AJC's Survey About Jewish Consciousness Is Backward

The latest American Jewish Committee survey on Jewish opinion said that Jews are good liberals: overwhelmingly against the Iraq war, and mostly for a Palestinian state. Yes but by nearly 2-to-1 against the division of Jerusalem! I've already noted James Petras's sharp analysis that liberal Jews are empowering neocons to be their representatives. Richard Silverstein says this is a meanspirited analysis; he says that Jews are basically liberal but

when it comes to Israel, some atavistic Jewish impulse kicks in which closes down any possibility of understanding the Arab perspective on the conflict or what are Israel's true long-term interests.

While Eric Alterman, to his great credit, has written in the Nation that liberal Jews "allow belligerent right-wingers and neocons who frequently demonize, distort and denounce their values to speak for them in the US political arena." Alterman seems to blame the media for allowing neocon voices to prevail. Gosh, but there are just too many liberal Jews in the media for this to make sense. Myself, I blame liberal Jews. I think, ala Silverstein/Petras, that the body of liberal American Jewry is licensing the neocons as members of our family to go out and beat up the Arabs. They're the tough brother-in-law who keeps the neighborhood safe. Oh, &-$#@!, he shot someone! Oh well! you lament. But you don't do anything to restrain him; you're complicit. No wonder American Jews are for Hillary Clinton, according to the AJC survey...

I'm repeating myself, sorry. I just got around to reading the AJC survey last night and I'm surprised by something else. What is the AJC asking Jews about? 5 categories. International and domestic politics, yes, then Israel, anti-semitism, and Jewish identity. There is not a word about
the occupied territories in there, not a word about settlements. There is an overwhelming sense in the antisemitism section that antisemitism is a big issue. 87 percent of Jews think it is something of a problem or a serious problem in the United States. 98 percent think it is a problem in the Muslim world (I agree).

I blame the messenger. I feel as if the AJC is trying to wash its hands of the neocons for public relations purposes. It is incurious about other important trends. There is nothing in the survey at all about this amazing moment in American Jewish history. Nothing about Jewish wealth, success, power, or responsibility. Nothing about intermarriage. Nothing about neocons. The whole survey feels like 1971 to me. It has the feel of an outsider minority worrying about itself. Antisemitism, antisemitism, antisemitism. Look at the amazing opportunities Jews have in America! Jewry will not come into the new age of American power/responsibility until the AJC comes to grips with the real landscape that young Jews live in...

Comments

[Ed.]

"I think, ala Silverstein/Petras, that the body of liberal American Jewry is licensing the neocons as members of our family to go out and beat up the Arabs."

In a dialectic analysis, this is what Hegel would call the internal contradiction that will ultimately destroy the unity of American Jewry. On the one hand, it professes to be tolerant and liberal; on the other, it enjoys seeing Palestinians and Arabs "beat up" (as you call it; I call it genocided) by Jews and US forces sent into the Middle East at the behest of Jews.

Jews are slowly being forced to face the schizophrenic nature of their position. Ultimately, they are going to have to make a choice of either becoming hard-ass killer Neocons, or cutting the Zionists loose and assimilating into humanity. There are no two-ways about it; not anymore.

[anon]

Please watch:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=W2AaDg7-zD0

.......

[anon]

Take a look and see what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0o_07BBk0&NR=1

[Jim Haygood]

"Jews are ... mostly for a Palestinian state. Yes, but by nearly 2-to-1 [are] against the division of Jerusalem."

If South Africa's experience is any guide, the bantustan-like West Bank Palestinian state -- criss-crossed by Israeli roads, pockmarked with settlements, and cut off from transport links -- is not viable.

Support for such a state is hardly an indication of liberalism. Coupled with the hard line against sharing Jerusalem, it can be seen rather as a vain, escapist desire to (literally) wall out the Palestinian problem in the hopes that it, or they, will go away.

Such doomed-from-the-start "solutions" were nothing but a futile stalling tactic in apartheid South Africa. The same will likely prove to be true in Israel-Palestine. But the eventual one-state solution is considered so far beyond the pale that the question wasn't even asked. However, in the minds of the 82% who believe that the Palestinians' goal is to "destroy Israel," the loss of a Jewish majority probably constitutes "destruction." Whereas to some of us, it would represent "normalcy" for the first time in Israel's troubled history.

