'America will be cursed if we reject Israel'
Robert Avrech reports on a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition by another female Israel supporter whom the Left loves to hate: Michele Bachmann.Why the liberal hatred and obsession with Bachmann and Palin?Yup. Andrew Sullivan has already called Bachmann insane, although for now, at least, he has not commented on her body parts.
It's not hard to understand.
Articulate and appealing Conservative women—Bachmann, Palin, Coulter, Malkin—are a direct and powerful rebuke to the liberal so-called feminist narrative. A narrative that is based on the Orwellian notion that only liberals can be authentic feminists, and by implication authentic women. Those who deviate from this political and social orthodoxy are not just ideological opponents, but existential enemies.
As Lenin said, “We are not interested in debating our opponents but in destroying them.”
As every screenwriter knows, a compelling narrative deperately needs a worthy antagonist. Thus Bachmann and Palin—in fact, all Conservative women—have become the anatagonists of choice for the rapidly collapsing liberal narrative.
Here's the money quote from Bachmann on Israel:
I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle.A lot of Leftist Jews feel queasy when they hear Christians quoting the bible about Jews. I want to address that. One should not take Christians quoting the bible or speaking about Jews in religious terms as necessarily meaning that they want to convert us. Christians from both the Right and the Left may quote the bible to and about Jews. Consider this from President Clinton's October 27, 1994 speech to the Knesset.
Thirteen years ago, he said, he and Mrs. Clinton visited Jerusalem's holy sites with their pastor as part of a religious mission. A few years later, "when he became desperately ill, he said he thought I might one day become President." At that point, Clinton recounted, his friend and teacher told him, " 'If you abandon Israel, God will never forgive you.' He said it is God's will that Israel, the biblical home of the people of Israel, continue for ever and ever."What that article doesn't tell you, but which I recall from radio coverage at the time, is that the ultra-Orthodox parties were thrilled with Clinton quoting the bible, and Israel's Leftist parties were not. And Clinton is definitely not a Rightist. Was he trying to convert us?
Hmmm.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:37 PM
7 Comments:
Andrew Sullivan is a known Israel-hater. By his comments on Palin and Bachmann, he is also a misogynist. I guess the two hatreds go hand in hand on the left. I have never heard any prominent leftwinger condemn the persecution of women under Sharia law, advocate for women subjected to the cruel procedure of FGM or denounce "honor" killings.
Honestly Carl, I don’t think this is a gender issue – but it is a Jewish one.
Michele Bachmann appears to be a responsible, devout Christian who openly speaks about the role Jesus plays in her politics (see recent CBN report). I don’t believe she is out to convert us, nor do I believe she is praying daily for Armageddon. But there is reason to feel queasy. It’s not about Michele or Sarah and their flag pins and lip service - it’s about us.
I think when it comes to fundamentalist Christian politicians, we Jews need to step back a bit and get off the 2-dimensional political spectrum. We have some core Jewish and profound halachic issues to deal with. The liberal non-observant Jewish community as well as the politically conservative Torah observant community should try and get in touch with their “inner Jew” to better understand why they keep floundering on the evangelical issue.
It would be wrong to totally dismiss the discomfort liberal Jews feel. Behind a lot of the anti-Israel, self -hating rhetoric of the Jewish left is little remnant of a Jewish soul which feels genuinely and correctly uncomfortable with the apocalyptic rhetoric and the degree of Evangelese which is being spoken on Capital Hill by fundamentalist Christians. The Jewish left may have lost their love for Israel, but on a gut level it’s possible that they feel a natural Jewish aversion to that which is foreign and forbidden to us - and yet they are incapable of genuinely expressing that aspect of themselves.
As for the Orthodox right, they should know that “Judeo-Christian values” can backfire in an Israel where Judaic values are seen as universal values. Evangelicals are influencing Israeli society and affecting the character of the Jewish state. Whether or not the benefits of such an alliance outweigh the problems inherent in the relationship is something Jews and Jewish leadership, in Israel and the Diaspora, need to ask themselves.
