Comments on: why I am secretly for intermarriage, though I shouldn’t proselytize

By: rykart

rykart — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:57:07 +0000

I prefer black people. You know—like Don King and Idi Amin and Miles Davis and Obama and the Hutu interhamwe and Martin Luther King and the NAACP and the Sudanese janjaweed. oh–and I like JEWS. Like Osip Mandelstam and Bernie Madoff and Myron Cohen and Walter Benjamin and Avigdor Leiberman and Ali G. Christ. It's absurd. Jews. What are Jews? Just more people, more faces, more thoughts and opinions–another human forest composed of mostly rotting timbers with a few exotic hardwoods mixed in. I like Jews. I like black people. What is this, kindergarten?

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:49:44 +0000

That makes no sense. If you cannot differentiate between pride in your people/desire to continue your people and the inability to be comfortable with others, that is your own problem. The answer to your inability to accept other people is most certainly not the destruction of your own people.

By: JES49

JES49 — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:05:19 +0000

Oooooooo. I guess you really told me!

By: israeliscrap

israeliscrap — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:56:32 +0000

Has anyone else noticed that Phil goes to a hell of a lot of parties? What's up with that? I don't think I have gone to as many parties in the past 5 years as Phil has in the past month? Is this a Jew thing? Does it pass the time for the idly rich Jews?

By: JES49

JES49 — Sun, 10 May 2009 18:28:48 +0000

Huh Dana, I thought that my request was made in earnest!

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:46:54 +0000

JES49 – alas, your news are hardly news – at least in some quarters. At the rate you are going, you'll never become a good generalizer. I mean, there does have to be some minimal common thread….time of arrival in the US certainly wasn't mine. As for your critique of Phil/mooser as khokhmologs, alas, that's one of those ever so colorful words invented precisely to avoid throwing up one's hands in exasperation upon losing an argument. Of course, a wasp would simply say "what the heck does that mean", followed by "maybe it's time for a drink?"

By: dana

dana — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:37:08 +0000

MRW, that's two requests now for some references. One in earnest (yes, that's mine). The other, oh well….but that still makes two!

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:29:54 +0000

Thanks MRW. Would you be able to share some good account of the Sephardic history in the US? I'll be needing that if I am to continue to generalize*. Still, that's an interesting bit you bring up. * not to worry. The apt generalizer is always at the ready to sub-divide groups upon challenge. That's the beauty of generalizations – the size of the group matters little. It's the catch all you can along the way that's the real fun (ie the exceptions that cause actual learning)

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:23:01 +0000

But you are right of course, dear watson. And who is "he"?

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:20:22 +0000

Since you are just asking, I'll be just answering (and generalizing, of course). based on what I've been able to observe (and read about), the Jew/catholic irish union is somewhat of a rarity (personally I haven't met one). Strangely enough, in conversations at least, the two make surprising alliances. Sometimes perhaps because of a shared cynical, near-jaded view of the world and the many failings of humans in it. More likely, it's the sense of humor. The two groups seem to get each other's jokes. Why is that for people who came about from such different parts of the world and had such different experiences? my theory is that they both disdain the Brits, and their stiff-necked, eyes wide shut ways of doing business (ignoring calamitous histories for a moment). maybe thats' why so many Israelis (+ zionist friends near and far) were – and are stung – by the identification IRA expresses with the palestinian cause. On a fundamental emotional level they would have liked that rebel rousing bunch to be on their side. What's a few terrorists between friends? And, as an aside, I can better answer (I think) why Jews and catholics (especially of jesuit background) find so much in common. It's the learnedness and the familiarity with old history. Not to mention the shared affinity for spiritual navel gazing. So what if the details differ? at least they agree on process (unlike those darned "tomorrow is another day" protestant types!)