Why the Jews?

 

The outpouring of love and support for Jews following the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings has deeply touched me. I’m not surprised by it, but the reminder of the inclusiveness in our community is one more tribute to Ricochet. In one of the many posts I read, someone asked, “Why have the Jews always been treated this way?” It may have been a rhetorical question, but I took it at face value and decided to share my views about the reasons for anti-Semitism.

It’s important to say at the start that there is no way to provide every explanation for anti-Semitism:

Perhaps the most striking facet about Jew-hatred is its irrationality. There are as many reasons for hating Jews as there are people. Everything that upsets, hurts, or displeases people they often attribute to the Jews. Jews have been blamed for manipulating the media to their needs, usury, blood libels of various forms, well poisoning, dominating slave trade, disloyalty to their host countries, organ harvesting and AIDS spreading.

In addition, the Jews are not the only group that experiences hatred of others. You only need to look at the list of 20th and 21st genocides to see that the Jews are not uniquely victims of hatred.

The Jews have endured as a people and religion, however, longer than any other group, and have been on the receiving end of loathing and violence for a very long time:

Between the years 250 CE and 1948 CE — a period of 1,700 years — Jews have experienced more than eighty expulsions from various countries in Europe — an average of nearly one expulsion every twenty-one years. Jews were expelled from England, France, Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal, Bohemia, Moravia and seventy-one other countries.

The reasons for these rejections vary, but here are a few:

Economic reasons: Even though Jews as a whole were often among the poorest people in any given population, they also included people who were financially successful. Part of the reason for their success was because Jews were strong advocates of education in their families; they also were unable to own land in many countries and therefore developed a reputation as moneylenders, a profession open to them. As a result, they were seen making profits on the backs of others by charging interest (although Jews were not permitted to charge interest to other Jews).

Deicide: Historically the Jews were blamed for killing Jesus. In 2011, however, Pope Benedict VI declared that the Jewish people were not collectively responsible for the death of Jesus. Nevertheless, there are Christians who hold to this belief and hold all Jews responsible for killing Jesus.

Outsiders: Many people regard Jews as outsiders for many reasons, particularly their Jewish practices and in some cases, their appearance and clothing. Jewish efforts to assimilate were not successful, however, as we saw in the actions of Nazi Germany.

Despised Race: Calling the Jews a race is incorrect; Jews are represented in most races of the world and are not exclusively any race. Not only that, anyone can convert to Judaism.

Chosen People: In spite of the Jews being labeled as elitists for their designation as a chosen people, that call from G-d is not always easy. “Chosen” speaks to the command by G-d that we are to bring the Noahide Laws  to the rest of the world: not to worship idols, not to curse G-d, to establish courts of justice, not to commit murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and not to eat flesh torn from a living animal. Many of us live out these laws simply through our own example; it is a great responsibility, not to be taken lightly.

The most recent attacks on Jews come from the hatred of Israel and Zionism. There are some who say that Judaism and Zionism can’t be conflated, but for all intents and purposes to our enemies, they are the same.

For another description of the reasons Jews are hated, you might want to view this video.

All of these reasons could, of course, be listed in more detail, depending on the time period and the civilization in which Jews have lived.

Can anything be done to eradicate anti-Semitism? I think not, although there are many things that can be done to help protect and defend Jews, by Jews themselves, by their countries and communities. But this is one reason why I think it will persist:

A conviction that Jews are responsible for all the problems and must therefore fix them implies that anti-Semitism does not arise during crises because Jews are easy scapegoats, as some believe. Quite the contrary, in people‘s eyes Jews are indeed the perpetrators. When things are fine people let Jews be. But when troubles ensue, the Jews are blamed for causing it. Evidently, willingly or unwillingly, Jews never stopped being the chosen people—chosen to fix the world. And the reason why there is anti-Semitism is very simply that the world is still not fixed.

And so it is.

