Palin and the Jews
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I haven’t read Jennifer Rubin’s why-The-Jews-hate-Sarah piece — it’s behind Commentary’s pay wall, and that is a wall which I do not pay to go behind — but others have. And, out of them, I’d say David Frum has a very sound rebuttal of an article that, more than anything, just seems offensive to Jews. Basically, Rubin’s argument seems to be that Jews hate Sarah Palin because she’s a real American and Jews are, pretty much by definition, not. Jews aren’t working class, they’re over-educated, they don’t serve in the military (tell that to Israelis… but I digress), they don’t have large families (tell that to the Orthodox), and they insist on aborting disabled babies. If a non-Jew had written this, one might want to alert the ADL. But I digress again…
Jews do think that knowledge is important to a president. They do think a president should be able to think clearly and to distinguish between true information and wishful delusions. I feel sure most Americans of all faiths would agree. Does Jennifer Rubin seriously suggest that this opinion is mistaken?
If American Jews have a problem with Palin, Rubin is right that problem 1 is that they – we – doubt her intellectual capacity for the job. But that’s only the start of the list of problems.
Ignorance is bad. But we all start ignorant. Jews – again like other people, only more so – expect their leaders to start early and to work hard to remedy their ignorance, by learning things. People who don’t, won’t or can’t learn – whose followers disparage the value or need to learn – are going to forfeit Jewish support, and not only Jewish support.
But even this is not the worst of it. Just guessing, but I think the real and most fundamental problem Jews have with Palin is not her gleeful ignorance, but her willful divisiveness. More than any politician in memory, Palin seems to divide her fellow-Americans into first class and second class citizens, real Americans and not-so-real Americans. To do her justice, she has never said anything to suggest that Jews as Jews fall into the second, less-real, class. But Jews do tend to have an intuition that when this sort of line-drawing is done, we are likely to find ourselves on the wrong side.
That last part, I suspect, is front and center for Jews who have a problem with Palin (it should be noted, as Frum notes at the top of his piece, that Rubin does little to prove Jews actually do have a particular problem with Palin that goes beyond other ethnic groups). I know it’s what’s front-and-center for me and I know it’s what’s front-and-center for my Upper West Side-raised Jewish wife.
When an Evangelical white woman from Alaska starts talking about “real America” and some other America, I’m quite sure I know who’s on the top of her target list as members of that other America (fake America?). Her coldness toward Jews is also laced into all the talk about East Coast elites, media elites, etc. She might not even fully realize how marinated in anti-Semitism her entire shtick is — she is, after all, a profoundly ignorant human being. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there. After all, it’s not entirely by accident or by coincidence that one ends up quoting a notorious anti-Semite in one’s convention speech or hosting the notorious anti-Semitic group Jews for Jesus at one’s church. That stuff happens because you’re born and raised and indoctrinated by a crowd with a low-level but persistent hostility toward the Jews.
There are plenty of reasons to oppose Sarah Palin other than her offensiveness to the Jews. But it certainly doesn’t help.
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I never could quite understand why offensiveness or non-offensiveness to Jews was even a benchmark for those with political aspirations in any country that is not Israel.
Not any more, perhaps, than offensiveness to black people, to Hispanics, to Asians. The point is that Sarah Palin is a politician who is set on dividing us for political gain. That’s not just a side-effect of her politics — it’s the central appeal of her image. Us vs. Them.
In response to another comment. See in context »True enough. However, the level of courting and appeasement that goes into pleasing a paltry 3% of the total US population (and a shade over 1% of total global population) at such detriment to our own country should be troubling to any voter, regardless of political affiliation or ethnicity.
In response to another comment. See in context »Ryan, I got the full article when I clicked that link…
… and its more pro-Palin than I expected from what you & Frum have to say. Good read, tho, of course, I still find her intellectualy reprehensible.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tweets Tube, Sarah Palin 360. Sarah Palin 360 said: Palin and the Jews – True/Slant http://bit.ly/62idQX [...]
Why does it even matter what she thinks about Jews? She hasn’t thrown her hat into the running for president in 2012, nor has she made, up to this point, any sort of flinch towards another office. So why does the media hate her enough to bring up information (if it is indeed true), when it has no bearing on anything going on today? Is it because she is a white, conservative, Christian woman? I think there are better things to be concerned about than this. Of course, she has been an easy target for quite some time, so maybe that is the reason why she keeps getting brought up…
Dear Alex:
I get so sick and tired of these attacks on Governor Palin, especially when a broad stroke generalizing an entire religious group is defined by it. I am a Jew and a fervent supporter of Governor Palin. I am also a dual Israeli-American national. I can tell you for a fact that a majority of Israelis love Sarah Palin. Immediately after her speech at the RNC, Sarah Palin wigs popped up all over the place in Jerusalem and they sold like hotcakes.
