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Jewish brainpower is a mixed blessing
National Post - Canada ^
| Tuesday, April 10, 2007
| Jonathan Kay
Posted on 04/10/2007 4:54:49 AM PDT by GMMAC
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To: GMMAC
21
posted on
04/10/2007 6:55:54 AM PDT
by
blam
To: Huck
I would add that Jewish progressives and communists came to the aid of blacks who were suffering under racist policies in AmericaYou are correct. Personally, I found the Jews I met so compelling in their political leanings, so willing to be on the front lines during the Civil Rights era, so engaged in family and intellectual life, that I converted from Catholicism to Judaism. Never looked back.
I grew up during the Civil Rights era, back when Boston Catholics were screaming against integration and southern Baptists were screaming epithets at little black girls trying to go to school.
I knew Jews who marched with King and did other things to help break down barriers. It is unfortunate that many today seem to ignore Israel and their own interests here in the States.
22
posted on
04/10/2007 6:57:20 AM PDT
by
radiohead
(They call me DOCTOR radiohead.)
To: Huck
“Isn’t this an oxymoron? Judiaism is a religion. If you are secular, you are not religious. How to be both at once?”
Justice Ginsberg is a perfect example. First thing she did was hammer up a mezuzah case up on the door frame of her office.
Don’t know if it was empty. (There’s supposed to be a scroll inside.) Don’t know if she didn’t say the required prayer. But I have an opinion.
23
posted on
04/10/2007 7:12:07 AM PDT
by
MeanWestTexan
(Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
To: Huck
“How is Judiasm culture if you are not a practicing, believing Jew?”
The ideals and rules permiate you in lots of different ways.
The Orthodox Jewish answer is that, spiritually, atheist Jews are still Jews, still bound by the Law -— whether they want to be or not.
“Chosen” is not an option, nor necessarily a good thing.
24
posted on
04/10/2007 7:15:55 AM PDT
by
MeanWestTexan
(Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
To: GMMAC
What lies behind Jewish intellectual prominence? In Murray’s view, it all goes back to AD 64, when the Jewish high priest Joshua ben Gamla ordered universal schooling for all Jewish boys aged six and over. Within a century, Jews became the first people in the history of civilization to achieve universal male literacy and numeracy.
It also has to do with strict intramarriage, and the Jewish religion’s forbidding marriage with Non-Jews. Sort of like a super race for intellect, though that comes with its own set of problems. Just as a pure-bred greayhound can’t be all things to all people, it does do very well in its specialty.
To: Polybius
26
posted on
04/10/2007 8:21:38 AM PDT
by
FarRightFanatic
("I'm Barack Hussein Obama...and I approved this taqiyya.")
To: sportutegrl
Jews are notoriously Democratic and pro affirmitave action. I just dont think this is completely accurate. Jews are notoriously Democratic, but oddly enough, they are not notoriously pro affirmative action. The data show that Jews are only lukewarm towards it, and there has reportedly been considerable tension between black and Jewish organizations over the perception that the latter are not supportive enough of AA.
A number of Jews have been the movers and shakers behind legal challenges to AA: for example, Alan Bakke and Carl Cohen. Bakke was the medical student who brought the first case challenging his rejection by UC in order to accommodate a far less qualified black applicant (who not incidentally went on to eventually kill a patient and lose his license). Cohen is a U Mich professor and former ACLU official who has been fighting AA for years.
Jews tend to have a very deep respect for merit and accomplishment, and I think this explains why a lot of Jews bristle at AA despite their otherwise liberal sentiments. Of course this is just one of many reasons why such Jews should say goodbye to the Democrat Party. I'm still working on it.
27
posted on
04/10/2007 8:25:35 AM PDT
by
freespirited
(Resentment, redistribution, and re-education. The three Rs of liberalism.)
To: DeerfieldObserver; timsbella
Years ago I dated a Jewish girl & we went to a fair number of social events in her community where, being dark complexioned & if I was smart enough not to say too much, I could easily 'pass'.
I certainly witnessed enough negative ethnocentrism & - albeit likely largely historically driven - openly accepted same-group nepotism to know Jews have no more claim to an exclusive moral high ground than most other faith or culturally based entities.
To me, they do themselves a disservice by being too quick to scream "anti-Semite!" in the face of virtually any criticism while generally denying all possibility of these all-too-human failings even existing within their community.
Constructively, Jews would be better off following the lead of many of us of Scots' descent who often say of ourselves: "there are few better than a good one and few worse than a bad one".