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  1. Hugh Member
    Hugh
    @Hugh

    God’s chosen people.  He knows why. People who hate Jews also hate God. There is a connection.

    • #1
  2. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    I never know what to say other than it really is painful.  But you’re trying to rationally explain the irrational, and I’m not sure it works.

    On a more encouraging level, have you ever seen a British movie called “Hand in Hand”? I can remember seeing it as a child and have not seen it since, but wish everyone had seen it as a child and taken it to heart.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Hugh (View Comment):

    God’s chosen people. He knows why. People who hate Jews also hate God. There is a connection.

    Believe it or not, @hugh, I never thought of that! Although I wonder if they think they do love G-d even though they think as they do.

    • #3
  4. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    I have not done any in depth study on the hatred of the Jews, but have read a couple of histories of the Jewish people (notably Martin Gilbert’s History of the Jewish People), but I believe that most of this unreasoning hatred comes from a fear of the “otherness;” it is notable with regard to any group whose appearance or practices are different from the majority.

    Another source is, I believe, simple envy. As a group, Jews are overachievers in many areas, and this stirs our base natures to envy.

    As someone (Doug Watt, I believe) posted here earlier today, as a Christian, I consider the Jews my “older brothers” as children of God.

     

    • #4
  5. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):
    As someone (Doug Watt, I believe) posted here earlier today, as a Christian, I consider the Jews my “older brothers” as children of God.

    This is such a sweet sentiment, @jimmcconnell. Thank you. Except I’m not sure how I feel about the “older” part . . .   ;-)

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Hang On (View Comment):

    I never know what to say other than it really is painful. But you’re trying to rationally explain the irrational, and I’m not sure it works.

    On a more encouraging level, have you ever seen a British movie called “Hand in Hand”? I can remember seeing it as a child and have not seen it since, but wish everyone had seen it as a child and taken it to heart.

    I didn’t see it, but I looked up the trailer, @hangon. Wow, that must have been a powerful experience.

    • #6
  7. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB

    In Thomas Sowell’s book, Black Rednecks and White Liberals, he posits that a major reason that people have historically hated Jews is that many times they are “minority middlemen.”  They were financial and entrepreneurial successes so they were able to lend to the rich and to governments. The rich and governments were then resentful to be dependent on them.  The poor resented them because they were jealous of their success.  Sowell gave other examples of “minority middlemen” in other countries and cultures who were also resented/hated.   It was an interesting essay.

    • #7
  8. KentForrester Coolidge
    KentForrester
    @KentForrester

    Susan, thanks for the informative post.  

    Anti-Semitism has been almost invisible during my lifetime.  If someone had uttered the words “damned kikes” or expressed the idea that ”Jews run the banking industry” in my presence, I think I would have laughed in his face.  It would have been like coming across a grunting Neanderthal dressed like a man.

    I’ve met more pagans who sacrifice little animals to Satan than I’ve met anti-Semites. 

    Through this time, of course, I’ve read that there are a few isolated and crazy-as-a-bedbug anti-Semities lurking about in far-right circles (like the guy who just killed 11 Jews in Pittsburgh). But they are so far outside the mainstream that they’re almost invisible.

    That’s not the case in Europe, of course, in particular in the Arab ghettos (interesting word in this context) of France and Germany. 

    But I’ve never heard, in my 80 years, a single anti-Semitic comment.  Naturally, I’ve read a few anti-Semitic utterances by Lefties in the past 20 years or so, usually support of Palestinians embroiled in the Arab/Israel conflict.  I usually interpret these utterances as little more than the inane tendency of lefties to attack whatever the American middle-classes have normalized.  Epater le bourgeois, you know.  Always good fun.

    Of course, I grew up in Compton, California, and went on to live in Maine, Utah, Kentucky, and Oregon — places there weren’t many Jews.  

