Jew Baiting in America

[Jim Sagle]

The thing about American anti-semitism is that is is a disease, like herpes, which hides, then comes out, but has never really gone away. There has been a desire to pretend it's in the American past, but the reality is that the various strains of anti-semitic activity in the US has come in waves.

And how did it manage to hide itself so well?

Conservatives used their affinity for Israel to gain inroads to Jewish support, while playing up ethnic conflict between blacks and Jews to imply widespread anti-semitism within the black community. Jesse Jackson's Hymietown comment and Louis Farrakhan's speeches were given a great deal of attention by the Anti-Defamation League, to the point where people believed that the two communities had divergent interests, and many felt that ADL head Abraham Foxman had an animus towards blacks.

But lurking in the background were people like Pat Buchanan, who's admiration of fascist ideology and resentment of Israel is widely known. In 1992, he delivered a memorable Republican convention speech which attacked "Hollywood". Warren Beatty called it anti-semitic, and with good reason, but was laughed at. People didn't want to believe it.

Add a touch of (Joementum!) cluelessness:

A few months ago, I ripped into Amy Sullivan for repeating anti-semitic code words, words which she didn't even realize were anti-semitic. Which is how code words work. So you can get a Joe Lieberman decrying the video game industry, and Ted Stevens attacking Howard Stern for indecency and it seems ok. But then you get ranting about the "War on Christmas" and no one adds it up. At the very least,its using coded language which harks back to the most brutal anti-semitic language of the last century.

Much more at http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/…

[ck4829]

1. Very clever. This guy is on the ball.

To the rabid RW'ers, the words "Liberal" and "Jew" are used interchangeably.

[Jim Sagle]

3. Very much so. And Dr. Laura, Michael Medved, etc. are about to have their

illusions shattered.

[Andromeda]

56. Good article, Jim...

[SammyBlue]

4. Hmmm.. . where have I heard rhetoric like what the RWers are doing?

Funny little Austrian man, box mustache. . .hmmm, I just can't quite place the name. Randolph? Gandalf? I can't quite place the name.

:sarcasm:

I'm Jewish. I keep saying this and am accused by the RW FReeptards I come across as being a racist, hate mongering bigot. Oh, the transference.

[Mutley]

61. One of my neighbors is Jewish

and he told me a story a few weeks ago about a RWer calling him anti-semitic while he he was on his way to synagogue in full dress. :wow: :crazy: Some of these RWers are so freaking brainwashed they can't even see what's in front of their damn faces.

[NYCGirl]

8. "Elitist" has also been used as a code word for Jewish. NT

[AspenRose]

22. A few weeks ago someone called the Stephanie Miller Show

(some RW bigot) and flat out asked, "Are you all Jews?"

She (and Jim and Chris) were just FLOORED.

Early on AAR they played back comments made from callers as a promo spot and one woman called and left a message for some host (don't know who): "I don't know why you're a liberal. You're not black and you're not a Jew."

Amazing, what's out there.

[ck4829]

41. I heard about that

Unbelievable.

[adriennui]

2. it comes from the right and the left.....

christianity and islam. it will be the one thing that will bring peace to the world.


scapegoating is so easy and so profitable..every religious group can have fun with it. after all, how many jews are on this earth...not many. (and i'm not talking about the politics in the israeli/palestinian conflict.)

[SammyBlue]

5. 15 million Jews world wide! 6 million in Israel. 3 million here.

6 million spread around the world. Again, that funny little Austrian man with the box mustache did a good job making my people just a big scarce in the world.

What was his name again? Hickler? Histler? Why can't I think of it?

[PAdem2]

10. You are right, it comes from right AND left.

You all know what "neocon" means.

[janx]

11. I know what the right wants us to think the left means when

it uses the term neocon.

But unfortunately for the wingnuts, Rumsfeld and Cheney aren't Jewish.

[tx_dem41]

15. Nope....you are wrong.

I agree that it can come from the Right and the Left...but you are quite mistaken on the neocon charge. Nice try though.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

46. David Brooks?

Is that you?

[Chautauqua]

53. You mean

like when the right says, "You all know what "ACLU" means"?

[julianer]

58. Do you have a link for left wing

anti-semitism?

We've got to root that out if it actually exists.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. Someone needs to join DU and claim the handle.... WarrenXmas

[AntiCoup2K4]

7. So they're implying that "The Jews" are behind "The War On Christmas"??

Hell, I think that if I were Jewish, I'd just laugh at the commercial whoring of the holiday.

What am I talking about, I laugh at it NOW.

Oy.....

[ikojo]

59. Wow! At one time Jews were blamed for the

over commercialization of Christmas...

