Forward.com

The conservative critique of entitlement culture is a useful inoculum against this kind of rhetoric. Sadly, it's the expectation of decent treatment that leaves us unprepared for vitriolic attacks. Liberals are generally people who count themselves among the fortunate, and make it their business to help others; however, the residues of Christian triumphalism in politics of this kind - one is fortunate to be "saved," whether from ignorance, darkness, a history of slavery, or whatever other qualities we unconsciously attribute to "religious" Jews - leave us vulnerable to assault from those who do not see us in the same terms in which we see ourselves.

Wow. Why do "anti-Semites" always resort to the same accusations? Is there an anti-Semite training academy with branches in every town? This essay is a mind-boggling exercize in denial. Furthermore, it's not lox, yarmulkes, or sidelocks that incite non-Jews, it's everything this essay denies. Fortunately, the essay ends with an appeal to soul-searching. May I add one clue? Consider the possibility that those tongues of flame popping up might be sincere highway warning flares, not torches carried aloft by primordial anit-Semite mobs. Your perspective on these signs will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, eventually, whichever outlook you choose. I say this hoping that American Jewry will pay more heed to the majority's legitimate interests. We want to continue to like Jews, believe it or not.

Boy do you have this backward. I want to know how Joe Lieberman can endorse a man for President who said that he was only comfortable with a Christian in the White House and that"the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation." Senator Liebrman may not feel that these sentiments are not anti-Semitic, but they sure feel that way. Does Joe, the self-proclaimed Jew really support somebody who feels that he is unfit for the White House because he does not believe in Jesus?

HOW TO POST AN ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENT

1. Choose a fitting name. Something pagan, with hints of the beautiful, young, dying Jesus would be appropriate.

2. Roll out a boilerplate anti-Semitic argument, e.g., if someone or some group is hated for so long, there must be a reason. Q.E.D.

3. Suggest in loud tones your tolerance for all loud Jewish traits, and then mumble in a scarcely heard undertone that it's the stuff they don't say or do that really gets your goat (no pun intended).

4. Satirize Jewish guardianship of ancient knowledge by suggesting that you, Yankel Schmendrick, born yesterday, actually have more knowledge than they do, and will let in on your little secret anyone who is willing to abandon those stinking Jews to the wolves and come sit by your campfire.

5. Conclude magnanimously by arguing that some of your best friends are Jewish.

Reject the wisdom of the old argument that, if you ignore them, they just might go away.

"If events continue on their current course, it’s not hard to imagine Jews in America finding themselves one day facing the same dilemma that confronted Jews 80 years ago: suspect in their neighbors’ eyes as an alien, threatening force, yet ironically helpless to defend themselves."

This is already happening in England:

http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/index.php

Engage has been fighting back there. Isn't it time that we set up our own Enagage style organization here?

One more try... Let's say that BushCo ups and shoots Ahmnadinejad, from the hip & with nuculer bullets. Blowback ensues, Americans suffer in droves. What happens next is that MEMRI's correct translation of Ahmadinejad's "Wipe Israel" comment appears (at long last) in the news, revealing the BIG LIE that ...them Jews!... perpetrated, even forcing it into the mouths of our pore, AIPAC-dependent polititians. Tales of undue influence will be rife, with supporting materials held high. Long story short, the Man On The Street won't be one tenth as genteel and nuanced as I am. At this point I'll unavoidably insult many readers by referring to the key problem of late-stage want-it-all-ism. Sorry! But look... Ahmadinejad makes martial noises to keep crude oil prices high, though he's way behind Israel on A-bombs, yet many influential Jews want EVERYTHING done to get Ahmadinejad, Armageddon be damned. Uh, hello? Have some "big Jews" been TOO focussed on keeping up with the Cohens? Or are normative cultural dogmas overdue for tweaking? My point is not to insult. My point is that Jewish success traditions don't recognize tipping points. I don't say that to absolve Nazis. But if you all monolithically deny Jewish conspiracies, you'll be implicated no matter how humble and peaceable a Jew you may be. The sh*t will hit the fan, eventually.

"The Jewish community and its advocacy organizations could sit still and hope for the best, or they could act deliberately to alter the course of events. But if they wish to change the flow of events, they must find new strategies. The current ones aren’t working."

A clarification of my above comment: "success traditions" was too broad a term... I was trying not to say "protocols," for obvious reasons. Success is great, and should be taught to children, duh. I meant methodology, for example, mis-use of dominance in the fields of publishing, newscasting, etc. Also, the "omerta" which makes a conspiracy a conspiracy, and makes the "respectably" discreet Jew look dirty. And tried-and-true (but soon to become invalid) practice of calling truisms "canards" and imputing race-hatred to the canary. I'm probably asking for more soul-searching than is possible for most people, especially Jews. (Well, don't ALL cultures have weak areas?)Think what you will, but don't just ratiocinate. Your own interests depend on it.

"It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes."

No, it most certainly does not "help."

Maybe the post-Lipsky, post-Steinhardt Forward is finally starting to realize that the far left in this country, including those tenured college professors who couldn't get a real job, are the real enemies of the Jews -- and Americans of all religions and ethnicities.

"It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes"

Well stated - you saved the best for last. I think Joe L is wrong and he is an opportunist - like everyone else. He will probably switch to the GOP soon which is his right but that doesn't mean I would like it. He has forgotten the other problems all of middle America faces, not just Jews, at the hands of this idiotic administartion - lack of health insurance, lost pensions, decreased buying power, etc. He isn't above that because he is Jewish. I judge him as I would any other (even if he were the Pope himself) and find him deficient.

Discredited administration??? You mean as opposed to a Democratic Party who core base is now populated with raging Jew-bashing?? Conservative movement in terminal meltdown???? As opposed to the Progressive movement that walks side-by-side with Dennis Kucinich and Barak Obama who stated that he would not use the military to stop a genocide??

The problem with the Forward is that you continue to think that it is the conservatives of the world that are the Jew haters when in fact it is the left wingers in the Democrat party, Green Party etc that have taken up the banner of the Islamists and their campaign to end Israel as a Jewish state and to blame the Jews for every major ill in the world.

Yes, Bush has his problems and he seems to be reverting to his Dad's anti-Israel bias, but then again, the Dems have made the anti-Israel BS part of their core group. And being anti-Israel or anti-Zionist is exactly the same as being anti-Jewish when the anti part is not allowing the Jews to have the same rights of self determination that every other people has.

You, and your attitude at the Forward are part of the problem. You fail to critisize the "Peace Now" types for what they are: Jew haters and people that put secular left wing politics above G_D and halacha.

You are problem and for all our sakes I hope you wake up soon

The “new strategies” the Forward needs to pursue if it wants to “alter the course of events” is to first pull its head out of the sand and face up to the fact that your lefty friends hate Israel and the Jewish people.

As a Jew from NYC and a Liberal, I detest Lieberman, his smarmy middle-american accent, and everything he 'stands' for. For him to understand his position in the ramping up of antisemitism in these times is apparently too much to ask for. I wholeheartedly agree with Forward when it writes: It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism.

Sadly for all American Jews, Lieberman has become a symbol and spokesperson for us all, whether we agree with him or not. I for one don't want to be tied to Senator Lieberman who is nothing but another discredited Neo-Con. I also find the tone of the Forward editorial to be disconcerting, since not every criticism of Lieberman should be taken as Anti-Semitism, but rather honest debate about positions taken by a prominent Jewish Politician who has chosen to identify almost solely with a not to popular Republican Administration.

Personally, I don't know if we, as Jews, want to raise the flag of Anti-Semitism anytime there is something said about a prominent Jew. If we resort to those tactics, we become the "little Boy who cries Wolf" and we won't be listened to when actual, clearly Anti-Semiitc comments are made and we challenge them.