    Hey, now that I think of it, I used to go with a Jew, Carrol Gross, when I was in my teens in Compton.  But Carol’s family was a rare exception.  I don’t know what Carol’s family was doing in Compton. They were probably the secret owners of all the Compton banks — and it was therefore a plot to loan money to the Forresters and then foreclose on our home. Darned Jews!

    I’ve heard a few racist comments about Blacks and Hispanics — but never an anti-Semitic one. 

    What’s your take on all this?

    • #8
  9. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    EB (View Comment):

    In Thomas Sowell’s book, Black Rednecks and White Liberals, he posits that a major reason that people have historically hated Jews is that many times they are “minority middlemen.” They were financial and entrepreneurial successes so they were able to lend to the rich and to governments. The rich and governments were then resentful to be dependent on them. The poor resented them because they were jealous of their success. Sowell gave other examples of “minority middlemen” in other countries and cultures who were also resented/hated. It was an interesting essay.

    I missed that one –thanks! Sowell has it right, as usual. 

    • #9
  10. Yehoshua Ben-Eliyahu Inactive
    Yehoshua Ben-Eliyahu
    @YehoshuaBenEliyahu

    Hugh (View Comment):

    God’s chosen people. He knows why. People who hate Jews also hate God. There is a connection.

    This is exactly what Maimonides wrote 1000 years ago in a famous letter to the Jews of Yemen.

    I think the gist of it is as follows:  People hate G-d because of the do’s and don’ts associated with a Divine Being who demands accountability from His human creations.  People are basically wild animals who just want to carouse and not be bothered with all those do’s and don’ts.  People would like to do away with G-d and get on with their animalistic pursuits, and be done with pangs of conscience once and for all, but they are powerless to destroy an Invisible Being.   Instead, they gang up on Jews, G-d’s messengers or ambassadors here on Earth.  After all, it was G-d who handed the 10 Commandments, the core of morality and proper behavior, to Moses in front of the entire Hebrew nation.

    Still, just as G-d’s love for Jews has no explanation, as true love can never really be explained, so too, human hatred for Jews — the polar opposite of divine love — has no explanation either.

    • #10
  11. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):
    As someone (Doug Watt, I believe) posted here earlier today, as a Christian, I consider the Jews my “older brothers” as children of God.

    This is such a sweet sentiment, @jimmcconnell. Thank you. Except I’m not sure how I feel about the “older” part . . . ;-)

    The early church viewed Gentiles becoming Christians as a type of conversion to Judaism.  The New Testament has debates over whether Gentiles should be allowed to follow Jesus at all and if so, should they should be circumcised. In Romans it talks about being grafted into the vine (so we share a root). Obviously, Church history shows that people lost that connection to the Jews and often joined in the persecution. Lately (past 25 years or so), I see more of an understanding among churches that Christianity is linked to Judaism.

    • #11
  12. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Yehoshua Ben-Eliyahu (View Comment):

    Hugh (View Comment):

    God’s chosen people. He knows why. People who hate Jews also hate God. There is a connection.

    This is exactly what Maimonides wrote 1000 years ago in a famous letter to the Jews of Yemen.

    I think the gist of it is as follows: People hate G-d because of the do’s and don’ts associated with a Divine Being who demands accountability from His human creations. People are basically wild animals who just want to carouse and not be bothered with all those do’s and don’ts. People would like to do away with G-d and get on with their animalistic pursuits, and be done with pangs of conscience once and for all, but they are powerless to destroy an Invisible Being. Instead, they gang up on Jews, G-d’s messengers or ambassadors here on Earth. After all, it was G-d who handed the 10 Commandments, the core of morality and proper behavior, to Moses in front of the entire Hebrew nation.

    Still, just as G-d’s love for Jews has no explanation, as true love can never really be explained, so too, human hatred for Jews has no explanation either.

    Beautifully said, @yehosuabeneliyahu. 

    • #12
  13. Songwriter Inactive
    Songwriter
    @user_19450

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):
    Another source is, I believe, simple envy. As a group, Jews are overachievers in many areas, and this stirs our base natures to envy.