[Warren]

Ed - Wouldn't the synthesis to this dialectic be the progressive zionism of Richard Silverstein that promotes a viable two state solution with mutual recognition of the other and an end to head bashing (on both sides)?

I believe that if you ask most Jews and Palestinians what they actually want, it is close to the same thing - a homeland and the ability to express their culture without fear of others repressing them. I would bet that if you polled American Jews on the following the question - Would you support a viable, independent Palestinian state living in peace with Israel - the vast majority of them would respond affirmatively. In fact, in May, 2007, a Zogby International poll indicated that 72 percent of American Jews “strongly support” and 7 percent “somewhat” support a “peace agreement that included the establishment of an independent, secure Pal. state alongside an independent secure Israeli state, and resolved final status issues of Jersualeam, refugees and borders.” That's 79% of American Jews.

I don't know personally know any Jews who want to beat up or kill Arabs. I know a lot of Jews who want to prevent Arabs from beating up or killing Jews, but there is a serious difference. Are there such Jews who have such ugly desires? I would think there is since every group has its sociopaths, but I don't think that Jews or Arabs are any different from one another in this regard. If you have evidence proving otherwise I will remain open minded.

If you polled American Jews with the question "Do you support a one state solution?" the numbers would be quite small. Is this what you are proposing?

[Ed.]

"Wouldn't the synthesis to this dialectic be the progressive zionism of Richard Silverstein...?"

Given that Zionism as an inherently racialist, bigoted movement, "progressive zionism" is itself a contradiction in terms. I have seen nothing in modern Jewish history (20th century forward) to suggest that it has anything but malign intentions towards gentiles in general and (at this point in time) Arabs in particular (see http://www.judeofascism.com/ ) other than professions of liberalism from diaspora Jews in order to gain a foothold in Jewish-minority countries that can then be leveraged into the imposition of Jewish authoritarianism on the country and the world (see the Soviet Union, Neocons and the Iraq war). I think of it in these terms: Thesis = Judeofascism; Antitheses = anti-Semitism; synthesis = Neoconservatism/Christian Zionism (which Judeofascists largely control). We are all currently trapped in a vicious cycle with Judeofascists as the constant. Remove the Judeofascists, remove the problem. That's why I support the two-state solution--to quarantine the Judeofascists in Israel behind their walls until they are ready to humanize themselves. Prosecute the hard-core Christian Zionists in government for their treason on behalf of Israel. It's really the only solution. Everything else is just hand-wringing and delay that is costing precious lives and will probably lead to WWIII.

[Warren]

Ed - Can you specify what is the criteria for being a "judeofacist" and how you would quarantine said fascists in Israel?

[Ed.]

“Can you specify what is the criteria for being a "judeofacist" and how you would quarantine said fascists in Israel?”

Here is one stab at defining a Judeofascist:
What is "Judeofascism"?
http://www.judeofascism.com/2007/12/what-is-judeofascism.html

In terms of quarantine, it would be a process of prosecution, deportation and self-banishment. For example, Scooter Libby was convicted of federal obstruction and perjury charges related to the treasonous disclosure of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame. (He received 30 month prison sentence which was commuted by Christian Zionist George W. Bush). Libby is a Jewish nationalist Zionist. There is reasonable suspicion that his treason was motivated by his Jewish Zionist beliefs. If proven, I believe he should serve his time, be stripped of US citizenship and deported to Israel, where he has de jure citizenship. Another example is the Libby vein (albeit as yet unconvicted) is Douglas Feith, who, with his boss Paul Wolfowitz, used the Pentagon Office of Special Plans to assemble false evidence implicating Iraq in possession of WMD and ties to 9/11--false evidence which was subsequently injected into the US intelligence stream in order to enable the invasion of Iraq. Again, both Feith and Wolfowitz are Jewish nationalist Zionists whose treason was likely motivated by loyalties to Israel. Given their behavior, I believe Libby, Feith and Wolfowitz all qualify as Judeofascists eligible for loss of US citizenship and deportation to Israel. Are there others? Richard Perle comes to mind. Also, AIPAC is filled with Jewish nationalist Zionist pro-Israel lobbyists who as of yet haven’t been forced to register as agents of a foreign power, but who have demonstrated a persistent, religious willingness to subordinate the bests interests of the US to those Israel. If they were forced to register, many of them would probably decide to make Aliyah on their own. And why shouldn’t they? That’s where their primary loyalties lie. Sooner or later Jewish nationalist Zionists will get the message that their treasonous intentions make them unwelcome in America. Hopefully, most will invoke their right of return. Good riddance.

