Jerry Seinfeld sets Israeli policy? Who Knew?

[sarisataka]

Hundreds march for Palestine downtown, protest Jerry Seinfeld show

Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Syracuse to rally in support of Palestine, calling for a cease-fire and protesting Jerry Seinfeld’s stand-up show Friday evening.

The local “Shut It Down For Palestine” demonstration — organized by the Syracuse chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, the Syracuse Collective for Palestinian Liberation, the Resilient Indigenous Action Collective and the Syracuse chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation — was the latest of several similar pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses and in cities across the country following the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

The protesters marched from Clinton Square down S. Salina Street to the Landmark Theatre, where Seinfeld’s stand-up show was scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Seinfeld was one of over 700 Hollywood celebrities to sign an open letter in support of Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

After 1,200 people were killed in the attack, Israel responded with a tightened siege on Gaza, bombarding the territory. Since Oct. 7, over 17,000 people in Gaza have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

https://dailyorange.com/2023/12/demonstrators-march-for-palestine-protest-jerry-seinfeld-show/

Apparently he too is complicit in genocide. What possible connection could he have with Israel...

[Think. Again.]

1. Public awareness is...

...the sole purpose of any demonstration.

[sarisataka]

3. If that's what you want to tell yourself...

and believe that it is simple chance the protesters chose this show. Just like the protesters who took a "wrong turn" and just happened to find themselves in front of a Jewish restaurant..

[Think. Again.]

6. It obviously wasn't simple chance...

...but since any protest hopes for media coverage, this makes perfect sense.

What doesn't make sense is pretending there's anything more to it.

[sarisataka]

17. Pretending there's anything more to it.

all these protests that target Jews and there is nothing more to it? At some point one must consider are these protests really about Israel or are Jews Israel no matter where they are or could it be a hint of something more?

[Think. Again.]

23. Without any indication...

...that there is anything more, I have to assume that the protests are calling on Jews specifically because Israel is a Jewish nation and so Jews would be the most logical people to have influence over Israeli actions.

[sarisataka]

25. So protesting at a Philadelphia sandwich shop makes sense

because the Jewish owner may call Netanyahu to tell him he should back off? Please.

These American Jews have as much influence over Israel as American Palestinians have over Hamas. But that gets excused because Hamas is made up of aliens who came down to cause trouble?

Hamas is an organization (don't use the "T" word) made up of Palestinians. They have as much, or more, connection to US Palestinians as US Jews to Israel.

[Think. Again.]

29. I would need a source...

...for your implication that American Palestinians have connections to hamas, for me to consider that.

(On a side note, I have used the "T" word in the past when speaking of hamas, have I unwittingly broken a DU rule?)

[sarisataka]

31. My implication was that

they don't have influence of Hamas. They may be connected unwittingly by their donations to Islamic charities that Hamas siphons money from. Outside of that thread, the average US Palestinian has the same influence over Hamas as a typical American Jew has over Israel.

[EllieBC]

60. Like defacing the side of the library bearing

the name of a Jewish donor?

Nothing to see here, right?

No antisemitism. That’s someone only rightwing white guys do.

And if you think calling on Jews is a good play, guess we should call on all Muslims every time there’s terrorism committed by a Muslim?

[Eko]

34. Did you read the article?

"Seinfeld was one of over 700 Hollywood celebrities to sign an open letter in support of Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack."
"In 2018, Seinfeld visited a tourist training camp in the West Bank, drawing outrage from Palestinian human rights activists. At the camp, Seinfeld conducted exercises “meant to replicate Israeli Defense Force training,” Newsweek reported. "
Sounds like there was a bit more to it.

[Beastly Boy]

40. I see. Demanding the return of hostages and replicating the training exercises of IDF six years ago is

the "bit more" of an explanation why "the protestors chanted that Seinfeld was “complicit in genocide.”, as the article reports.

By the same logic, would condemning terrorism and wearing footwear that resembles IDF army boots make Seinfeld complicit in apartheid? Why not? After all, this is not antisemitism, is it?

[Eko]

44. Thanks for agreeing that it is more of an explanation of why they protested him.

As for this question.
By the same logic, would condemning terrorism and wearing footwear that resembles IDF army boots make Seinfeld complicit in apartheid? Why not? After all, this is not antisemitism, is it?
I never said anyone was complicit in apartheid. Well, except for in South Africa and I don't believe I have ever said that here but I am very comfortable saying it now. Why not? I assume by that you mean why is it not apartheid. Simply put because I don't know it is or isn't so I don't make claims I am not sure of.
As for your last question of After all, this is not antisemitism, is it? I'm not real clear on what you are referring to is not antisemitism so if you could clear that up I will provide you with a answer.
Thanks,
Eko.