    This.

    • #13
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    KentForrester (View Comment):

    Susan, thanks for the informative post.

    Anti-Semitism has been almost invisible during my lifetime. If someone had uttered the words “damned kikes” or expressed the idea that ”Jews run the banking industry” in my presence, I think I would have laughed in his face. It would have been like coming across a grunting Neanderthal dressed like a man.

    I’ve met more pagans who sacrifice little animals to Satan than I’ve met anti-Semites.

    Through this time, of course, I’ve read that there are a few isolated and crazy-as-a-bedbug anti-Semities lurking about in far-right circles (like the guy who just killed 11 Jews in Pittsburgh). But they are so far outside the mainstream that they’re almost invisible.

    That’s not the case in Europe, of course, in particular in the Arab ghettos (interesting word in this context) of France and Germany.

    But I’ve never heard, in my 80 years, a single anti-Semitic comment. Naturally, I’ve read a few anti-Semitic utterances by Lefties in the past 20 years or so, usually support of Palestinians embroiled in the Arab/Israel conflict. I usually interpret these utterances as little more than the inane tendency of lefties to attack whatever the American middle-classes have normalized. Epater le bourgeois, you know. Always good fun.

    Of course, I grew up in Compton, California, and went on to live in Maine, Utah, Kentucky, and Oregon — places there weren’t many Jews.

    Hey, now that I think of it, I used to go with a Jew, Carrol Gross, when I was in my teens in Compton. But Carol’s family was a rare exception. I don’t know what Carol’s family was doing in Compton. They were probably the secret owners of all the Compton banks — and it was therefore a plot to loan money to the Forresters and then foreclose on our home. Darned Jews!

    I’ve heard a few racist comments about Blacks and Hispanics — but never an anti-Semitic one.

    What’s your take on all this?

    I think that many people who are anti-Semitic behave in civilized company, @kentforrester. They keep their hatred to themselves in many cases, unless they sense they have a sympathetic audience. Or unless you’re a Jew. I was called a dirty Jew by two different kids when I was in grade school: one I beat at volleyball, and the other I beat out of competition to be an emcee for an event. But I’m more concerned with people who act out their hatred; that’s when it gets scary. I’ve never been on the other end of that kind of behavior.

    • #14
  15. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    Susan Quinn: Economic reasons: Even though Jews as a whole were often among the poorest people in any given population, they also included people who were financially successful. Part of the reason for their success was because Jews were strong advocates of education in their families; they also were unable to own land in many countries and therefore developed a reputation as moneylenders, a profession open to them. As a result, they were seen making profits on the backs of others by charging interest (although Jews were not permitted to charge interest to other Jews).

    This and the Chosen People one could both fall under the category of jealousy.

    I remember seeing certain stereotypes broken for me like the first time I met a poor Jewish family, meeting black guys who stunk at basketball (but they still believed the stereotype and would make no-look passes to no one), and meeting dumb Asian kids.

    Anyway, my father always viewed Jews as people who were financially successful, but he thought that was a positive trait, not a reason for hate. 

    • #15
  16. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Vance Richards (View Comment):
    Anyway, my father always viewed Jews as people who were financially successful, but he thought that was a positive trait, not a reason for hate. 

    My own parents were middle class. My dad worked most of his life as a salesman, and the one time he tried to run a patio furniture business, it failed. My mother did pretty well, starting out as an accountant and tax preparer and eventually became an enrolled agent. My dad ended up working for her. They were never rich, but they did pretty well. And both came up from meager families.

    • #16
  17. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Because there’s one tendency in human societies which fears and hates and scapegoats what is different – and there seems to be a deep cultural tendency in the West, and perhaps also in the Middle East, to perceive Jews as more different from other groups than other groups are from each other.  My feeling is that the rest of it – Israel, success, whatever – are excuses for antisemitism rather than reasons.  