Jews..blamed for capitalism
Jews..blamed for communism/socialism


We can't do anything right!

[Lindsay]

9. Thanks for posting this. When Gilliard is on, he's

brilliant.

Repugs are all too good at "divide and conquer." It's about fear and loathing of "the other." (Which is why Dr. Dean was so right about talking to everybody, because at our core we're mostly more alike than different, but that's another story for another time.)

[TomClash]

12. One problem

There is no "War on Christmas."

[adriennui]

13. i'm constantly thinking of ways to wage war on xmas.

it's what i live for. how do these nonissues become so important to people. i don't give a damn...let the christians have their xmas, let muslims have ramadam i don't care.

i choose not to be part of the religious bulldung that fanatics obsess over. BTW, i'm a non-practicing jew. i gave up on religion when i was 8 years old (i was very sophisticated and cynical for my age.)

[Parrothead Terp]

14. west wing

the first ever episode of West Wing brought this up. It was a great scene, you have a few people from the Christian Right in the White House meeting with a couple people and one of the whacko's said she doesn't like the WH's "New York Humor".....Josh says he is from Connecticut, but Toby interupts and tells Josh that "New York Humor", she is talking about Jewish. It is so true.........




as an aside to the poster above who said their are only 3 million Jews in the US. There is about 6.5 million, more here then in Israel, not a big deal just wanted to correct that.

[NYCGirl]

16. Of course there isn't, but facts have never stopped the right wing before.

:evilgrin:

[Coastie for Truth]

31. Faux's Bill O'Lielly and John Gibson, along with Janet Parshall

have defined it into existence.

- not 100% a white horse on all fours, but close enough for purposes of illustration.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. They aren't anti-semitic

Bush and the religious insane hate everybody. Especially anybody who is not like them, ie white, unhealthy, money-grubbing, greedy, perverts.

Jews happen to be just one of many groups of people on this planet that they deem necessary to eliminate. So join the club.

[shance]

19. Absolutely. Its not about Jews. Its about anyone opposing Bush/Cheney.

Take a look at those who are Jewish who are side by side with this Administration.

Its not about anti-Semitism. Its anti-anyone who disagrees with this Administration and their murderous, horrific policies.

[Jim Sagle]

21. Actually they ARE antisemitic. Check out the whole of Steve Gilliard's

post where he explains why.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluestateguy]

20. What I lose patience with is: anti-Israel=anti-Semetic

It's not a causal relationship. The Christian fundamentalists may support Israel as a nation-state and it's policies vis a vis the Palestinians, but they all think that the Jews are going to hell, or that they are money-grubbers or that they are pushy and loud.

On the other hand, many liberals who disapprove of Israeli foreign policy are the first ones to stand up against government endorsement of Christian practices to the exclusion of other faiths.

[Odin2005]

24. Yep, I get sick of this too.

I am sick of being called Anti-Semetic because I call the occupation of Palestinian territory. If I was Jewish I would be ashamed of fellow Jews that used the good will towards them after WW2 to push a political agenda.

[matcom]

27. right on

PERFECT :thumbsup:

[Jim Sagle]

29. I'm not ashamed one FUCKING bit that Jews have a homeland.

[gulfcoastliberal]

38. Thank you!

I'm a non-practicing Jew like my dad. We're both flaming liberals opposed to fascism anywhere, whether it is Israeli or American. There are fascists all over but it doesn't make an entire people or religion fascist.

[Colorado Blue]

52. Thank you.

[Name removed]

70. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jim Sagle]

89. No. WHAT'S YOUR POINT????

[Coastie for Truth]

33. I am not anti-American, but ...

Click over to , the voyage of the damned.

No "asylum" (as defined under International Humanitarian law -- my avatar is the new non-sectarian, non-denominational International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies' "Red Crystal") was granted to these asylum seekers. Breckenridge Long and Prescott Bush didn't went them in the US.

I am sick of how my country, the United States of America, and my favorite President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, failed to live up to the minimums of the International Humanitarian Law doctrine of "Asylum."

[Chautauqua]

74. If you really want to be depressed

Look at the Bermuda Conference of April 1943 where Roosevelt and Churchill's senior staff got together to discuss Jewish refugees and the death camps and decided to not save refugees that had made it to neutral countries, not to open immigration restrictions and not to put resources into stopping the genocide.

There's more at this PBS site

One of the most shameful events in either the US or UK's 20th Century history.

