of JLM is part an organisation which acts as a pro-Israel lobby group. Why are you so obsessed with parsing these terms to infinity?

Because saying everyone in JLM is part of the Israel lobby doesn't explain anything useful but does suggest unhelpfully and inaccurately they're all government stooges or lobbyists

It’s an empirical fact as we’ve repeatedly been over today. Read the material. It’s all there in black and white. It’s not even ambiguous. The ppl whose job it is to defend Israeli apartheid want u to feel racist describing the reality of situation and their ops. Don’t let them

It's an empirical fact that every JLM member is either an Israel lobbyist or stooge?

It’s an empirical fact JLM acts as a pro-Israel lobby group within Labour.

Organisations act in lots of ways and there are many reasons for joining or staying a member of them. e.g. every Labour member isn’t responsible for what Labour does, same with catholics and the Vatican.

Information is out there now though. Makes an informed decision much easier for JLM members. Thanks Asa and Al-Jaz

Information is a good thing. I can see why people would remain JLM members because 1) orgs can be reformed 2) its affiliated 3) I don’t think the left have provided very attractive alternatives 4) an unwillingness to show sensitivity/solidarity makes ppl feel they need that org!