    • #17
  18. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    On the Jews.

    My mother’s family’s business was, and is, a pawnshop.  My cousin still runs it.

    My father’s father was a junk dealer.  My father and his brother started, and ran, a printing/direct-mail business for 40 years.  My cousin runs a different printing business today.

    • #18
  19. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    EB (View Comment):

    In Thomas Sowell’s book, Black Rednecks and White Liberals, he posits that a major reason that people have historically hated Jews is that many times they are “minority middlemen.” They were financial and entrepreneurial successes so they were able to lend to the rich and to governments. The rich and governments were then resentful to be dependent on them. The poor resented them because they were jealous of their success. Sowell gave other examples of “minority middlemen” in other countries and cultures who were also resented/hated. It was an interesting essay.

    One way for the governments to get out from under the debts that they themselves had incurred would have been to expel their debtors and confiscate their property. Repulsive, but oh so easy.

    • #19
  20. I Shot The Serif Member
    I Shot The Serif
    @IShotTheSerif

    We’re far too accomplished for our size. Rather than imitate us, they try to destroy us.

    • #20
  21. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    Just look what the small country of Israel has done with a patch of desert.

    • #21
  22. Arizona Patriot Member
    Arizona Patriot
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I’m going to say something unpopular, but I think it’s time for frank talk.  I’ve been a philosemite my entire life.  I have not changed my mind about this.  But the current immigration mess in Europe, and the problems of multiculturalism in the US as well, have given me a new view of the situation.  I think that there is significant blame on the Jewish side.

    Think about what the Jews have essentially said to the countries of the world.  “Here’s the deal.  We’re going to move into your country.  But we are going to keep our own language, our own religion, and our own customs. We are not going to assimilate.  We will favor our own people in our business affairs.  We won’t eat your food.  Our food has to be specially prepared by our own people, or it’s unclean.  We certainly won’t eat with you filthy Gentiles.  And we won’t intermarry with you, and we will cast out of our community anyone who breaks this rule.”

    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    Nations and peoples have the right to preserve their own culture and their own ways.  The Jews claim this same right in Israel, and rightfully so.  But I question whether it is reasonable to expect to be able to live in someone else’s country, permanently, as a separatist group that, in many ways, expresses dislike and disgust at the host country.

    Thankfully, America has been the exception, and for the most part, American Jews have assimilated.  But this means that they are in danger of disappearing, eventually, by intermarriage and conversion.  John Podhoretz points this out in his excellent article today (here).

    Sorry to be harsh.  I remain a philosemite, and I share the outrage at the attack in Pittsburgh.

    • #22
  23. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    Arizona Patriot (View Comment):

    I’m going to say something unpopular, but I think it’s time for frank talk. I’ve been a philosemite my entire life. I have not changed my mind about this. But the current immigration mess in Europe, and the problems of multiculturalism in the US as well, have given me a new view of the situation. I think that there is significant blame on the Jewish side.

    Think about what the Jews have essentially said to the countries of the world. “Here’s the deal. We’re going to move into your country. But we are going to keep our own language, our own religion, and our own customs. We are not going to assimilate. We will favor our own people in our business affairs. We won’t eat your food. Our food has to be specially prepared by our own people, or it’s unclean. We certainly won’t eat with you filthy Gentiles. And we won’t intermarry with you, and we will cast out of our community anyone who breaks this rule.”

    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    Nations and peoples have the right to preserve their own culture and their own ways. The Jews claim this same right in Israel, and rightfully so. But I question whether it is reasonable to expect to be able to live in someone else’s country, permanently, as a separatist group that, in many ways, expresses dislike and disgust at the host country.

    Thankfully, America has been the exception, and for the most part, American Jews have assimilated. But this means that they are in danger of disappearing, eventually, by intermarriage and conversion. John Podhoretz points this out in his excellent article today (here).

