In politics, however, right and wrong are only half of the calculus. The other half is what's smart.
Bull, what's smart is opposing loonie like Jihad Cindy, it's right too.
Posted on 07/11/2004 1:40:29 PM PDT by SJackson
The hot topic of discussion among Jewish political mavens right now is the Democratic primary contest in the Fourth Congressional District in Georgia, where former Rep. Cynthia McKinney is seeking to recapture the congressional seat she lost two years ago. McKinney, a five-term House veteran, had developed a national reputation as a defender of Palestinian rights and a critic of the administration's war on terrorism. Her record helped unleash a flood of support for her opponent, Denise Majette, who emerged victorious in a primary that was widely seen as driven by Jewish campaign money. Now Majette wants to move on up to the Senate, and McKinney has reemerged as the lead candidate for her old seat. Unless a surprise emerges, only a repeat of the nationwide stop-McKinney mobilization in 2002 will keep her out.
That would be a mistake. A national anti-McKinney mobilization, particularly one seen as mounted by Jews to defend Israel, would cause a backlash of serious proportions. The last time she was defeated, the mobilization of Jewish political and financial clout to block an outspoken black politician gave rise to a wave of trash-talk from the left about Jews manipulating the political system for Israel's benefit. It would only be worse the next time.
The complaint, it must be noted, was largely unfair. Much of the opposition to McKinney came from political moderates and conservatives still grieving over the September 11 attacks a year earlier and angered by the congresswoman's contrarian views. Pro-Israel activists were only part of that coalition.
Moreover, there's something offensive in the very notion that Jewish citizens fighting for their favorite causes is somehow wrong. American Jews feel a deep commitment to Israel's safety, and they need not apologize for that.
In politics, however, right and wrong are only half of the calculus. The other half is what's smart. The current reality is that anti-Jewish conspiracy theories have become part of mainstream political discourse here and around the world in a way that could not have been imagined five years ago. The quagmire in Iraq and the continuing Israeli-Palestinian confrontation have combined to create an incendiary atmosphere in which simple advocacy of Israel's cause seems suspect in many mainstream circles.
Acknowledging that reality does not make it right or moral. But ignoring reality is an invitation to disaster. And there's nothing noble or moral about courting disaster.
The demonization of Israel by its enemies has created a distorted political atmosphere in which defending an embattled Middle Eastern democracy appears to much of the public to be less legitimate than coddling dictators and fanatics.
Regrettably, Jewish conservatives and hawks have played into that debased discourse, basing many of their political choices first and foremost on Israel's needs and then attacking anyone who notices that fact. It's a dangerous short-sightedness masquerading as hard-headed realism.
In politics as in war, it's smart to pick one's fights carefully, examine the battlefield and plan two moves ahead, with one eye always peeled for the consequences.
Even if the prospect of McKinney's re-election does represent a significant threat to Jewish or Israeli political interests — and we doubt it does — the benefit of fighting it would not justify the long-term damage.
In politics, however, right and wrong are only half of the calculus. The other half is what's smart.
Bull, what's smart is opposing loonie like Jihad Cindy, it's right too.
I will certainly contribute to anyone running against her.
So9
Anything to keep this idiot out of Congress is good. I was born and raised around Atlanta and have been listening to the idiotic screed from her and her father Billy's mouth for far too long. The freakin' woman is a communist white hating racist. When her father was in the state house he pulled a knife on a legislator friend of mine right on the House floor. My God the city of Atlanta has gone to Hell since I grew up.
So the gist is: the Jews should shut up and get in the gas chamber, lest the Left say bad things about them?
Its always tough when someone you consider a good friend turns on you--but that is just what has happened with the Left and the Jews. The main reason for is simple: there are now more Muslims in the US than Jews. That is the only calculus (moral or otherwise) that the Left considers relevant.
Luckily, some in the Jewish community have awoken to what's going on. They should't sell their soul for trash like McKinney.
You'll like this one. A shame I didn't save my Jihad Cyndi graphics.
That's true, but I'm sure she likes whales, caribou too. No ones perfect.
Written by editors with a shtetl mentality. I wrote them and said they were half-right--they shouldn't oppose her because she is a bit less subtle than the McDermott, DU, Hollings, Jackson, Sharpton crowd that now dominates the Democratic party and allows us to see more clearly what it has become.
Much of the opposition to McKinney came from political moderates and conservatives still grieving over the September 11 attacks a year earlier and angered by the congresswoman's contrarian views.
No! It's because she's a moral midget and symptomatic of all that's wrong with the democrat party.
What crap. The argument appears to be this:
Don't dare oppose lunatics when they run for office because you will be perceived as being unfair.
I repeat:
What crap.
When her father was in the state house he pulled a knife on a legislator friend of mine right on the House floor.
Stupid question time
were any charges brought?
The less lefty nutcases we have in Congress the better, we should put a good conservative to run against her and he would probably win no matter what.
Good thing for dad your friend wasn't armed at the time.
The Jews should keep quiet, not cause trouble and maybe it will all go away. Sounds familiar.
For a Jewish publication to even think this way is an aberration. Mckinney is such a nasty racist, they will be thanking, not damning the Jews,for trying to keep her out of Congress.
The Foward is left-wing trash. Anti-Semites enthusiastically put one of their articles on their websites.
After the experience of the last century, from pogroms to the Final Solution to the creation of the State of Israel.
This is the sum total of over a century of insight, shut up and maybe no one will notice you're around.
So this article reads like leftest Democrat Jews should learn a new PC rule just for them. Be nice, (above all keep donating or the DNC will go broke), and maybe the fact that the political party that has been "home" for the Jewish vote since FDR is now turning anti-semitic will just go away somehow. It's like: "If we're real quiet they won't notice us and we can still be liberal Democrats."
What maroons, there's only one way I can think of to bring them out fighting against McKinney, whom any intelligent voter would oppose anyway. Start a rumor (it would be completely false, but these are Democrats) that McKinney had something to do with Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". Link her to that movie and Foxman, the whole ADL, all the Jewish left-wingers will rise up and charge at her.
That was fuzzycat. Of course your reply still applies.
Never bring a knife to a gun fight.
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