If America was so bad you would think liberal college professors who spew this crap during the week would be volunteering their weekends putting up sings on the border saying:
Posted on 10/16/2017 4:02:53 PM PDT by SJackson
The most infamous libel in history is the one known as the Blood Libel.
This was the medieval lie leveled at Jews in some European countries that accused the Jews of killing Christian children to use their blood to make Passover matzah.
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As the author of a book on the history of anti-Semitism (Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism), having taught Jewish history at the college level, and as a committed Jew who has devoted great efforts to combating anti-Semitism, I do not easily compare anything to the Blood Libel.
But perhaps the second greatest libel – and certainly the most widespread – is that America is a racist country that oppresses its minorities and women. We can call it the ‘American Libel.‘
Now, I hasten to add that no one is being tortured to death as a result of this libel, as Jews were because of the Blood Libel, and, of course, no communities are being slaughtered as Jews were.
But the American Libel should be regarded as one of the great libels of history.
That America today oppresses minorities and women is as far from the truth as was the claim that Jews used Christian blood for matzah. Indeed, no country in the world is so accepting of minorities as fellow citizens as America.
A third-generation German of Turkish descent is still regarded by most Germans as Turkish. But a first-generation Turkish – or Nigerian or Chinese – immigrant to America is regarded simply as one more American.
American Jews should be the first to denounce the American Libel. No country in history has ever been as welcoming, accepting, and honoring of Jews as America.
American Jews are a living refutation of the American Libel.
Did America oppress minorities? Of course it did. But the people who engage in the American Libel claim that America oppresses minorities, and even women, today.
Take, for example, this morally odious statement issued last week by the San Francisco 49ers NFL team:
“For more than a year, members of our team have protested the oppression and social injustices still present in our society.”
Or a column by a Muslim writer at the HuffPost:
“The oppression they [blacks] face is much greater than the bigotry I [a Muslim] face. It is a racism and oppression rooted in our culture.”
Last year, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said on-air, “This country has issues, but this country is not oppressing black people.” After being widely denounced, two days later Finebaum felt it necessary to issue this abject apology:
“I could spend the rest of my life trying to talk my way out of it, but I can’t. I blew it. I simply did not have a good grasp of the situation. I know better. I’ve lived in this country. I see what is going on all across the country from North to South, East to West and I have no excuse.… All I can say is that I made a terrible mistake. In trying to express a feeling that I probably – not probably – had no right to express.”
The headline of a column by Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy:
“In America, racial oppression is not ancient history.”
A headline of another Washington Post column:
“How blacks, oppressed by white supremacy, can find a path to liberation.”
Such examples are endless. America oppresses blacks, Latinos, women, gays, and everyone else who is not a white, male, heterosexual Christian.
It is a great lie. But it is the dominant narrative of the society. And, as lies are the root of evil, this lie must lead to something awful.
It has already begun to:
First, vast numbers of nonwhites are being raised to believe that America hates them. This should be considered a form of child abuse.
Second, the charge that America is a land of oppression has utterly cheapened the word “oppression.” The truly oppressed of the world will have to find a new word to express their condition.
If blacks and women in America are oppressed, what word shall we use to describe the condition of Christians in Iraq or Egypt? Of gays in Iran? Of women in much of the Muslim world? Of the Untouchables in India? Kurds in Turkey?
But worse is yet to come.
The Jews survived the Blood Libel. But America may not survive the American Libel. While the first Libel led to the death of many Jews, the present Libel may lead to the death of a civilization. Indeed, the least oppressive civilization ever created.
If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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One not insignificant difference, the American libel is propagated by Americans. American elites, reaching to the Oval Office.
I'm thinking of George Lucas's American Graffiti. It's highly vulnerable. No A-A characters, very influential movie, highly watchable.
I'm serious. I think they're going to come after it. Lucas made it as a peon, a monument to his youth, growing up in California's post-war Central Valley. It's a monument to an America that used to be, and that is considered illegitimate today.
They're going to come after it just like they're currently coming after the Confederate General monuments.
I wonder if George Lucas realizes this. He's seems like a smart man.
Thanks for posting! :-)
I went to a Portland, OR “food cart pod” a month ago before the “street of dreams”. There was a Iraqi run food cart that myself and my Tugboat Captain friend ended eating at. My friend actually delivered tractor tugs to the Kuwaiti Navy and trained them up. I spent time in Kuwait with the National Guard under not so extravagant conditions.
The kids running the cart and friends hanging out in front were no different than Greek, Armenian, Turk, Southern Slavic, etc...In fact, an open Israeli citizen was eating lunch there also.
White Americans are the least racist and/or ethnic sensitive people on the planet. By the way, we are sick to death of the left calling us racists!
Thank the author!
I would have thought movies would be an easier target than statues. Not a movie person, when is theh last time you saw American Graffiti on cable? Do kids see it. IMO, it would be appealing. Just asking, for all I know it’s on every week, or never, I don’t watch that much TV/cable. But can’t help but wonder if, like classrooms, it’s an easier media to influence.
Yes, though I think you could have left out white. Though I acknowledge maybe I'm being politically correct. Non white's who stand up for American values, now I'm being incorrect, come in for plenty of sh*t too. It's our value system, which your example demonstrates isn't about race or religion. Despite errors of the past.
I wouldn’t know, haven’t had cable for almost 20 years.
American Graffiti is available on line-—for a small fee.
Great movie.
.
ping
Excellent post. Profound thoughts that are very alarming.
As much as I admire and appreciate Mr. Prager, I beg to differ on this point. Americans are being tortured to death as a result of this libel. They are being hounded, persecuted and tormented to the point their quality of life is threatened and, in some cases, even the length of their life is reduced.
Some Americans are intimidated into failing to guard their own safety to avert the horrible prospect of being accused of racism.
I recall a school discussion where it was concluded by my class (with one notable exception) that it was racist for a white woman to instinctively clutch her purse when approached by a young black man! I'm not sure if I persuaded anyone then but I refused to yield a single inch on sanity.
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Going from my experiences in the Army, SOME blacks really dislike whites. Not all of them, but some of them. The absolute hands down without a doubt best NCO’s I had in the Army were my black 1SGT and black Platoon SGT at Lewis. The 1SGT was from US Virgin Islands and the SFC PLT SGT had a Masters in business from U Washington.
If America was so bad you would think liberal college professors who spew this crap during the week would be volunteering their weekends putting up sings on the border saying:
Sincerely, thank you for your comments on your 1SGT and Platoon SGT ... clearly both fine, honorable men.
It’s spread by progressives seeking to divide and conquer. (See my sig below.)
Best co-worker I ever had was black. He was technically my boss but sometimes I took over the department when he had to do a deep dive into a coding project - and then I cheerfully handed the reins back to him when he was done.
We had a lot of mutual trust and could talk openly about racial issues (this was the Nineties, before politics got so damn nasty). We ran hoops together after work when we could get away. He came from an intact family and he has raised one himself. He did face discriminatory policing, as did another black co-worker with that company, a particular atrocious case. That is one reason the BLM agenda resonates. But BLM has gone off the rails to where we cannot have a reasoned debate. To the left any more, debate is them screaming into a bullhorn three inches from our left ear, and we are not allowed to respond.
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