The "Lobby" Silences Discussion

It is now a reflexive cliche for people -- on both the right and left, both in and outside of politics -- to blame the "Israel lobby" or, in more insidious instances, the "Lobby" (capital "L" included) for silencing discussion about Israel and numerous other issues in political life. This claim goes hand-in-hand with the equally tendentious claim that critics of Israel are also silenced by accusations of anti-Semitism.

The language used in this kind of maneuvering reveals much. First, that the Israel lobby is spoken about as if it is somehow separate and unique from all of the other lobbies in Washington (or elsewhere) says enough. Why is the term "Israel lobby" now nearly a household term while "Saudi lobby",  "Emirate lobby", "plastics lobby", or "natural gas lobby" are virtually unheard of, even though they outstrip the Israel lobby by orders of magnitude in lobbying's most valued currency -- cash.

Next, the term "silenced", which is expressed formulaically in "Israel lobby" rants, is most accurately associated with authoritarian or totalitarian regimes that literally silence dissent. However, the very existence of an Israel lobby implies the existenec of a lobbying system; which in turn implies that groups are free and able, if they are willing, to promote their interests in American government.

Charges that the Israel lobby has silenced a person or group is usually cover for a bad, offensive or absurd argument (or all of the above). Instead of apologizing, clarifying, or refining the argument after they've been duly criticized, many anti-Israel activists and commentators choose instead to go on the attack. A rhetorical stick is conveniently available: "The Israel lobby silencing me!", they say; however, in reality it's the baseless argument or unsupportable claim which has tied its own tongue. 

Ask someone who claims that the "Israel lobby silences people" exactly how the "Lobby" goes about the business of silencing. By publicly opposing them? But isn't that just discourse? Are critics thrown in jail or stripped of their possessions? It seems that, on the contrary, they end up with prime blogging positions or heading up think tank divisions.

People should think about the imports of this claim -- where it comes from, what it means, and the accusation it is essentially making. Those on the receiving end of cynical claims such as these should pay attention to the language and use the accuser's own vocabulary of bias to show the absurdity of the generally hysterical "Israel lobby" claims.