[Warren]

Ed, I read through your criteria for judeofascists and its seemingly a very small number of people we are talking about here.

A couple of questions:

You say - Judeofascists believe that Jews are racially and religiously superior to non-Jews (gentiles) and that this supremacy gives them certain rights and privileges over gentiles either through historical fiat or in the eyes of God

Do you really think that Paul Wolfowitz believes he is racially and religiously superior to Dick Cheney? Do you think that he believes he is racially and religiously superior to his ex-girlfriend who was a Muslim from Saudi Arabia?

What about American Jews who care about Israel, but don't think Jews are racially or spiritually superior to anyone. Are these folks considered Judeofascists?

[Ed.]

What they believe by itself doesn't matter; its their actions in conjunction with their beliefs that establishes motive. In the case of Wolfowitz, the question is: was he motivated by Zionism (Jewish nationalism) to betray his country and help deceive it into war? I believe he was, as I believe were many other Jewish Zionists in government and media. Dick Cheney was motivated by different forces (greed, megalomania, American nationalism) and should thus be prosecuted and punished on different grounds. Can Dick Cheney be deported to Israel? No, he's not Jewish and he wasn't motivated by Zionism. Let the punishment fit the crime.

[Ed.]

[contd] Obviously, to get to the bottom of who was motivated by what in lying America into the Iraq war is going to take an inquiry with the scope of the Nuremberg trials that will reach into highest levels of government, including Congress, to painstakingly flesh out all of the players and their roles and motives. But because of the epic nature of the crime (over 1 million killed, a country completely destroyed, 100’s of billions in stolen and wasted US taxpayer money) anything short of a Nuremburg-scale inquiry would itself be a dereliction of duty and a travesty of justice. The inquiry should be broad and deep, as was the crime.

[Klaus Bloemker, Frankfurt, Germany]

American Jewry's unfounded fear of anti-Semitism?
____________________________________________

People point at how successful, well established and integrated American Jews are - and still obsessed with fear. Are they irrational? Isn't their fear contrary to fact in America?

A hundred years ago, Germany was the country in Europe where the Jews were relatively well integrated and successful. Up to the 1930s Germany was in a way what America would become for the Jews after WW II. Their country of choice. Berlin was their New York.

No contemporary observer would have pointed at Germany as the country likely to turn against their Jews. They would have rather pointed at France and of course at Eastern Europe. But as we all know, the unlikely happened. I think that's behind the 'unfounded fear' of American Jewry.

[Klaus Bloemker, Frankfurt, Germany]

Conversion to Judaism - quit being a Jew - and 'Judeofaschism'
______________________________________________

Dear Warren,
If I can become a Jew (convert to Judaism) - can you quit being one?

My understanding is that you would have to cancel your contract with Yahwe and quit being a member of his 'chosen people'. You inherited that contract, can you annul it?

I of course know that by our civil law you can quit on church or temple and join another.
_________

Isn't my question at the heart of whether so called 'Judeofacism'( rather Judeo-chauvinism) is an inherent/inherited quality, something the poor Jews - by their own understanding - never can get rid of? (And that therefore there will - according to Ed's Antitheses - always be anti-Semitism.)

What are we gonna do about it?

[warren]

Klaus,

Complex question. My cousin converted to Catholicism when she married her husband. We are all still close. She is definitely Catholic now. Is she still a Jew?
In some sense she is ethnically still "jewish", but religiously she is Catholic. Does she care about Israel? Yes, she still does. Her sons like to torment their paternal grandmother by saying they aren't going to attend Church because they are "Jewish".

If I decided tomorrow that I'm not going to be "Jewish" - no one is going to stop me. I simply tell people, if they ask, that I'm either an atheist or some other religion, say Presbyterian. If they ask me what my ethnicity is I tell them it is Hungarian and Romanian, where my grandparents came from. In the USA that is that. If I was in your home country in the 1940s under the Nazis I think I would still be considered Jewish, but no one here maintains those criteria here. At least I don't think they do.
Would I still be Jewish in the eyes of my parents, siblings, and fellow Jews? My guess is that in there eyes I would be a Jew who converted to Christianity.
Perhaps the same would be true for non-jews when they thought of me.
The idea of chosenness that I was raised with was one of choosing rather than being chosen. Jews chose to believe in Yaweh and follow the ten commandments and other rules. Others can make the same choice. Nothing inherently special about us aside from the tradition of having chosen to live according to these principals.