[Wordie]

32. Amen.

And perhaps those who apply the "anti-semitic" label too freely are unaware all the damage they are doing. It is profoundly harmful to be accused of anti-semitism when all you are "guilty" of is not blindly supporting Israel, nor those policies of Israel which are hawkish or shortsighted, nor those in the US government who also blindly support those policies, whether they be Jewish or Catholic or Sikh.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluedawg12]

76. Coastie for Truth- look at what you just said:

>>when self identified Progressives unconsciously conflate "Zionist" with "Neo-Con" or "Likudnik" or "Racist."<<

how could you know someone's unconscious motive? that's projection.

I mention that because neocons are pro-Israel, which does mean Zionism, but not Likudnik or racist.

But why get sick of people being pro-Israel?

[Coastie for Truth]

77. I was trying to be polite and courteous

how could you know someone's unconscious motive? that's projection.

I was trying to be polite and courteous. Did you want me to say

"when self identified Progressives deliberately conflate "Zionist" with "Neo-Con" or "Likudnik" or "Racist."

I mention that because neocons are pro-Israel, which does mean Zionism, but not Likudnik or racist.

Once upon a time cons were anti-Israel, and lefties, progressives, and all manner of socialists were Pro-israel?

But why get sick of people being pro-Israel?

Lawyer wordcrafting with assigning a right wing, pro-war connotation to being pro-Israel.

[bluedawg12]

78. Coastie for Truth- If you believe that

is what is being said then better to say it straight out to the speaker at the time and forget being "courteous" in a way that ascribes ulterior motives to another. Attributing "unconscious" motives to someone, and even claiming to know those motives, is not courteous, if the alleged motives are a negative agenda.

( I don't know how to make a quote appear in a box, so I use the arrows)

>Once upon a time cons were anti-Israel, and lefties, progressives, and all manner of socialists were Pro-israel?<

Is that a question or a statement? You need to clarify that, please.


>But why get sick of people being pro-Israel?
Lawyer wordcrafting with assigning a right wing, pro-war connotation to being pro-Israel. <

Correct me if I am wrong, but I never said being pro-Israel is the same as being pro- war( war in Iraq I assume). Now you are conflating.

I said that neocons are in favor of the war in Iraq. That's factual.

Neocons also are strong supporters of Israel, an ally, and the only democracy in the region. That's factual.

Israeli's are by definition, "pro-Israel" but I have never heard Israeli leaders praise this war or encourage it.

My impression is that it is American neoconservatives who have pushed for the invasion of Iraq, neocons of both Christian and Jewish background. For all I know Israel was not for it, or had reservations about either it's execution or unintended consequences.

You act is if we believed that neocons speak for Israel, I don't think they do. But I do think they speak with Israel. There is a difference. We are allies, why not speak?

My impression is that the middle east is a complicated place and the Israeli's who live in that reality may have had some concerns about the ability of the US to pull it off in
the way advertised, i.e peace, stability, prosperity and democracy to the region. I have a hunch that as things stand at the moment, this war is not of much help to anyone in the region.

Maybe I'm naive, but I don't see anti-Semitism in the progressive movement, a broad movement of disparate beliefs and, some extremes, in fact.

I do see anti-Israeli policy opinions, which to me at this point is not anti-Semitic ( an ugly fucking concept) as much as a political difference.

I also haven't sensed anything but a closeness between Jewish RW conservatives and the Christian right. The Weekly Standard, a conservative magazine with Jewish representation that is able to speak out strongly against anti-Semitism, has been in favor of religion, religious values, and has even spoken of the importance of teaching the Bible in high school. I have no doubt they would have jumped on and blown away, any RW Christian hate mongering or bigotry, long ago.

What puzzles me is the recent contrived idea of a "War On Christmas,"
that's about as close as I have seen the RW come to implying the non-Christians need to be kept in their place viz a viz some of John Gibson's comments. It seems weird to rock the boat at this time because, while the so called anti-Christmas message in society maybe attributed to any non-Xtian group, it could also likely point to Jews as well as Muslims. Getting into that fight now, makes no damned sense. but then, nothing the RW does makes any sense these days.

Many Jews find the RW repugnant, dislike shrub strongly, oppose the war and are very much oriented towards human rights issues and true moral values- not trumped up RW values dealing predominantly with sex. Those folk are significant to me not because they are Jews, or not, but because they are progressive and humanistic and share important core beliefs.

I must say the rightwing has done a number on us, we are at it about nothing, because as the article/blog cited in this thread shows hate mongering rallies harkening back to WWII era, those are not a liberal phenom they are held by far right wing fringers. They are truly the enemy, progressives are just an independently minded lot with a lot of critical reasoning skills which leads to some understandable friction.

[Coastie for Truth]

80. A statement

"Once upon a time cons were anti-Israel, and lefties, progressives, and all manner of socialists were Pro-israel" is a statement.

