At Huffpo, Alan Dershowitz says of Sheldon Adelson: “His generosity has helped repair the world.” That’s the first time I’ve heard the Jewish concept of social justice, Tikkun Olam, invoked to describe the work of a casino mogul who is being investigated for ties to Chinese organized crime and illegal prostitution….
Dershowitz is attacking the National Jewish Democratic Council for trying to get Romney to give back money Sheldon Adelson is giving him. The NJDC is obviously trying to save Obama’s brand as a pro-Israel candidate by painting Adelson as outside the pale.
But Dershowitz doesn’t want Adelson politicized. He is trying to keep the Israel lobby unified and nonpartisan. He says that Adelson is beloved by Democratic Party Jews. This is his way of pushing Obama right on Israel. Dershowitz seems to want the Jewish vote to divide between parties, so that Obama feels rightwing pressure the whole campaign. I predict Dershowitz will win this battle. The casino mogul who believes that Palestinians are an “invented people” will not become politicized in this campaign; Obama will be afraid to alienate Adelson’s neocon crowd, which bleeds right into the Jewish donor crowd. That’s why Dershowitz gets access to the White House even after he called Obama “Neville Chamberlain.”
Until the Jewish community splits forcefully and openly, the political Establishment is going to continue to defer to the lobby, the right wing Jewish organizations (one lesson of the Presbyterian vote this week, when J Street and Peace Now kept the monolith a monolith and the Presbyterians deferred). Dersh on Adelson:
I know Sheldon Adelson and I have worked with him on several matters relating to Israel and the Jewish community. I have spoken on behalf of the wonderful school he has built in Las Vegas. And have had the pleasure of teaching one of the brilliant graduates of that school. Adelson was deeply involved in the creation of the Birthright Israel Program, which has had extraordinary success in exposing young Jews to Israel. It’s hard to find anyone who has done as much for the Jewish community as Sheldon Adelson…. His generosity has helped repair the world.
I am a Democrat and do not agree with many of Adelson’s political views, but I think it’s outrageous for the National Jewish Democratic Council to level unfounded allegations against Adelson. They do not speak for me, and for the many other Jews who admire Adelson’s contributions to the world, to America, to Israel and to the Jewish community. I don’t know who Harris purports to speak for as President of the National Jewish Democratic Council, but his partisan gamesmanship is an embarrassment to many Jewish Democrats. The attack comes with particular ill grace from a Jewish organization, considering all that Adelson has done for Jewish causes, and considering the fact that there is nothing uniquely “Jewish” about the questionable allegations against him.
Moreover, the demand that Mitt Romney return Adelson’s contributions is absurd.
If the current state of affairs is his idea of fixing it, I’d hate to see what Broken looks like.
This is a great, illustrative example of the weird mindset cats like the Dersh have – Adelson has “helped to repair the world” by doing one thing, and one thing only, he’s “helped” Jews. That’s what the Dersh means – by “doing for” any jewish community, you’re healing the entire world. This is what blatant ethnic/religious supremacy in the language of universalism looks like. It reminds me of a brief video clip I once saw of the Lubavitcher rebbe – where someone asks what they can do back home in Russia to make it a better place and the rebbe says, “love Jews.” Its the sole criteria for being a good person in these circles.
“Adelson has “helped to repair the world” by doing one thing, and one thing only, he’s “helped” Jews. That’s what the Dersh means – by “doing for” any jewish community, you’re healing the entire world.”…Dan
That is the belief of zionist….they ‘are the world’…. to themselves at least.
They are only a step away from publicly declaring themselves Gods like Roman Emperors Augustus, Caligula and dozens of others….they already believe they are Lords over other earthlings.
Crazy cult.
I will bet you that the zionist and Israel will try to horn in on the recent discovery of Higgs boson particle, referred to as the’ God particle’ because it may explain how the the earth and all matter was created, and try to find something uniquely Jewish about it….LOL.
I read today that some scientist originally referred to it as the Goddamn particle but that it was changed to God particle by a sub editor
Higgs is not so fond of Israel apparently, and engaged in proto-BDS in 2004 when he refused to fly to Israel to receive a prize the Knesset awarded him because of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians:
link to algemeiner.com
“Repair the world” is a translation of “tikkun olam” which now means ethnic cleansing and white phosphorous.
I know plutocracy and I have worked with him on several matters relating to Israel and the Jewish community. I have spoken on behalf of the wonderful school he has built in Las Vegas. And have had the pleasure of teaching one of the brilliant graduates of that school. Plutocracy was deeply involved in the creation of the Birthright Israel Program, which has had extraordinary success in exposing young Jews to Israel. It’s hard to find anyone who has done as much for the Jewish community as plutocracy …. His generosity has helped repair the world.
