About Sidney Blumenthal

[question everything]

By some records, his name was mentioned more than others during the Benghazi inquisition. So much so, that, two days ago, Chris Matthews wondered whether there was an undercurrent of Anti Semitism. I could not find that comment on line, it was just in passing.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. It wouldn't surprise me.

The only ones who seem to think the Republicans/right aren't anti-Semitic are the Israel haters of the left, unless they need to shame Jews, then they suddenly realize the Republicans are really anti-Semites. The right disguise their anti-Semitism in their "love" for Israel. They no more love Israel than their leftist counterparts do, they simply "need" Israel for it's strategic, military, and informational products. Of course, there are the right who only "love" Israel for it's role in their apocalyptic fantasies. If Jerusalem were to no longer be a part of Israel, the support from the right would shrivel up like a grape in the sun. It really wouldn't be a huge surprise if one of the underpinnings of the hearings was anti-Semitism. Anytime there is a conspiracy, be it left or right, you can be assured there are those who will blame "the Jews" at some point.

[question everything]

2. The "cabal" conspiracy

I watch the TV program "The Blacklist" and there is a secret group of individuals referred to as 'the cabal." And I always cringe when I hear this word, since the word is derived from the Hebrew Kabalah.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. LOVE "The Blacklist"!

There use of "The Cabal" actually creeped me out some too, but I am more concerned by those who claim to be "on the left" who use it almost as often as they use the word "the." Usually it is the hardcore conspiracy theorists, but there are others who dabble in it too, but for the most part it is simply a part of our lexicon and most don't even think about it's history or it's possible implication. I figure most don't ever use it as a way to be "discreet" in their anti-Semitism. The ones who do could likely be counted on two hands. Now, the word "Zionist", that is a different story!

[MosheFeingold]

4. Been thinking about your post for several days.

It's both correct and incorrect.

Yes, indeed, there are anti-Semites on the right. The John Birchers (and the related Ron Paulistinians and other selective isolationists), Pat Buchanons and general Paleo-Conservative crowd in particular, in which I also lump the old-line "white shoe" Republicans like Poppy Bush and James Baker.

The main TEA party movement includes Nazarine religious nuts that are philo-Semitic, but believe we are going to burn in Hell and are deeply concerned about it, in that their belief is that Jews are the "Apple of G-d's eye." They are annoying, but not anti-Semitic.

But I would say Jewish people, in general, are increasingly finding a home in the Republican party, largely because of two reasons: (1) affirmative action (which is seen as discriminating against Jews by younger Jewish kids), (2) the Left's perceived tolerance of a patently false (and anti-Semitic) narrative regarding Israel and the Palestinians, especially on college campuses, and (3) taxes (which piss off high effort/wage workers -- doctors and lawyers, for example).

Also, as the number of Orthodox increases and they become more politically savvy, they are finding common social ground with fundamentalist Christian elements in the Republican party. Indeed, I am one of the lone Democrats in my Shul (Chabad).

The second wave of Russian Jewish people in the USA and Israel from the Soviet Union despises socialism and is consistently Republican. Indeed, they single-handedly moved Israel right.

And finally, the plurality of well-known conservative media commentators on the Right are Jewish: Mark Levin, Jonah Goldberg, Krauthammer, Dennis Miller, etc. Even the fringe rights includes Jewish people: Pam Geller and Michael Savage (aka Michael Weiner), for example.

A lot of the big Republican money-raisers are Jewish (e.g., Sheldon Anderson).

Heck, even one of Trump's daughters is a practicing Orthodox Jew (not sure if she converted or if mom was Jewish).

Long way of saying painting the Right as anti-Semitic is a bit of a broad brush, and will bite us in the ass if we are not careful.

On the bright side, it does make for more colorful Seder discussion at my house.