I think that the Forward has done the Jewish Community a disservice with this editorial and raising the spectre of Anti-Semitism when people bash Joe Lieberman.

I can't believe the self-righteous and dismissive of rationality, attitude of many posters in this comments section! Wake up! Learn from history. We don't live in a vacuum. The Forward is pointing out a serious problem we all may face if we don't get our heads out of our tuchuses and start a dialog with our neighbors, the liberal ones especially. Not name calling. Not as a sign of weakness. A MIDDLE ROAD.

The Democrat left wing activists are well on the way to destroying the party of Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy. I remain a member only because I refuse to allow this faction to drive me out of the same party my grand parents were proud to belong to. Their anti-semitism should not shock anyone for one can see in their radical anti-democratic agenda clear aspects of a Nazi mentality.

Dan: thanks for your economical post. You nailed it.

Adonis: your pretentious writing style does nothing to mask your hate and anger. What if I don't pay heed? Are you going to come in the middle of the night to get me? Feel free to peddle your perverse nightmares at your local middling academic institution. No one here is buying what you're selling.

Having said that, I do agree with Richard Heinrich's comment, just above this one.

"The claims appeared repeatedly, insistently, in the talkback sections of the most respectable news and opinion Web sites, from The Huffington Post and Think Progress to CNN, The Atlantic and AOL News. Saner discussants challenged them, for the most part, not contemptuously but respectfully, as though these were unremarkable, unobjectionable views."

All of the foregoing groups are support groups for the coalition of scum, slime, filth, vermin and manure that is the Democ-rat Party! That and some of the comments shown below show why YOU don't belong in it or voting for it! Let 2008 be the year it is consigned to the stony silence of distant dust!

Yecch, why mention Lieberman? He's a stupid warmonger and deserves almost every ounce of the abuse he gets.

I find it difficult to discern what new strategies you might be talking about. Are you arguing for supporting more unilateral concessions by Israel? Or, are you in favor of a more militant and unyielding approach in dealing with the "Palestinians?" Or is there some other strategy you have in mind. If you think the current strategies are based in ignoring the shortcomings of the Israeli government, overreacting to criticism. and intimidating their critics into silence, then I think you are not describing reality at all closely.

It doesn't help that Joe turned traitor on his own party in an apparent placement of Neocon objectives above those of the Democrats. He is obviously disturbed by the recognition by Connecticut Democrats at the last primary that Joe was out of step. One thing that the Jewish Community can and should do is separate itself from the Neocons who, in my opinion, are antithetical to Jewish values.

I am surprised that no one else has expressed concern over Lieberman's pandering to the allegedly pro-Israel dispensationalist evangelical religious right, calling Pastor John Hagee an "ish Elokim, a man of God, because those words fit him; and like Moses, he has become the leader of a mighty multitude in pursuit of defense of Israel" and their Armageddon agenda. I can deal with Lieberman endorsing McCain if that is what he feels is best for the country, but this kind of fulsome mutual admiration society he has with Hagee is over the top! Is criticism of this also "Joe bashing" and to be considered anti-Semitism?

Dan: thanks for your economical post. You nailed it.

Adonis: your pretentious writing style does nothing to mask your hate and anger. What if I don't pay heed? Are you going to come in the middle of the night to get me? Feel free to peddle your perverse nightmares at your local middling academic institution. No one here is buying what you're selling.

Has the Forward lost its mind--or merely its courage? Your apparent RX for avoiding a Holocaust in the USA: Proclaim "Israel's genuine shortcomings" (as compared with what other nation's?), disrespect a President who has been supportive of American Jews and Israel (so we can be saved by the wisdom of Kerry-Reid-Pelosi-Teddy Kennedy & Rabbi Michael Lerner?), and turn the other cheek to the onslaughts of CarterJudtMearsheimerWalt & Co (see Bret Stephens in Commentary for a complete demolition of the latters' "scholarship." It doesn't redeem us in your eyes that Jews overwhelmingly vote liberal which, a few of us believe with good reason, is contrary to our own interests. Or that most of the salutary political thinkng of the past generation has come from Right Field. Methinks Dan Silagi (whom I don't know) understands you better than you understand yourself. Are you aware you sound a little too much like the discredited Professor Finkelstein? If you are too timid to resist Jew-Haters (Left or Right) and delegitimatizers of Israel, please be assured that, thank G-d, there are many of us (including myself, a frequent dissenter in Jewish organizations) who are ready to accept the challenge.

Your statement that "It doesn't help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn't help when Jews ignore or deny Israel's genuine shortcomings. It doesn't help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies' worst stereotypes" reflects why anti-semitism is growing.

It's guilt-ridden, self-damning Jews like your editorial writer -- who blame the victim -- who encourage our enemies. Regardless of the accuracy of your bias-based critique of this "adminstration" and the "conservative movement," apparently you would require Jews to pick the administration and movements they support with a view towards how non-Jews will view such choices. Would you require this denial of the right to esposuse whatever political view one believes in of non-Jews as well? Of course not. You would condemn it as bigotry. But such bigotry against Jews is justified according to your logic in the name of self-preservation.

Jewish cowards like you, whose first response to almost everything is "how will the non-Jews react," are most responsible for anti-Semitism. When our enemies see us condemning ourselves, we validate their prejudices. When they see us failing to demand our rights as citizens to make whatever political choices we choose, we reinforce their belief in our weakness and vulnerability.

It is bad enought that most Jewish organizations are so defensive and so willing to overlook the basic animus that drives both anti-Semitic and anti-Israel fulminations and that instead they look for the faults in Jews and Israel that "cause" such animus.

It is even more troubling when a Jewish organ of the so-called free press turns on its own people and urges appeasement rather than vocal and unstinting opposition to our enemies.

Your editorial evokes memories of the late 1930s and early 1940s when most Jewish leaders abandoned their people.

If my Jewish-American identity continues to get handcuffed to that whack warhawk loop Lieberman, I'm going to give Quaker Meeting another try. The last time I gave it a whirl, half the last names at Meeting were Jewish.

I wonder why. What must an American Jew who dreams of peace and respectful co-existence -- here and in the Middle East -- do? Two-fisted Muslim-bombing Liebermanism seems to be the predominate culture at the synagogue.

I'm an American Jew and a Vietnam-era Army vet. (Law School Joe is NOT a military vet, he never served, risked or sacrificed. He plays Holy War Poker with other peoples' chips.)

Liebermanism is the path to more war and more dead soldiers -- ours and eventually Israelis. The belief that Lieberman is protecting America or protecting Israel is a hallucination, a militaristic illusion.

And Lieberman's public Vaudeville holiness act plays directly into the creepy End Times fantasies of the far-right fundamentalist Christians who brought us 8 years of Bush and plunged America and my neighbors' kids in uniform into the tar-baby nightmare of Iraq. Next stop on the McCain-Lieberman bus: Bombing Iran, instantly followed by ground war.

The Apocalypse is NOT how I want to partner cozily with my Christian neighbors.

Let me be an American Jew who supports Israel and its long-term security WITHOUT being forced to wear the militaristic warhawk Lieberman t-shirt.

It's not about antisemitism. It's about the dead soldier kids, dummy. And once they're dead, who cares anymore if they were Jews or Muslims or Christians?

Dead young soldiers are forever beyond political and religious controversy. Give me an American Jewish political leader who's not violent and insane.

There is a certain irony here. First, I have read plenty of articles lately in various Jewish media applauding the vast (and grossly disproportionate) success of Jews in America. This is considered a great thing. But, when the groups who have lost power as a result (power being a zero-sum game) complain about this, then suddenly they are evil. Nobody - including Jews - likes a minority that has too much power (witness this across the globe and throughout time) and this has nothing to do with racism - indeed you frequently find Jews complaining about how the majority has too much power, including by simply living their own culture.