    Sorry to be harsh. I remain a philosemite, and I share the outrage at the attack in Pittsburgh.

    Do you think there’s a difference between the threat that Europe faces from mass immigration of Muslims and the historic lack of assimilation of Jews? 

    It seems to me that Jews, while certainly not assimilating like other immigrants, don’t aspire to convert non-Jews and don’t view non-Jews as heretics who should be killed or taxed. They really just want to be left alone to be Jews. So why wouldn’t we accept this type of behavior, as you said? 

    • #23
  24. JudithannCampbell Member
    JudithannCampbell
    @

    Arizona Patriot (View Comment):
    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    @arizonapatriot: I am not sure what you are talking about. There are many Protestants who would not want their child to marry a Catholic, and many Catholics who wouldn’t want their child to marry a Protestant, and lots of Mormons who want their children to marry within the faith. Orthodox Jews are hardly unique in this respect. @iwe regularly invites Gentiles to his home for dinner; Jewish people do not refuse to eat with non Jews, and as for assimilating, should they assimilate as Catholics, or Protestants, or Mormons? America has never had a uniform culture. We have always been blessed by the Jewish people.

    • #24
  25. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    American Jews are in their own country.  If they dont break the law or force their way of life on other people I can’t see why how they live is anybody else’s business.  

    • #25
  26. Yehoshua Ben-Eliyahu Inactive
    Yehoshua Ben-Eliyahu
    @YehoshuaBenEliyahu

    Arizona Patriot 

    I’m going to say something unpopular, but I think it’s time for frank talk. I’ve been a philosemite my entire life. I have not changed my mind about this. But the current immigration mess in Europe, and the problems of multiculturalism in the US as well, have given me a new view of the situation. I think that there is significant blame on the Jewish side.

    Think about what the Jews have essentially said to the countries of the world. “Here’s the deal. We’re going to move into your country. But we are going to keep our own language, our own religion, and our own customs. We are not going to assimilate. We will favor our own people in our business affairs. We won’t eat your food. Our food has to be specially prepared by our own people, or it’s unclean. We certainly won’t eat with you filthy Gentiles. And we won’t intermarry with you, and we will cast out of our community anyone who breaks this rule.”

    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    Nations and peoples have the right to preserve their own culture and their own ways. The Jews claim this same right in Israel, and rightfully so. But I question whether it is reasonable to expect to be able to live in someone else’s country, permanently, as a separatist group that, in many ways, expresses dislike and disgust at the host country.

    Thankfully, America has been the exception, and for the most part, American Jews have assimilated. But this means that they are in danger of disappearing, eventually, by intermarriage and conversion. John Podhoretz points this out in his excellent article today (here).

    Sorry to be harsh. I remain a philosemite, and I share the outrage at the attack in Pittsburgh.

    Huh??  You write that “Jews express dislike and disgust at the host country.”  Could you give an example of this?

    You claim to be a philosemite but your words say otherwise.  

    Does a philosemite promote the lie that Jews think of others as “filthy Gentiles?” 

    You should also know that every country or empire that has discriminated against Jews has seen its fortunes turn, starting with Biblical Egypt, down through ancient Greece and Rome, medieval Spain, up until Germany in our own day.  Spain, from where Jews were expelled in 1492, has passed a law that guarantees Spanish citizenship to any Jew who can prove Spanish ancestry.  Quite the opposite from what you infer, Jews have been an asset to every population within which they live.  

    • #26
  27. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Arizona Patriot (View Comment):

    Think about what the Jews have essentially said to the countries of the world. “Here’s the deal. We’re going to move into your country. But we are going to keep our own language, our own religion, and our own customs. We are not going to assimilate. We will favor our own people in our business affairs. We won’t eat your food. Our food has to be specially prepared by our own people, or it’s unclean. We certainly won’t eat with you filthy Gentiles. And we won’t intermarry with you, and we will cast out of our community anyone who breaks this rule.”