I have cousins – Jews – who also love Sarah Palin.
Just because some Hollywood liberals with names like Streisand, Behar, and Rubin declare their own animosity toward Governor Palin (however unjust), it does not mean all Jews hate Sarah Palin.
Just the opposite. The majority of Jews now reside in the State of Israel, and Israelis are highly skeptical of Barack Obama. They do not like his policies in the Middle East, and I can assure you that Benjamin Netanyahu has much more in common with Governor Palin than the Chicago Mobster sitting in the Oval Office.
The more she is attacked, the more I love her, and many conservative Jews feel the same way. The Jews of America have been blinded by their loyalty to the Democrat Party, when it was George Bush who did more for Israel than any other president in history.
American Jews, in my opinion, are taking on a Nazi-oriented loyalty by goosestepping along with the mainstream media. Todays American Jews are not Jews. They are liberals, which reject any notion of religion in government. They fail to see that their support of the far-left wing now has put Jews in America on a perilous course to destruction: intermarriage and Reform Judaism has resulted in a “silent holocaust” that has Jewish numbers in America declining that by 2040, Israel will be exporting Jews to the United States in order to prop up the community.
Conservative and Orthodox Jews identify more with Governor Palin, especially since she is pro-Israeli and unapologetic for it. Both she and Governor Huckabee are Israel’s only friends who have the presidency in sight.
Thus, the notion that Jews hate Governor Palin is outright nonsense and purely a lie. No Jew that makes that statement publically can be telling the truth – for there is at least one Jew – me – who loves the woman, and I cannot wait for her to cream Obama in 2012.
Hear, hear!
In response to another comment. See in context »Dear propalinjew,
I know quite a few of pro conservative, pro neo-con followers who are jewish. Mostly they supported McCain for president and they missed the Sarah wig sale. There is Republican Jewish Coalition to speak for them and a counter part organization for the Democrat leaning Jews. While you may speak for Israel as a dual American-Israel citizen or is it the other way around my viewpoint is more centered on who benefits this country. However I have never read where Palin stands on the issue of Israel beyond the words support and the images of a pin and decals.
You did mention some things that need a bit more support, like this idea of being anti-Israel. For instance Rahm Emanuel is quite close to the President and I can’t think of why he would undermine Israel nor can I imagine someone who served in the Israeli army “goose stepping”.
I think anyone who could make such an outrageous statement insulting fellow Jewish citizens with such imagery loses some, if not all credibility. Political affiliation is just that, it does not eliminate religious belief or customs or culture or joint suffering. To think differently defines a zealot and we are having enough problems in that department.
You may believe that there are real Jews and define that on your own just as Palin speaks of real Americans and the rest of us. I can see how this ever persistent hubris would appeal to the righteous of all religions.
This American suggests that perhaps you should all go off and form your own theocracy and leave the to those that are reform minded and those who made the mistake of falling in love outside their religion to suffer without your judgments in our more mixed up and tolerant America.
This is after all a country that was founded by lots of people escaping national religious intolerance.
Since you are not of a Christian faith I should inform you that Palin is from one of those Christian reform movement, called Protestants. Or maybe as a Jew you might might have missed the religious intolerance of your religion.
In additon you seem quite confused about America…Liberals or Progressives belong to a political party and have no religious affiliation. Its a big tent but there are no speaking in tongues or healing or snake handling.
While it may be true that Benjamin Netanyahu supporters may like Palin, that doesn’t translate into the majority of Israelis support her regardless of the sale of wigs or what your cousins might be telling you. I don’t think the majority of Israelis even support Netanyahu. They like us, have free will.
Also there are many issues facing our country and most of us do not have duel citizenship and are more concerned with America. While it is your right to consider Israel first and vote in the interest of a foreign country most in this country do not. While most of us support sending Israel billions for its military and support its right to exist we draw the line at using our military to attacking other countries preemptively. Nor do we like Israeli’s domestic policies blowing back and creating enemies over a situation in which we have no control. Our foreign policy is selfish, it should keep us safe and be in our interest.
I suspect, support as you define it, is an unquestioning duty to the right wing of a Israel and our interests be damned.
You should do a bit more research into the religious conservatives of this country, the lovers of Christ for Jews, you may find they are rooting for the destruction of the middle east and a second coming where you Jews will have to suffer on Earth while Palin and Huckabee rise to their salvation in heaven.
In response to another comment. See in context »Rahm Emmanuel is what Israelis call an atzmaii – which literally translates to an “independent”, but is used to describe someone who is really a self-hating Jew. Israelis fear him for exactly the reason you mention – if ANYONE could cause Israel’s destruction, it would be a left-wing Jewish liberal whose priorities are with a domestic political agenda and not with the security of the State, and therefore Rahm “the ballerina” Emmanuel uses his “Jewishness” as a way to bend Israel toward US goals and policies. As we can see, it’s NOT working with Benjamin Netanyahu this time round (Netanyahu dealt with him 10 years ago during the Clinton administration; Emmauel was used to get both Ehud Barack and Netanyahu to give concessions – which we all know did only ONE thing: IT GAVE US THE SECOND INTIFADA AND YEARS OF TERRORISM!).