Indeed, in this very issue of the Forward we can read articles talking about hating Christmas and how evil and terrible Christmas is - can we judge from this that the Forward is an anti-Christian hate site? From your logic : YES!

Though I respect your conclusion, your article reflects the general case of Jews using the anti-Semite baton against anyone critical of anything Jewish. The problem with this approach is that it is crying Wolf too much! When the day comes when there is actual Jewish antipathy, the warning will be too late. People don't dislike Lieberman because he is Jewish - people dislike Lieberman because based on the evidence they view him as being an Israeli-firster and willing to commit the United States to war and ruin for Israel's benefit. You may or may not agree with this (and you may have different feelings in your heart than in your pen), but can you at least admit that this is a rational interpretation of his behavior? (Without having to reference his adoration of the Rebbe Schneerson, whose exaggerated views on Christians, hatred of Christmas and exalted view of Jews is well documented)?

I agree with finding new strategies. And one of those strategies has to be: stop whining every time someone is critical of Jews. I visit a fair number of websites of all flavors and by far greater antipathy can be found against Muslims than against Jews - just to pick one example, it is not uncommon to read calls for nuclear annihilation of Muslims, whereas I can't recall seeing that written about Jews. Indeed much of the anti-Islam vitriol comes from the Jewish community, including such notorious hate-mongerers like David Horowitz. But even mainstream Jewish media, such as the Jerusalem Post and Ynet News, are unabashedly anti-Muslim.

So here is the place to start: open your hearts to others. Stop thinking of the world in terms of Jews and non-Jews ("goyim"), but think of it in terms of people who you look up to and those who don't, based on their individual merit, not based on who who their mother was, what side of which political boundary they were born on, or which version of Yahweh / God / Allah they worship.

First it was Anti-Zionism as a guise for anti-Semitism, now its Joe-bashing as a guise for Jew-bashing. Noting that the editorial neglected to quote any of these "claims of Jewish treachery" I went looking for them. Since I failed to locate any, perhaps the next editorial might quote them chapter and verse and explain why they are anti-semitic. All I managed to find were expressions of disgust for both McCain and Lieberman, a few disparaging remarks concerning Joe's dogged support for Israel (hardly a charge anyone would deny), and questions concerning in what part of Joe's anatomy one might find his head. All legitimate responses to any politician. Are we to now hold Jewish politicians alone immune from the slings and arrows and rotting fruits Americans has traditionally thrown at their elected representatives? In the words of one well-known American Pol who gave as good as he got, "If you don't like the heat then get out of the kitchen."

I've certainly seen some Jew-bashing on the Left, and it does chill me -- almost as much as the current demands for a Christian America chill me. As for the anger at Lieberman, how can one not be angry at Lieberman? And he's the one who's made such a big deal about being a religious Jew. (I will say one thing in Joe's favor though -- at least he didn't bolt and turn the Senate over to the Republicans.)

Overall: I'd have to say that we need to look in the mirror here. "Bullying and stifling criticism" -- you bet. Anyone who's been awake the last three decades knows that that is the precise strategy of our very out-of-touch "leadership." They seem to model themselves on the worst of the Settler movement. We are reaping what we have sown.

I find myself in agreement with this editorial and with those who have posted comments regarding Lieberman's endorsement of John McCain. That Lieberman would endorse a Republican for president is not surprising, given his absolute, unqualified support for this disastrous Iraq war. What's interesting is that when he was asked if he had considered endorsing one of the Democratic presidential candidates, he responded that he hadn't been contacted by any of them. Well, DUH! Lieberman has voted with Bush and the Republicans so many times that he IS a Republican, his denials notwithstanding. As others have stated here, Lieberman is a Jew who does not speak for me, and I would imagine, a majority of Americans who are Jews.

I don't see a disappearance of the taboo on demonizing Jews. It may be receding in the margins, but it is still the rule in the MSM. Compared to Arabs, Muslims and immigrants, Jews enjoy protective status on TV and radio, and the mainstream press.

Let me add that those concerned about that status being undermined should consider not only Lieberman's support for White House bellicosity and the Israeli governement's violence against Palestinians.

The biggest blow to antisemitism was the world public's realization of the enormities of fascism. As that understanding fades from consciousness, so too does understanding about potential threats to the Jewish community, even in the USA. There should be more aggressive education about fascism. Of course, that might prove embarassing to many on the American far right.

George Bernstein -- Excellent post. Thank you

Dodi Lehha -- You have no idea what you are speaking about. Take Abe Lincolns advice and don't speak and a few people may think you know something. Jews no longer need to be embarassed to worship as Jews and that is obviously something for which you have a great distaste

When a Society starts believing their own Propaganda, such as "Jews are Rats" as in Nazi Germany, or "God gave us this Land" as in Israel, then there is no stopping the crimes to justify and carry out the slogan.

Key Paragraph...

It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes.

With anti-semitism in mind, it is discouraging to see Joe Lieberman endorsing John McCain, who passed up his opportunity to correct his supporter who referred to Hillary Clinton as "the bitch." He COULD have said, "I won't respond to a question voiced in such an unacceptable manner." Instead, he laughed, appeared slightly, momentarily ashamed, and continued. We will make little progress towards a better world if the tendency is to care only about OUR group when it comes to bias, prejudice and hatred towards others.

If The Forward is so concerned about anti-Semitism enveloping Sen. Lieberman and the Jewish community then it should stop looking for and apologizing for what it perceives as Israel's shortcomings. It should also cease defending those who never stop accusing Israel of Arab persecution. Righteousness is not a one-way street and no, Israel does not have to be the only country who is expected to constantly examine itself for any acts or evidence of imbalance towards Arabs within and without its borders. As for The Forward's fears, perhaps it finally is beginning to recognize that "the chickens are coming home to roost"; a bit late. Israel does not have to apologize for its existence.

I developed a strong dislike for Joe Lieberman when he ran in 2000 and tried to cast himself as a superjew. (Lieberman got off easy, by the way, just look at the grilling Huckabee and Romney are receiving.) The fact that a politician claims to be religious cuts no ice with me. In fact, it causes me to recoil regardless of the religion that he/she touts.

Because Lieberman is Jewish and I happen to be Jewish, does that automatically put me on his side? Should I force my (presumably "Christian," but I never asked) office mate at work to defend everything said by Pat Robertson and other Christian fanatics? That way lies insanity. Joe Lieberman and I are not connected, even though we both are Jewish. It is perfectly okay to hate, despise, vilify, and otherwise heap trash on Joe Lieberman's head, the hypocrite neocon Bush-parasite that he is.

Great posts by Dodi Lehha, Isadora Czynkin, Bob Merkin, Andreas, Grif, Joe Buchwald Gelles, and Steve Benassi. Thanks.

I think you've got it backwards--you should have led with your next to last paragraph which says it all:

It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes.

Thanks, Harry Fisher, and you sure hit the nail on the head:

*** Because Lieberman is Jewish and I happen to be Jewish, does that automatically put me on his side? ***

Every ethnicity, every religious community, and in this race, the female gender itself sooner or later has to grapple with this question when one of their own finally rises to the top floor of politics. The pressure to stand with and vote for the first politician in their community to try to reach the top is enormous.

But, grasping for some extra-Jewish analogies, how many Mormons are keeping their mouths shut about their personal dislike of Mitt Romney? How many African-Americans felt compelled to suppress their personal feelings about Jesse Jackson during his presidential bid? What's the *real* buzz among Illinois' African-Americans about Barack Obama?

And look at the historical plight of Italian-Americans. Once they chose Fiorello LaGuardia to be Mayor of New York City. Today their grandkids are feeling the ethnic pressure to wear a Giuliani button. I can't imagine how grandma, with her shrine to LaGuardia, feels about that.

