Gay Times at AIPAC
The energy and enthusiasm that was in the air at the 2012 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, held in Washington, D.C., was energizing and inspiring. Approximately 14,000 people, mostly Jews of all religious affiliations (or unaffiliations), political parties, gender identities, sexual orientations, and ages, came together for one common purpose: their love for Israel. Have you ever heard the statement "two Jews, three opinions"? You would not have questioned that at the AIPAC conference. It was most inspiring to be in a community of people who shared the same passion for Israel, regardless of the created labels we put on ourselves. I wondered: if 14,000 members of the LGBT community gathered at a convention center, what would our common passion be?
AIPAC is a lobbying group that lobbies the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government for pro-Israel policies. While it remains a bipartisan organization, there was somewhat of an air of conservatism around me that weekend. "You'll feel like a Log Cabin Republican at a Republican National Convention," a friend of mine remarked to me upon registration. Being an election year, this AIPAC conference was surely a popular one with any politician seeking to, well, stay in politics. My friends and I attempted to have a drinking game any time "Iran" was mentioned, or the phrase "all options are on the table." We realized quickly enough when President Obama spoke during the opening plenary on Sunday morning that we'd be plastered just from his speech.
Over the last few years, I have questioned what it means to be a gay, liberal Jew and a strong supporter of the state of Israel. (I realize that many of my non-gay Jewish friends struggle with the same balance, as well.) Some of my peers question Israel's policies toward the Palestinians, and their military responses toward their neighbors, and there are gay activists who claim that Israel is pinkwashing, that is, is promoting itself as a gay destination to distract the public from the conflict in the region.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayson-littman/gay-times-at-aipac_b_1341481.html
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