For the record, Abe Foxman himself was top of the list of those "many", indeed the lead rabble-rouser. His pretense that his was a balanced approach is rather galling considering his previous behavior. Still, I guess this is the best we'll get as far as a confession that he acted no better than Al Sharption. Passion was Abe Foxman's Crown Heights.
...while many on the Jewish right, in a foolhardy effort to placate the religious right, defend a film with the potential to set back Christian- Jewish relations and to generate anti- Semitism.
Far from being to "placate the religious right", those of us on the Jewish right saw our own liberty at stake - could we not tell the story of the Exodus for fear of the effect it might have on Egyptians? That's ludicrous - no Jew blames today's Egyptians for the events of those long-past days. Well, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that's exactly what Foxman was insisting on when he demonized Passion.
I can't comment. Last I heard the Egyptians were contemplating filing a lawsuit against me (In defense of Moses-Egyptians may sue Jews over the Exodus.) over the Exodus incident. They tried it in the court of Alexander, but failed, they're trying it again.
The Exodus event is an excellent example. It had occurred to me, but I haven't used it as an example to this point.