Krauthammer: Turning up Jewish (everyone is Jewish until proven otherwise)

Townhall ^ | 09/25/06 | Charles Krauthammer

[presidio9]

Strange doings in Virginia. George Allen, former governor, one-term senator, son of a famous football coach and in the midst of a heated battle for re-election, has just been outed as a Jew. An odd turn of events, given the fact that his having Jewish origins has nothing to do with anything in the campaign and that Allen himself was oblivious to the fact until his 83-year-old mother revealed to him last month the secret she had kept concealed for 60 years.

[juliej]

I seen the anti-Semites are trolling on this website. Nothing brings them out more than the opportunity to bash Jews!

[freedomson]

You doubt wrong. On both counts.

[freedomson]

Sadly, and with a broken heart, yes.

[river rat]

Hmmmmm....

How does that explain the very rich and never at risk Jews in America -- who've been here for many generations?

I think the answer may lie in explanation offered, that the Lost Tribe of Israel, got lost only because they were the stupid tribe -- which ended up in America..

We are saddled with all the most stupid Jews - while the rest of the world benefited by the smart and "righteous Jews"...

That explanation actually makes some sense, doncha think?

Semper Fi

[docbnj]

I am descended from Alfred the Great, who claimed descent from a continuous line back through Abraham to Adam. I guess that doesn't count, though.

Actually, Jesus said that he did not wish to change "one jot or tittle" of Jewish law, so Christians and Jews should be very, very close. I have always liked many Jewish teachings, even those which are not thought of as being distinctively Christian. For example, we Christians tend to emphasize the motive behind good deeds, and to insist that without the good motive, there is no merit. Thus Jesus advised that when giving alms (charity), one should act secretly, and not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. The idea is to keep the motive pure, and make certain that the good is not done for adulation.

A Jewish friend told me that the same thing is taught in the Talmud. Then a rabbi told me that it is also taught that you should do right even if you do not have the motive fully developed, because if you act right enough, the understanding and the motive will arise, anyway. I think that he was absolutely correct, and that modern society misses this. It is why we think that manners do not matter; but I think that polite behavior causes a feedback to the individual. If you smile and are courteous, pretty soon you start feeling that way.

And if you causually use foul language and hostile, aggressive terminology, your inner feelings will begin to conform to evil.

The Jews have an expression: the mitzvah. It is a kind deed. Like a good Boy Scout, they are supposed to try to rack up one or more a day. My wife and I have adopted this expression, and we encourage each other in mitzvahs. It is not for adulation, but because it is good for the individual doer, and proper. The deeds we count are often small (and we speak of mini-mitzvahs and mega-mitzvahs, to distinguish), and we never mention to outsiders what we are doing. I think that it works to improve ones life to do nice things.

We do not go into the intricacies of Jewish law on mitzvahs (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzva), but have simply adopted the idea.

The days when someone would be embarassed about having a Jewish grandparent (or maybe all-Jewish grandparents) should be long past. Anyway, it is what one does with ones life which counts. Live a good life!

[Alouette]

I'll bet you feel that last part excludes me, am I correct?

Let's see, you believe in a different religion, so I exclude you from calling yourself a Jew, but I believe that you can still achieve eternal salvation even if you are not Jewish.

Meanwhile, you exclude me from achieving salvation, and because you feel "broken-hearted" about it that somehow makes you better than me, or makes me a mean person?

[thoughtomator]

Doubt it. Who was smarter, a Jew who stayed in Europe or one who saw the winds of change blowing and got out?

Remember, from 1938 through to 1942, except for a brief detente (Molotov-Ribbentrop), the USSR was the only major force holding back the Germans. The US spent most of the war denying reports of the Holocaust under way, it wasn't until well into 1944 that it was taken seriously. Most of the death camps were liberated by the Red Army.

In this context I can easily see how a Jew of my grandparents' generation could be deeply persuaded to be loyal to the leftist ideologies of the USSR.

[airborne]

I was baptized Catholic.

Therefore, I am a Catholic.

Jesus is my Savior!

[airborne]

No offence intended! ;^)

[presidio9]

and I hope all Christians consider converting to Judaism so I GUESS THAT MAKES US EVEN ALL AROUND!

What really amazes me is that you would even dignify the original post with a response.

[Alouette]

The Nazis were rather more generous

Yeah, Jews are so stingy.

[July 4th]

My great-great-grandmother on my mother's side was Jewish. I have no idea what this does for me, other than give the Washington Post something to write about when I run for President.

[freedomson]

First of all I'm NOT a better person than you. Not even a little, all of our rightousness is like filthy rags.

If Yeshua isn't the messiah, how will the 'real' messiah be different from him?

[SJackson]

The liberals are mad 'cause Allen wasn't wearing his star.

You may be right. I'll repaste my post to Republican Red who brought this clip to my attention on another thread.

The choice of a yellow star is odd. Yes, jewelry is made of gold, and there’s no “rule”, but the Jewish Star, a recent, nominal Jewish symbol, is generally portrayed in blue, a reminder of the Israeli flag I presume. Or in decorative colors. When yellow is used, it’s typically a reminder of the Nazi’s yellow star.

In that vein, Webb star star used to "identify" Allen appears to be the same graphic as used by a library’s Holocaust education program, ironically the second star on the above google search, posted below with the number 3 hit.

--------

This was recently posted by Webb campaign staff, as they continued to promote Senator Allen’s potential Jewish heritage. Note the yellow Star of David.

[fishtank]

Kind of a silly "rule", since King David wouldn't have been "Jewish".

[Alouette]

how will the 'real' messiah be different from him?

He will not get crucified.
He will rebuild the Temple.
He will bring peace to Jerusalem.

[juliej]

To quote Ronald Radosh: "don't let them get away with garbage - answer them at every turn."