[Beastly Boy]

45. I am not agreeing with you, but you are welcome anyway.

The lame excuses you offered to justify (or, if you feel like nitpicking, "explain" ) the protestors piling on Seinfeld and accusing him of being "complicit in genocide", among other things, adds not a single bit more to reasons why they might have selected Seinfeld as their target. The instances you cited are so flat out mundane and innocuous, no person in their right mind would consider them halfass relevant in the protestors' choice of Seinfeld as a target of their righteous indignation, let alone accusations of complicity in genocide. Your excuses... sorry, explanations, can't even begin to dispel the doubts of the poster you replied to of Seinfeld being targeted for reasons other than the sound of his last name. In fact, the pettiness of the excerpts you responded with could only have amplified those doubts. And something tells me this is not what you meant when you said "a bit more to it".

I never said you said that someone is complicit in apartheid. I invited you, as a hypothetical exercise in inanity, to use your own logic to justify... sorry, explain, equally obscene accusations with equally lame hypothetical claims against Seinfeld. And I asked you, as another exercise in inanity, why not entertain an analogy that would mimic the absurdity of your justification... sorry, explanation, for the covertly antisemitic undertones in the charges leveled against Seinfeld?

Why so much inanity, you might ask, and to what ends? Well, that question would be best answered by the demonstrators themselves.

[Eko]

46. Not agree with me?

Did you not say this?
I see. Demanding the return of hostages and replicating the training exercises of IDF six years ago is the "bit more" of an explanation why "the protestors chanted that Seinfeld was “complicit in genocide.”, as the article reports.
Looks like you agreed with me.
Just because you don't like the reasons they may have had doesn't in any way make it so they only have one reason but I'm sure you can find another article by Dennis Prager to back up your reasoning.

[Beastly Boy]

48. Will you not permit me the courtesy of deriding your post discreetly rather than openly?

Clear as day, my statement refers to what I see, not what I agree with. And what I see is something that I wouldn't agree with under the threat of bodily harm, which I make abundantly clear in the rest of my post.

Yet, rather than quitting while you are behind, you pretend that you have grounds for an argument. Surely you are not expecting me to take you seriously!

[Eko]

49. Of course I dont expect you to take me seriously.

You think Dennis Prager makes a good argument. And how does this make sense? Clear as day, my statement refers to what I see, not what I agree with. And what I see is something that I wouldn't agree with under the threat of bodily harm, So, it's what you see, not what you agree with and in no way do you agree with it.Gotcha. I'll tell you what, I will agree that you are the arbiter of what constitutes as a valid reason for people whom you have never met nor talked to for them to protest. Happy?
Of course that is

[Beastly Boy]

52. Damn, you showed me! I stand corrected.

Turns out that the first thing you do is deflect, and only then you pretend you have an argument.

I am definitely changing my mind about not taking you seriously!

[Eko]

54. I am devastated.

Coming from the arbiter of who's reasons are valid and not valid of people you have never met nor talked to and from the person that brings us articles from Dennis Prager here on DU it is quite a blow. I'm not even sure what I am going to do now. I feel so lost.
Eko.

[sarisataka]

42. That is grounds for being complicit in genocide?

How long will it be until they get around to the other 699 people that signed the letter? I'm sure some are not Jewish.

[Eko]

43. I didnt go to the protest and would not have so why ask me?

Here is what you said.
Pretending there's anything more to it. all these protests that target Jews and there is nothing more to it? At some point one must consider are these protests really about Israel or are Jews Israel no matter where they are or could it be a hint of something more?
I showed there was more to it that him being just Jewish. You and I may disagree that the reasons I provided are grounds for protesting him but obviously there are other reasons that could be considered that were provided in the article.

[TheKentuckian]

57. Reasons my ass, weak excuses to let the simmering

antisemitism boil over and NOTHING ELSE. NOTHING.

Nazis that respect your pronouns and shop at Whole Paycheck are still Nazi scum.

[Eko]

61. I showed you how there are possibly more reasons to it than he is just Jewish.

You dont even have to agree with those reasons, I personally don't but I am enough of an intelligent person to see that they could believe that. It's odd that with actual facts shown that he has done more than just be Jewish in regards to this conflict and instead of relying on reason you doubled down on emotion. I realize this may be an emotional thing for you. I believe it is for all of us, some way more than others but I tend to rely on logic instead of emotion. You equating the protesters with Nazi scum is the same as them protesting Israelis as Nazi scum and if someone on here did so I would tell them as well how they were wrong. You are wrong to do so as well. Your opinion is that they are weak excuses. That's fine. I'm sure some Palestinians think yours are as well. That doesn't invalidate your reasons as weak excuses just as it doesn't theirs. Either or both could most definitely be wrong or right, but they are still reasons and just discounting them pretty much got us to where we are now. How exactly has that been working out?
Eko.