The the pre-Likud Israeli governments were pretty far left of center - a collection of Eastern European utopian socialists (my grandfather - who raised me - was a classical Eastern European Utopian Socialist) and the early platforms of the Labor Party, and the Kibbutz Movement were all socialist to utopian socialist.

Support for the Republican party among Jewish voters is the lowest of any white ethnic group.

IMO - Jewish RW Consevatives are as representative of the Jewish community as Justice Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice, JC Watts, Alan Keyes, and Armstrong Williams are of the African-American community.

You called this one right ->

Many Jews find the RW repugnant, dislike shrub strongly, oppose the war and are very much oriented towards human rights issues and true moral values- not trumped up RW values dealing predominantly with sex. Those folk are significant to me not because they are Jews, or not, but because they are progressive and humanistic and share important core beliefs.

To make the boxes click on the "HTML Lookup Table" Link

[bluedawg12]

83. Coastie for Truth- OK, agree with

the notion that historically many of the original eastern Europeans were lefties and socialists. mrs. bluedog's family are old socialists, Zionists, 2nd generation in US, some of whom live in Israel even today. They are not falling for the RW siren song of tolerance.

I think several things happened to the old left. At least this is how I pieced it together, the Russian revolution was an idea born of a time and place where serfs and aristocrats and Czars lived. there was no middle class and little upward mobility for the people.--> bolshevik revolution.

However, things went wrong and over time the Utopian ideals did not materialize, and persecution and bigotry and pogroms continued. When the State of Israel was born many Jews left Russia, and did so for decades. In the 60's and 70's there were signs in front of shule's: Save Soviet Jewry. So clearly something was wrong. On top of that, Egypt's Nasser at about that time and around the Suez canal crisis relied on the Soviet's as an ally. the Soviet's wanted to build Egypt's Aswar (sp?) dam.

So this made Israel and the Soviets at lager heads. During the cold war, former lefties in the US, pro-Israeli, aligned with Ike, then Nixon, and later GB 41 and later GB 43. Their position was of a pro-American, strong US military posture, and a continued alliance with Israel- a (the) democracy in the region.

Once the cold war ended, they reformulated their position, and eventually came up with a pro-American, pro-military, still allies with Israel concept, this has been stated by Chas. Krauthammer as: the US being a monopolar power, in that the cold war bi-polar US v Soviet era was over.

A number of people, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, formed the PNAC in 1997, wrote Pres. Clinton in 1998 urging a military solution to Saddam. Clinton resisted, had his own problems, bombed an aspirin factory and that was it. Fast forward to 2000, shrub gets in the WH, and this group now comprised of "old lefties" or sons of old lefties, and old cold warriors, like Cheney and Rummy, are in power. They are all now called neoconservative because they are socially more liberal, and socially more secular and even activist than the paleocons, they believe in muscular posture for the military, they believe in a moral mission for the US to bring democracy to other nations ( good v evil ideas) and also influence by Natan Sharansky, the idea that democracies are not warlike and are prosperous. They want to spread American values like democracy to other parts of the world. I think they are true believers in this.

it get's nutty because they are now allied with the right wing, and in order to get a voting block aka the base, they ally with the religious right. The perfect storm. now comes 9-11 and phew..the rest is history.

My quarrel with the neocons is that: 1.) tell the truth to the people. We don't need mass management like 20th century serfs.
2.) Remember to keep church and state separate because history shows us what a messy marriage the two make. 3.) Don't forget social and humanistic values for the sake of political expediency, because hatred and bigotry are always wrong: no gay bashing, no ignoring black folk in NOLA, no- race baiting of any group, Jews, Muslims,Blacks. 4.) no bullshit about the cultural wars or the War On Christmas. the first leads to gay baiting, the second to anti-Semitism. 5.) if you invade Iraq then plan the whole damn thing from A to Z, and forget loser informants created by madison Ave. like Chalabi, who promise flowers and sweet tea when our troops invade.
6.) When you are already in power, have all three branches of government of the most powerful nation on earth at the time, don't over reach.

Anyway, that's what I have come up with to date. it's all subject to change as I learn new things and facts become more apparent.

Am I close to being on target?

Peace- bluedawg the amateur historian.
:woohoo:

[Coastie for Truth]

87. Pretty close - BUT

I would not ignore the "disorder" and "upheaval" in our social structure brought about by Brown v. Board of Ed, Nixon's "Southern Strategy" (as applied in the Northern Urban Centers), the urban riots of the late 1960's, and some of the remedies to address generations of racism, slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, and job, workplace, and housing discrimination.

