As with a certain understanding found in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much” — let us importantly remember that Judaism is concerned with actions over and above the posturing of words. In the Brazile article, there lies perhaps a hidden or even a thinly disguised desire lurking beneath the surface, to reassure the Jewish base of the Democratic party and equally important, in keeping Jewish Democratic donors ‘within the fold.
’Separately, as a comment, here Ed Kohl will comment . . .
Many of today’s civil-rights leaders are oblivious that the powerful Black Lives Matter movement is an anti-Semitic organization whose manifesto contains vicious bigoted slurs that accuses Israel (Jews) of perpetrating “genocide” against Palestinian Arabs while supporting Hamas whose charter promises “All Jews must die!” with the genocidal command “The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!”? (this last quote from the Hamas charter is excerpted from sacred Islamic Hadith writings).
I would suggest that Ms. Brazile take her message to the current Black Lives Matter Movement, an idea I would more readily support, had it not been for the current BLM Movement Leadership a leadership of Jew-hating antisemites who appear to be steering it, running it and speaking in the name of all oppressed ‘peoples of color’ both in America and around the world.
Here is a link her fuller Op-Ed (Warning: There is a WSJ Paywall here).
Here an excerpt from the Donna Brazile Opinion piece . . .
As a black woman, I’ve experienced plenty of discrimination, though far less than my ancestors suffered. And in the past year I’ve watched the same videos and read the same accounts that millions of people around the world have seen—images of police killing unarmed black people in American cities. I cried over these horrific killings, as I cried for the victims gunned down at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston.
Anti-Semitism is based on the same belief as racism and other forms of prejudice—“the other” is inferior and not entitled the same human rights as the “superior” class. So while I’m not Jewish, I can empathize with the pain and the injustice anti-Semitism inflicts in the same way Jews have expressed empathy for the racist oppression black Americans have suffered for centuries.
Jews were among the most prominent and important nonblack supporters of the civil-rights movement, helping found and fund the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and numerous black colleges and universities. Jewish Americans remain among the strongest supporters of African-American causes.
A few years ago I attended a Remembrance Day ceremony at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. I was among those asked to read aloud the names of a few of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis. I was overcome with emotion, but the Holocaust survivor who stood next to me read names stoically, showing remarkable strength. It is something I will never forget, along with my three visits to Israel and the time I met Holocaust chronicler Elie Wiesel.
I am proud to stand with Jews against anti-Semitism, just as many Jews have stood and continue to stand with black Americans against racism. We haven’t stamped out the virus of hatred yet, but all people of goodwill must continue trying to achieve this vital task.
Ms. Brazile is a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Looking forward to continuing our discussion of ‘Identity’ — of who and what we are and to what extent we bow at ‘the Palace Gate’ — especially to those who wish us consigned to ‘the ash heap of history.’
If nothing else, the 20th century has taught us that we no longer have that luxury.
Hope to see everyone this Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM as we continue the discussion.
Warm regards,
Seth