[anon]

"The idea of chosenness that I was raised with was one of choosing rather than being chosen."

hehehe

[Warren]

anon - You seem disappointed that I'm not a chauvanist. Perhaps this intereferes with your agenda?

Maybe this question and answer with a rabbi will help you understand better the concept of chosenness as conceptualized by many Jews.

http://interfaithfamily.com/Discussions/showthread.php?t=140

Originally Posted by Unregistered
My girlfriend of 6 months and I have decided to try to find more information about interfaith issues before we move in together and take our relationship to the next step. Through our discussions, we came to issue that we still haven't found a concrete answer for. The question concerns our potential children. Lets say that our child is put into some type of Hebrew school to learn the ways of becoming a Jew. During that time, he/she will be confronted with the idea that Jews are the chosen people and that is why God decided to give them the Torah. How do you go about explaining to the child that his/her mother, the non-Jew, is not part of the chosen people. I don't want my child thinking that his/her mother is a lesser human being or is loved any less by G-d just because she is not Jewish and therefor part of the chosen people.

Rabbi Lev Baesh's response:
The "choseness" aspect of Judaism has been a difficult one for the Jewish people for generations. The biblical passage says that we were "the Choosing" ones. That has many interpretations. Some believe that Jews were chosen for a particular purpose. Not that we are better than others, just that our relationship with God is a particular one. Each religion, each individual, has to choose a different relationship to God or Spirituality, or higher living. Jews do it with all sorts of rituals and blessings and holidays that are part of a Jewish "choosing".
It is not unlike a parent with more than one child, who recognizes that each child is special and that each child will have a different relationship with the parents and with their own lives. You might teach your child that each of you, as parents have different ways of relating to life and to holiness based on where you came from and how you were raised. Each of you will offer your child a different lens to look through to see the world and to discuss who he or she will become. To have chosen a religion for her or him is to give your child an identity from which to make choices in the future. You as parents have the opportunity to be supportive of your choice and also respectful of the other and those family traditions. Choosing for your child is a way of deciding what rituals and holidays and celebrations will be the road markers in their life. It is a gift of choosing, and not one of discrediting the other.
"Chosen" as "better than" is not a sign of a healthy religion. "Chosen" as meaning important and of value, is healthy. Someday, maybe your child will be albe to teach others about how to be "chosen" and not belittle someone else. Wouldn't that be an important day.
Also, you can use "chosen" to talk about making choices when they are old enough. We have to choose between Soccer and Music or we do neither or make both less than they could be. we can have exposure to both, but at some point, unless we are unusually gifted, we have to choose one over the other to really connect with it. We may latter find that we want to drop them both and choose something else, but to know what it means to choose takes that initial deep connection with something, with one thing. it is like choosing to couple, but not meaning that all other humans are worthless, rather, this is the one i coonect with , to know what it means to see all human beings as having worth.
Remember to love where you come from and love the choices you make. Your child will get the message.

[americangoy]

Simpler article (my idiot analysis follows):

American Jews are against Apartheid in South Africa, are pro immigration, are liberal, anti war, anti torture...

...

except in Israel.

In Israel, it is quite acceptable to have apartheid, no immigration, be conservative, be pro war and pro torture...

[warren]

"In Israel, it is quite acceptable to have apartheid, no immigration, be conservative, be pro war and pro torture..."

If you say so americangoy...

You don't speak for me or the vast majority of American Jews.

You and your friends here on this blog like to make claims about American Jews and then proclaim your assertions to be facts.

Here is an example of what you do, but using Irish instead of Jewish Americans.

Irish-Americans are drunks who will ruin any family they become part of. They are envious people with chips on their shoulders who will fight at the drop of a hat. They are famous story tellers who will lie for the sport of it. They can't be trusted and they have no ability to genuinely instrospect. They are natural grifters and they are horrible racists. Just ask the blacks in Roxbury. You hire one and he or she will bring in all their racist drunk Irish friends with them, until they control the place. The depth of their racism could easily lead them to murder non-whites. These are all facts. While there are some exceptions, the exceptions prove the rule.

Repeat this ad naseum on as many blogs as possible and anytime an Irish-American explains this is not actually the case just shout them down with the same "facts".

