The only meaningful resistance to the anti-Israel crowd is not the DEI coalition, not the new Democratic Party, not the coastal and credentialed and supposedly enlightened left-wing white elite, not the supposedly “character is destiny” Never Trumpers, and certainly not the allegedly brave mavericks who have bolted from the MAGA base.
Those factions ARE the anti-Israel crowd. Isn’t it true that leftist antisemitism ultimately descends from its anti-Westernism and not vice versa?
My theory is that antisemitism based largely in jealousy of a people who are, thanks to their above average emphasis on family, education, work ethic etc, more successful on average than other ethnic, religious, national groups.
That’s part of it. But there is also a religious aspect. Anti-Semitic Christians don’t like Jews because they reject Jesus as Messiah. Many Catholics still take this view but most Protestants, especially Evangelicals, are pro-Israel for reasons having to do with Biblical prophecy in the Book of Revelation.
Anti-Semitic Muslims – which is pretty much all of them – hate the Jews because they won’t convert to Islam.
And now, of course, there is the Israel thing because Jews control a tiny piece of the Middle East that was formerly mostly Christian until Muslim Arab invaders took it not long after the founding of their religion. The Christians tried several times to take it back with no long-term success, but the Jews finally managed the trick – even if at small scale – and it drives the Muslims absolutely nuts.
There is also the fact that the Ashkenazic Jewish population – European Jews – are an entire standard deviation smarter than the normal run of humanity, averaging a 115 IQ. That accounts for their historical outsized success as businessmen and in the learned professions.
Why are they smarter? From an evolutionary standpoint, Jews have certainly been subjected to, shall we say, environmental stress that has caused them to place a premium on developing skills and business models that are easily portable at a moment’s notice when a pogrom gets ginned up. Being smart, wary and nimble has been systematically rewarded by survival.
But then maybe Jews just are really God’s Chosen People. 🙂 When one considers what God has put the Jews through over the centuries, that line Abe Lincoln attributed to a man being tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail – “If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk” – comes to mind.
The new Anti-Semitism on the Left comes from mischaracterization of so-called Palestinian Arabs as victims and Israel as an oppressor.
The new Anti-Semitism on the Right comes from the view that the US too often does things that benefit Israel and not itself. That comes, in turn, from simplistic and wrong-headed notions of what constitute “American interests” vs. those of Israel. Antipathy to Jews, generally, comes from the notion that non-Israeli Jews are loyal to Israel first and not to their nations of residence.
Jews are not the only ones thus targeted for opprobrium based on this resurrected dimwitted 1930s version of “America First”-ism. The Ukrainians are also targets of this idiocy. President Trump is pretty much the polar opposite of an Anti-Semite, but he is an utter moron anent Ukraine and Russia. My one hope anent this situation is that Trump is also not really much of an ideologue and has proven capable of learning from mistakes – though at this point it may no longer matter all that much.
Somebody hereabouts mentioned they got their implants done in Ukraine. I need some detail because my brother-in-law is about to lose 16 teeth. If anyone wants to give a private message, use vexhnem AT aol.com or my public mail addresses exposed at williambarton.com. The BIL is getting VA care at the moment/ Mi dankas vin!
Can he travel to a US dental school? The one I have experience with offers sizeable discounts and payment plans. Treatment is slower and more meticulous than at most private clinics. The faculty, students and residents are not business owners so they are less likely to try to upsell.
“The Christians tried several times to take it back with no long-term success, but the Jews finally managed the trick”
Actually, the Kingdom of Jerusalem lasted for eighty-some years after being established at the end of the First Crusade. Israel is only now approaching that longevity.
My grasp of Crusades history has been mainly gleaned from Robin Hood movies – not, it would appear, the best of sources.
It seems that the restoration of Christian rule – even if rather limited in geographic scope – was rather more long-lived in at least a few spots than had been my long-time impression. Still, the paynim, as I believe the term of art was in those days, were a constant threat. Saladin, it seems, ended the first Kingdom of Jerusalem after 96 years of its existence, but then it bounced back, after a fashion, a few years later with somewhat different borders and a different capital and an alias of the Kingdom of Acre. That lasted not quite a century before also succumbing.
