European Jews, adopted
Those of us who are involved in the vast right-wing pajama media conspiracy have noted many troubling stories in recent years regarding the rise of European anti-Semitism. Better late than never, the New York Times weighs in today with a piece about how Jews have been abandoned by Europe's left-wing elite. But what is wonderful about the article is that it relays to America and the world at large that European Jews are not content to let this happen, and have moved markedly rightward in recent years.
Jews, of course, were darlings of the left after World War II. That is, until they prospered, financially, politically, and militarily. Then they became "occupiers" of Israel and received disdain rather than empathy.
Just as the American Left has taken black voters for granted for the last thirty-plus years, Europe's elites had always assumed Jews would be in their corner. Fortunately, European Jews are recognizing that their old parties have abandoned them, and that rival parties are ready to adopt. How could they turn to the parties of the old anti-Semitic right? The author notes a truth we all know but still love to see acknowledged:
I cannot help but feel that a very similar thing is about to happen in black America. As Maslow noted, humans have a hierarchy of needs, and one of the primary needs is that of physical security. So long as the right is a monstrous group, ready with fire hoses and attack dogs, issues such as school vouchers, religious freedom, and abortion are less important. But when more and more people see and acknowledge that the Republicans of today are not the racists of yesteryear, the left's appeal to black voters will wither.
The New York cocktail-party set looks to Europe for the latest political trends to import to America. It looks as though we've found one worth encouraging.
In Britain in the last 60 years, the number of left-of-center Jewish members of Parliament has dropped from more than two dozen to about a dozen, primarily older, members while the number in parties of the center and right has climbed from none to about half a dozen. The Tories' would-be finance minister, Oliver Letwin, is Jewish, as is the party's new leader, Michael Howard. Mr. Lerman says Jews in Britain are now identified in public opinion more with the Conservative Party than the Labor Party.
Jews, of course, were darlings of the left after World War II. That is, until they prospered, financially, politically, and militarily. Then they became "occupiers" of Israel and received disdain rather than empathy.
Just as the American Left has taken black voters for granted for the last thirty-plus years, Europe's elites had always assumed Jews would be in their corner. Fortunately, European Jews are recognizing that their old parties have abandoned them, and that rival parties are ready to adopt. How could they turn to the parties of the old anti-Semitic right? The author notes a truth we all know but still love to see acknowledged:
But an essential difference between the anti-Semitism of today and that of the 1930's is that center-right parties tolerated - or encouraged - it then and denounce it today.
I cannot help but feel that a very similar thing is about to happen in black America. As Maslow noted, humans have a hierarchy of needs, and one of the primary needs is that of physical security. So long as the right is a monstrous group, ready with fire hoses and attack dogs, issues such as school vouchers, religious freedom, and abortion are less important. But when more and more people see and acknowledge that the Republicans of today are not the racists of yesteryear, the left's appeal to black voters will wither.
The New York cocktail-party set looks to Europe for the latest political trends to import to America. It looks as though we've found one worth encouraging.
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