I alluded to one aspect of this in and some disappointed "intellectuals" reacted improperly. One story is that of Medical School Applicant Alan Bakke . There were 100's of Alan Bakkes, and Jesse Helms and even Kahane (during his NY rabble rousing days) played this issue like a Wurlitzer. I would not discount it as a factor. (This is the complaint - at its bull crap core - of David Horowitz, Michael Savage, and Dennis Prager and other neocons, and Irving Kristol frequently vented and ranted on this issue).

[bluedawg12]

88. Coastie for Truth- ah, Bakke was affirmative action.

I get it. Well,Irving Kristol Is the one who said: a conservative is a liberal hit over the head with reality.

Hmm...explains something about the Horowitz flip, if that was his main issue.

going from far left to far right, odd, this momentum, dizzying in fact. one get's used to some principles and then they shift.

I think progressives have a bit of work to do, to really formulate a coherent social policy that resonates with the public, and the realities of early 21st century life, which, on balance is starting to feel like 1001 C.E. /A.D. and the dark ages.

There was so much hope and promise for the 21st century. Cures and medical miracles, the end of poverty and famine, a kinder gentler world. what a screwy mess.

Thanks for the insights.

[Chautauqua]

40. There is an interesting series of misimpressions

The extreme pro-Israel side thinks that anybody who criticizes Israel is an anti-Semite.

The extreme anti-Israel side thinks that nobody who criticizes Israel is an anti-Semite.

Of course, the reality is that it's somewhere in between. Anti-Semites have hated Israel for decades and didn't stop when others joined them for less heinous reasons. But, while it's important to realize that some anti-Israel folks are absolutely not anti-Semitic at all, the anti-Semites didn't stop their hatred, did not go away and are not opposed to having strange bedfellows.

David Duke didn't stop being a racist ass who hated both Jews and Israel just because other people started saying some of the same things for different reasons.

In reality, the Republicans have done a wonderful job of using this as a wedge issue to split the Left. And everyone who holds either of the extreme positions is helping Bush and company.

[bigbrother05]

68. Great name & welcome to DU!

A balanced reply, think you'll fit in well.

[Behind the Aegis]

71. VERY WELL STATED!!!

The one thing many seem to forget here is "The extreme anti-Israel side thinks that nobody who criticizes Israel is an anti-Semite." However, it is up to the pro-Israelis and Jews to distinguish which one they really are...anti-Israeli (policies) or anti-Jew! Sometimes mistakes are made, but, more often than not, Jews can pick out anti-Semitism when we see it.

[TahitiNut]

73. "All dogs are animals therefore all animals are dogs."

You are altogether too presumptive (imho) when you say they "think" such and so. Many, on both sides, don't demonstrably believe what they claim for a minute - and claim it only for the attack value. These are the zero-sum-gamesters, imho.

[bluedawg12]

79. Chautauqua- Ironically, the radicalRW has found a progressive wedge

to drive between us. Sad, because the goose stepping ass hats pictured in the rallies shown in the blog cited in this thread are not far left wingers, they are far right wingers.

The only position for progressives is the hope for peace between the Israeli's and Palestinians so both sides can get on with life, and growth and prosperity.

As far as bigotry goes, there is no room in that in a progressive liberal movement, it is unconscionable to hate or dislike anyone for an intrinsic attribute such as race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation. That goes for Jews, Muslims and Christians.

Political dissent and discourse is great, but it need never cross the line to attacking attributes of a human being. But then, it's not progressives and liberals who are the ones holding supremacy rallies.

Progressives are not the ones shilling the war against X-mas idea. That would be the RW and the mellon headed cretins at Faux.

[Chautauqua]

42. Oops

Sorry for the double posting.

[Behind the Aegis]

69. that is tiresome...almost as tiresome as...

pro-Israeli = Islamaphobic or RW.

[KharmaTrain]

23. Excellent Post...I Can Definitely Relate

This almost describes what happened with my late father. He grew up a son of Russian refugees, through the Depression, WWII, the Holocoust and lived in a world of "Jew, not a Jew". While he was a brilliant man, he grew up in a world of stereotypes and racial and class segregation and he never could think outside that box.

When I was in college, I befriended someone in my dorm. Seemed like a very intelligent and nice guy. He was very curious about my Judiasm and "had never met a REAL Jew" before. This was 1973...I was 17 and was about to have my first real encounter with a fundie. For a couple weeks, he'd be asking me "which tribe do you belong to?" or if I've ever taken an "Alliyah" or pilgrimage to "The Holy Land"...he never called it Israel. Soon my curiosity turned to creepiness. Finally I asked him why he was so interested in my faith...and if he wanted to know more, he'd be better to ask of the local rabbi at the Jewish student union. He then gave me the entire Armegeddon story...and that if I were one of the 12 tribes, I'd survive long enough to see the final battle...that is, unless I accept "Christ" and then I could find eternal peace. After that, I found hanging out with constantly stoned acid freaks was far better company.

