I'm a Technorata

Now that I have a bit more time to blog, I might as well attract some readers. So I've just signed onto Technorati, which gives blog freaks tools for tracking their favorites. You do this by putting a little bit of code into a post, which produces a link like this:

Technorati Profile

When I see this sort of thing, it seems like a million years ago (actually it was 1994) when I built my first site and proudly displayed a graphic proclaiming me a bona fide member of the HTML Writers Guild. Sounds a bit quaint now, doesn't it?

Not so subtle anti-Semitism

A post on the diary section of the John Edwards blog with the unlikely title defining trait of Middle Eastern Jews and Muslims," caught my eye.

I'm all in favor of free speech and the rise of the citizen journalist, but to see this piece of crap on the Edwards site is what we Jews call a "shanda" (roughly, a shame to the community). So I responded to it, and I'm posting my response here too.

This goes against my general rule, dating from my days as a public relations pro, not to get involved in public pissing contests with idiots, but this kind of malicious anti-Semitism shouldn't go unanswered, and I'm going to make sure that it doesn't. What's more, I might just drive over to the Edwards HQ and see if their Webmaster can remove it.

So here goes:

Not so subtle anti-Semitism

This poster is either seriously confused or an anti-Semite, and probably both.

First, what is this "Middle Eastern Jews" business? There used to be millions of Middle Eastern Jews, but the ones in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Morocco, and the rest of their neighbors fled to Israel, to escape oppression of the most ugly sort. So this writer is presumeably writing about Israelis, but apparently doesn't want to acknowledge that there are such people. It's the "Jews" that he's really attacking in this diatribe.

Even worse is this:

"With conservative ideologys of the Religious Right and most importantly Jewish Americans, neocons willingly sacrificed our nations values, wealth, and youth for their religion and Israel."

Just who is this person talking about (and why doesn't he learn how to form a correct plural?) It is true that there have been several Jews in the ranks of the neocon "brain trust,"but most American Jews don't subscribe to their ideas and are rather embarassed about them. How these few individuals could have sacrificed America's values, youth, and wealth for their religion (presumably Judaism) and for Israel defies belief. But the statement is right in line with classic anti-Semitic rants which ascribe to Jews all sorts of utterly impossible and ridiculous abilities. "Jews control the media." "Jews control the world economy." That sort of crap.

And, besides the writer's very unsubtle hatred of Jews, the whole premise of his post doesn't hold water. Comparing the split in American society to an unending "divisiveness of tribes" between Middle Eastern Jews and Muslims is simply nonsense. Jews have no quarrel with Muslims, although like most Americans, they are troubled that this religious tradition has been highjacked by extremists of the worst sort. Inside Israel, many thousands of Muslims live in peace with their neighbors, have full rights of citizenship, and even sit in the Knesset (the equivalent of our Congress.)

This writer doesn't even appear to understand that the concept of tribalism isn't based on differences in religion, but rather in internal enmities and distrust between believers in the same religion. It is tribalism that is now tearing apart what's left of the society of Iraq, that threatens the stability of Lebanon, and is turning vast stretches of Africa into killing grounds.

It's a pity to see a forum for the free exchange of ideas coopted by someone who is not only prejudiced, but ignorant as well.

by wordlady
on 1/01/2007 at 10:36 EST

The Chapel Hill phenomenon

I went to see the Tarheels play (basketball, of course) last Thursday. On Saturday I went to what was being billed as the John Edwards " homecoming rally," which was held in the town common of one of the planned communities hereabouts. About 5000 of the most cooperative, pleasant, and patient people you can imagine turned out for this, and waited a good two hours before Edwards and his merry clan showed up. He was wearing jeans, of course, like everyone else. But I'll tell ya', this guy looks better in jeans than any model in a Levi's commercial.

He's an impressive guy, and so is his message. He's talking about restoring America's moral fiber, and encouraging everyone to take part in that process, starting right now. One can't help but remember JFK's message not to ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

But here's what really struck me. This man and his famiy had been up since 6 am, travelled to South Carolina to a rally, and then come back to their "home town." And when he was done with his "speech," he came down from the stage and stayed for another hour and a half, talking to anyone who wanted to speak to him, shaking hands, autographing posters, and having animated conversations with little kids, who were utterly thrilled that they'd met the man who might someday be President. His kids (the two little ones) were out in back of the stage, rolling around on the grass under the watchful eyes of their older sister and what appeared to be a few of her friends. They eventually all piled into an SUV and went home.

Now I know that a certain amount of this handshaking and baby-kissing stuff comes along with any political campaign, but this was special -- personal, heartfelt, utterly without pretension, really remarkable to see.

I'm going to work on his campaign. It helps, of course, that the headquarters is about ten minutes down the road, just like everything else in Chapel Hill.