This morning on NPR, Juan Williams of the Washington Post made the smart observation that Obama's elevation firmly ends the era in which black politicians were presumed to be spokesmen for their race. They are now strictly professional pols who happen to be black. As Irish politicians happen to be Irish, Williams said, and Jews "happen to be Jewish."
I share the idealism, but wonder about the accuracy. It is undoubtedly the case that many/most Jewish politicians just happen to be Jewish. Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Carl Levin, Rep. Bob Filner, Senator Barbara Boxer. The problem is that American policy in the Middle East has been so skewed in favor of Israel, to the disaster of the U.S. reputation, let alone Arab human rights, that this has inevitably raised the suspicion about Jewish politicians, Are they Zionists? How important is Zionism, which is so central to American Jewish religious and organizational life, in their world view?
And I would say that for politicians like Chuck Schumer, Anthony Wiener, Jerrold Nadler, and Jane Harman, they don't just happen to be Jewish. They're Jewish and love Israel, and they're influential. Which is why I want an open accounting of Zionism in American Jewish life.
Jeffrey Blankfort, working on a book about the Israel lobby and the issue of Jewish responsibility, makes the same point re the great English MP Gerald Kaufman:
You know in my researches I have never found a single statement by any Jewish member of Congress that is even mildly critical of Israel. What is it about American Jews on this issue? Were they in schul when god passed out the cojones?
I'm waiting for someone, anyone, to give me a reason other than Judaism for Schumer and Feinstein supporting Mukasey.
i asked a friend this question. he said it was because jews support torture because israel does it and needs it, and by extension the us is israel now. i thought that was cynical and harsh. now i agree.
No question the USA has copied Israel in its conduct of foreign affairs. Why? Because the American Jews under the umbrella of AIPAC have bought goy souls. The world sees this in NOT the old
USA. It's just manipulated Americans don't see it. Everything can
be changed yet if somebody can figure out how to dent the stranglehold monied Jews have on the USA MSM. Hitler gave his citizens a free radio for Goebbels's propaganda. IN the USA, it's more subtle. The effect is the same.
i would like to hear what phil would say about this issue of mukasey and torture.
i asked a friend this question. he said it was because jews support torture because israel does it and needs it, and by extension the us is israel now. i thought that was cynical and harsh. now i agree.
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I have felt for some time that the US police state by way of the Patriot Act is based on the Israeli model. Rights are optional (torture is the norm), surveillance is essential (and used punitively), and dissent is not only marginalized but demonized.
Sadly, I think that Israeli's can engage in more spirited (and honest) discussion of the issues than Americans are allowed to do. Certainly American politicians have completely dropped the ball in this regard.
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