Ideally, relations between Christians & Jews should mirror those of the close family members we truly are with some petty bickering & rivalry quite acceptable but ranks immediately closed in the face of any external threat to either.
(nobody 'gets' this better than the marvelous Don Feder:
Jews Against Anti-Christian Defamation)
28
posted on
04/10/2007 8:33:27 AM PDT
by
GMMAC
(Discover Canada governed by Conservatives: www.CanadianAlly.com)
To: GMMAC
What is Rhie talking about?
I don't know about Korean American's in particular, but Asian Americans do quite well. For instance, they now outnumber Jews at Ivy League universities.
29
posted on
04/10/2007 11:02:05 AM PDT
by
rmlew
(It's WW4 and the Left wants to negotiate with Islamists who want to kill us , for their mutual ends)
To: rmlew
Wish I could have posted Rhie’s ‘illustrations’ which appeared with the article in the hard copy version: aside from being more what one might expect from the other side of the ‘bamboo curtain’, they’re crude & amateurish to a degree likely not even acceptable within any self-respecting Nazi publication.
30
posted on
04/10/2007 11:25:37 AM PDT
by
GMMAC
(Discover Canada governed by Conservatives: www.CanadianAlly.com)
To: VeritatisSplendor
“ugly white folks” is just an expression I use for ALL white folks. Yikes. dont let me end up like Imus! it’s a joke!
31
posted on
04/10/2007 12:10:24 PM PDT
by
Huck
(Soylent Green is People.)
To: GMMAC
"
While, as a conservative Catholic, I accept in their entirety our late Holy Father John Paul II's teachings that we should rightly love the Jewish people unconditionally, I'd agree with you to the extent that it's fair & legitimate criticism of secular Jews to say they disingenuously & hypocritically use false charges of anti-Semitism to evade accountability for their self-evident racism, routine nepotism & generally pro-communist sympathies.
Surely, when we regularly see secular Jews (e.g. radical feminists) acting as apologists for Islamofascists, there's something awfully wrong with that picture - on multiple levels! - & political correctness, much less unconditional love, shouldn't preclude pointing it out?"
GMMAC (Discover Canada governed by Conservatives: www.CanadianAlly.com)"
Yeah, we're discovering Canada, alright. Canada failed to send too many real Nazis near Edmonton (in Canada) back to Germany. Now the rest of north America has to put up with religious identity conspiracy propaganda from their rotten, aging kids. ...and a little factual information for other readers.
From the
CIA World Factbook (about the USA:
"
Religions:
Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)"
Catholic Vote Swings Democratic in Midterm Electionshttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1737011/posts
Congress more religiously diverse; Catholics still well represented [Most are C.I.N.O.'S]] Catholic News Service/USCCB ^ | Jan-16-2007 | By Nancy Frazier O'Brien
"
Catholics remain the largest denominational group in Congress, with 155 members -- 25 in the Senate and 130 in the House. But there are fewer Catholic Republicans in both houses since the 109th Congress and many more Catholic Democrats."
Catholicism Top Faith in U.S. Congresshttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1763261/posts
32
posted on
04/10/2007 1:29:17 PM PDT
by
familyop
(Essayons (has-been))
To: sportutegrl
Wrong. Jews are not notoriously pro affirmative action, furthermore, have done nothing to harm the Korean community. And as a conservative, I don’t have to take anyone’s “blowback” for liberal policies.
33
posted on
04/10/2007 1:38:57 PM PDT
by
ariamne
(Proud shieldmaiden of the infidel--never forget, never forgive 9/11)
To: sportutegrl
"Instead of screaming anti-semitism and just generally being offended, the author of this article should ask himself if there is anything that American Jews are doing that might hurt Asian Americans. Jews are notoriously Democratic and pro affirmitave action. For every black admitted to college who hasnt earned his placement by grades or test score, there is one Asian who is denied admission who has earned a place. I think that white liberal Jews should expect a little blowback if they are going to promote a policy that is unfair to Asian Americans."
Hmmm..."sportutegirl"...sport "ute" girl. I get it. That's Oxford (British) English slang for "utility," referring to small trucks. ...poor Nazi Europhiles, identifying with "Asians" in order to spew propaganda against Jews in general. IMO, Jewish people and patriotic Americans (whose relatives rightfully killed Huns and Nazis in the wars) shouldn't be putting up with that garbage from anti-American subscribers to Free Republic or any other site.
