139: Notes From Bunderground, with Tony Karon of AJ+

Quick Overview

Tony Karon, former editorial lead at AJ+, discusses his experiences as a student activist in South Africa and draws parallels to contemporary activism, particularly concerning Palestinian liberation, emphasizing the importance of grassroots organizing, understanding historical context, and the psychological impact of constructed trauma narratives like the Holocaust, which he argues are manipulated by Zionism to maintain a specific political agenda.

Key Points: Tony Karon highlights that the South African liberation movement's success stemmed from building a mass movement by creating civic organizations, women's, student, youth, and trade unions, a strategy he contrasts with less effective small-scale guerrilla actions. Karon explains that his anti-Zionist stance developed through his involvement in Habonim, a South African Zionist youth movement, where he encountered critiques of Zionism and the Nakba from within the Jewish community, stating, "it's like, oh okay if Jews are saying it then it must mean it can't be anti-Semitic." He critiques the "constructed Holocaust memory" and "traumatization industry" within Zionism, arguing it's used to implant a sense of perpetual victimhood and prevent a broader understanding of historical injustices, such as the Native American genocide or slavery. Karon draws parallels between the anti-apartheid struggle and the Palestinian liberation movement, noting that settler colonial regimes like both apartheid South Africa and Israel derive legitimacy from a perceived alignment with the West, and that international reproach, particularly through cultural boycotts, has a significant psychological impact. The conversation touches on the shift in public perception regarding Israel, evidenced by the booing of Israelis at a Coldplay concert, which Karon interprets as a sign that "the information war has been lost" by those supporting Israel. Karon emphasizes that strategic activism, whether in South Africa or the US regarding Palestine, should focus on building power and weakening the opposing camp, suggesting that actions which disrupt the status quo, even if seemingly self-interested like refusing military conscription, contribute to this goal by weakening the regime.