Yes, someday, what a conditional, qualified thrill it will be to see a Jew elected Vice President or President. All depends on which particular momzer, meshuge or mensch is running.

When a Jew gets high in American politics, Jewish voters need to get real and mature, and think well beyond this seeming, perceived, imagined bond with the candidate. Allow yourselves to be manipulated by a clever sentimental-based campaign, and you could end up with ... Joe Lieberman.

If you can't discuss political issues and/or persons without dragging in Jews or Jewishness, then you are an antisemite.

Of course, some people mention a person's ethnicity in a benign way, or as a necessary bit of information that add to our understanding the issue. That is certainly not covered by my definition of antisemitic bashing. My idea refers to the time when a public person is deemed bad, or his politics evil, and within the argumentation is threaded this extra something - gratuitous and malevolent denigration - in giving pride of place to that "bad" person's Jewishness.

As illustrated in the following example, which I found on some message board:

"… now a misguided madman Jew Lieberman is saying we must bomb Iran.”

Apparently, only crazy Jews advocate tough policies vis a vis Iran, which is why it is necessary to include in criticism of this position the reminder that JL is a Jew when he talks about American foreign policy.

And not only that but to formulate it in such a way as to invoke the nazi stereotype. For "Jew Lieberman" cannot have been un-premeditated. It was intended to hit a raw nerve, to bait. That raw nerve is this Nazi propaganda film: JUD SUSS http://www.subcin.com/nazi.html)

I've never heard "Joe-Derangement-Syndrome" leveraging Antisemitism (asside from Savage's Chuckles the Kosher Clown comment).

The problem is that he's Jewish. If he were in a Blue-Dog friendly state where liberals are allowed to play with guns, he'd probably not be under the same fire. Likewise had he not stayed hawkish after his party "offically" stopped being such (Gore too had a hawkish leaning when he was Veep as I recall, as no doubt will the next Democratic administartion when they are called upon to be), I suspect this discussion would not be happening. And honestly, agree or disagree with his politics, you can't blame him for his issues with the party after the leadership did a 180 and stabbed him in the back by pushing a certifiable but pliable party tool like Lamont (and loosing!), **especially** when his views were an open book in 2000.

The writer of this piece is seeing Antisemitism when all s/he's really seeing is a very negative response to what has been Joe's oneryness (and apparently he or she is venting a lot of other issues here, none of which has much to do with Lieberman being Jewish as it has with him always going off of the script people "expect" him to read off of, both "as-a-Jew" and "as-a-Democrat/Liberal").

Antisemitism masquerading as political correctness is very real. And apparently reading this piece, some people think they can mask a backlash to someone's contrarian politics as antisemitism so as to avoid the real issue of our instinctive aversion to ideological square pegs in a world of round holes. This is a terrible mistake.

DOH!!! Big Typo! "The problem **isn't** that he's jewish"

Sorry about that!

I think it is possible to live with hatred if we realize that it is a psychotic fear from success (from our being the discoverer of the Unique G-od-Name among other avangarde discoveries like capitalims and communism)and we must defend ourselves not with words (it is impossible and ineffective) but with effective defensive actions (which uis the case in Israel and most Jewish institutions are guarded by armed professionals.)

The term 'anti-Semitic' used to refer to people who didn't like Jews. Now it refers to people whom the Jews don't like or whomever has the temerity to so much as question what the Jews are doing. I know of no other race that has a special term for it's critics.

To "Andreas" - seems you cannot recognize hatred of Jews - the torrent of hatred against Jews coming from the Muslim world and the rest of the world does not penetrate your ears, nor your eyes. You state how Jews should accept "criticism" and in the same breath you complain about Jews discussing Christmas in a way you disagree with -- so your criticism of Jews and Judaism is OK, but Jews cannot say anything about Christmas that you may not agree with? You hypocrite. What I say to you is...you sound like hate, you smell like hate and you are hate!

The term 'anti-Semitic' used to refer to people who didn't like Jews. Now it refers to people whom the Jews don't like or whomever has the temerity to so much as question what the Jews are doing. I know of no other race that has a special term for it's critics.

The term 'anti-Semitic' used to refer to people who didn't like Jews. Now it refers to people whom the Jews don't like or whomever has the temerity to so much as question what the Jews are doing. I know of no other race that has a special term for it's critics.

ET TU FORWARD? THEN THERE IS NO HOPE LEFT!

How sad-- or how presient, if you should happen to be right-- is the FORWARD in its panic-attack against us dumb goyim who see through Lieberman. I had always in the past seen in Lieberman a "wonderful Jewish mensch" who stood up for the Judeo-Christian ethic at a time when everyone wanted a moral government but a personal me-ist libertine unleashing. Bill Clinton may have been a genius and one of our most accomplished presidents but he was a scumbag who lived as a caricature of male chavenist pig in the way he violated women, his family and his office as President of the USA, always assuming, like JFK, that power meant the right to pounce on any woman that caused him an erection. Lieberman put his own political career at risk and courageuosly called Clinton on it at the very time Clinton's wife Hillary was invoking "a wide right wing conspiracy" to cover-up. Many of us saw in Senator Lieberman the kind of Jew like the many who were as our teachers and cultural leaders, moving America in the 1960s from a racist nation to a moral one. But then, in 2004, Lieberman suddenly decides to run for the Democrat presidential slot. All through the primaries campaign, he was a mouthpiece for the neocon call for "World War IV" to insure Israel's dominance of the Mideast, per the Perle et. al. "A New Begining" paper commissioned by Israeli PM Netanyahu (what business do US ex-officals have as advisers to a foreign nation on how to use the US troops in order to dominate the Mideast?). Lieberman hogged the Democratic Presidential primaries debates in 2004 as the only candidate calling for more of Bush's Iraq war, war and more war in the Mideast. When the primaries were over, he had gotten so few votes that the Jerusalem Post claimed that this proves that America is still anti-Semitic. Now even the Forward joins in to muzzle those of us so disaippointed with how Lieberman sold his soul to the neocons in an attention seeking craze with a hopeless presidential bid? Liberman is no longer the Jew I knew, so I cry out in disappointment, not in anti-Semetism. I consider him an opportunist who is owned by the neocons. Does that make me an anti-Semite? If so, the National Intelligence Council must also be anti-Semitic because it rejected Israel's insistence that it alone can be a nuclear power in the Middle East and so the US must bomb Iran-- many necons have so claimed, both in public and in private. The real neocon fear is that, after Israel fell to the Jabotinskyite other-side-of-the-coin anti-Semites that want the Palestinians wiped out (in their literature until 1976 they insisted that Israel must extend from the Nile to the Euphrates), they concluded that the only way to capture the 87% of American Jews that want land-for-peace in the Mideast, not WW IV, is to lock them in a mental ghetto of fear of a new wave of anti-Semitism. So of course, everyone who refuses to go along with the Likud "Greater Israel" is painted as an anti-Semite so as to scare the crap out of the anti-Likud 87% of American Jews; and Jews who resist are slandered as "self hating Jews." But, God Almighty, please, tell me it isn't so...tell the that the Forward is not joining that hate rag Commentary!!!

