Big Mouth
There's probably no way I can say this without someone misunderstanding. However, I will risk the excoriation which may occur either because my writing is inadequate or my readers, if any, are biased, because I need to clarify my thinking. Mel Gibson's rant, "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," lacked the prefatory words, "The hatred of. . . (is)". Indeed, throughout history, the Jews have been hated and persecuted. I fail to understand why that is, because I have no room in my life for hatred. The only thing I know about Jews as a group is that they are often industrious and successful businessmen, and are faithful to their religion. What's to hate there?
Perhaps it's envy that drives anti-Semites, but why should envy translate into violence? With the Nazis it may have been their mental defects and thirst for power, but what impels "normal" people? I told you I don't understand.
Now, this is my complaint. People get drunk and say stupid things all the time. But, somehow celebrities are being followed everywhere by the press, and these media ghouls lurk about until the famous act human. I'm sure millions of drunks have said worse things than Gibson, but the press wasn't there. Somehow, reporters have come to believe that stories about the foibles of celebrities are news. They aren't.
I also believe that the Jews often over-react. I can't believe that no Jew has ever used the "n" word or referred to a "stupid Polack." Maybe the press could hang around some Jews until they quaff a little too much Manischewitz.
posted by Don, American Idle @ 3:41 PM
4 Comments:
"Historically, Jews were often not allowed to integrate with the wider communities in which they lived. Having no homeland, they were perceived as outsiders.
Before the 19th century, most anti-Semitism was primarily religious in nature, based on Christian or Islamic interactions with and interpretations of Judaism. Since Judaism was generally the largest minority religion in Christian Europe, Jews were often the primary targets of religiously-motivated violence and persecution from Christian and, to a lesser degree, Islamic rulers. Unlike anti-Semitism in general, this form of prejudice is directed at the religion itself, and so generally does not affect those of Jewish ancestry who have converted to another religion.
During the Enlightenment, racial anti-Semitism became the dominant form of anti-Semitism from the late 19th century through today. Racial anti-Semitism replaced the hatred of Judaism as a religion with the idea that the Jews themselves were a racially distinct group and that they were inferior or worthy of animosity. With the rise of racial anti-Semitism, conspiracy theories about Jewish plots in which Jews were somehow acting in concert to dominate the world became a popular form of anti-Semitic expression."
As for Mel Gibson, getting drunk makes you say stupid things, yes, but it won't make you say things that you don't believe on some level.
Now I understand. Because the Jews have had a troubled past, I'm supposed to hate Mel Gibson. Just like I'm supposed to feel guilty because over 300 years ago some people with the same skin color as mine brought slaves here from Africa.
You wrote throughout history, the Jews have been hated and persecuted. I fail to understand why that is; I tried to help you understand.
You are not supposed to hate Mel Gibson "because the Jews have had a troubled past." He made statements that show he is a bigot. Being drunk, I believe, does not excuse it.
Everybody is bigoted about something. If you believe the Bible, maybe Jesus was the one person who was completely pure.
Let's dismiss Mel Gibson, and move on. How can dwelling on it improve the world?
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