I don’t know why you’re lecturing me on the United States of America – I was born in the USA.
Your perception of Christian Zionism is all wrong and your perception of how Israelis view Christian Zionists is all wrong.
You see – Israelis accept Christian Zionist help because Israelis think think they’re wrong and really don’t care what they believe – the fact they are willing to help the State of Israel is the number one priority and therefore, Christian Zionists are loved and welcomed in Israel. Nevermind why – Zionism is Zionism. Rahm Emmanuel is NOT a Zionist. Barack Obama is NOT a Zionist. Palin and Huckabee ARE Zionists and that’s a VERY good thing for Israel’s security.
I vote Republican not because of policy toward Israel but because of the hypocracy of the left, the leftist big government agenda, and the left’s failure to have a national security agenda. I vote Republican because I want low taxes and to keep our judiciary clean of activist judges.
“Liberals… or progressives”. Uh, no. A liberal is a liberal. Sarah Palin is a progressive: $40 billion gas pipeline (progress), elimination of taxes (progress), returning of state oil funds to the people (progress), vetoing $500 million in spending (progress)…
And finally – yes – goosestepping. It’s interesting how the left gets away with horrible accusations, such as calling Sarah Palin some awful names which I would never say here because they are so vicious and vile (you need only to do a search of Palin on YouTube to see all the horrible things said about her).
I repeat: The Jews of America are goosestepping with the mainstream media in vehement and vulgar attacks on Governor Palin, that the left-wing looks more like a massive propaganda machine that only Joseph Goebels could be jealous of.
In response to another comment. See in context »“Israelis fear him for exactly the reason you mention – if ANYONE could cause Israel’s destruction, it would be a left-wing Jewish liberal whose priorities are with a domestic political agenda and not with the security of the State, and therefore Rahm “the ballerina” Emmanuel uses his “Jewishness” as a way to bend Israel toward US goals and policies.”
Just out of curiosity, why does Rahm Emmanuel, an American born man of Jewish faith, have a responsibility to bend US policy towards the security of the Jewish state when appointed to serve the people of the United States?
Your statement above seems to be pretty self-serving, so I would be curious to hear you expand on that a bit more.
In response to another comment. See in context »Also, I would like to say kudos in your ardent support of Ms. Palin. Despite that fact that we (you and I) would disagree about her potential effectiveness in office, I think it’s admirable when people stand up for those that they believe in.
And finally, I would like to point out a couple obvious things from your posts:
“You see – Israelis accept Christian Zionist help because Israelis think think they’re wrong and really don’t care what they believe – the fact they are willing to help the State of Israel is the number one priority and therefore, Christian Zionists are loved and welcomed in Israel. Nevermind why – Zionism is Zionism. Rahm Emmanuel is NOT a Zionist. Barack Obama is NOT a Zionist. Palin and Huckabee ARE Zionists and that’s a VERY good thing for Israel’s security.”
I would hope so. Free money and support is free money and support. Essentially what you are saying is that Israel is a welfare state of the US, and that religion be damned, you’ll keep taking the money and support that is lent to you. Sounds alot like the big government concept.
“And finally – yes – goosestepping. It’s interesting how the left gets away with horrible accusations, such as calling Sarah Palin some awful names which I would never say here because they are so vicious and vile (you need only to do a search of Palin on YouTube to see all the horrible things said about her).”
If calling a person in politics names is part of your personal criteria, then it would seem that you would also be a HUGE supporter of President Obama in that he has been called every name in the book, had effigy burnt in rally against him, and has been compared to the likes of Stalin and (this one should really increase your fervor in supporing him) Hitler.
Likewise, Ms. Palins liberal use of the term “Death Panels,” and the obvious association she was attempting to make with Hitler’s Nazi Germany, should pretty much completely and totally offend your sensibility, and hence, leading you to place more support in Obama, since of course, it’s completely untrue and ridiculously lame.
Anyhow, again, I would be curious to hear more about all this. It seems to me that you contradict yourself from your original post to your newer ones, using “majority” and “minority” to fit your arguments and to try and paint this wide strokes brush that you so aptly pointed out from the original post of Mr. Sager.
In response to another comment. See in context »ProPalin,
If I understand this you support Palin and conservatives solely because you believe they support an ultra orthodox take over of the Israeli government and I suppose driving all non jews out of the promised land. You are only interested in Palin to achieve your own goals.