I was in Israel in the hardest of times of its history. I was raised by Jewish survivors of a double Holocaust-- Hitler's and Stalin's-- in refuge accross post-war Europe. I know that Israel is a nation of, not just Jews, but Israeli sabras with no place else to go-- that's the home where they were born, just like the Palestinians. I even know that Sharon was robbed by a stroke of the time he needed to achieve the very final peace he was heading towards. But I will not be called an anti-Semite, as Fukuyama was called by Krauthammer and I was by Frum, or by ex-commie Zionazis who revive Jabotinsky Revisionism because, late in midddle age, they want to be seen as "mensch." To me, every American in uniform is MY child and I will not allow to be done to any of them by pear-shapped neocons chickenhawks what I would not allow to be done to my biologic kids. Also, I want to see an end to this hateful muzzling of those who disagree by charging them as "anti-Semites" or as "self-hating Jews." Because I lived through what the darkest days of the Holocausts, by the likes of the very "Christian Zionist" anti-Muslim hate monggering freaks who call for a "Crusade" to wipe out Muslims and to make America a Christians ONLY nation, I want to see MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE, just as we had in the 1960s. Only Goldless neocons could get into bed with those anti-dialogue "religious leaders" for cash who argue that America was meant by the Founding Fathers for Christians (their version, of course) only. The rest of us-- Chrisitans and Jews-- will not cower before attempts to muzze freedom of speech and freedom of religion for all.

Most of it isn't Jew-bashing, though. Zionism-bashing, Israel Firster-bashing, "Freedom's Watch"-style US Likudnik-bashing, maybe. And why not? They have a grim record of betraying and deceiving the Jewish people, defying G-d's commands and slighting the values of Torah to conceal.

Joe Lieberman represents an outlier of Orthodoxy-cum-liberal warmongering among US Jews and (ex)-Democrats; so it's hardly surprising he catches more flak than most, being a perceived turncoat-- and worse, a successful one-- on top of it. Plenty of opportunities for odium there.

The Forward, among many other parts of American Jewry, is going to have to get with the program. You can't go on being a conspicuously rich, successful, influential and often noisy 2pc minority in a country, with mathematically disproportionate influence over its national politicians and foreign policy, without attracting bashers. Learn to live with it and quit pretending to sniff a pogrom on every wind of change.

Squealing about centuries of omspiracy theories, "irrational prejudice", self-haters, Protocols and Nazis doesn't stifle the goyim's mistrust any more. Too many are bored by the straw men, the bogus psychoanalysis, the old Holocaust sob stories and the self-appointed leaders' determination to scarify dissent from the consensus, as much among their own as among the goyim.

You are kvetching that the strategy of shame-and-silence does not deliver for Zionism any more. For some of us, it never did. The internet just distributes more freely alternate and dissenting points of view, outside the Axis of Foxman, Bronfman and AIPAC and its cozy dollar-soaked shtetl.

At times the Forward has been more honest about the problems than most in the USA, and almost as plain-speaking as Israeli Jews who are sick of the welter of warmongering and corruption into which the state founded by atheists and agnostics is sinking.

Resolve to be more honest than in this typical piece of evasive, self-pitying bleating. THAT'S "good for the jews".

www.nkusa.org

The monolith of "Support Israel or at least keep schtum-- nothing else is good for the Jews!" is a crock.

Mitch Levin made a very good point. How can Lieberman - an observant Jew (I know he is because I used to know him personally when I lived in New Haven and was invited to his house on Shabbat) - support a man who wants to see the U.S. as a 'Christian' nation?

I'm not sure that anything can be done to counter anti-Semitism. We are 'capitalists' - so we are attacked by the Left. We are 'communists' - so we are attacked by the extreme Right. Of course, on all sides it is jealousy. Check this out:

The Heritage Institute did a study showing that of all the distinct ethnic groups in the United States, including those of English heritage, the Jewish community had the highest “community” score of any other group.

Jews ranked… * Number 1 in providing medical advancements that saved American’s lives in the last 100 years. * Number 1 in authorship of both biographical and fictional materials. * Number 1 in per capita income. * Number 1 in the creative arts * Number 1 as educators, (grade school through college level) * Number 1 in the legal profession * Number 1 in the banking/investment banking business. * Number 1 in providing the most charity/philanthropy per capita. * Number 1 in journalist/media participation. * Number 9 in military service. (they made the top ten, out o f 20 ranked ethnic groups) * Number 10 in athletics. The Jews squeaked into the last top spot with their participation in ice skating, tennis, track and baseball. (Rod Carew was allowed) * Number 1 in the lowest incidents of anti-social behavior.

George Bernstein -- Excellent post. Thank you

Dodi Lehha -- You have no idea what you are speaking about. Take Abe Lincolns advice and don't speak and a few people may think you know something. Jews no longer need to be embarassed to worship as Jews and that is obviously something for which you have a great distaste

Joe Lieberman is a self-serving Zionist Jew, who, without blinking an eye, would commit a nation of 50 million people (Iran) to nuclear destruction on behalf of a foreign entity. He has already been instrumental in the laying waste of a neighboring country, Iraq. He's an Israel-firster if ever there was one, and I am persuaded that his sole purpose for serving in the U.S. Senate is to advance the agenda of Israel. He chooses McCain because he knows that this candidate will not hesitate to use the U.S. military to carry out Israeli objectives in the ME.

Some of the comments here like that of hollingsworth are antisemitic. He is also wrong about Joe Lieberman. (No surprise there.)

It is Iran which is trying to build nuclear weapons (the accuracy of the latest intelligence on this is controversial to say the least).

In any case the Iranian President has threatened to "wipe Israel off the map."

“As a Jew from NYC and a Liberal, I detest Lieberman, his smarmy middle-american accent, and everything he 'stands' for.” Dodi Lehha

You may be a “Jew” and a “liberal” but you are hardly rational. Lieberman’s accent Has nothing to do with “everything he stands for.”

“For him to understand his position in the ramping up of antisemitism in these times is apparently too much to ask for.”

This barely readable sentence, which blames Lieberman for the increase in antisemitism, is about as rational as blaming young women who wear mini dresses for an increase in rape. Lieberman and anyone else (including Dodi) have a right to their opinion without being blamed for provoking Jew hatred. It used to be the right which blamed antisemitism on the prevalence of left wing and liberal Jews.

“I wholeheartedly agree with Forward when it writes: It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism.”

This is weakest point in the Forward editorial.

Which Jewish organizations are they referring to? The ADL, to name only one Jewish organization, has made it clear that they are not interested in “genuine criticism of Israel’s shortcomings.” They are interested, as am I, in combating those who would use a country’s shortcomings in order to call for its destruction.

This is called genocide, Dodi, not criticism. As liberal you need to learn the difference as apparently does the Forward.

“I can't believe the self-righteous and dismissive of rationality, attitude of many posters in this comments section! Wake up! Learn from history. We don't live in a vacuum. The Forward is pointing out a serious problem we all may face if we don't get our heads out of our tuchuses and start a dialog with our neighbors, the liberal ones especially. Not name calling. Not as a sign of weakness. A MIDDLE ROAD.” Dodi Lehha

You mean rational comments like the following one?

“Yecch, why mention Lieberman? He's a stupid warmonger and deserves almost every ounce of the abuse he gets.” Peter Heinegg

Dodi and Peter have a lot in common.

Let’s face it folks you so called liberals have a real problem with genuine dissent, with respect for contrary opinions and above all with reality. In fact your “liberalism” such as it is isn’t that much different from the paleo-conservatism of your foes.

Oh yea, btw, I am a neo liberal and not a neo conservative.

I happen to agree with the conclusions drawn in this Forward article. It all about being "identified" with a discredited "conservative movement in terminal meltdown." The wraps are off. This movement, which, alas, is joined irrevocably to flaky Christian Zionism, has fallen on hard times. It's not that militant Jewry has changed its basic ethnocentric orientation- no more than a leopard can change its spots. Nor has it anything to do with a genetic reconfiguration of the ingrained Jewish gestalt, viz. a manic preoccupation with controlling and subjugating the goyim masses, including the destruction of their religious, particularly Christian, roots. It's a purely practical, nuts and bolts matter. The current poltical and social strategies are not working. That's the long and the short of it. And, as the author clearly states, these tactics are "reinforcing their (the Jews) enemies’ worst stereotypes." They are certainly doing so in my mind. So, first step: "Israel's genuine shortcomings" must be taken into account. They must be recognized, faced and dealt with. It has become a political and tactical necessity. It's all about redirecting "the flow of events," but has nothing to do with altering basic Jewish objectives, in my opinion.

