Posted on 04/29/2002 2:18:57 AM PDT by kattracks
France can hardly contain its contempt for that muscle-bound naif, the American hyperpower, stomping around the world in search of "evildoers." The French roll their eyes at such primitive moralism, so devoid of Gallic nuance.
How inconvenient, then, that the same French put on the presidential ballot Jean-Marie Le Pen, the modern incarnation of European fascism. No matter. This will not restrain French intellectuals and foreign ministers from lecturing America on its simplisme its preference for morality over realpolitik, its reliance on military power, fantasies about an "axis of evil" and, perhaps most unbearable, its principled support for Israel.
Israel that "shitty little country," as the French ambassador to Britain recently said at a London dinner party. "Why should we be in danger of World War III because of those people?" the ambassador asked.
This contemptuous sneer at "those people" occasioned a minor scandal. No, the scandal was not the ambassador's statement, but the hostess' indiscretion in revealing it and then adding how utterly commonplace the sentiment had become in London's better circles.
And not just among the cocktail set. The European street has lately been expressing itself on the subject. In France, synagogues have been burned and Jewish youths attacked. In Belgium, two synagogues were fire-bombed, a third sprayed with bullets. A Berlin police official advised Jews, for safety, not to wear outward symbols of their religion.
What we are seeing is pent-up anti-Semitism, the release of a millennium-old urge that powerfully infected and shaped European history. What is odd is not the anti-Semitism of today, but its relative absence during the last half-century. That was the historical anomaly. Holocaust shame kept the demon corked for that half-century. But the genie is out again.
This time, however, it is more sophisticated. Jews are fine so long as they are powerless, passive and picturesque. What is intolerable is the Jewish refusal to accept victimhood. And nothing so embodies that as the Jewish state.
What so offends Europeans is the armed Jew, the Jew who refuses to sustain seven suicide bombings in the seven days of Passover and strikes back. That Jew has been demonized in the European press as in, well, ... the '30s. The liberal Italian daily La Stampa ran a cartoon of the baby Jesus, besieged by Israeli tanks, saying, "Don't tell me they want to kill me again."
Again. And this time the Christ killers come in tanks.
Just when Europe had reconciled itself to tolerance for the passive Jew the Holocaust survivor who could be pitied, lionized, perhaps awarded the occasional literary prize along comes the Jewish state, unwilling to apologize for its existence.
The French were the vanguard of this modern anti-Semitism that can tolerate the Jew as victim but not as historical actor. It was 35 years ago, at the outbreak of the Six-Day War, that Charles de Gaulle cut off French support for Israel, denouncing its audacity in fighting for its life over his objections. But he did not stop there. He later went on to famously denounce the Jews as "an elite people, sure of itself and domineering."
The rejection of docility "sure of itself" was Israel's real crime 35 years ago. It remains Israel's crime today.
Marx was wrong when he said history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. The second time is tragedy, too.
E-mail: krauthammerra@hotmail.com
Good question
"I told you so" means that you lecturing, hectoring critical Europeans who try to bully Israel into not handling their own Muslim menace with sufficient force, let's see how well you handle your own growing menace. And yes, I know that Muslims pose a danger to non-Jews as well in Europe (and everywhere.) It is just a lot more focused on Jews right now.
The rejection of docility "sure of itself" was Israel's real crime 35 years ago. It remains Israel's crime today.
Pope Pius XIIth wanted to keep the Jews STATELESS (and therefore helpless)! He opposed the creation of Israel.
It did?! I don't remember a Declaration of War, nor have I seen the mobilization of the armies of the world to fight one another. Maybe you're watching a different news station than I am . . .
There is a crucial difference between the two problems. In one case we have a group of outsiders moving smack dab into the middle of the Islamic pit. In the other we have Muslims emigrating into a Western Christian region. Both are self inflicted messes, but one should be easier to deal with, if done soon enough.
That's pure fiction. Lazio actually won outside the big apple, but lost NYC 3-1. See for the results for yourself. She couldn't have won so overwhelmingly without STRONG Jewish support. Sad but true.
Ok, I can go with that . . .
I am coming to tthe conclusion that Jews trust neither side in this battle, and some of them, frankly, hate Christians and Muslims equally, and look with scarely-concealed glee on the Islamicisation of Europe.
Why should Jews Trust anyone--who has come to our aid, the first rule in any group is to look out for themselves. We have learned this and done this all our lives. However, we do not distrust all peoples, but you must PROVE yourselves worthy of trust. This is true for everyone regardless of race or religion. The only group we will NEVER TRUST are the Muslims whose entire existance is predisposed to ridding the world of Jewish people. IN POINT OF FACT Everyone should be afraid of the Muslims since they desire to rid the world of anyone who is not a follower of Islam. BE AFRAID--BE VERY AFRAID they will come after you next!
Ain't that the truth. I remember showing up to volunteer at the Syracuse HQ following a call for people to man the phones. There was one guy there reading the newspaper. "Phones aren't hooked up yet. Why don't you come back next week." Pathetic. Hillary carried Onondaga County (Syracuse and suburbs), while in 1994 Pataki carried it over Cuomo 3-1.
Off topic, I know, but the notion that somehow Jews made Hillary a senator is one we have to fight.
I wasnt talking parties but the nations that contributed, sorry if I wasnt clearer.
Their record has been one of unrelenting cowardice and venality in the face of Muslim aggression.
I actually tend to agree the Gaullists are irritating, but I used them as a an example of what most people consider centrists, I realize it may not fit everyones particular tasts, but that wasnt the point. To be honest, Im American and couldnt care less about them as they dont represent me. Opinions are after all, subjective statements and everyone knows opinions tend to be rather common.
However, Certainly DeGaulle was an isolationist to the point of making it a vice, and he lost some fans for running out on the pieds noirs over Algeria but whatever Muslim aggression your referencing wasnt really a direct threat at least at that time, though it could be argued it was growing. The early 5th republic years were also marked by a nation which had just come out of a seperate mess called IndoChina.
Which years later, after we became embroiled in it, also led to many years of American self-doubt, a large part spurred on if not caused by the Socialists you seem so enamored with.
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