“I Apologize for the Jewish Vote for Obama”
Dear Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin:
This is my public apology to John McCain, Sarah Palin, Republican voters, Christian evangelicals, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Mike Gallagher and everyone else in the non-Jewish universe who stands four-square behind the State of Israel.
While you have written, spoken and, yes, even prayed in strong opposition to any retrofitting of American policy on behalf of the Jewish state, nearly eight out of every 10 American Jews failed to demonstrate similar resolve on Election Day.
Those dancing along with the Democratic faithful in Grant Park included Jews from almost all sectors of American life: young and old, Reconstructionist and Orthodox, wealthy and poor. So enamored were the revelers of the symbolism of electing a man of color to the Oval Office that they fatefully overlooked what he stands for and,worse, what he will not stand against.
Who would have ever imagined that it would fall to our non-Jewish neighbors to take up the cause of Israel’s survival and the necessity to be ever vigilant against the gathering clouds of Holocaust II?
In the wake of such Jewish philistinism, how am I to respond to my non-Jewish friends who wonder, with increasingly vocal and justifiable irritation, why Protestants and Catholics and Mormons recognize the threat that electing Barack Obama poses to Israel’s existence, yet the vast majority of American Jews won’t?
All that I can say, really, is “I am profoundly sorry.”
And, please, let me be very clear for what sin I beg forgiveness.
For generations, the Jewish people craved legitimacy and community. Only in America, since the establishment of the State of Israel, have the Jews found a country and a vast portion of its non-Jewish populace to stand side by side with us as true friends and allies.
And how do we repay this miracle? By leaving those who stand with us standing alone.
It is not that I wish my non-Jewish friends to be understanding of the 78 percent of American Jewish voters who cast their ballots for Obama, even when they were well aware of his proclivities to associate with anti-Jewish, anti-Israel friends and preachers. I do not forgive such willful callowness.
Nor do I make apologies for those American Jewish leaders, such as Marc Stanley of the National Democratic Jewish Council, who sought to minimize Obama’s close personal ties to Jew haters, such as Rashid Khalidi, by touting all the good Hamas has provided to downtrodden Palestinians. Indeed, on Election Day, Stanley actually told conservative talk show host Gallagher that in Gaza, Hamas “is the United Way.” (If I were the United Way, I’d sue for slander.)
I wish no forgiveness and make no apologies for the Marc Stanleys of our community. For them, I must draw deep upon my Jewish neshamah (breath) to feel anything but scorn.
No, it is on behalf of the 22 percent of American Jewry — including myself — who had the reasoned sense and maturity not to vote for the feel-good candidate, that I offer my humblest apologies to our non-Jewish countrymen.
We have not been good shepherds of our brothers and sisters. We have forgotten both our biblical and modern history — wherein a minority of Jews has always been required to exercise true leadership. We failed to act soon enough and forcefully enough to prevent nearly four out of every five of our kin from wandering off in the political desert.
While the political pundits speak of this being the first post-baby boom American election, we should have measured the significance for Jewish people differently.
The Jews in the world today are in a transitional period. We are the conduit generations — bridging the pre-Israel, pre-Holocaust world of our people with a future that will not be ours. Our role, the responsibility of our lifetimes, is to always act and behave on behalf of all who perished at the hands of evil and to be guardians for those still unborn who will inherit the fortune and folly of our deeds.
To our past and our future, I also apologize for our insufficient leadership.
For now, we must leave the Lost Tribes of Obama on their own. If their ears could not hear and their eyes could not see all the pre-election warnings that a President Obama may cost Israel its very survival, and in a domino effect destabilize the Western world and America, I have yet to discover the magic words that would wake them from their trance.
Instead, I believe the immediate focus and the tasks ahead must fall to those of us in the politically incorrect minority — just 22 out of every 100 American Jewish voters.
What do we do now?
I don’t yet know the answer. I do know that we can no longer count on sensibility to save the day. I do know that the people, countries and way of life we hold most dear are under serious assault, and we are summoned to disrupt the calmness of our pre-election lives to acknowledge as much. And I do know that we can’t count on non-Jewish allegiance to have eternal patience.
This is no simple lost election where we lick our wounds and pledge to fight on for another day. On Nov. 4, the world, especially the Jewish world, was set on a new, frightening course, and we must soberly acknowledge as much.
A month before the election, Anne Bayefsky, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, warned that not since Hitler’s time has civilization teetered so perilously on the brink of catastrophe.
“So when you cast your ballot this election, make no mistake: You are voting for or against a nuclear holocaust,” she wrote.
Nuclear holocaust won.
Dean Rotbart, a former columnist and news editor at The Wall Street Journal, is a Los Angeles-based publisher of media-related Internet sites.
SOURCE
This is my public apology to John McCain, Sarah Palin, Republican voters, Christian evangelicals, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Mike Gallagher and everyone else in the non-Jewish universe who stands four-square behind the State of Israel.