A conservative or right-leaning Jew is not a shanda. Leiberman's backing of McCain does not necessarily identify itself or Jews with backing a failed conservative administration. Lieberman thinks for himself and is not a knee-jerk liberals as many Jews in the US are, but keep in mind, there are many conservative Jews who in their mind believe Iraqi invasion for example was righteous vs. an "Oy gevalt why should America do such a thing and what righteous-minded Jew could be for it." There has never been any Jewish candidate for president on either political side. Ask yourself why. Why will there be capable candidates as women, African Amercians, Mexican Americans, and the rest or other minority groups in the US, but not a one outward observant Jew. We should push for power at the seat of power and not merely settle to be "influences behind" any scene. So, Any party that would slates a qualified Jew for president is an advancement. All the liberal and conservative Jews should push for advancement. And, is there anything wrong to vote for that Jewish candidate only because he is Jewish, not really, but hopefully, he or she will be the best qualified person.

Omen to George Albert's comments!

“It's not that militant Jewry has changed its basic ethnocentric orientation- no more than a leopard can change its spots. Nor has it anything to do with a genetic reconfiguration of the ingrained Jewish gestalt, viz. a manic preoccupation with controlling and subjugating the goyim masses, including the destruction of their religious, particularly Christian, roots. It's a purely practical, nuts and bolts matter. The current poltical and social strategies are not working. That's the long and the short of it. And, as the author clearly states, these tactics are "reinforcing their (the Jews) enemies’ worst stereotypes." They are certainly doing so in my mind. So, first step: "Israel's genuine shortcomings" must be taken into account. They must be recognized, faced and dealt with. It has become a political and tactical necessity. It's all about redirecting "the flow of events," but has nothing to do with altering basic Jewish objectives, in my opinion.” hollingsworth

Hey this isn’t a Nazi web site. Go post your Jew hating nonsense elsewhere.

hollingsworth must be British some of the worst Jew haters are Brits.

Ben Witt gives us a stunning example of the kinds of tactics that won't work anymore. He still thinks, apparently, that all a Jew must do to shoo away the antisemitic 'flies' buzzing about his head is to call them "Nazis," or "anti-semites," or "Jew-haters." Isn't this just the point which the author of this piece is trying to make? He's saying that the Jews can deal with the perceived kooks, anti-semite nut cases and "solitary crackpots," mostly by ignoring them. They are simply portrayed as losers and scraggy nosepickers, suffering under some form of arrested development. But a couple of things have happened, arising out of the endorsement of Sen. McCain by Joe Lieberman. 1) A sturdier,(not to mention a more knowledgeable), strain of "anti-semite," is suddenly evolving. He's a stronger, more resiliant mutant variety, not as easily ignored or pooh-poohed. He makes better factual arguments which can not be so easily dismissed. Moreover, this new breed is not "slinking away." To the contrary, they are "defending themselves confidently," and making Jews like Ben Witt look rather ridiculous in the process. 2) This new breed of "anti-semite," if you will, emanates from "respectable news and opinion Web sites" and academia, whom hysterical outbursts will not drive away. Ben Witt would be advised to follow a different course of rebuttal.

Ben Witt gives us a stunning example of the kinds of tactics that won't work anymore. He still thinks, apparently, that all a Jew must do to shoo away the antisemitic 'flies' buzzing about his head is to call them "Nazis," or "anti-semites," or "Jew-haters." Isn't this just the point which the author of this piece is trying to make? He's saying that the Jews can deal with the perceived kooks, anti-semite nut cases and "solitary crackpots," mostly by ignoring them. They are simply portrayed as losers and scraggy nosepickers, suffering under some form of arrested development. But a couple of things have happened, arising out of the endorsement of Sen. McCain by Joe Lieberman. 1) A sturdier,(not to mention a more knowledgeable), strain of "anti-semite," is suddenly evolving. He's a stronger, more resiliant mutant variety, not as easily ignored or pooh-poohed. He makes better factual arguments which can not be so easily dismissed. Moreover, this new breed is not "slinking away." To the contrary, they are "defending themselves confidently," and making Jews like Ben Witt look rather ridiculous in the process. 2) This new breed of "anti-semite," if you will, emanates from "respectable news and opinion Web sites" and academia, whom hysterical outbursts will not drive away. Ben Witt would be advised to follow a different course of rebuttal.

"It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes."

This thinking suffers from the debilitating disease of Jewish guilt. I have yet to understand this guilt and the lack of confidence that it brings with it. Maybe it's the battered wife guilt, who thinks it's her fault that her husband beats her, because she ubdercooked the turkey or forgot to dust the top of the fridge. These are her shortcomings and if only she overcame them, he would no longer have any reason to beat her. Jews still think they can cure antisemitism but being better, keeping a lower profile, changing their loyalties, their opinions, their thinking. But the problem is, antisemitism is not a Jewish disease and they cannot cure it. Only non-Jews can do that.

Here’s Sartre on defeating anti-Semitism:

“The cause of the Jews would be half won if only their friends brought to their defense a little of the passion and the perseverance their enemies use to bring them down. In order to waken this passion, what is needed is not to appeal to the generosity of the Aryans- with even the best of them, that virtue is in eclipse. What must be done is to point out to each one that the fate of the Jews is his fate. Not one Frenchman will be free so long as the Jews do not enjoy the fullness of their rights. Not one Frenchman will be secure so long as a single Jew – in France or in the world at large – can fear for his life”

Antisemites are largely incurable, Debating with "t. hollingsworth" is a total waste of time. I would suggest to those who read him to ignore his Jew-baiting stuff unless he comes up with some substantially decent idea. Jew baiters really like to inflame Jews and know which buttons to push. They are bullies and should not be treated as though they have anything useful to say.

Memo from the heartland: The entire world does not view Joe Lieberman as the leader of the Jews or labeling someone a "neocon" as a substitute for an argument. He is one of approximately 10 US Senators who is Jewish and is no more emblematic of the tribe than Russ Feingold - Arguably less so because Feingold opposed the war just like the vast majority of American Jews.

Bob Merkin is going to change religions (again) because he does not like a Senator from CT. Deep.

How can you approve of the positions of Mamzer J. Lieberman in the Senate, as I gather, reading lately the "Forward". I am starting to believe that your weekly represents now the same positions as the neo-cons rather than the philosophy of the old "Forward" a thru democratic weekly. I am disappointed. Sorry, considering not to renew my subscription .

"... it’s not hard to imagine Jews in America finding themselves one day facing the same dilemma that confronted Jews 80 years ago: suspect in their neighbors’ eyes as an alien, threatening force, yet ironically helpless to defend themselves."

Good grief! Professional victimhood for the most successful and energetic minority in America that might soon face the Nazi scourge of America. What a reprehensible editorial from Forward.

If Jews are seen negatively in America, is it because they are overwhelmingly associated with an empirically demonstrable set of activities that are not in America's best interests and behind the purchase of 'The best democracy that money can buy'. Isn't almost all of American goyim antipathy related to so many Jewish leaders and organizations backing one of the most despicable, slow motion genocides of today, in Palestine. I did say 'one of' - for the "Anti-Semite" screaming brigades.

These activities wash away the other demonstrably good activies of American Jews - charity [beyond the "rich people's arts and literature], humane causes such as support for banning of American torture, for example, that is supported by so many pro-Israeli, American legislators. Face it and don't look away - Jews are also associated with what is perceived by the goy as many negative activites influencing the US economy and its foreign policy and as virulent Islamophobes. Deserved image? You know as well that Americans also remember the country of origin of the 9-11 hijackers, and thus have antipathy to Saudis and Islam. So stop snivelling.