[Hardrada]

25. When I was in the SDS and Peace and Freedom Party

in the late 1960's we never asked what religion we were since this seemed like a reactionary phase we all had outgrown, an "opiate of the people" we no longer thought was necessary. I NEVER heard that question until after college days and we were living for an interval in a mostly fundie community.

[Jacobin]

26. Ya know... you could say the same thing about Fundie Baiting

Oh yes you could.

They are getting a martyr complex too and wince at any suggestion that the policies of their group overwhelming is leading to disasters, and they haven't been thrown to the lions in 2000 years.

gimma a break

No group should be immune from criticism, regardless

[Jim Sagle]

28. I don't think Jon Stewart would be too happy with you right about now.

He'd tell you to go get another avatar.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. I think it's quite possible to support Israel's right to exist and

yet believe that Menachem Begin started it off on the wrong path.

(I don't have any personal stake in either side of the endless I/P controversy, and both sides have done each other so many wrongs that I feel like knocking heads together and telling both sides to grow up and lose that stupid and destructive culture of revenge.)

Saying "You're anti-Semitic" to someone who criticizes a policy of the Israeli government is exactly like saying "You hate America" to someone who criticizes a policy of the U.S. government.

[mitchum]

50. "I used to be a Jew, until I saw a soldier break a little girl's arm"...

John Stewart 1994
No, I don't think that Stewart would tell the poster to go get another avatar

[Jim Sagle]

75. I don't believe Jon Stewart ever said that. Got a link?

[mitchum]

85. Well, we could build a time machine and go back and catch his...

stand up act.
It was also documented in a book published @7 years ago which surveyed the comedy scene of the 90s. Sorry, but I don't recall the title.
Of course, I don't think that Stewart actually meant that he was disavowing his "Jewishness", but rather he was making the point that there are many people who relentlessly hammmer the propaganda that one must approve of all of Israel's actions in order to qualify as Jewish. And he knows that's bullshit.

[Jim Sagle]

90. I googled and didn't get a single reference to Jon Stewart saying that.

But Richard Belzer's name DID pop up.

[rockymountaindem]

35. Yet another thread about Jews turned into a thread on Israel

Why?

[Malikshah]

36. For the same reason any thread on Israel invariably turns to

issues of anti-semitism.

Life's not fair-- we are just trying to live it the best we can.

[Jim Sagle]

37. Some of us, anyway.

[Darranar]

44. Israel, Zionism at least, is highly relevant to anti-Semitism.

Christian fundamentalist anti-Semitism has little to do with Israel, and that only in the context of Christian Zionism.

Some of the proponents of the "New Anti-Semitism," accusing anti-Semitism wherever there is harsh criticism of Israeli policy, are met on the other side of the political spectrum with those who see misinterpretations of criticism of Israel wherever there are accusations of anti-Semitism.

It is a self-reinforcing cycle, one increasingly exploited to score political points, and one with the inevitable effect of muddling the debate and delegitimizing both legitimate criticisms of Israel and legitimate accusations of anti-Semitism.

[Malikshah]

64. Yup--- your last point is quite cogent

Anti-semitism exists.
Israel isn't perfect.

In the end, though, there are some from both sides that mix the two, turning them on their heads to destroy any sort of real discouse to achieve a solution

[AlienGirl]

39. I'm glad other people have noticed this, too

The "war on Christmas" thing always sounds like anti-semitic code to me.

Tucker

[AntiCoup2K4]

45. Funny thing about that....

Since the subject has come up in several threads on DU today, FAUX News has actually changed their "Christmas" merchandising page to "Christmas AND Chanukah".

Looks like the FAUXbots are watching ;)

[Darranar]

43. Excellent piece. Thanks for posting it.

Very true, and all too often ignored.

The Christian fundamentalist alliance with big business bodes badly for Jews, and it is shameful that Jewish members of the ruling class are content to along with it.

[bluedawg12]

47. "Jewish vote a key factor in narrow Bush victory "

For the last 5 years they have been beating gays,
guess they need to broaden their horizon of hate again.

But, I still don't get why Jews voted for shrub, and are tending towards being repugs?

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/4337.htm

Jewish vote a key factor in narrow Bush victory
By israelinsider staff November 3, 2004


Exit polls indicate that President George W. Bush did substantially better among Jewish voters this year than he did in 2000. Indeed, from 1992 to yesterday, there has been a more than 100% increase in the Jewish Republican vote.