--One whose ancestors fought in the USA War for Independence, the Civil War for our United States, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
34
posted on
04/10/2007 1:51:29 PM PDT
by
familyop
(Essayons (has-been))
To: familyop
Although one wonders if it's worth attempting to reason with you, there's nothing whatsoever Nazi-like about my comment ... as opposed to your blatantly anti-Catholic diatribe.
Aside from noting numerous apparently Jewish FReepers pinged the article - btw, written by a Jew who's a friendly acquaintance - without negative comment, let's look at what I essentially said:
Neither faith community is perfect, we should be free to fairly criticize each other & try to get along like the family we are.
35
posted on
04/10/2007 2:50:25 PM PDT
by
GMMAC
(Discover Canada governed by Conservatives: www.CanadianAlly.com)
To: GMMAC
being dark complexioned In my family we are mostly of light complexion. I wonder is the green eyed blonds among us- or maybe just those few with brown eyes- could pass in those gatherings where the truth about Jews is revealed.
I don't ever remember attending one of those gatherings. And yet you, a dark Gentile, with your Jewish girlfriend, stumbled into the inner chambers where Jews show their true self.
On the other hand maybe I've too been there but just didn't recognize the "negative ethnocentrism" and "openly accepted same-group nepotism" that so struck you.
So please, first define the terms you used, and then regale us with examples. Tell me what you heard when you were a dark stealthy stranger among the Jews from which you determined that Jews should step off that "moral high ground", acknowledging that criticism and anti semitism - and maybe gas chambers too- are a valid response to the Jewish behavior.
To: freespirited
Jews tend to have a very deep respect for merit and accomplishment, and I think this explains why a lot of Jews bristle at AA despite their otherwise liberal sentiments. They were also damaged by Jewish ceilings at a lot of elite universities in past decades (much like those imposed on Asians now), which also explains their frequent skepticism of affirmative action.
To: sportutegrl
Now suppose you discovered that Jews- if majority group opinion is in issue- are very much against affirmative action.
Fact, it is that issue that caused many years of Jewish/Black political congeniality to be torn apart.
To: Sabramerican
Nothing said was much different than what I've heard run of the mill Catholic & Protestant Christians say about the other when they also feel it's 'safe' to do so.
My point is simply that no one should cut any slack to anyone based solely on them being one of their co-religionists but, some members of all faith communities do so & accordingly none hold any 'moral high ground' over the other.
For whatever it's worth, we could likely both come up with very similar lists of dispicable CINO's - Catholics In Name Only.
39
posted on
04/10/2007 3:39:37 PM PDT
by
GMMAC
(Discover Canada governed by Conservatives: www.CanadianAlly.com)
To: GMMAC
"Although one wonders if it's worth attempting to reason with you, there's nothing whatsoever Nazi-like about my comment ... as opposed to your blatantly anti-Catholic diatribe."
Here are your words from your earlier post.
"I'd agree with you to the extent that it's fair & legitimate criticism of secular Jews to say they disingenuously & hypocritically use false charges of anti-Semitism to evade accountability for their self-evident racism, routine nepotism & generally pro-communist sympathies.
Surely, when we regularly see secular Jews (e.g. radical feminists) acting as apologists for Islamofascists, there's something awfully wrong with that picture - on multiple levels! - & political correctness, much less unconditional love, shouldn't preclude pointing it out?"
But let's rewrite your commentary and replace "Jews," as you put it, with Catholics, and "anti-semitism" with "anti-Catholic bigotry" (worn out phrase around here).
I'd agree with you to the extent that it's fair & legitimate criticism of secular Catholics to say they disingenuously & hypocritically use false charges of anti-Catholic bigotry to evade accountability for their self-evident racism, routine nepotism & generally pro-communist sympathies.
Surely, when we regularly see secular Catholics (e.g. radical feminists) acting as apologists for Islamofascists, there's something awfully wrong with that picture - on multiple levels! - & political correctness, much less unconditional love, shouldn't preclude pointing it out?
We all know as to the flames that would get from Catholics here, if it weren't a reply to your comments against Jews. So spare me your hypocritical Jew bashing and victimology on the part of your own religion.
I was a Christian, BTW, before the new propaganda war against the Jews was started by both leftists/liberals and conservatives in early 2004.
40
posted on
04/10/2007 4:09:00 PM PDT
by
familyop
(Essayons (has-been))
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