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Sunday, June 01, 2014

A thought.



Any group that holds itself above criticism by virtue of being What It Is, whether by religion, ethnicity, political stance, nationality or whatever other subdivision, can use that to hide all manner of secrets and evil behind its identity. Transparency is devoutly to be wished, so long as it does not include "my" favored faction.

8 comments:

Doom said...

I find it best to be harder on ones own, fairly, but truly. Let the rest of the world choose tribal sloth. I won't have any part of it. Sloth, I suppose, here at home. I do what I can. But I will not forgive the unforgivable because we are "bros", or anything else.

Priest, king, pauper, or paperman, that doesn't mean much to me either. You are a man first. Women? Lots of slide room there because, well, they aren't men... At least on some things.

The Aardvark said...

This is what provoked it.

http://chelm.freeyellow.com/libertarianproblem.html

Doom said...

Ah. Alibi Jews, women, Catholics, and such, are used in many political and social groups. And, yeah, I think there is a lot of creep of anti-Semitism in Libertarianism... if it seems to crop up everywhere.

On the other hand, Jews do have a major p.r. problem. One, they are quite often ultra-liberal. That is, socialist. And, there is a distinct wealthy, ultra-wealthy, group of Jews who do have a lot of influence.

The problem with being ultra-liberal (Jewish Americans for sure, and pretty strongly) and having a public face of being ultra-wealthy (if that is a tiny minority of the Jewish community, it is a very public part of it), is two-fold. First, most people realize socialism is set up to favor the rich. Second, it looks really bad, and is actually, to have wealth allow those with a foreign religion in charge of so much, and pushing for more government control. Especially since they are Jewish, and we just went through genocide by the government they seem to be pushing.

I don't hate Jews, but I certainly don't want them in power, and I don't like that they at least seem to foment the very type of governments that just slaughtered millions of them. Suicide is sad, but when it includes me, I get a little more touchy about it.

Trust has to be earned, and they have publicly done anything but earn it.

The Aardvark said...

But to use the term "anti-Semitism" is to give the amen to the article. If we say ANYTHING that is not utter praise of Israel or Jewish people, the "ANTI-SEMITISM!" placards get trotted out, Abe Foxman goes on CNN, and leftists hie to their fainting couches. Even writing what I have written here is enough to brand me with the "Scarlet A-S"

Doom said...

Oh... Okay... I think I have it now.

I can be dense. Yeah... I don't worry about it, myself. I'm not prone to being pushed around, one way or the other. Especially when I think they are trying to jack the conversation. I'll put the cards on the table and blow smoke in the face of bluff. If I've got them. Fold if not. It's always a mixed bag, none, not even my own, are perfect friends, allies, or people. Fogetaboutit.

I consider Israel to be an ally, like England. But allies are... in it for themselves, too. Not to be fully trusted, and their weaknesses have to be known, as with their strengths. Honest assessments. I do not consider US Jews to be allies, as they present for sure, at all. Enemies of the state, as with all liberals. I am the state.

Still, I think we are talking around each other, about different things, but my mind... can't quite... catch it. And, maybe, you totally disagree. You seem to be stating things far more cautiously, or with great circumnavigational methods? Academically? Dunno.

Jay! said...

I vaguely remember an article from long ago addressing the "problem" of why some Libertarians become (GASP!) ... anti-semitic.

The article more or less stated that it comes from weariness of being accused of (GASP!) ... anti-semitic.

It goes like this:

1. YOU as a Libertarian ... are against foreign aid.

2. Israel gets foreign aid.

3. YOU therefore ... are against foreign aid for Israel.

4. YOU then ... are against Israel.

5. YOU are ... (GASP!) ... ANTI-SEMITIC!

The logic is impeccable.

Israel is an ally but as Doom pointed out, allies don't have friends, they have interests.

I think Israel should be supported but in a more equitable arrangement than what we have now.

Doom said...

Hmm... I'm not into foreign aid at all. I am into supporting governments that do support our ways or wants. As to equity, that should be based purely on action. Only nations which support our causes would get aid, and it would just be for furthering their ability to help. The question is, is Israel helping or hurting? I think, generally, they are helping. But I would keep the aid to military function only. Let capitalism figure out the rest of their situation.

The other thing, aid, just as a give-away, is bad for nations. It's good for corrupt politicians, they steal it. It's also anti-American in that it helps establish socialism. When we stopped giving India aid, because of their nuke program, it hurt them in the short run, helped them hugely in the long run, but their politicians hated it, for example.

Hmm... don't let them push you around with "isms". You can't win that because they don't fight logically and have no interest in what is right or wrong, only in power.

Recipe Tom said...

Nicee post