CNN.com - Mahathir defends Jew speech - Oct. 21, 2003

"Mahathir -- who has been no stranger to controversy during his 22 year rule -- said the overall tone of his speech had been conciliatory but blamed the press for quoting it out of context.

'In my speech I condemned all violence, even the suicide bombings, and I told all Muslims it's about time we stopped all these things and paused to think and do something that is much more productive,' Mahathir told the Bangkok Post.

'That was the whole tone of my speech, but they picked up one sentence where I said the Jews control the world.'

Even as he tried to clarify the intent behind his speech, the Malaysian leader stopped short of contrition.

"The reaction of the world shows that they [Jews] do control the world," he told the Post."

Call it "divisive", as did Bubba Bush. Call it "Hitler-like" as does Andrew Boucher. These critiques have merit, although I don't recall any references to Hitler condemning violence.

However, who can call it fundamentally erroneous? Look at how the religious right in the United States has championed Israel's "right to defend itself" even when that defence includes inhumane occupation, attacks against civilian populations and the economic destitution of the Palestinians. Is this not indeed "by proxy"?

Is it bad to be "divisive"? I don't believe so. In fact, this 'blog is dedicated to dividing Bubbas from the naive comfort that they feel being Bubbas. Then, perhaps, instead of "yuk yuks" and "hee haws" we may have some semblance of political integrity in the US.