Israel has, admittedly, not yet clocked a lifespan even equal to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but it looks like an excellent bet to do so. Islam was on its uppers back in the day. Not so much now.
Outremer, the Crusader States in aggregate, conventionally lasted from 1098 to 1291, so 193 years. We (the US and whoever agrees to help on our terms) should reestablish Outremer. I always liked the name. Then again, I thought Kuwait and adjacent parts of Iraq and Saudi should have been annexed as East Texas.
Outremer is not a term I’ve previously encountered. Given that the Crusader states were pretty much run by the French, I’m guessing that term is also French and, I suppose, is pronounced ootra-MARE as it seems to be a compound of “outside” and “sea.”
A bit of search-engine work confirms both the meaning and the pronunciation.
The conventional translation is “Overseas.” It’s one of a number of departed countries I’d like to see again. Another one is Bessarabia.
….is the old antisemitism. For thousands of years some people have said that Jews are greedy, immoral, physically malformed and/or sexually perverted. It’s boring.
‘The few excerpts preserved by Josephus exhibit systematic defamation of the Jew, and are all the more remarkable as they have been repeated almost in the same form, mutatis mutandis, throughout the anti-Semitic writings of the centuries, from Tacitus, who reechoed these charges in his “History,” v. 2-5, down to these days. They comprise, first, aspersions cast upon the Jewish race; secondly, derogatory statements concerning their patriotism and loyalty as citizens; and, thirdly, malicious misrepresentations of their faith, their religious beliefs and rites—accusations originating in old pagan legends and made by a prejudiced multitude ever anew against the Jews, and for some time also against Christians (see Mueller, “Contra Apionem,” pp. 258-260, 263-264; and articles on Ass Worship and Blood Accusations).’
Israel knows a defamation case won’t fly. That’s not the play.
As the saying goes: “Discovery is a bitch.”
Then there’s also: “The process is the punishment.”
Either way, I suspect subscriptions to and copies of the NYT, as distributed in Israel, may get a lot more expensive…
The only meaningful resistance to the anti-Israel crowd is not the DEI coalition, not the new Democratic Party, not the coastal and credentialed and supposedly enlightened left-wing white elite, not the supposedly “character is destiny” Never Trumpers, and certainly not the allegedly brave mavericks who have bolted from the MAGA base.
Those factions ARE the anti-Israel crowd. Isn’t it true that leftist antisemitism ultimately descends from its anti-Westernism and not vice versa?
My theory is that antisemitism based largely in jealousy of a people who are, thanks to their above average emphasis on family, education, work ethic etc, more successful on average than other ethnic, religious, national groups.
That’s part of it. But there is also a religious aspect. Anti-Semitic Christians don’t like Jews because they reject Jesus as Messiah. Many Catholics still take this view but most Protestants, especially Evangelicals, are pro-Israel for reasons having to do with Biblical prophecy in the Book of Revelation.
Anti-Semitic Muslims – which is pretty much all of them – hate the Jews because they won’t convert to Islam.
And now, of course, there is the Israel thing because Jews control a tiny piece of the Middle East that was formerly mostly Christian until Muslim Arab invaders took it not long after the founding of their religion. The Christians tried several times to take it back with no long-term success, but the Jews finally managed the trick – even if at small scale – and it drives the Muslims absolutely nuts.
There is also the fact that the Ashkenazic Jewish population – European Jews – are an entire standard deviation smarter than the normal run of humanity, averaging a 115 IQ. That accounts for their historical outsized success as businessmen and in the learned professions.
Why are they smarter? From an evolutionary standpoint, Jews have certainly been subjected to, shall we say, environmental stress that has caused them to place a premium on developing skills and business models that are easily portable at a moment’s notice when a pogrom gets ginned up. Being smart, wary and nimble has been systematically rewarded by survival.
But then maybe Jews just are really God’s Chosen People. 🙂 When one considers what God has put the Jews through over the centuries, that line Abe Lincoln attributed to a man being tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail – “If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk” – comes to mind.
The new Anti-Semitism on the Left comes from mischaracterization of so-called Palestinian Arabs as victims and Israel as an oppressor.