I am sure Palin and the conservative movement feel the same way toward Isreal first voters as well. They will say or do anything to cut into that democratic voting block. Bush proved that and now muslims believe that a new crusade is on and an invading Army is occupying their sacred ground. The neo cons have done their job, zionists of your ilk in Isreal were happy.
But why? Was Israel better off under Bush?
Many in this country and Europe embraced Zionism as a solution to the “Jewish Problem” much in the same way that many supported the “Back to Africa Movement”. But as far as I can tell the Zionists got what they wanted, their return to the homeland and they have done quite well. But you are not happy with success because Muslims Israel is not the ultra orthodox country ruled by a theocracy. You want all self hating Jews and moderate Jews gone. This is no different from extremists in Iran or Saudi Arabia or Iraq or Afghanistan or Egypt. Meanwhile Isreal has to deal with Americans buying cheap property in the West Bank and causing all sorts of trouble forcing the army to evict them violently. Jew vs. Jew.
I don’t know why your comments are so offensive to me. My mother was quite involved and supportive of Israel in the late fifties. She made sure I knew what those letters on our neighbors forearms meant. She dragged me to the fund raising bake sales and block parties. The last people I ever thought to be intolerant would be an Israeli.
I grew up in Brooklyn among many many Jewish friends, my aunt’s boyfiend was Jewish and my Godfather. The thought of that must send shivers down your spine and bile to your throat but I have never heard of the concept of a self hating jew. The only way to describe you comments are Fear and Loathing.
I am not religous. Where someone finds spiritual comfort is not my business. When someone tries to impose their beliefs to the point getting in my face or killing my fellow citizens or putting us on a battlefield I get concerned. And it is people like you who do just that.
I would never describe you as self hating but if you were to look in the mirror you will find your enemy.
In response to another comment. See in context »[...] On: Palin and the Jews [...]
Excellent piece, Ryan.
And to ‘propalinjew’ who wrote –
“The majority of Jews now reside in the State of Israel, and Israelis are highly skeptical of Barack Obama”…
While the majority living in Israel may be Jews, the majority of Jews do not live in Israel. What’s more, while you may or may not be right about Netanyahu having more in common with Palin than Obama, might I respectfully suggest you read some of the writings of Israel’s more enlightened founders. I highly recommend Abba Eban who, I assure you , would not have approved of Sara Palin’s satisfaction with knowing so little about the world or, for that matter, her own country.
Aaaaaahhhh yes… the more “enlightened” people of the world.
How elitist is that!
Ad no – the majority of jews reside in ISRAEL.
The Israeli Rabinnate does not recognize reform or Conservative Judaism. If any of them would immigrate to Israel, more than 70% of them would require a conversion course (I know because I had to do it myself; it’s called “giyur”).
In response to another comment. See in context »Well, Israel is the world’s largest Jewish country now but it’s only home to a plurality of the world’s Jews. New York City, however, remains as the world’s largest “Jewish” city (see Lenny Bruce, et. al., for what that means), and that is clearly Palin’s target.
I live in Jerusalem, and I don’t recall seeing so many Palin wigs, but if true, the majority of such wig-wearers were likely North-American-born Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox immigrants. It is certainly possible they wore or wear Palin-style wigs. However, let’s be clear, this group is a small minority in Israel, even if it is one that is noisiest in the English-speaking Jewish/conservative/media world.
One can certainly take issue with the claim that Bush was the best Presidential friend Israel ever had – we had a massive terror campaign, a global effort to de-legitimize the State of Israel and two wars on his watch.
Sager gets it right. Most of us who think – and if thinking is elitist, so be it – think that Palin is a divisive, poorly educated demagogue.
[...] Jews actually dislike Palin — disproportionately, that is? As I mentioned in my last post, Jennifer Rubin’s Commentary article didn’t really give much reason to think [...]
[...] Ryan Sager: Basically, Rubin’s argument seems to be that Jews hate Sarah Palin because she’s a real American and Jews are, pretty much by definition, not. Jews aren’t working class, they’re over-educated, they don’t serve in the military (tell that to Israelis… but I digress), they don’t have large families (tell that to the Orthodox), and they insist on aborting disabled babies. If a non-Jew had written this, one might want to alert the ADL. [...]
Upon visiting NYC didn’t Sarah Palin exclaim that she could see Israel from the top of the Empire State Building?
Ryan, could you be more specific about your statement that Jews for Jesus are anti-Semites (meaning anti-Jewish?)? Wouldn’t that make them self-loathing anti-Semites or something, since almost all Jews have Semitic blood? Their literal, concretized understanding of the Bible is irritating but I’ve never heard of them attacking Jews, just evangelizing that Jews should recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah. Is that anti-Semitic (anti-Jewish)?
If Tiger Woods were Jewish could you imagine the shitstorm Brit Hume would find himself in?