The trend in Jewish voting habits is unmistakable:
· In 1992, the first President Bush attracted only 11% of Jewish voters
· In 1996, Senator Dole won 16%;
· In 2000, President George W. Bush (43) won 19% of the Jewish vote;
· In 2004, preliminary results indicate Bush received support of 25% of Jewish voters (a 32% increase over 2000).

According to available data, no other ethnic, religious, or racial group increased its support for President Bush by this large of a percentage...

Capitalizing on its reputation as "pro-Israel party," Republicans look poised to continue the trend. Polls indicate that younger Jewish voters are more inclined to vote Republican, with preliminary results indicating that 32% of Jews in the 18-49 age range supported Bush. In addition, the core constituency of the traditional Democratic Jewish base, senior citizens, is shrinking.

The Jewish community, according to several analyses, is also becoming more religious. The Orthodox community, which represents a solid base of support for Republicans among Jews, is becoming larger within the Jewish community. <

[Jim Sagle]

49. 25% w = 75% Kerry. Damn fine record.

[AlienGirl]

54. About the same percentage of Jews as gays voted for *

The percentage of gay people who voted for Disaster Monkey is about the same as the percentage of Jews who did. So, either Jews and gay people are both "tending toward repug," or both remain strongly liberal constituancies.

Tucker

[AntiCoup2K4]

55. How reliable are the polls on that website?

I see that their parent company claims to be "non-political", yet their board of directors includes Michael Medved's little brother and a former director of AIPAC, which might lead one to believe otherwise.

[checks-n-balances]

65. You're right - and AIPAC is one of the chief backers of that site

Read for yourself:

The producers of Israel Insider are experts at building and promoting content-rich, commerce oriented and community web sites.

Our strategy is to develop new channels and new sites with the sponsorship of leading Jewish and Israeli enterprises and organizations.

We promote the interests of both sponsors and partners with special content packages, independent web sites, and promotional placements on Israel Insider.

(snip)

PREMIER PARTNERS
Our Premier Partners are large-scale news, community and advocacy sites that run in our advanced content management system, along with intranet/extranet modules for staff and partner use. The Premier Partners can, if they wish, easily, add and modify articles, as well as photos and other media, without requiring technical skills or outside help. These sites are regularly promoted on Israel Insider, giving them exposure to our tens of thousands of daily visitors.

(AIPAC is then listed as one of their six Premier Partners.)

http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=EmptyPage&enDisplay=view&enInfolet=partners.jsp&enDispWhat=Zone&enZone=Donations&

[ikojo]

60. In discussions with fellow Jews about the turn

toward Republican politics the general consensus is this:
The further the community gets from the immigrant and holocaust generation, the less liberal it tends to be. The grandchildren and great grandchildren of those who came from Eastern Europe in the early part of the 20th century live in an America that embraced Judaism as one of the pillar faiths of the US. They have known little overt anti semitism (unlike their grandparents and great grandparents). Many have done very well economically and also tend to believe in a meritocracy where one gets by on one's intelligence.

That being said, Jews tend to be overwhelmingly socially liberal, even if they vote repugnican. Just look at the beating Arlen Spector takes for his pro choice stance.

The Dems need to drive home the message that, contrary to FDR's actions during WWII and the ship SS St Louis, it is the Dems who most often defend the rights of minority religions.

[bluedawg12]

63. the problem with accepting repug or conservative

ideals on meritocracy, responsibility, and a strong military posture, for Jews and gays and blacks, is that the repigs come with the whole freaking package.

That's why Log Cabin Republicans suffer from cognitive dissonance, as much as they want to be mainstream and and as much as they want not to be treated like stereotypes and dehumanized- the repigs reject them and dehumanize them.

Everytome I hear J.C. Watts ( rep. Okla) speak I see bodies floating in NOLA and wonder if he is crazy?

Every time I hear Dr. Whora and Michael Madved I get nauseous.

When society turns to making racial spoofs of Kwanza by singing drag queens in black faces ( recent thread about this on DU), when society sees nothing wrong with calling gay Americans, "sodomites", when society surreptitiously attacks non-Christians, liberals, and likely, Jews, for allegedly waging a war on Christmas, when society accepts all of that with a yawn, and a nod, maybe it's time for the traditional pinnata's of society to unite and fight back.

mrs. bluedog get's her Channukah gelt I get the Christmas presents, not to worry, twice the joy! No problem, the more traditions the merrier.

[Chautauqua]

72. It's more complex than that

American Jews consistently vote Democratic. No, it isn't 100% (no ethnic bloc is) but roughly you could classify it as 70% "blue dog Democrats", 10% that vary by election and 20% Republican.

Every time that 10% shifts people announce a change in "The Jewish Vote" but it's really pretty consistent.