As for Sen. Joe Biden, he is a political turncoat, a sanguinary Islamophobe, an 'Israel First' American Senator, and a thoroughly untrustworthy man in a Senate where where such a distinction has to be well earned.

In my book CHOSEN WORLD - OUR WAR ON ISLAM AND OUR OWN FREEDOMS, I list the many Jewish Israeli organizations that should be a light unto Jews. As well, I speculate about a very dark future that Israel and its cold hearted supporters might bring upon us - and themselves.

Please, only other Professional Victims will believe your wails but most other Jews - and and us 'others' - will just see the spectre of an Auschwitz in America for Jews as low, immoral, pandering. Perhaps this fascist style Administration might populate its many domestic, 'secret' detention-camps-in-waiting - not for Jews but for Muslims who are demonized by many Jews and their organizations. In such a Nazi-like event, I sincerely believe that is the earnest minority of Jewish intellectuals and activists that are not the Dershowitzes, Pipes, Liebermans, Krauthammers, Boltons, Cheneys, Wolfowitzes, Tenets ... that will most effectively work to prevent a Muslim Auschwitz on US soil or by transfer to the worldwide American Gulags. Remember, that the House of Khiam-like, Israeli Facility 1391 and American Guantanamo are for Muslims, not for Jews or us Christians. [Comment by Brad R at this site is in the same tired victimhood refrain.]

Sleep well as you surely do and Merry Christmas and Happy Festivities.

"... it’s not hard to imagine Jews in America finding themselves one day facing the same dilemma that confronted Jews 80 years ago: suspect in their neighbors’ eyes as an alien, threatening force, yet ironically helpless to defend themselves."

Good grief! Professional victimhood for the most successful and energetic minority in America that might soon face the Nazi scourge of America. What a reprehensible editorial from Forward.

If Jews are seen negatively in America, is it because they are overwhelmingly associated with an empirically demonstrable set of activities that are not in America's best interests and behind the purchase of 'The best democracy that money can buy'. Isn't almost all of American goyim antipathy related to so many Jewish leaders and organizations backing one of the most despicable, slow motion genocides of today, in Palestine. I did say 'one of' - for the "Anti-Semite" screaming brigades.

These activities wash away the other demonstrably good activies of American Jews - charity [beyond the "rich people's arts and literature], humane causes such as support for banning of American torture, for example, that is supported by so many pro-Israeli, American legislators. Face it and don't look away - Jews are also associated with what is perceived by the goy as many negative activites influencing the US economy and its foreign policy and as virulent Islamophobes. Deserved image? You know as well that Americans also remember the country of origin of the 9-11 hijackers, and thus have antipathy to Saudis and Islam. So stop snivelling.

As for Sen. Joe Biden, he is a political turncoat, a sanguinary Islamophobe, an 'Israel First' American Senator, and a thoroughly untrustworthy man in a Senate where where such a distinction has to be well earned.

In my book CHOSEN WORLD - OUR WAR ON ISLAM AND OUR OWN FREEDOMS, I list the many Jewish Israeli organizations that should be a light unto Jews. As well, I speculate about a very dark future that Israel and its cold hearted supporters might bring upon us - and themselves.

Please, only other Professional Victims will believe your wails but most other Jews - and and us 'others' - will just see the spectre of an Auschwitz in America for Jews as low, immoral, pandering. Perhaps this fascist style Administration might populate its many domestic, 'secret' detention-camps-in-waiting - not for Jews but for Muslims who are demonized by many Jews and their organizations. In such a Nazi-like event, I sincerely believe that is the earnest minority of Jewish intellectuals and activists that are not the Dershowitzes, Pipes, Liebermans, Krauthammers, Boltons, Cheneys, Wolfowitzes, Tenets ... that will most effectively work to prevent a Muslim Auschwitz on US soil or by transfer to the worldwide American Gulags. Remember, that the House of Khiam-like, Israeli Facility 1391 and American Guantanamo are for Muslims, not for Jews or us Christians. [Comment by Brad R at this site is in the same tired victimhood refrain.]

Sleep well as you surely do and Merry Christmas and Happy Festivities.

AAIt's interesting when a democrat like giuliani switches over to the republican party - nary a word is thrown at americans of italian descent; there was no ethnicity/religion related outcry when the democrat zell miller gave the keynote address at the last republican convention; nor were actors condemned as a disloyal bunch when reagan switched parties and became president. jews always have been and continue to be measured by a different yardstick: that in fact is ANTISEMITISM.

It's interesting when a democrat like giuliani switches over to the republican party - nary a word is thrown at americans of italian descent; there was no ethnicity/religion related outcry when the democrat zell miller gave the keynote address at the last republican convention; nor were actors condemned as a disloyal bunch when reagan switched parties and became president. jews always have been and continue to be measured by a different yardstick: that in fact is ANTISEMITISM.

John Ish Ishmael said:

“Isn't almost all of American goyim antipathy related to so many Jewish leaders and organizations backing one of the most despicable, slow motion genocides of today, in Palestine. I did say 'one of' - for the "Anti-Semite" screaming brigades.”

This, in and of itself alone, is a classic case of antisemitism attempting to pass off as human rights concern and illustrates how much bad faith is imbued in any criticism of a politician like Joe Lieberman.

Eve Garrard answered this vile accusation in her excellent piece on Normblog: The reasons they give (by Eve Garrard)

“(2) In 1948, there were around 750,000 Palestinian refugees. The current figures are between 4 and 6 million. Genocides, slow or fast, do not normally result in a huge increase in population. (3) Spreading lies about whether Jews are murderers on a huge scale is what we might regard as a very old-fashioned, even traditional, form of racism.”

http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2007/07/the-reasons-the.html

Let me add my voice to those who think the editorial should have started with this paragraph:

It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes.

There is no reconciliation possible here. We are divided into two irreconcilable sides. I'm on the side of peace and justice.

Norman said:

"Let me add my voice to those who think the editorial should have started with this paragraph:

'It doesn’t help when the biggest Jewish representative bodies allow themselves and their community to be identified in the public eye with a discredited administration and a larger conservative movement in terminal meltdown. It doesn’t help when Jews ignore or deny Israel’s genuine shortcomings. It doesn’t help when they overreact to criticism — hostile, benign or just clumsy — and intimidate their critics into resentful silence, reinforcing their enemies’ worst stereotypes.'

"There is no reconciliation possible here. We are divided into two irreconcilable sides. I'm on the side of peace and justice."

Meaning what, Norman.

Are you also on the side of the antisemites? They too think they are on the side of "peace and justice."

I am on the side of justice and against Jew hatred.

Jews are not responsible for antisemitism, Norman.

John Ish Ishmael is a vile Jew hater.

Go peddle your "elders of zion" view of the world elsewhere, bigot.

Ursula whines: "It's interesting when a democrat like giuliani switches over to the republican party - nary a word is thrown at americans of italian descent;...(blah, blah, blah).. jews always have been and continue to be measured by a different yardstick: that in fact is ANTISEMITISM." Yeah, Ursula, but then again, Italians aren't stealing American technology and selling it to China. Actors aren't spying on America and spiriting away her top secrets to Israel. Zell Miller and his companions, to my knowledge, never schmoozed with senators and congressmen, waving their money around and asking special favors on behalf of their special interests. You are, indeed, measured by a different yardstick!

Gil Franco wrote:

Bob Merkin is going to change religions (again) because he does not like a Senator from CT. Deep.

========

Hi Gil!

About 10 years ago Tikkun conducted a big detailed survey about American Jews who had indeed left the fold and identified with another religion.

