So, let's see. You used to call yourself a liberal. But things changed after 9/11, and now you're not sure what to call yourself anymore. Try "neo-neocon" on for size.
I've got a busy day today--further posting is planned some time this evening.
posted by neo-neocon @ 2:21 PM
6 comments
I'm a lifelong Democrat, born in New York and living in New England. Surrounded by liberals on all sides, I've found myself slowly but surely leaving the fold and becoming that dread thing: a neocon. My friends and family are becoming sick of what they see as my inexplicable conversion, so I've started this blog to give vent to my frustration. I have a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and my politics make me a pariah there, too. Little did I know that I moved in such politically homogeneous circles. Why the apple? See this.
6 Comments:
Looking forward to more insightful commentary; take your time, I'll wait...
Left a longer note on our earlier Arab conspiracy issue; but can't stop thinking about the issue of Jew-hate, and why.
"Chosen People" and "superiority" are primarily related to one issue: discrimination. I claim Jews have, historically, discriminated against non-Jews with respect to marriages for their children.
If I'm wrong about Jew-hate being partly caused by the Jewish discrimination against non-Jews in their children's marriages, it means either the discrimination doesn't happen (perhaps like 50% intermarriage rate in USA), OR what discrimination that exists is not a problem.
If I'm right about it being a reason, that implies Jew can reduce Jew-hate by changing their own behavior, and increasing inter-marriage. (This causes other, internal identity issues.)
I'm afraid, dear Neo, you WANT me to be wrong, to avoid the recommendation that Jews should reduce their own discrimination.
You might also want to make a point that such mild, and primarily personal discrimination should be acceptable in civilization, and not be fuel for hatred -- a point I would fully agree with. But "correctly" claiming that such discrimination doesn't justify Jew-hate is different than claiming anybody is mistaken who claims Jews do discriminate.
Which was the point I was trying to make, likely much less articulately than you would have had you wanted to make such a point.
Did I mention I had a Jewish girlfriend in High School? She was from Downey, one city over from my South Gate, and we met at a scholarship competition. (Later found out she took second, I third.)
"Chosen People" and "superiority" are primarily related to one issue: discrimination. I claim Jews have, historically, discriminated against non-Jews with respect to marriages for their children.
This is actually a common folk explanation among Jews for why non-Jews might not like them. That is why I have even read -- by Jewish authors -- speculation that Hitler's anti-semitism stemmed from being jilted by a Jewish girl when he was a boy.
What you're really talking about is the Jewish stereotype of "clannishness" which is valid to some extent. Like any minority, they are told that they are "better" than those who torment them. Like any minority, they are told to "work hard" to show that they are as good as or better than those who look down on them.
I have never met, or read about, a member of a minority (or even just a small nation) that doesn't console itself with ideas of superiority, and which also, because of its smallness, encourages in-group marriage only.
African Americans do it, even though that might seem counter-intuitive. Europeans do it all the time.
I think you are letting this 'chosen people' thing get inside your head. Best!
Well, we miss you already :)
Tom Grey: Just ask yourself a single question: is there a religion on earth that hasn't favored marriage within that religion above intermarriage, all else being equal? Muslims tend to marry Muslims, Hindus tend to marry Hindus, Christians tend to marry Christians, etc. etc. etc.
Jews, historically, have been no different than anyone else in that regard. Why should it be a cause for concern, or for hatred, or even for notice?
And, in fact, in recent years, the rate of Jewish intermarriage with people of other faiths has been practically astronomical.
I think it is a reason for concern because the Jews are facing extermination, and they need to change some things to survive as all species must adapt to external circumstances for survival.
America became stronger in WWII through integration of the Black Sheep squadron, african americans.
If Jews get some kind of "Palestinian" squadron, and can convince Palestinians that there is something worth fighting for, even if you are fighting against your own family, then the Jews would be safe from extermination for all time.
If they don't do that, their chances of ultimate survival without the United States or some other benevolent superpower is very weak. They are out to get the Jews, and they won't stop regardless of how many centuries pass by.
I look at things on a societal, military dynamic, perspective.
Israel's society is brittle. Their military has no regenerative ability. All their strength is internal, it is not external, they do not get immigrants on a scale necessary to infuse their culture and military with the same kind of power the United States has harnessed.
I wouldn't say that I know the solutions, because my solutions would not work with the Jews. The Jews have never taken their gloves off as a nation and a people, the Warsaw Ghettoe was the closest I saw and that might have had more to do with them being Polish then anything else.
Security lies only with ultimate power, the power to create and to destroy. I see no other possibility for survival, to be honest.
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