    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    As Ricochet’s token multiculturalist I have no trouble accepting that kind of behavior. In fact, I think it’s healthy and that we need more of it. I do draw the line, though, on groups that condone or harbor violence against our country, or who seek to overthrow our system of government.

    • #27
  28. wilber forge Inactive
    wilber forge
    @wilberforge

    Consider Anthropology, basic tribal grouping, affiliations and the purposfull  governing aspects of Cultures  over time.

    As it has always played out there always needs to be The Other, which is either a real or imagined  threat in order to maintain control over a populace which is quite simply It is Them or Us !.  an ever present threat until conquest or extermination occurs. Being left empty should such a conquest occur it will soon be repeated as it is needed lest Leaders lose  control of the itchy populace. A grim and hideous cycle of ruin and despair.

    Within this cycle the Jewish people have found themselves in the inevitable as being the Scapegoats as a fallback group as targets.

    Over decades have often challenged that thinking and have never heard  one well reasoned reply, aside from that is peoples have always been told. 

    Perplexing and still angers one til this day.

    With that being said, one of the best propaganda films made was titled The Eternal Jew which had been banned save it still available. Grim stuff, but upon viewing, the hatred can be directed against any select group. Watch this and then formulate a counterpoint. Pass on the popcorn.

     

    • #28
  29. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Arizona Patriot (View Comment):

    I’m going to say something unpopular, but I think it’s time for frank talk. I’ve been a philosemite my entire life. I have not changed my mind about this. But the current immigration mess in Europe, and the problems of multiculturalism in the US as well, have given me a new view of the situation. I think that there is significant blame on the Jewish side.

    Think about what the Jews have essentially said to the countries of the world. “Here’s the deal. We’re going to move into your country. But we are going to keep our own language, our own religion, and our own customs. We are not going to assimilate. We will favor our own people in our business affairs. We won’t eat your food. Our food has to be specially prepared by our own people, or it’s unclean. We certainly won’t eat with you filthy Gentiles. And we won’t intermarry with you, and we will cast out of our community anyone who breaks this rule.”

    I would not accept this type of behavior from any other immigrant group.

    Nations and peoples have the right to preserve their own culture and their own ways. The Jews claim this same right in Israel, and rightfully so. But I question whether it is reasonable to expect to be able to live in someone else’s country, permanently, as a separatist group that, in many ways, expresses dislike and disgust at the host country.

    Thankfully, America has been the exception, and for the most part, American Jews have assimilated. But this means that they are in danger of disappearing, eventually, by intermarriage and conversion. John Podhoretz points this out in his excellent article today (here).

    Sorry to be harsh. I remain a philosemite, and I share the outrage at the attack in Pittsburgh.

    Hmm. Now do that with the Amish.

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  30. Keith SF Inactive
    Keith SF
    @KeithSF

    Susan Quinn: Outsiders: Many people regard Jews as outsiders for many reasons, particularly their Jewish practices and in some cases, their appearance and clothing. Jewish efforts to assimilate were not successful, however, as we saw in the actions of Nazi Germany.

    It’s the idea of assimilation that just compounds the senselessness of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. And I think it’s also why many people had difficulty understanding or accepting what was happening at the time, as the Nazis came to power.

    For all the tired tropes about Jews keeping to themselves or having divided loyalties, they were a vital and integral part of Germany’s identity and history. Yiddish is a German dialect. Germany, more than anywhere else in Europe, seemed akin to a kind of Jewish homeland.

    I remember an historian remarking that Hitler’s Wehrmacht was actually a pale shadow of its WWI predecessor– ironically because it was missing the tactical brilliance of Kaiser Wilhelm’s largely Jewish officer class. I went down a bit of a rabbit-hole unsuccessfully trying to source the remark… but I did find a couple interesting links:

    http://blog.nli.org.il/en/jewish_germany_army/

    https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/248615/jews-who-stabbed-germany-in-the-back

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