Now I know that the above "facts" about Irish-Americans are utter BS. While some Irish-Americans may actualy fit this profile perfectly, they are a tiny tiny minority and the labeling of all Irish-Americans in such a way say more about the labeler than the Irish-Americans.

American-Jews have a wide range of opinions on what is best for the country (USA)domestically and what Israel's policies should be. I don't know of any Jews personally who are interested in their being apartheid in Israel. The vast majority of American-Jews want there to be a 2-state solution so that there is no apartheid like policies in the occupied areas. American Jews don't differ from American Christians in their opinions on the use of torture or war, except that more Jews oppose war. Many American Jews understand that Israel needs to change its policies vis-a-vis the Palestinians, but also appreciate that the Israelis have to protect themselves from the extremists that want Israel eliminated instead of just out of the occupied areas.

Your blanket labeling of American Jews as being a certain way is as useful as the above "facts" about Irish-Americans.

[Klaus Bloemker, Frankfurt, Germany]

O.K. Warren,
if I moved to America tomorrow and 'converted', i.e. got U.S. citizenship, I would still remain and be considered a German (maybe a 'self-hating' one :-).

I used to be a Calvinist. They also have this concept of chosenness. But I found it unconvincing and unethical. But still, the ascetic aspect of Calvinism is part of me and my friends like to make fun of me by referring to it. Anyway, lets leave it at that.

[americangoy]

Interesting points Mr. Warren.

I think that while the Jews, as virtually every other racial or national minority (or majority) group in the USA have a wide spectrum of opinions, from fascist all the way down to hippy flower love.

No one is arguing that.

What I think Mr. Weiss is saying, and I am somewhat trying to say in my usually moronic way, is that by tacitly supporting Israel's policies, its settlement expansion, its brutal treatment of Palestinians, American Jews are de facto supporting apartheid et al.

The survey that Mr. Weiss brings up avoids any REAL, MEANINGFUL questions about Israel, dual loyalty and Jews attitudes to those; rather, the survey has the equivalent of: "Are cute kittens cute?", "Is there anti semitism in America?"

Instead the questions should be:
What are your views on Israeli settlements?
Is being a Jew a hindrance or a help in your professional life in USA?

I think Mr. Weiss nailed it in this posting about liberal Jews giving a wink and a nod to their neocon/AIPAC brethren - "the big brawler bully brother" - who keeps the other, weaker school children (us, the goyim) in line, in our school (USA), and other schools (Iraq, soon Iran if AIPAC lobbying pays off).

Sometimes I impress even myself with the metaphors.

[warren]

Klaus,

If you think of it as an ethnicity than you can never really "convert". It's the difference between existence and essence. One can change the other is forever. An African-American can convert from Christianity to Islam and go from being a Christian to a Muslim, but he is still a black man.

Are you arguing that the same would be the case for a Jew? I'm not disagreeing, just trying to understand your position.

Jews comes in all different phenotypes and genotypes, often closely resembling the people in the countries they live in. It is easier for them to "blend" in ethnically with non-jews than it is for other "auslanders". I believe this is something that particularly upsets white supremacists who wish to keep their group's racial lines pure.

[Warren]

What are your views on Israeli settlements?

A travesty. Horrible for the Palestinians and idiotic for the Israelis. Our country should make all future aid dependent on the Israelis rolling back the settlements or striking the deal with the Palestinians that enables them to keep them in exchange for other lands.

Is being a Jew a hindrance or a help in your professional life in USA?

Neither. Being a white male hasn't hurt. Having had membership in a fraternity (mainly WASP) helped once. Have yet to benefit from the Jewish cabal. Please let me know how I may do so. My Jewish accountant would like it if I had more money to decalre.

Oh, I started out with an Italian accountant, but he has since retired and his Jewish partner now does my taxes.

[warren]

Klaus - Are you familiar with A Prarie Home Companion?

http://www.salon.

com/opinion/feature/2007/04/25/keillor/

Try piecing together this link (spam filter accomodation)

[americangoy]

Warren you are hillarious.

Here is something interesting:
"Ha'aretz editor urges U.S. 'rape' of Israel"

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1198517229566&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[warren]

Unfortunate use of language, but I agree with his position. We do need to pressure Israel and the Palestinians to come to a reasonable agreement. I think he is right that many Israelis agree with his position, though I'm sure they too wish he could've have expressed it in a much less crude fashion. Words matter and he should treat Rice with more respect than that.