Perhaps it’s time that we recognize the natural aversion to our “unconditionally” embracing evangelical Christians as a healthy, unifying trend – and as a survival instinct among all of our people. After all, the one common denominator among all Jews –secular, religious, and all shades in between, is that we don’t believe in Jesus as a lord or savior. Nor should we be putting our faith in fervently and blatantly Christian politicians.
Pray that an articulate, effective, proud and Torah-literate Jewish leader will stand up soon, because letting the Christian right speak and act for us comes with a tremendous cost.
"Respect and suspect" is the formula, Carl.
Ellen for Jewish Israel
Honestly Carl, I don’t think this is a gender issue – but it is a Jewish one.
Michele Bachmann appears to be a responsible, devout Christian who openly speaks about the role Jesus plays in her politics (see recent CBN report). I don’t believe she is out to convert us, nor do I believe she is praying daily for Armageddon. But there is reason to feel queasy. It’s not about Michele or Sarah and their flag pins and lip service - it’s about us.
I think when it comes to fundamentalist Christian politicians, we Jews need to step back a bit and get off the 2-dimensional political spectrum. We have some core Jewish and profound halachic issues to deal with. The liberal non-observant Jewish community as well as the politically conservative Torah observant community should try and get in touch with their “inner Jew” to better understand why they keep floundering on the evangelical issue.
It would be wrong to totally dismiss the discomfort liberal Jews feel. Behind a lot of the anti-Israel, self -hating rhetoric of the Jewish left is little remnant of a Jewish soul which feels genuinely and correctly uncomfortable with the apocalyptic rhetoric and the degree of Evangelese which is being spoken on Capital Hill by fundamentalist Christians. The Jewish left may have lost their love for Israel, but on a gut level it’s possible that they feel a natural Jewish aversion to that which is foreign and forbidden to us - and yet they are incapable of genuinely expressing that aspect of themselves.
As for the Orthodox right, they should know that “Judeo-Christian values” can backfire in an Israel where Judaic values are seen as universal values. Evangelicals are influencing Israeli society and affecting the character of the Jewish state. Whether or not the benefits of such an alliance outweigh the problems inherent in the relationship is something Jews and Jewish leadership, in Israel and the Diaspora, need to ask themselves.
Perhaps it’s time that we recognize the natural aversion to our “unconditionally” embracing evangelical Christians as a healthy, unifying trend – and as a survival instinct among all of our people. After all, the one common denominator among all Jews –secular, religious, and all shades in between, is that we don’t believe in Jesus as a lord or savior. Nor should we be putting our faith in fervently and blatantly Christian politicians.
Pray that an articulate, effective, proud and Torah-literate Jewish leader will stand up soon, because letting the Christian right speak and act for us comes with a tremendous cost.
"Respect and suspect" is the formula, Carl.
Ellen for Jewish Israel
"After all, the one common denominator among all Jews –secular, religious, and all shades in between, is that we don’t believe in Jesus as a lord or savior."
Really? That's the only common denominator? No shared identity, history or language but rather that we're not some something else? So a "Jew for Allah" (if such an organization existed) would have been considered a Jew? Setting the Jewish identity on a negative basis is asking for failure.
No, Yair. Unfortunately, secular and non-Orthodox Jews do not believe in the Jewish identity and history, as handed down by the Torah, prophets and sages.
Language? Perhaps. So what?!
There is no relevant cult called "Jews for Allah." Stick to the reality on the ground.
And yes, we are failing. Where did you read that Ellen thinks we're doing just fine and dandy? Or is it you that thinks that we're OK as it is?
Shy Guy, it sure took some effort to find the most uncharitable reading possible, right?
First, you definition of Jewish identity is narrow, narrower than that of traditional Judaism, which never demanded complete compliance. Even "bad Jews" were still Jews.
Second, hypotheticals are useful and are typically used in logical argument. I already mentioned there isn't a "Jews for Allah" organization (you somehow missed that), but what if there was?
Third, I think we're failing too, but (as I said, and you somehow misread) this presentation is making success impossible. Jewish identity must be more than the sum of its various negations if it is to prosper.
And to make myself clearer, I do agree with the point Ellen is making ("kabdehu vehasdehu"), I'm just hoping for a more positive identity...
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