I had never heard the term "blood libel" before, so I googled it.

[Stinky The Clown]

Holy shit.

From wikipedia:

Blood libel (also blood accusation<1><2>) refers to a false accusation or claim<3><4><5> that religious minorities, in European contexts almost always Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays.<1><2><6> Historically, these claims have–alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration–been a major theme in European persecution of Jews.<4>

The libels typically allege that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos for Passover. The accusations often assert that the blood of Christian children is especially coveted, and historically blood libel claims have often been made to account for otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victim of human sacrifice has become venerated as a martyr, a holy figure around whom a martyr cult might arise. A few of these have been even canonized as saints, like Gavriil Belostoksky.

In Jewish lore, blood libels were the impetus for the creation in the 16th century of the Golem of Prague by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel. Many popes have either directly or indirectly condemned the blood accusation, and no pope has ever sanctioned it.<7> These libels have persisted among some segments of Christians to the present time.

>snip<

Why would anyone be shocked that a woman who is known to have comported with a witch doctor would hesitate to cast herself as a victim by invoking this to sad, too tragic, too disgusting term?

[LiberalLoner]

1. I'm not shocked at all, I'm just shocked that she didn't compare her

"persecution" by the media to the holocaust.

[Kerrytravelers]

2. I'm not shocked. I'll bet money she didn't bother finding out what it meant before talking.

She's been running her mouth without using her brain for years. Why start now???

[LynneSin]

3. It's all very simple - Sarah needs all the attention on her

Sarah and her PR team have done a shitty job of handling this event. Probably the best thing Ms Palin could have done was to say a few words, maybe an apology for the crosshair things and then disappear out of the limelight.

This whole 'Blood Libel' thing just tarnished her image even moreso

[EFerrari]

4. Imo, it's a dog whistle to her freak dominionist supporters.

It's not shocking, it's boilerplate Sarah.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. That's what I fear

She's a dog whistle virtuoso. The choice of terms was not accidental.

See the final sentence of the quote I cited from wiki. Her dominionist supporters would absolutely get the reference. She is more than a crazy politician. She is a crazy religious extremist, and she is that before all else.

[EFerrari]

6. I wouldn't be surprised if Uncle Pat helped her with this.

He's been playing the same minor tune for many years.

This woman is the new W. The same money backs her, the same crazy illiterate bigots are her base. Maybe they need her to make Jeb look reasonably good in 2016.

This country gets more disgusting every day. I'm ashamed that my kids have to deal with this.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. Which Uncle Pat?

So many crazy uncles to choose from.

[EFerrari]

14. No kidding. The writing one. It sounds just like him. n/t

[stellanoir]

9. yup

you totally nailed it

[Raine]

11. Yes, EXACTLY nt

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

12. Bingo. It's a dog whistle to the fundies.

[spanone]

7. she is toxic

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. I had not heard of it before either.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Here Stinky

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x182743