Letter from Scott Richman

Nelson Piece Got It Wrong

In his October 3rd commentary, former news editor of Iron String Press Wriley Nelson fires off scores of false and deeply offensive comments about Israel, Zionism and Jewish people. Among his outrageous claims, he calls Zionism “inherently absurd,” that it was “implemented through self-styled terrorism in the British colony of Palestine in 1948,” and calls Israel an “overgrown American aircraft carrier.” Not only are these and many other claims in this opinion piece absurd and patently false, they also do not meet journalistic ethics or standards.

For example, on the issue of Zionism, while this author seems to paint it as a post-World War II colonial project, nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, it is an anti-colonial project as it sought to restore an indigenous people to their ancestral land. There has been a continuous Jewish presence in the land of Israel over the millennia. Zionism is the movement for the self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in the land of Israel. The vast majority of American Jews and Americans in general believe in Israel’s right to exist and are therefore Zionists. This is not related to their support of specific Israeli policies or actions.

Otsego County readers deserve better than false narratives and offensive statements.

Scott Richman
ADL Regional Director, New York and New Jersey