Cheated by 'Religulous,' He Wonders, Why the Double Standard in U.S. Culture for Israel?

A few weeks back I ran a friend's review of "Religulous" that pointed out Bill Maher's double-standard for Christian evangelicals and Jews. A man who just saw the film--"Rand Meko"--found that review online, and sent me the following note:

I felt cheated by Religulous. I thought a number of groups not only got off free, but there was a very distinct melding of specific politics and religion - something Bill Maher seemed to be vehemently against. I appreciated you opening up the discussion.  It seems many do not want to.

I am living in Toronto, Canada, but spend a great deal of time in the US (LA and NYC). I am apparently in the entertainment industry, but I am hardly entertained by it all. I write you while in the middle of trying to finish yet another album (I am a professional record producer and composer). Often my mind wanders after hearing the same song for hours, while having a staring contest with my Mac screen.

Nonetheless, I am getting touch because as I get older (I am 37 and we are expecting our first child) I try every day to get a better handle on the world. I have never been very political, never grew up with religion, am a 'visible' minority (Asian-American, though a fourth generation Canadian), and have spent most of my adult life doing crazy entertainment-tech-journalist-type things. It has led to a real appreciation of learning - or maybe 'sharing' is a better notion.

Why can I and most people I know openly make fun of various ethnic groups, politicians, celebrities? Openly joke about homosexuality, stereotypes - do this in front of and with our gay friends, our Asian parents - you get it... but when it comes to having any criticism over the situation in Israel/Palestine - walls, settlements, human rights, I am immediately considered anti-semitic? [Weiss emphasis]

I am analytical enough to recognize there is a much bigger political agenda at work there, but it opens up a very simple question:

Why is there the double standard?
What have your experiences been with such?
Why does this happen even in normal day-to-day situations? Especially in this day and age and in North America.

I think only our Mexican friends and some of our Muslim friends can have any right to feel marginalized in America (well the poor too, but they tragically seem to accept it).

Obviously this is not a phenomenon related solely to Judaism -- I have had many hush me as I asked openly about some of the harsher aspects of Islam. It's funny, my former business partner and dear friend was the first to bring up the double standard -- he couldn't understand it - though he is an American Jew, raised on the wrong side of the tracks in Chicago.

I have been getting into the habit of saying Merry Seasons....seems to offend less people..

Don't know how to answer Rand Meko's questions except that this blog is all about that: trying to expose the brutal conditions in Palestine and the ways in which my community, Jewish-Americans, have immunized Israel from all criticism for decades, and done so righteously. I feel that these seals are breaking. And that the work of brave Jews like Avraham Burg and Aaron Levitt is changing the environment... Some day American culture will catch up.

Comments

[anon]

It's like directly asking a bipolar person if he/she is regularly getting blood tests and taking his/her (adjusted or not daily dosage of )
meds.

No matter how earnest your concern after awhile you learn not to go there; this despite the fact it always turns out to be the main factor
in whatever the latest disastrous conduct.

At best you get facile lies, and if you try to pursue, parse the answer(s), this soon turns into hostility, then rage accompanied by
personal insults directed at you, the one trying desperately to
help, to understand, etc.

[Duscany]

I hope you will excuse a technical question in the middle of a political discussion, but do I put a link in a message so that a reader only has to click on it to be directed automatically to the linked site?

[Todd]

"Don't know how to answer Rand Meko's questions except that this blog is all about that: trying to expose the brutal conditions in Palestine and the ways in which my community, Jewish-Americans, have immunized Israel from all criticism for decades, and done so righteously. I feel that these seals are breaking. And that the work of brave Jews like Avraham Burg and Aaron Levitt is changing the environment... Some day American culture will catch up."

What? Righteously immunizing Israel? American culture needs to catch up? This is why I just can't view Phil as much different than Witty or SOG. What's the difference? They are all more Jewish than American, and each wants to tie America to Israel in some way. Phil just wants to treat the Palestinians a little better.

I don't really know what Phil means by assimilation. His usage surely isn't the standard usage.

[Joachim Martillo]

I am not sure we ever have an honest discussion in the USA on issues that relate to Israel. See Harvard Interfaith Mumbai Vigil Discussion.

[David H.]

Here's another religious double-standard to consider:

Why are Christian Fundamentalists--who are pro-Zionist--deemed fanatics, while Jewish Fundamentalists (Neturei Karta) who reject Zionism are described as spiritual people of conscience?

[Joachim Martillo]

Despite David H.'s ridiculous claim, the brains of American Muslims are just as colonized by the Israel Lobby as those of other American's. See No Tolerance For Anti-Zionist In Madrid [Saudi circus throws out Neturei Karta clowns].

I discuss the real extremism here

Here is the followup.

[Rick and Roll]

yeah why can't we make jokes over the ripe, fertile ground of suicide bombings, rocket attacks and military incursions?! WHY IS THE MAN KEEPING PEOPLE FROM LAUGHING AT MY JOKES?!?!?!

[Mack Truck]

here's another good point about Joachim Martillo
http://somervillemejustice.com/marriage.html

classy guy, that Joachim Martillo
must run a great business, spreading hate all day and whatnot

[anon]

Appropriate statement from a Mack truck.