[TheKentuckian]

64. The "reasons" you provided are weak ass excuses

for Nazi scum.

The rest is blah blah blah.

Signed a letter demanding the release of hostages and condemning a massacre and rape and mutilation gang attack of young people at music festival.

WEAK ASS excuse.

Participated in some training a half decade ago.

WEAK ASS excuse.

Those are some garbage motherfuckers to have the slightest quibble about the first lame excuse, I mean vile.

Defending the "offense" here is effectively cosigning it too. There is no justification.

The second is industrial strength stupid, if not full on weapons grade stuff.

Defending that as reasoned is a huge stretch at the very best.

Wagon circling for the indefensible.

[yardwork]

67. So what? Private citizens have a right to their opinions.

[Eko]

68. Absolutely.

And citizens also have a right to protest.

[yardwork]

69. Thousands of people bullying one Jewish man?

Why don't these protesters bully Republicans?

[Eko]

70. Protesting is bullying?

These are bullys?

I would disagree.

[yardwork]

71. Nice dodge. That's not the protest that was aimed at Jerry Seinfeld

[Eko]

72. So protesting is bullying?

[yardwork]

65. It makes perfect sense to bully random Jewish people?

[Cha]

37. Exactly.. "sole purpose" Bull. Then what's with

Harassing at times Violently Jewish Students and Teachers.. and that Jewish Vegan Deli in Philly.. Sen Fetterman rightly calls it "ANTI-SEMITISM"

Link to tweet

[Oneironaut]

50. Fetterman hits the bullseye again!

These people are utter trash.

[Cha]

53. Yes he does, Thank You!

[ProfessorGAC]

2. They Protesters Have Clearly Crossed The Line...

...to "Blame The Jews" territory.
There is no reason to protest at a Seinfeld show other than the fact that's he Jewish.
Really stupid & bigoted decision.

[sarisataka]

5. Seems it was organized by DSA...

[TheKentuckian]

12. They are targeting Jews for harrassment to terrorize

them any and everywhere.

Peace.

Yeah, right.

Smart like Hamas is "creative" and "opportunistic".

Garbage motherfuckers.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. That's Ridiculous

The action has usurped the intent. By definition, it's stupid because the message is self-diluting.
And, it's preposterous for you to claim it's not bigoted. Your own post states they are targeting people BECAUSE THEY ARE JEWISH.
You are contradicting yourself

[Think. Again.]

15. Is this the first time you have...

...encountered a protest?

Protests are held to influence change by expressing a message to those who might be able to initiate such change.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Now You Resort To Insuots

You have officially lost the debate.

[Think. Again.]

20. My apologies...

...it seemed to me that you didn't understand the purpose of protests.

[TheKentuckian]

58. To harass and intimidate Jewish people is the sole purpose

of these protests.

[Jedi Guy]

63. I have a couple of questions for you.

First, precisely how can Jerry Seinfeld "initiate change" in what Israel is doing in Gaza? Please provide specifics.

Second, of all 700 celebrities who signed the letter in support of Israel, why do you suppose these protests targeted Jerry Seinfeld specifically? What is it about him in particular, do you suppose?

[yardwork]

66. Jerry Seinfeld controls U.S. policy?

Why, because he's Jewish?

If these protesters want to influence change why don't they target Republicans?

[Eko]

35. See post 34

Thanks.

[Coventina]

4. Huh, OK

But it does make me wonder......

Where are the marches against Palestinian entertainers, restaurants, shops, etc.?



I mean, if Jews everywhere are guilty, why aren't they treating all Palestinians everywhere with the goal of "ethnic cleansing"?

Certainly this seems to be the motivation of protesting Jerry Seinfeld, right? Because he wants all Palestinians dead, right?

[Think. Again.]

8. Palestinians have no influence over hamas...

...which is obvious by how hamas treats Palestinians in Gaza.

[Coventina]

10. And what does that have to do with Jerry Seinfeld?

[Think. Again.]

13. Since my post is a reply to your post...

...my post has to do with why you don't see many marches against Palestinian entertainers, restaurants, shops, etc.

Since it would serve no purpose to engage Palestinians in the effort to influence hamas, protesters don't do it.

On the other hand, involving a well-loved Jewish celebrity such as Jerry Seinfeld, even if only by association, could indeed spread the protesters message among other Jews who could very well have influence over netanyahu by virtue of Jewish constituency in Israel.

[Coventina]

32. Oh, so they aren't protesting Jerry Seinfeld, they are showing how much they love him?

Because, that message seems to be failing to get through.

[Think. Again.]

