Bernie is Jewish. Please don't minimize his minority status by calling him "another white person"

[Behind the Aegis]

175. I have been told being gay doesn't make me a minority.

I have been told my being gay isn't as important as other issues. So, if they can do it to gay persons, you better believe (no pun intended) they will do it to Jews.

I know we were at odds over one thread in particular, but I think it came down to how it was worded. I believe, with all sincerity, if Sanders is the democratic candidate, anti-Semitism will not be shy and rear its ugly head. I don't really care about the right; it is to be expected. Where my concerns lie when it rises in the left, what will happen to his candidacy? You have to have had this thought too given how long you have been a member here and the number of other sites referenced here. I personally feel too many people really don't understand anti-Semitism; FFS, some people can't even define it correctly! So, it isn't really surprising when negative things about Jews crop up and are believed. I have seen Sanders, YES SANDERS, accused of being a dual-citizen of Israel. Let me repeat...SANDERS. This will come up should he seal the nomination for our party. More than a few are pretending, as seen in this very thread, that his religion/ethnicity won't matter....BULLSHIT...it certainly will come into play; how much so, that I don't know.

Many bigotries are born out of "the unknown" and "unfamiliar." That isn't a big surprise, nor should it be a shocking revelation, but it lends itself to a point I have and that is many people don't even know a Jewish person. I am not talking about seeing one on TV or in the movies (though that is where more than a few seem to get their information), or casually glancing upon one. I am talking about actually knowing someone who is Jewish. You pointed out our numbers in the US; there aren't many of us. In my state, there are about 4600 out of 3.9 million residents, hell, there are only 1.5 million more Jews than there are people in the state of Oklahoma! There just aren't many of us out here. I have lived here for almost 8 years (moved away, then back), for some, I was the first Jew they ever knowingly met! This is the 21st century! In the 8 years I have been here, I have yet to meet another Jew in this town (40K). My point? There are many people blathering on about Jews yet have never even met one. They don't see us as people, only stories.

I don't know what is in store, but to pretend anti-Semitism won't coming creeping around is naïve, stupid, ignorant, and/or bigoted to think. I am glad you have made that clear, because, quite frankly, I was wondering if it would be made visible that some do minimize our experiences and the bigotry used against us!