In the United States, if the Ku Klux Klan were to form a political party, advocating the dissolution of the American government and inciting violence from within and without, it would be banned, and rightly so.
Evidently Mr. Kirchick--in his zeal to defend this admittedly pretty questionable move by Israel to ban certain Arab political parties--has forgotten about this little thing we call the First Amendment, specifically the right to assemble. Banning a political party seems like a pretty egregious infringement on the constitution in that respect. So, I'm sorry, but this just doesn't hold water.
Plus, I think there's another factor to consider: it would be one thing if Kirchick's KKK party wielded serious power and influence and another if it had a tiny number of members and maybe a single congressional seat. Banning a political party under the latter circumstances would be pretty hard to swallow, despite the odiousness of the people involved.
Look, I get that Kirchick is Israel's self-appointed defender against any criticism, spurious or serious (though he treats them all as spurious). But he goes too far afield with this analogy in a pretty obvious attempt to manipulate American readers on an emotional level that plainly contradicts the principles upon which this nation was founded. Try again, son.
