Oliver Stone is a nutcase

I can’t say something like this is a big surprise. In the last few years, it’s become increasingly more acceptable to make antisemitic comments as along as you dress them up as being anti-Israel or anti-Zionist. Whenever Jews complain about this, we are told we are being paranoid, trying to be the eternal victims or trying to stifle any debate about Israel.

I mean hell, even tenured professors at place like Harvard and the U. of Chicago write books about how the Israeli lobby controls the United States so it must be true right. Of course what motivates people’s dislike of Israel or Zionism is a basic dislike of Jews.

And that’s what what Stone’s comments reveal. It’s really not about Israel. Sure, there’s the obligatory mention of Israel, but for him it’s “the Jews” that control the media, and of course we Jews become “they,” the other we always have been to Stone. He doesn’t need to hide it anymore because the acceptance of those thinly veiled comments about Jews have moved the edge of what someone can say.

Now someone like Stone can say Jews instead of Israel or Zionists. There might be some commentary about this, but not much. Stone and his supporters will use any complaining by Jews or others as proof he is right. It will also prove good publicity for what is undoubtedly a silly documentary series he is producing for HBO.

I mean this strategy worked great for “Passion of the Christ.” When was the last time anybody saw a movie in Aramaic, and yet by exploiting a controversy over antisemitism, Mel Gibson’s made millions and millions of dollars. So why wouldn’t Stone do it?

Of course Stone, and Gibson, genuinely despise Jews. In fact he has so little regard for Jews that he doesn’t care if he incites hatred, or worse, to make a few extra bucks.

And we Jews can’t win. If we say nothing, we will hear more comments like Stone’s. If we speak out, it will give him the attention he wants and we will hear more comments like Stone’s.

Sure Stone is crazy, but that doesn’t mean he’s stupid.

Hi Yaeli,

I wish I could say you were paranoid, but I cant. The best I can say is that while things aren’t going well, the situation in the United States isn’t hopeless. Unfortunately, older groups like the ADL don’t seem up to taking on the new antisemitism that comes dressed as anti-Israelism or anti-Zionism.

Progressives certainly are the main proponents of this new antisemitism, but the progressive movement is small. There are a number of Jews in the progressive movement, but they represent a relatively small percentage of Jews. Most Jews vote for Democrats, but there is a difference between progressives and Democrats or even liberals.

The problem is that those Democrats outside the progressive movement, and that’s most Democrats including Obama, are unwilling to confront the new anti-Semites because the progressives are needed to advance more mainstream Democratic issues that have nothing to do with Jews or Israel. Most Jews don’t force the issue because for a lot of reasons Jews typically want to keep a low profile.

If you think this a partisan or liberal problem then ask yourself when was the last time you heard the Republican Party speak out against Pat Buchanan for his antisemitism. The Republicans are equally unwilling to risk their larger agenda in a battle their own antisemitic elements.

Turning Israel and antisemitism into a partisan issue will cause nothing but problems for Israel and Jews. The goal should be to get the more mainstream elements of both parties to push back against new-style and old-style anti-Semites.

Right now Jews in the United States are somewhat encircled facing the new antisemitism of the far left and the traditional antisemitism of the far right and an apathetic middle more interested in other issues. It’s not a good situation.

Because of my name, which sounds Italian to most people, I like Yaeli know what people say about Jews when they don’t think no Jews are in the room. It ranges from the stupid to the evil.

Yaeli, I would be interested to hear about the opinions of those who made you decide to leave for Israel, but I also understand if you don’t want to write about that.

Later

I don’t want to get into some big flame war with anybody, but liberals and progressives are not the same, and certainly not all elected democrats are progressives.

I don’t think anybody would mistake Wyoming’s governor for a progressive or even a liberal. Same goes for Walt Minnick, a Democrat from Idaho in the U.S. House. None of the Blue Dogs are progressive. I could go on.

Again, making Israel and Jews a partisan issue is bad for Israel and the Jews. No party will ever have a monopoly on power in the United States, so if these issues become partisan, we will end up with a hostile administration or congress half the time.

The only thing worse would be to convince people that all Muslims are our enemy. So a town with a large Jewish population has a Muslim mayor. Has he said anything antisemitic? I see no evidence of it. Jews and Muslims can and do get along. Go look at Irshad Manji’s Web site.

I’m sorry but we Jews have enough real enemies; we don’t need to go around creating more of them just to suit somebody else’s political agenda.

Muslims serve in the IDF, in border police units, and in the Israeli diplomatic corps.

It’s important to distinguish between Muslims and Islamists. They aren’t the same.

Shalom/Salaam

Gee Yaeli, I wonder why you moved to Israel?

Shalom/Salaam