The Republicans have been doing a HUGE attempt to grab more than that 10% for the last few elections with mixed results and it seems that they've realized that the effort isn't worth it for about half a million votes that are mostly in solid "blue" states so you're seeing their public support again for blatantly anti-Semitic groups.

On the other hand, the consistency of the vote and the small (but active) number of voters has led to neither party to really do much. Hence the Bush I administration's famous "F*ck the Jews, they don't vote for us" and the DNC's view that unless things are openly horrible it isn't worth investing effort in Jews since it's a safe vote.

For example there is an official DNC site for GLBT Democrats, one for Women Democrats, one for Hispanic Democrats, one for Asian Democrats, one for Black Democrats but there is NO "Jewish Democrats" outreach program.

[bluedawg12]

81. Chautauqua- I'm sure it is more complex than that. Jewish family

members have commented on this and wondered why some of the altacockers are voting for shrub.

The article I cited was from an Israeli source, so as to be as non-biased as possible. it was: Israel insider, Israel's daily newsmagazine.
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/4337.htm

I would imagine that their polling data and opinion are a fair representation of their perception of the truth, and not mine.

If there is a need for a Jewish Democrat DNC site I am sure that can be done, any ideas why there isn't one?

[Violet_Crumble]

48. Here's a direct link to the article ....

it saves people having to scroll down the page to find it

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/12/jew-baiting-in-america.html

[Freedomfried]

51. self delete

don't want to comment

[ngGale]

57. This is very true....

didn't realize how much so, until one Thanksgiving dinner I attended.
The return of the 'Old South' and worse...coming from young kids. Kids who have no idea what they are talking about, it's being planted in their minds. One comment came from a grown man whom I've know most of my life. I was dumbfounded at the changes going on where racism is concerned.

[MrBenchley]

62. I like Steve but he's out to lunch on one part....

I'd love to see him explain How "Joe Lieberman decrying the video game industry" is anti-Semitic. Beginning with Joe's own religious and ethnic background.....and then moving to the silly claim that the "video game industry" and "Jews" are synonymous in any way.

Here's the conference program for the industry's convention this year, in which speakers were industry executives.

http://2005.e3expo.com/e3expo/workshop_list.asp

It's beyond silly to pretend that criticism of those folks is based on anti-semitism in any way.

[bluedawg12]

66. I thought the Grinch stole Christmas?

He's Grinch, not Jewish!

Wake up people, the RW is playing us off against each other.

There is no war on Christmas.

Jews don't run the world.

Gay marriage is not an attack on straight marriage.

Some neoncons are Jews, not all neocons are Jews.

Georgie pie is a neocon and he is a born again tool.

The war in Iraq is not helping to bring democracy to the region, nor making us safer.

And condoms do protect from STD's when used properly, unless you are a lesbian.

The End.

The World According to Bluedawg

Peace and shalom.

[roguevalley]

67. americablog.org is doing a series on Ford Motor that showcases

the horrible anti-semitism of Henry Ford. You should go there and visit for the week. Americablog and friends are going to pound Ford this week.

[XemaSab]

82. I think the big problem/conflict

Is the US support for Israel.

Israel has been our longstanding ally, and we owe support for the Jewish homeland, but the fact that Jewish interests and Israeli interests seem interchangeable to our policymakers opens the door to charges of widespread Jewish and Israeli influence-to-the-point-of-corruption in our global policies.

You're not allowed to question Israeli policies without opening yourself to charges of anti-Semitism.

[Jim Sagle]

84. Actually you are allowed to do just that.

BUT whoever makes "charges of widespread Jewish and Israeli influence-to-the-point-of-corruption in our global policies," will RIGHTFULLY be accused of antisemitism.

[bloom]

86. As I had noticed on another blog - re: Henry Ford/Christmas

"And perhaps it's worth remembering, as well, that we've heard complaints similar to O'Reilly's current jihad about non-Christians wanting to "do away" with Christmas before. Long before. Why, back in the 1930s, none other than Henry Ford was making nearly identical complaints:

"And it has become pretty general. Last Christmas most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone's Birth. Easter they will have the same difficulty in finding Easter cards that contain any suggestion that Easter commemorates a certain event. There will be rabbits and eggs and spring flowers, but a hint of the Resurrection will be hard to find. Now, all this begins with the designers of the cards."

Where was this text located? Why, in The International Jew, of course."

http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2005/11/hitler-sympathizers.html

-----

It is interesting to consider the O'Reilly, etc. campaign in an historical context of this sort of thing.

Although I don't see O'Reilly's thing as so entirely anti-Jew - but as anti-"anything that is not Christian" us/them.