February 28, 2014

New York Times Readers Annoyed at Number of Jewish Writers

I enjoyed reading this New York Times Motherlode blog post by a Jewish writer describing her experience letting go of a superstition against baby showers, until I got to the comments. Midway through them, I found myself wondering when someone would make an explicit pejorative reference to the “Jew York Times.” It may as well have been there, given the umbrage a handful of readers took at what they characterized as an over-representation of Jewish voices and concerns in the popular parenting blog.

A commenter named Sharon thusly kicked off the fracas: “The topics presented in this blog seem to always have some sort of direct or indirect Jewish tie-in… this one, Zachary’s shiva, the acne lady mentioning that her secular school friends left her alone but the Hewbrew [sic] school kids were merciless, the over-priviledged [sic] pre-school couple was Jewish.”

I’ll be generous and give Sharon the benefit of the doubt that she did not mean to offend. I have, in the past, been accused of naivete.

But my optimism quickly waned when I examined the sentiments of other commenters, who glommed on acrimoniously to Sharon’s observation. “This blog is overly Jewish and it’s obvious,” wrote DH. “Blacks comprise over 12% of the population, compared with the measly 3% of Jews, and yet you don’t see guest posts by or about Black parents on here very often at all. Hispanics, even Asians comprise a larger percentage of the population than Jews do, yet they don’t get much of a voice either.”

more: http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/164403/new-york-times-readers-annoyed-at-number-of-jewish-writers

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Oh the irony...the first three comments to this article:

(and my personal favorite, keep in mind this is a Jewish website)

February 28, 2014

Egyptian regime, Muslim Brotherhood accuse each other of being ‘Jewish'

The violent struggle for power in Egypt between the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Egyptian army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has led to mutual accusations of being Jewish and implementing The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Supporters of the current regime have compared the Brotherhood to Jews and Zionists, even claiming that the group’s founder, Hassan al-Banna, was Jewish, according to a new report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

In a report in the daily Al-Wafd, writer Magdi Salama said the Brotherhood was carrying out The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

“In their Protocols, the Zionists are mainly concerned with destroying governments in every country, sowing the seeds of strife and quarrel in all countries and changing the [atmosphere] in the countries from one of tolerance to one of political and religious radicalism. This is precisely what the Muslim Brotherhood has currently undertaken to do in Egypt,” MEMRI quoted Salama as writing.

The Protocols, an old forgery meant to demonstrate the Jews’ “evil” plans, is still in use among anti-Semites around the world as “proof” that the Jews are trying to take over the world.

more: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egyptian-regime-Muslim-Brotherhood-accuse-each-other-of-being-Jewish-343835

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Oy! Oy! Oy!

February 22, 2014

The Global Divide on Homosexuality

This is a link to the Pew survey. I believe there was an article posted here about this earlier, but here it is in totality. I tis VERY interesting!

http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/

nomorenomore08

There is MUCH, MUCH more. It is quite interesting.

February 21, 2014

This is NOT about the evils of straight, white, men, BUT, it is about the reality of one gay man.

There have been threads in which SWM are feeling "under attack." In some cases, I can understand why, in others, not so much. I hated diversity programs that focused solely on the 'faults' of straight, white, Christian, able-bodied men. When I started doing presentations, I focused on the issues that faced minority cultures and their accomplishments, often in the face of discrimination. I guess one can call it a "tone" issue. So, I hope this post comes across in a positive way or at least let's others see how a minority person sees his place in this country.

This Saturday is my 12th anniversary with my partner. If interested, the traditional gift is silk or linen, and yes, we are accepting gifts. The modern gift is pearl. Yeah. Stick with sending gifts of silk or linen. So, anywho, I went to the Hallmark store today in a mid-sized Oklahoma town (<40K) to get an anniversary card (well, actually I get three or four). To my chagrin, there wasn't a single one oriented toward gay men. Ok, I didn't lose my chagrin, I know I have to look for cards that don't say "wife," or have female pronouns. It is difficult to find cards which are appropriate. Some years, I just buy cards with men and women couples, then pull the picture off or cover it with a picture I find on the internet of two men. This is my reality. Yes, I could drive an hour to Tulsa and find a few cards, but should I have to? Sure, bigger cities are going to have things for GLBT people, but it reminds me, as a gay man, that I have to be in a major city to exist.

This is my reality. This is what it is to be gay in this country. It seems like a little thing, but sometimes, it is the little things that can be the most prominent. Can you imagine going into a card store and not finding a card for your wife (if you are a man), or your husband (if you are a woman)? Can you imagine looking for a gift and the salesperson looks at you funny when you say who your 'spouse' is? Yeah, I can't get married in OK, and something this mundane reminds me once again, I am not a "real" person, a valuable citizen, to a number of people.

Thanks!

(PS. If you are white, have you ever noticed how "white" cards are, unless you are in the "Mahogany" section?" When you look around and you don't see yourself in the merchandise or see yourself in a "reserved" section, it can be a bit sad.)