While you have written, spoken and, yes, even prayed in strong opposition to any retrofitting of American policy on behalf of the Jewish state, nearly eight out of every 10 American Jews failed to demonstrate similar resolve on Election Day.
Those dancing along with the Democratic faithful in Grant Park included Jews from almost all sectors of American life: young and old, Reconstructionist and Orthodox, wealthy and poor. So enamored were the revelers of the symbolism of electing a man of color to the Oval Office that they fatefully overlooked what he stands for and,worse, what he will not stand against.
Who would have ever imagined that it would fall to our non-Jewish neighbors to take up the cause of Israel’s survival and the necessity to be ever vigilant against the gathering clouds of Holocaust II?
In the wake of such Jewish philistinism, how am I to respond to my non-Jewish friends who wonder, with increasingly vocal and justifiable irritation, why Protestants and Catholics and Mormons recognize the threat that electing Barack Obama poses to Israel’s existence, yet the vast majority of American Jews won’t?
All that I can say, really, is “I am profoundly sorry.”
And, please, let me be very clear for what sin I beg forgiveness.
For generations, the Jewish people craved legitimacy and community. Only in America, since the establishment of the State of Israel, have the Jews found a country and a vast portion of its non-Jewish populace to stand side by side with us as true friends and allies.
And how do we repay this miracle? By leaving those who stand with us standing alone.
It is not that I wish my non-Jewish friends to be understanding of the 78 percent of American Jewish voters who cast their ballots for Obama, even when they were well aware of his proclivities to associate with anti-Jewish, anti-Israel friends and preachers. I do not forgive such willful callowness.
Nor do I make apologies for those American Jewish leaders, such as Marc Stanley of the National Democratic Jewish Council, who sought to minimize Obama’s close personal ties to Jew haters, such as Rashid Khalidi, by touting all the good Hamas has provided to downtrodden Palestinians. Indeed, on Election Day, Stanley actually told conservative talk show host Gallagher that in Gaza, Hamas “is the United Way.” (If I were the United Way, I’d sue for slander.)
I wish no forgiveness and make no apologies for the Marc Stanleys of our community. For them, I must draw deep upon my Jewish neshamah (breath) to feel anything but scorn.
No, it is on behalf of the 22 percent of American Jewry — including myself — who had the reasoned sense and maturity not to vote for the feel-good candidate, that I offer my humblest apologies to our non-Jewish countrymen.
We have not been good shepherds of our brothers and sisters. We have forgotten both our biblical and modern history — wherein a minority of Jews has always been required to exercise true leadership. We failed to act soon enough and forcefully enough to prevent nearly four out of every five of our kin from wandering off in the political desert.
While the political pundits speak of this being the first post-baby boom American election, we should have measured the significance for Jewish people differently.
The Jews in the world today are in a transitional period. We are the conduit generations — bridging the pre-Israel, pre-Holocaust world of our people with a future that will not be ours. Our role, the responsibility of our lifetimes, is to always act and behave on behalf of all who perished at the hands of evil and to be guardians for those still unborn who will inherit the fortune and folly of our deeds.
To our past and our future, I also apologize for our insufficient leadership.
For now, we must leave the Lost Tribes of Obama on their own. If their ears could not hear and their eyes could not see all the pre-election warnings that a President Obama may cost Israel its very survival, and in a domino effect destabilize the Western world and America, I have yet to discover the magic words that would wake them from their trance.
Instead, I believe the immediate focus and the tasks ahead must fall to those of us in the politically incorrect minority — just 22 out of every 100 American Jewish voters.
What do we do now?
I don’t yet know the answer. I do know that we can no longer count on sensibility to save the day. I do know that the people, countries and way of life we hold most dear are under serious assault, and we are summoned to disrupt the calmness of our pre-election lives to acknowledge as much. And I do know that we can’t count on non-Jewish allegiance to have eternal patience.
This is no simple lost election where we lick our wounds and pledge to fight on for another day. On Nov. 4, the world, especially the Jewish world, was set on a new, frightening course, and we must soberly acknowledge as much.
A month before the election, Anne Bayefsky, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, warned that not since Hitler’s time has civilization teetered so perilously on the brink of catastrophe.
“So when you cast your ballot this election, make no mistake: You are voting for or against a nuclear holocaust,” she wrote.
Nuclear holocaust won.
Dean Rotbart, a former columnist and news editor at The Wall Street Journal, is a Los Angeles-based publisher of media-related Internet sites.
SOURCE
Comments
Very sad...
Nice comment and observation, but you fail to describe the motiviations of the Christian Right and others who currently profess their profound "freindship and support" of Israel. Their actions are based upon their belief that Israel will be the harbringer of the return of Jesus Christ, and that by doing so, he'll soon arrive and then, if the Jews will repent for their "sins" for not previously or currently accepting Jesus, they will all burn in hell for all eternity.
