Posted on 12/06/2003 1:15:47 PM PST by anncoulteriscool
Ann Coulter is welcome in my Orthodox synagogue anytime
Ben Shapiro
December 3, 2003
This week, Ann Coulter caught flak from the liberal Jewish community for her latest column, "The Party of Ideas." In her column, she deconstructs the Democratic presidential candidates and exposes them for the panderers they are, especially with regard to the Jewish community.
"In addition to having a number of family deaths among them," she writes, "the Democrats' other big idea -- too nuanced for a bumper sticker -- is that many of them have Jewish ancestry. There's Joe Lieberman: Always Jewish. Wesley Clark: Found Out His Father Was Jewish in College. John Kerry: Jewish Since He Began Presidential Fund-Raising. Howard Dean: Married to a Jew. Al Sharpton: Circumcised."
As Coulter points out, claiming that you have a Jew in the family or Jewish blood running in your veins doesn't mean anything when push comes to shove: "The Democrats' urge to assert a Jewish heritage is designed to disguise the fact that the Democrats would allow the state of Israel to perish as Palestinian suicide bombers slaughter Jewish women and children." Coulter rightly criticizes the Jewish community for falling for this ridiculous campaign ploy: "And that, boys and girls, is how the Jews survived thousands of years of persecution: by being susceptible to pandering."
Of course, an assertion like that arouses liberal Jews, who feel that they fulfill their Jewish obligations by eating bagels and lox, and only proclaim their Jewishness when they sense any hint of anti-Semitism from the political right wing.
Never mind that Coulter is clearly on target with regard to the Jewish community. In the distant past, the Democratic Party earned the respect of Jewish voters by representing religious tolerance while maintaining moral values. Today, the Democratic Party buys the Jewish vote with a few pints of Jewish blood. Democrats secure the Jewish vote by suddenly discovering a Jewish relative or appointing a Jew to a position of power.
Coulter is clearly correct to point out that Jews must be aware that just because someone has friends who are Jews does not assure pro-Jewish policies. Current Democratic front-runner Howard Dean, who claims Jewish sympathies because his wife is Jewish, refers to Hamas baby-murderers as "soldiers" in the Arab-Israeli war, says that America should not take sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and states that Israel must abandon Judea and Samaria to Arab terrorists.
Joe Lieberman, a semi-observant Jew, falsely averred on "Larry King Live" that Judaism has no core convictions about abortion; rather, he lied, abortion is "a matter of personal judgment. And like everything else in Judaism, ultimately, it's up to each of us to decide what we think is right." Hillary Clinton, who attempted to establish Jewish lineage, kissed Yasser Arafat's wife after Suha Arafat claimed that Palestinian-Arab children were being poisoned by Israeli troops.
Yet liberal Jews continue to kvell whenever any Democrat discovers Jewish identity. When Hillary decided that she was Jewish-by-long-lost-relation, New York political consultant Hank Sheinkopf explained that "Jews will now feel that she's almost one of their own. It will make it easier for Jews to connect with her." When Joe Lieberman, a semi-observant Jew, announced his 2004 campaign, Jewish groups immediately rushed to support him, despite his wavering support for Israel and outright misrepresentation of authentic Jewish values.
But for most liberal Jews, authentic Judaism is an afterthought. These Jews are born Jewish, but they don't think Jewish, and they certainly don't act Jewish. When American Jews are identified as a demographic group, observers should note that the vast majority of them do not practice authentic Judaism -- they practice secularism.
Why are liberal Jews susceptible to pandering? Because it validates their anti-Judaic lifestyle. Deep down, every Jew still has a spark that resonates to authentic Jewish values and attitudes, values that are clearly in line with the politically conservative position. When prominent Democrats identify themselves as Jewish, or Jewish-sympathizing, it becomes easy for liberal Jews to justify their own betrayal of authentic Judaism. "What's wrong with being liberal? Howard Dean's wife is Jewish, and he's a liberal! He can't be bad for the Jews!" "Look at Joe Lieberman! He's observant, and he's a liberal! Leftism can't be anti-Judaic if Joe champions it!"
Liberal Jews may not like what they hear, but Ann Coulter is right. The Democratic Party has played the demographic Jewish community like a gefilte fish. If liberal Jews want the right to start screaming anti-Semitism, they need to start acting in concert with authentic Jewish values first.
I am not Jewish and don't understand this self hate.
When you reach a contradiction, check your premises.
Your premise of "self hate" is a very ugly one; equal to calling a black person an Uncle Tom for supporting conservative politics. Political opinions aren't genetic, right?
Even the most Zionists have switched to the unprovable, less offensive "secret convert to Islam" label.
I am amazed at some of the stuff that I have done.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but the reason that I have "issues" with Jews for Jesus isn't that... It's more along the lines of "Truth in Advertising."
I have no problems with people identifing themselves as Jews, even if they don't practice. In fact, that describes me to a 'T.' And, I've even got a cousin who's been "saved," and she considers herself a "Messianic Jew."
My problem is simply with the terminology. "Spin" always bothers me, because it's supposed to cloud the subject, and confuse things. I've always felt that if you believe that Jesus is the Savior, than that makes you a "Christian" of one sort or another. After all, isn't that the number one tennant of Christianity? On the other hand, Judism is still waiting for the Messiah. If you've decided that you found it, and it's Jesus, then (IMHO), that makes you a Christian.
Mark
In fact, Orthodox Judism REQUIRES that you do nothing that would harm yourself in following "the rules." For instance, if you're on medication that is required for your health, like blood pressure medicine, then you're required to take it properly, even on a fast day. And the Orthodox prohibition of driving is waved in case of an emergency. Depending on the situation, "bending of the rules" can be allowed as well. My Grandfather walked to the synagogue for Sabbath services every Friday night and twice Saturday, until he was in his mid 80's. When his health began to fail, the Rabbi said it would be OK for him to ride to services.
Mark
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