I am a Democrat and do not agree with many of plutocracy’s political views, but I think it’s outrageous for the National Jewish Democratic Council to level unfounded allegations against plutocracy . They do not speak for me, and for the many other Jews who admire plutocracy’s contributions to the world, to America, to Israel and to the Jewish community. I don’t know who Harris purports to speak for as President of the National Jewish Democratic Council, but his partisan gamesmanship is an embarrassment to many Jewish Democrats. The attack comes with particular ill grace from a Jewish organization, considering all that plutocracy has done for Jewish causes, and considering the fact that there is nothing uniquely “Jewish” about the questionable allegations against him.
He is the clearest exapmle where all values and morality stop at the water’s edge bordering Zionism.
“The attack comes with particular ill grace from a Jewish organization, considering all that Adelson has done for Jewish causes, and considering the fact that there is nothing uniquely “Jewish” about the questionable allegations against him…”
The tail end of the sentence is a bit murky. Apparently, a Jewish organization shouldn’t criticize a Jew unless there is something uniquely Jewish about the offense. It would follow, for example, that it wouldn’t be on for any Jewish organization to criticize Bernie Madoff.
Anyway, good to see Dershowitz marginalizing himself. Two-thirds of all Jews are Obama supporters, and I imagine some portion of that group chose to see Dershowitz as having some kind of authority. If he reinvents himself as a Republican shill, there goes most of what I imagine to be Dershowitz’s fan base.
I just want to take a moment to thank the chosen for helping to repair the world, your track record is commendable and enviable and should serve as an example for the rest of the tribes of the world. It is unfathomable how you get such a bad rap, you almost never meddle in the affairs of the nations and when you do it is only for the betterment of those nations.
thanks mr dershowitz et al.
atime forepeace, Mr dershowtiz et al have a nice confession to make, right here:
link to blogs.timesofisrael.com
Basically, we do control the media, which is our message today–but that’s good because anyone can see we have a spark other folks don’t, and it always drives us to repair the world for the betterment of all mankind.
“…and considering the fact that there is nothing uniquely “Jewish” about the questionable allegations against him.”
Totally weird. That flatly makes no sense. So if Adelson was discovered to be a Shabbat breaker or a shrimp-eater, that would be “uniquely Jewish transgression” and thus returning his campaign donations would be justified. But if he merely had some bunga-bunga parties, or allowed such parties to be organized on his premises, and no religious Jews participated, that what can be wrong with that? (To those unfamiliar with the expression, according to Berlusconi, “bunga-bunga party” is a “convivial gathering with conversation and music”.)
It all comes full circle for me. That is why the owner of the olive oil factory in the Occupied Golan Heights on birthright said he agrees with Newt Gingrich that Palestinians are an “invented people.” He was taking orders from Adelson. Absolutely unreal and outrageous.
YMJ
Both the Republicans and the Zionists have developed their own media echo chambers where they have their own reality. The Republicans have Fox and their own blogosphere and the Zionists have Hebrew. Maybe the republicans can pull it off although climate change denial looks like a big ask. The Zionists haven’t a hope. they can’t manufacture reality because they have to trade with Europe to keep their standard of living going. And there is no reality without Palestinians.
Dershowitz is like every bourgeois who ever fell down prostrate in the presence of unspeakable wealth.
RE: “The attack comes with particular ill grace from a Jewish organization, considering all that Adelson has done for Jewish causes. . .” ~ Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
MY SNARK: Right, Dersh! Whatever you say. There is no better Democrat than you. Except for Shelly, of course!
SEE: “What Sheldon Adelson Wants”, New York Times Editorial, 6/23/12
ENTIRE EDITORIAL – link to nytimes.com
RE: “He [Adelson] considers a Palestinian state ‘a stepping-
stone for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. . .” ~ NYT Editorial (above)
MY SNARK: Great minds (Adelson and the settler below) think alike! You just can’t beat “naked political nuttiness”.