The new Anti-Semitism on the Right comes from the view that the US too often does things that benefit Israel and not itself. That comes, in turn, from simplistic and wrong-headed notions of what constitute “American interests” vs. those of Israel. Antipathy to Jews, generally, comes from the notion that non-Israeli Jews are loyal to Israel first and not to their nations of residence.
Jews are not the only ones thus targeted for opprobrium based on this resurrected dimwitted 1930s version of “America First”-ism. The Ukrainians are also targets of this idiocy. President Trump is pretty much the polar opposite of an Anti-Semite, but he is an utter moron anent Ukraine and Russia. My one hope anent this situation is that Trump is also not really much of an ideologue and has proven capable of learning from mistakes – though at this point it may no longer matter all that much.
Somebody hereabouts mentioned they got their implants done in Ukraine. I need some detail because my brother-in-law is about to lose 16 teeth. If anyone wants to give a private message, use vexhnem AT aol.com or my public mail addresses exposed at williambarton.com. The BIL is getting VA care at the moment/ Mi dankas vin!
Can he travel to a US dental school? The one I have experience with offers sizeable discounts and payment plans. Treatment is slower and more meticulous than at most private clinics. The faculty, students and residents are not business owners so they are less likely to try to upsell.
“The Christians tried several times to take it back with no long-term success, but the Jews finally managed the trick”
Actually, the Kingdom of Jerusalem lasted for eighty-some years after being established at the end of the First Crusade. Israel is only now approaching that longevity.
My grasp of Crusades history has been mainly gleaned from Robin Hood movies – not, it would appear, the best of sources.
It seems that the restoration of Christian rule – even if rather limited in geographic scope – was rather more long-lived in at least a few spots than had been my long-time impression. Still, the paynim, as I believe the term of art was in those days, were a constant threat. Saladin, it seems, ended the first Kingdom of Jerusalem after 96 years of its existence, but then it bounced back, after a fashion, a few years later with somewhat different borders and a different capital and an alias of the Kingdom of Acre. That lasted not quite a century before also succumbing.
Israel has, admittedly, not yet clocked a lifespan even equal to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but it looks like an excellent bet to do so. Islam was on its uppers back in the day. Not so much now.
Outremer, the Crusader States in aggregate, conventionally lasted from 1098 to 1291, so 193 years. We (the US and whoever agrees to help on our terms) should reestablish Outremer. I always liked the name. Then again, I thought Kuwait and adjacent parts of Iraq and Saudi should have been annexed as East Texas.
Heh anent the East Texas thing.
Outremer is not a term I’ve previously encountered. Given that the Crusader states were pretty much run by the French, I’m guessing that term is also French and, I suppose, is pronounced ootra-MARE as it seems to be a compound of “outside” and “sea.”
A bit of search-engine work confirms both the meaning and the pronunciation.
Part of this day’s new knowledge. Thanks.
The conventional translation is “Overseas.” It’s one of a number of departed countries I’d like to see again. Another one is Bessarabia.
….is the old antisemitism. For thousands of years some people have said that Jews are greedy, immoral, physically malformed and/or sexually perverted. It’s boring.
‘The few excerpts preserved by Josephus exhibit systematic defamation of the Jew, and are all the more remarkable as they have been repeated almost in the same form, mutatis mutandis, throughout the anti-Semitic writings of the centuries, from Tacitus, who reechoed these charges in his “History,” v. 2-5, down to these days. They comprise, first, aspersions cast upon the Jewish race; secondly, derogatory statements concerning their patriotism and loyalty as citizens; and, thirdly, malicious misrepresentations of their faith, their religious beliefs and rites—accusations originating in old pagan legends and made by a prejudiced multitude ever anew against the Jews, and for some time also against Christians (see Mueller, “Contra Apionem,” pp. 258-260, 263-264; and articles on Ass Worship and Blood Accusations).’
https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1641-apion
Israel knows a defamation case won’t fly. That’s not the play.
As the saying goes: “Discovery is a bitch.”
Then there’s also: “The process is the punishment.”
Either way, I suspect subscriptions to and copies of the NYT, as distributed in Israel, may get a lot more expensive…