So, Barbara, there's an agenda, you see, and that agenda serves not Israel, but the Christian Right and what they believe - strange bedfellows indeed - and you are just waiting to jump into bed and get under those sheets with them - so be careful! Also - don't be so rash about Obama - at least he's has appointed Rahn Emmanual - an Orthodox Jew as one of his key advisors (did Bush ever do that?), and Obama is not going to be one-sided about the Palestinian Issue - he supports the "two state" proposal that Israel's government, itself, is supporting.
The other implication is that you are criticizing Obama's intent to have talks with Iran. I understand your concern - and so do many others - but the good Ol' Republicans are labelling Obama for being a traitor to want to "talk to the enemy". Well, I ask you this - where were these Republicans when their Deity - Ronald Reagan, had meetings with the head of the so called "Evil Empire" (Regan coined that nickname for Russia)- Gorbachev - back in the mid 80's. Was Reagan wrong in his actions? Was he a traitor? Did the "Evil Empire" become more evil or did it fall? Sure, no one wants to make a deal with the devil, and that was the situation with Chamberlain and Hitler prior to WWII ("Peace in our time....."). But you need to recognize that these are different times, different powers and different people - which call for a different kind of diplomacy and leadership. I think Iran considers that they will pay with VERY BAD consequences if it tries to nuke Israel. But watch out for those Chirstian Right folks - they would love nothing better than to have Israel do the "dirty work" and nuke Iran (and also suffer insurmountable casualties and deaths) before anyone else thinks of doing so - that way, they can wash their hands clean and blame Israel (oh, excuse me, the JEWS!) for what happened - or, for that matter, praise Israel for its actions because that would bring the return of good ol' JC!!! Then watch out!
Hey, what if that does happen? Perhaps the Christians will say it's JC, and us Jews will say he's Mosiach? Never mind what JC would do - what would YOU do?
Happy Hannukah!
PW
Well said...coulda, woulda, shoulda...but I don't know if laying blame on the Jewish community explains the 'lemming' style voting for the president elect. Americans have endured at least 2 decades of government that is oblivious to the people; the wars, Wall Street's implosion, outsourced jobs and manufacturing, I watch Bush being interviewed on his way out and think, there's no way all this could have gone on without a defined program in place to destroy democracy and american as we knew it, but other than the billions these master thieves and liars have, I have to ask (again rhetorically) is it really possible that our own people could so ruthlessly suck the life out of a country, neglect essential infrastructures and just move on. We've gone to war over men who slaughter their own people, american is left high and dry, basically a dead zone. And as always, when things go south, there's always room to scapegoat Jews...It's been amazing to watch the slow evolution of palestinian claims to land and political recognition and if you think about what's going on, its not much different from many squeaky wheels screaming for reparations, abusers claiming to be victims, everything turned inside out so that where we once had principles, morals, ethics, we now have chaos, immorality across the board e.g. human trafficking thru the roof, women and girls murdered or simply disappearing as if its just a fact of life now, pornography as a cultural by product with women's magazines or online sites suggesting couples watch together so she understands what he likes...participate in the murder and this way blame is spread around so no one can be singled out as guilty...gee this sounds like Germany 101, Iraq 101 its no wonder governments dismiss america publically as an impotent dinosaur and are demanding recognition as nuclear powers, disregarding treaties, the UN...its a free for all and with no safe guards in place, the Jewish people are always the least safe and protected. No one, and I mean no one I've spoken to (I'm in academia) mentions the horrific torture that went on Mombai...if any other people, race or religion had been singled out and tortured to death in front of the world, for no reason other than they are who they are, would their murders also be met with such stunning apathy? This is the 'street' reaction, how do we explain the media's lack of reporting or outrage? Nazism become fashionable to slip on, an accoutrement that no one really calls by its name, but like to tote it about when politically expedient. Poor Abe Foxman, his prophetic words 2 years ago warning the jewish community we're heading into dangerously antisemitic times...I think of him being interviewed in 2007 by the NY Times and the feature began by pondering "Is Abe Foxman Paranoid About the Jews" and goes on to present the older man as out of touch with more liberal thinking and accomodations where Jews learn to set aside Jewness so that finally everyone 'just gets along.'
But even the most amateur history buff knows it doesnt work that way for Jews...you can change your name, coat of colors and you remain who you are, Chosen, therefore a marked target.
I didnt vote for him, I dont listen to him, the baseless and mindless rush to create this media package called Obama is nothing but a salve on the wounds create by the Bush regime. Its amusing to hear the so called senior reporters who fawn nightly about the way the president elect is picking from Column A and Column B of experienced politcos to structure his cabinet...He better, because he dont know diddley about what's out there.
In my most personal moments, I think where can I go, where will I be safe? And I cannot find any answer now.
R. Singer (can't remember my Blogger pass, sorry)