ETA: I wanted to thank everyone, whom I haven't already thanked, for the well wishes! I am pleased to see so many people understood what I was saying. I had planned to thank everyone, but I didn't expect this many people to respond!!! My partner had the day off, so I was spending it with him, when it wasn't working (apparently his work doesn't understand the concept of "day off!&quot , so I went shopping and still couldn't find a "silk" gift. For real! Satin will have to due. Again, I sincerely thank everyone for the well wishes, and those who added their own personal stories. - BtA

February 19, 2014

Neo-Nazi version of Monopoly -- whoever sends most Jews to gas chambers wins

Disclaimer: I am not a fan of the Daily Mail, but this was just...fascinating, in a sick, twisted way

A Neo-Nazi group created a perverted board game based on Monopoly where Jewish people get sent to death camps so they could pass the time between murders.

---snip---

The gang called the game 'Pogromly' - from the word pogrom meaning a violent riot that were often organised against Jews in Russian and eastern Europe over several centuries - and features a skull wearing a German helmet in the centre of the board, S.S. runic flashes and plenty of swastikas.

---snip----

Instead of the four railway stations that feature on every Monopoly board the gang had the name of four notorious concentration and death camps: Auschwitz, Dachau, Ravensbrueck and Buchenwald.

Chance and Community Chest cards had instructions like: 'Go to the next concentration camp and hand in the captured Jews and make the owner pay twice the normal rent.'

Entire article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562882/Neo-Nazi-group-funded-activities-selling-twisted-version-Monopoly-winner-sends-Jews-gas-chambers.html

February 19, 2014

Anti-Semitism in America: Down, but not out

NEW YORK (JTA) — When Abraham Foxman steps down next summer from his longtime post as national director of the Anti-Defamation League, he’ll be leaving his successor with a much brighter picture on anti-Semitism in America than when Foxman joined the organization in 1965.

In an age when anti-Semitic incidents appear to be on the upswing in many parts of the world, America tops the list of countries where Jews suffer least from anti-Semitism, Foxman says.

Jews can live, study and work anywhere they want in America. Yes, there’s Mel Gibson, Louis Farrakhan and the occasional swastika scrawled on a synagogue wall, but Jews in America for the most part live free of discrimination or the threat of violence.

“Statistically, yes, the picture is pretty good,” Foxman told JTA in an interview this week. “We’ve made an awful lot of progress in this country in terms of social anti-Semitism.

“Socially, Jews in America have ‘made it.’ But it hasn’t eliminated some of the vestiges of anti-Semitism,” he said. “America is not immune to anti-Semitism. We’re not immune to racism and bigotry and prejudice.”


Read more: http://www.jta.org/2014/02/18/news-opinion/united-states/anti-semitism-in-america-today-down-but-not-out#ixzz2tkKze1XL


The prevalence on-line is even worse. The crypto-haters are the worse, IMO.

February 18, 2014

Global Anti-Semitism and the Erosion of Shame

Some of my worst fears about a resurgence of anti-Semitism around the world seem to be coming true. I have been talking for some time about the unique dynamic of anti-Semitism as a phenomenon and the changing world environment, which together are likely to cause a resurgence of anti-Semitism going forward.

Anti-Semitism has characteristics like other forms of bigotry in terms of stereotyping, alienation from the other, and discrimination.

But what makes it different, and which goes a long way to explain anomalous things about anti-Semitism -- how long it has lasted, how it pops up in different places, the concept of anti-Semitism without Jews, the contradictory accusations against Jews, etc. -- is the core of the anti-Semitic idea: that Jews are not what they seem to be. The real Jew, according to the anti-Semite, is a hidden conspiratorialist, all-powerful and evil.

So any time there is a crisis in society, the Jew can be seized upon and blamed as the secret cause of society's suffering. And, of course, over the last decade the world has experienced a series of crises.

Islamic terror beginning with 9/11, the financial collapse of 2008, the multitude of economic and social crises in Europe and the Arab Spring's expectations and disappointments top the list. All these anxiety-provoking developments contributed to the growth of anti-Semitism.

But other factors play a role and are increasingly worrisome. There is the erosion of shame about anti-Semitism as the Holocaust becomes more remote in time and as survivors pass away. The too-easy analogizing of every bad thing that happens today to the Holocaust, which the Anti-Defamation League condemns whenever it surfaces, is just one manifestation of the loss of impact on attitudes that the Holocaust formerly had.

more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abraham-h-foxman/global-anti-semitism-and_b_4769804.html

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And as proof, and for shits and giggles:

Why anti-Semitism is an outdated pretext
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/02/17/351091/why-antisemitism-is-an-outdated-pretext/

Do be sure to read the comments and the "related" stories!

February 4, 2014

Irish Drag Queen's Powerful Takedown of Homophobia

“For the last three weeks, I have been lectured to by heterosexual people about what homophobia is and about who is allowed to identify it. Straight people have lined up... to tell me what homophobia is and to tell me what I am allowed to be oppressed by,” Bliss told the audience at the Abbey. “People who have never experienced homophobia in their lives... have told me that unless I am being thrown into prison or herded onto a cattle truck then it is not homophobia. And that feels oppressive.”

Though Bliss’s speech clocks in at nearly 11 minutes, it’s worth watching in full as she outlines the oppression of heterosexual privilege.

http://www.advocate.com/society/activism/2014/02/04/watch-irish-drag-queens-powerful-takedown-homophobia

For a longer version of the above excerpt, without having to watch the entire video (which I do suggest), go to mark 7:23 - 9:01.

William769

Combatting homophobia is not heterophobic!

And just because, from Russia with 'love?'



See tomm2thumbs's article in "Video & Multimedia" or 7962's article in LBN.