33. No, rest assured...

...they do not think Jerry Seinfeld is controlling the IDF.

[Coventina]

36. Then why are they protesting him?

[elias7]

24. Yet, most support Hamas

Don’t know why you would think otherwise. Just check out the polls and interviews of Gazans. They pass out candy when a suicide bomber kills a Jew. They don’t want peace, they want the land and they want the Jews gone or dead. If you think otherwise, you do not understand the situation.

[Think. Again.]

26. You may be incorrect...

From foreignaffairs.com:

"The argument that the entire population of Gaza can be held responsible for Hamas’s actions is quickly discredited when one looks at the facts. Arab Barometer, a research network where we serve as co-principal investigators, conducted a survey in Gaza and the West Bank days before the Israel-Hamas war broke out. The findings, published here for the first time, reveal that rather than supporting Hamas, the vast majority of Gazans have been frustrated with the armed group’s ineffective governance as they endure extreme economic hardship. Most Gazans do not align themselves with Hamas’s ideology, either. Unlike Hamas, whose goal is to destroy the Israeli state, the majority of survey respondents favored a two-state solution with an independent Palestine and Israel existing side by side.

(Full article: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/what-palestinians-really-think-hamas )

[Cha]

39. Here's some HAMAS Protester Fans at Rutgers that Got Suspended..

Rutgers U suspends Students for Justice in Palestine amid further campus uproar over Israel

A dean’s letter to the group stated that it had violated several university policies, including those forbidding “disruptive or disorderly conduct,” failure to comply with university directives, improper behavior by campus guests, and “inappropriate use of space.” It referenced student complaints that members of SJP had disrupted “classes, a program, meals, and students studying.

”

Ben-Shimon said that Rutgers SJP and other student groups “have called Hamas’ massacre of Jews in Israel ‘justified'” and added, “Their actions against Jewish students on campus have moved far beyond microaggressions.”

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18523042

Excellent the groups are getting "Suspended"

[brush]

9. A remider pls., there were/are innocents killed on both sides, and innocent Palestinian non-combatants...

are not the same as Hamas terrorists.

[tritsofme]

11. What does that have to do with protesting/harassing prominent Jews?

[brush]

19. Wrong Op. I meant to post on the one below.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18524773

[sarisataka]

18. I believe the article mentions deaths of both Israelis and Palestians.

Does that really have anything to do with targeting a Jewish celebrity's show?

[brush]

22. It's unfortunate. Innocents on both sides here too.

[elias7]

21. Pure anti-semitism

[TheKentuckian]

27. But...but...it is "smart" to terrorize and harass Jewish people

They are Jews after all!

Hamas Superfriends demand their influence.

[Mountainguy]

38. Progressives in this thread

saying it makes sense to protest Jews.

Let that sink in for a minute.

[TheKentuckian]

41. Progressive my ass, they are Charlottesville in Birkenstoks

and staunch defenders of both theocracy and state based terrorism.

[underpants]

28. I mean, WHO came up with this idea?

I just thought I’d throw some Seinfeld in there.

I understand all sides of doing this and I don’t know what my opinion of it is or is it’s just depends.

[Bucky]

30. I mean *what's* the deal with *that*?

Actually I could see Newman voting Likud... Newman.... 😡

[betsuni]

47. These are protests about nothing. Things that don't exist. Explanations don't make sense. DSA motto:

[misanthrope]

51. Brings to mind a conversation back in the early 1990s

A fellow I knew said he didn't watch "Seinfeld" because he didn't like "that Jewish humor."

"What do you mean?" I asked, waiting for something more specific.

"You know, that Jewish humor," he said.

"Oh, you mean like Mel Brooks, or Henny Youngman, or Lenny Bruce, or the Three Stooges, or Rodney Dangerfield, or Don Rickles, or Carl Reiner?" I replied.

He just glared.

[pwb]

55. I read that we have 250,000 Palestinians citizens in our country.

Last edited Fri Dec 15, 2023, 11:14 PM - Edit history (1)

.

[Frasier Balzov]

56. Seinfeld is not Jackie Mason.

I'll bet it was Jerry's friend Larry Miller who pressured him into signing that letter.

What about Larry David? No doubt he managed to steer clear of the whole high-profile solidarity exercise.

Woody Allen probably wasn't even invited to lend his name at all.

[TheKentuckian]

59. Who the fuck has to be "pressured" to oppose

massacring, raping, disfiguring, torturing, and kidnapping over 1,400 kids at a fucking music festival and demanding the safe return of the hostages?

Fucking Dotard Chump maybe.

The letter should have cosigns in the billions not questioned as some insidious plot.

[Blue Owl]

62. He also came up with the Republican's impeachment show trial framework:

It’s a show trial about nothing!