(UPDATE: As I mention above, I feel I was too harsh in my criticisms in this post, and so I have modified it to remove the most "challenging" of my comments. They were my visceral reaction to this absurd charge, but I should not have responded in kind, and I apologize). I have marked each place where I removed stuff with the word (UPDATED).
George Allen is Jewish?
Like the question mark. The Daily Show explained how you can smear people any way you want so long as you add a "question mark" at the end. After all, we're just "asking".
(UPDATED)
But seriously, this is the 2nd opponent of Webb that his supporters had gone nuts to make sure everybody knew they were Jewish. Apparently, they think it helps Webb if his opponent is one of those jews.
The religion-baiters are going for a two-fer here. Commenting on Allen's correct response to an inappropriate question, they are now suggesting that Allen must be ashamed to admit he is a jew. (UPDATED)
A debate was held today, with real issues of importance discussed. And apparently Webb did so bad at the debate, that all the Webbies can talk about is how half the debate was about Allen being a racist (he's not) and whether Allen is a jew. (Updated)
Given the strong anti-semitic sentiment in the anti-war left, you have to ask, are the local Webb supporters in agreement with the national organizations that support Webb, and that believe that Jews and the pro-Isreali lobby are responsible for the middle east conflict, and that the "neo-conservatives" (read jews) are responsible for the Iraq war? The same group that went after Lieberman with their hate-filled rhetoric?
I'm just asking.
BTW, if you (UPDATED) go to NLS's site, be sure to go read his "source article". It doesn't actually KNOW that Allen's mother was ever jewish, it just speculates about it based on some anecdotes from Allen's sister's book. Allen's sister never says anything about her mother being jewish, but that doesn't stop the speculation.
They don't even know if allen's mother HAD two jewish parents. Nor do they know if she was raised jewish. We know she married a catholic, and there is no indication she EVER practiced judaism after she was married.
So, what possible difference can it make what her ancestry is? The webbites already went after her as some racist woman teaching her son foreign racial slurs that weren't actually slurs and that he didn't actually say. Now they are going after her heritage, and suggesting that if Allen won't answer questions about it, he's "ducking the issue".
(UPDATED - took out personal rebuke of ben, which included a quote that was not actually his - My apologies to Ben).
And this is right AFTER a debate on substantive issues, which apparently their candidate did so bad at that they HAVE to find something else to talk about.
5 comments:
" After all, Ben admits the question was out-of-bounds."
Where did I do that?
Are you saying that anti-semitism and persecution against Jews isn't a substantive issue? Because that's what Allen is doing here.
Exactly Waldo! The crowd would not have booed if he had been asked if he was from a Christian family. Nor would Allen have "recoiled" (thats the word the WaPo is using, not mine).
VC, allen is doing no such thing, he is saying that questioning his mother's religion is out of bounds.
His mother was a catholic for his life, so her being or not being a jew has nothing to do with his upbringing.
Waldo/NLS, you are smarter than that -- I listened to her ask the question, and it wasn't an innocent "your family is christian, how would that effect your actions if you win re-election?" question.
And coming on the heals of THIS question: "Did you learn the French-Tunisian slur "macaca" from your French-Tunisian mother?" (that's a quote from NLS, I haven't seen if the transcript has the question the same way) which implies that his mother would teach him offensive words, I think he was tired of having his mother dragged into the contest.
Dana Milbank says he "recoiled", but that is an absurd description. He was reacting to inappropriate questions about his mother, who when I last checked wasn't running for office.
NLS, you are correct, Dannyboy said the question was inappropriate at your site, not you. I'll fix that.
Also VC, said of the question that he " think this is a completely outrageous question for a Senate debate. Who cares what someone's religious background is? Allen responded angrily and defensively, and the audience's booing was probably appropriate."
Also: "Reaction has been universal disgust against Peggy Fox's question."
A few posts later he was calling it "I've been hesitant to make a definitive stand on Allen's highly offensive statements today"
That's a great 180.
What would make me sadder would be to sit down with you guys after the election and find out you actually BELIEVE that Allen was trying to hide some jewish heritage.
For all you know, his mother was NOT jewish, and he simply is tired of people making things up about her, like saying she taught him racist comments.
The post on NLS did finally sway me. I've watched the Webb campaign and his supporters sink further and further into the gutter.
The macaca incident gave me pause.
I oppose the war in Iraq. But Webb doesn't want to get out or cut funding. So he's no different than Allen in substance.
But this, last night, was the final straw. Who in hell cares if George Allen is Jewish? And to assert that people booed because he IS Jewish? Repulsive. People booed because it was a question that came from a place of derision and degradation.
It seems to be a game of "code words" for the Webb campaign. First there was Felix - of course implying he is gay without actually saying it, but at the same time retaining the cover of "not that there's anything wrong with that" and now this.
I've had enough. Webb won't get my vote. He has CHOSEN to surround himself with vile people.
I will still be voting against the marriage amendment, however.
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