Until Tikkun's survey, there had been a widespread assumption among American Jews that most Jews who embrace another faith had done so as a reaction to the huge pressure for a sense of belonging, the desire to escape feeling different in a hostile Christian majority environment.

The survey was quite surprising. There was relatively little "I got tired of being Jewish in Christian America" (what you might call "Gentlemens' Agreement" Syndrome).

A huge number of respondents said they left Judaism and sought their spirituality elsewhere because of their profound disappointment that the Judaism of their childhood education and familiarity had lost and abandoned its burning core of social justice and ethical commitment.

I can't think of a clearer moment that reflects this than how the American Jewish community responded to the Vietnam War. In exchange for unqualified US military support for Israel, American Judaism's organized institutions gave Johnson and Nixon their cordial approval of administration policies in Vietnam. During the Johnson and Nixon administrations, a Jewish-American audience (of my parents' generation) was the only audience senior administration officials could be guaranteed a warm, uncritical reception -- with applause -- when they explained why the Vietnam War had to continue and escalate.

Tikkun disclosed an Exodus of younger American Jews who -- whether they could find it or not -- went searching for a spiritual community that emphasized the ethics, morality and justice of their Jewish childhood. Because it wasn't at the synagogue anymore.

To me, Lieberman represents the essence of how those core values of Judaism evaporated in America, and who boiled them away.

Whether it's the schul or Quaker Meeting, I confess my weakness for seeking a spiritual community that's trying to end the flag-draped coffins flying back to Dover Air Force Base from Iraq, and isn't being suckered into supporting another liars' and scoundrels' war (as Congressman Lincoln called Polk's Mexican War) in Iran.

I thought I had heard every conspiracy theorey. Wrong. When I was visiting friends in Italy a few months ago, a Canadian was there who I can best describe as an "Arab lover" - - anti Israel, anti USA, and Al Jezeera was blasting from his tv constantly. Regardless, I was shocked when during one of our talks, I said contemptuously "Oh, I know, Bush was behind 9/11, it was all an American plot." And he replied: "Bush? No. It was Lieberman." To me this just plain and simple anti-semitism. Find a Jew and blame him.

hollingsworth the Nazi is back.

Hey buster go post on your nazi website, jerk.

"About 10 years ago Tikkun conducted a big detailed survey about American Jews who had indeed left the fold and identified with another religion."

What does this have to do with Lieberman or antisemitism?

Yea, some Jews are disappointed in Judaism. No one is forcing them to stay Jewish.

This, though, doesn't give them the right to become antisemitic!

t. hollingsworth said: "Ben Witt gives us a stunning example of the kinds of tactics that won't work anymore."

Ben Witt is right about you being a Nazi and I doubt it's a tactic.

In any case, no one expects you to be conscious stricken because someone called you an antisemite.

I suspect that you are more than proud to hate Jews.

Go post on Devid Duke's website, [word deleted].

btw: The word deleted was Ahhhole.

American Jews have always assumed that anti-semitic attacks come from the Right; from groups like skinheads, neo-nazis, and conservative commentators like Pat Buchanan. What has not been acknowledged is the increasingly overt and vile attacks from the Left. Isn't it obvious that organizations like "The Huffington Post,and Think Progress to CNN, The Atlantic and AOL News" are not exactly bastions of conservative thought? When every rally against the Iraq War, globalization, and immigrant rights typically comes with the obligatory anti-Israel placards, why is there no criticism from Jewish magazines and commentators other than those on the Right? What will it take for Jews to acknowledge that there is something rotten at the core of their most cherished liberal causes? The threat is no longer from the Right. The treat from the Left has fully eclipsed that from the Right.

The Rational Anti-semites' Creed

The jews are a problem--not our ONLY or SOLE problem, not responsible for EVERY problem faced by gentiles, not some ALL-POWERFUL race that we shouldn't bother trying to resist, not an EXCUSE for avoiding responsibilty for problems of our own making --but nonetheless, A REAL, SERIOUS PROBLEM.

White gentile responsibilty includes recognizing, openly admitting, learning about and DOING SOMETHING about this problem.

I will stop being anti-semitic when the semites stop being anti-gentilic. Not a day sooner.

The United States population is made up of people espousing many different types of political philosophies and the various ethnic and religious cimmunities are represented in the broad spectrum of these philosophies and policies. Those of Jewish descent are playing their personal feelings in supporting their representatives who are saying what they want to hear. Joe Lieberman speaks as a politician with his opinions and is brave enough to tell it like he feels and people can agree or disagree with his opinions. I am offended with the ridiculous negative comments that some people have expressed on his charachter as it does not do much for the character of those besmurching remarks. Unfortunately Pres. Bush is not a person with much charisma, and while I do not agree with all of his policies, not everything he has done is without merit. The Iraq war seems to be the big issue in the minds of many people, yet while discussion seems to centre on the neo-cons, there appears to be a convenient memory lapse that Saddam Hussein had initiated two wars, used weapons of mass destruction in one of them, was in the process of building a nuclear reactor, was corrupting U.N. and other national and media people, supporting terrorist Palestinian martyrs, murdering thousands of Iraqi`s on an annual basis and promising to wage more wars using again weapons of mass destruction. Does anyone in their right mind think that he wouldn`t if he had the right opportunity. Prior to WW2 Churchill recognized G ermany`s military build up and called for Britain and it`s allies to respond to that threat. Had they done so, WW2 might have been averted, unfortunately they waited, and America was stuck in an policy of isolation. To-day America cannot afford to be isolated, and it requires the attention of decent human beings to be alert to those who threaten the freedom of democracies to be prepared to stand up to those who make those threats. It is to the credit of American Jews that they participate in their national interests as Americans in fighting for those principals. Israel, like every nation I know is not free from making policies that can be criticized, but few if any nations are under the tension and threat of attack and annihilation as Israel is. Fortunately Israeli and American policies are similar in many respects, and this does bother some people, well American policies are also similar to many other allied countries. This is not an issue of Democrat vs. Republican, or of one`s being more religious, whether they are Christian, Jewish secular or whatever. It is a question of values, values that can be shared by a broad segment of the American people, and by politicians who can explain why they support the policies they do with the conviction that drives their decision.

Fred S. has got a problem and it's calle "Jews."

Fred S. Has got another bigger problem and it's called "Fred S."

Take your meds, Fred.

Gil Franco wins Post of the Year.

"To me, Lieberman represents the essence of how those core values of Judaism evaporated in America, and who boiled them away." Wow. I didn't realize Lieberman's sleaziness was part and parcel of the religion I and so many others participate in. Hmm, I'm not a big fan of Madonna either, should I convert now that she's calling herself Jewish? I guess if a Quaker ever runs for office and is later found to be corrupt, you're going to convert again? With all due respect, searching for a religion best suited to fulfill your spiritual needs is one thing, but changing religions based on who you like or don't like at the moment seems pretty stupid and infantile to me.

Perhaps we should for once deal with the root causes (screams of horror!) rather that always spinning all problems as PR issues!

Is it possible that Israel's cruelty toward the Palestinians, continued occupation of the West Bank, expanding settlements and sabotage of every chance for peace have something to do with the negativity with which Israel is increasingly viewed in the US? Could there be an element in truth in the assertion that the backlash against Jews in the US is due, at least in part, to the neocon policies that subordinated American interests to Israeli over-aggressive policies in the Middle East?

I detest Joe Lieberman's politics, but am more concerned with political candidates like Mike Huckabee, who not only wear their religion on their sleeve, but make it a (or the) central part of their candidacy. It's Huckabee who talks about returning "America to Christ," which doesn't sound good for anybody who doesn't sign on to his version of Christianity (or American history).

Incidentally, a reminder to Bob Merkin. Fiorello LaGuardia was half Jewish.

Wheezer