SEE: “Inside A Foundation For Defense Of Democracies Sponsored Junket To Israel”, By John Walbridge, Lobelog.com, 6/11/12
ENTIRE ARTICLE – link to lobelog.com
RE: “I think it’s outrageous for the National Jewish Democratic Council to level unfounded allegations against Adelson.” ~ Alan Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
SEE – “Dershowitz: Goldstone is a traitor to the Jewish people”, By Haaretz Service, 1/31/10
P.S. RE: “Dare I say that it sounds like Dershowitz hates Goldstone with an ‘eroticized passion’? Almost like a ‘spurned lover— irrational’!” ~ me (above)
FROM M.J. ROSENBERG, 4/10/12:
SOURCE – link to mjayrosenberg.com
P.P.S. Down here in “these here parts”, we call someone like Dershowitz an “ornery old cuss”! ! ! He reminds me of Lester Maddox, but without the ax handles (at least so far).
RE: “…it’s outrageous for the National Jewish Democratic Council to level unfounded allegations against Adelson.” ~ Dershowitz
SPEAKING OF “OUTRAGEOUS”; THIS FROM WIKIPEDIA [Desmond Tutu]:
SOURCE – link to en.wikipedia.org
P.S. I WONDER IF ANDERS BEHRING BREIVIK SAW THIS WHILE HE WAS CONTEMPLATING HIS TERRORIST ATTACKS IN NORWAY (WHICH OCCURRED TWO YEARS LATER):
SOURCE – link to iol.co.za
Unrelated question: Can anyone tell me if Jared Bernstein and Ezra Klein are Zionists? Google didn’t help me.
As to Ezra Klein, I think it is fair to describe him as a “liberal Zionist”. He will occasionally make a tepid criticism of Israel’s more egregious policies.
• “What it means to be pro-Israel”, by Ezra Klein, Haaretz, 1/16/09 – link to haaretz.com
As to Ezra Klein, I think it is fair to describe him as a “liberal Zionist”.
Thanks for the info, Dickerson. Any idea about Jared Bernstein? What about Amy Goodman and Glenn Greenwald?
Glenn Greenwald’s views seem to be quite similar to those of M.J. Rosenberg.
Amy Goodman doesn’t seem to directly comment on the situation, but she and Democracy Now certainly cover criticisms of both the settlers and of Israeli government policies.
The Zionists seem to be very critical of both Glenn Greenwald and Amy Goodman for being what they refer to as “anti-Israel”.
I am clueless as to Jared Bernstein’s views on Israel/Palestine.
Thanks, Dickerson.
Glenn Greenwald’s views seem to be quite similar to those of M.J. Rosenberg.
Regarding M.J. Rosenberg, I found this post: link to mjayrosenberg.com
“I support Israel’s right to peace and security inside the ’67 borders. I believe in Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, ultimately as one that will grant Palestinians with Israeli citizenship the same rights as Jews. I believe Palestinians have the same right to a state that Jews have. I guess that makes me a two-stater. [...] I am not a liberal Zionist because I believe that to be a Zionist one must either live in Israel or, at the very least, believe that it is the homeland for all Jews, whether they live there or not.”
That doesn’t make any sense to me, because wanting Israel to be a Jewish state is Zionism. Also, equal rights for all Israelis and a Jewish state don’t go together. He sounds like a liberal Zionist.
The Zionists seem to be very critical of both Glenn Greenwald and Amy Goodman for being what they refer to as “anti-Israel”.
I know. But Ms Goodman and Mr Greenwald don’t necessarily have to be anti-Zionists to be hated by the right-wing Zionists. They call everyone “anti-Israel” who is even remotely critical of any Israeli policy.
I am clueless as to Jared Bernstein’s views on Israel/Palestine.
Too bad. I was asking because I saw Jared Bernstein and Ezra Klein on MSNBC bashing Germany’s approach to the euro crisis and they seemed to enjoy it. So, I wondered if they are Zionists, who harbour some anti-German sentiments. But probably that’s just imagination on my part.
Rosenberg goes on to say he’s not a Zionist at all: “It makes me someone who believes that a Jewish state should exist for those who want to live there. ”
Somehow I don’t think he’d go along with ROT for all the surviving natives kicked off the land Israel stands on (and their offspring). He does not mention Palestinian ROT.
He’s a Zionist.
Adelson has done zip for Las Vegas. He’s a businessman who has used the city to his advantage. He supports his private interests, but there is zero civic involvement beyond them.
Hey, wake up! Jews do control the US main media, and movie/TV show industries, just as Mr Gibson said, and they also control our government, but it’s all for the best:
link to blogs.timesofisrael.com
We, poor Americans need people like Derschowitz, Adelson and 29 times applauded Netanyahu to explains us how things are. People with brains for the land without brains.
Adelson spends tens of millions of dollars to educate us, yet I perceive here a depressing lack of gratitude.
Here’s Sheldon’s “toolkit” and why Alan considers him such an accomplished repair tech –
link to dependablerenegade.com