You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
-------------------------
Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Confederate flag waving, conservative church-going "macaca-calling" Virginia Sen. George Allen just found out a little surprise only weeks from the election - he's Jewish.
"It's strange that George Allen wasn't more curious about his own heritage and a lot of people are wondering why," said George Mason University politics professor Mark J. Rozell.
Now this promoter of prejudice has to reconcile his Jewish background with his background of discrimination and name-calling. Indeed, his entire family history and identity was forged by family who denied religious identity to escape persecution.
Allen's mother said she first began concealing her Jewish roots after meeting her future husband, afraid that she would not be accepted by his parents and fearful that her religion could harm his budding coaching career, which started at Whittier College, a school in Southern California founded by Quakers.
There is a word for this, "Karma." Sen. Allen is now a minority and I welcome him to the club.
On the bright side: If Allen wins, Virginia will have the first Jewish Senator that I can remember.
17 Comments:
Shit - this idiot never put two and two together! Everyone knows that many Jews fled Tunisia during WWII. How ignorant is he of cultural migrations etc..??
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 12:37 PM
Yeah, but did you note that he immediately made an incredibly moronic and insulting comment to distance himself from "actually" being a Jew: he still loves ham and his mom made a mean dish of pork chops?
He just doesn't get it. Whatabigot! -SharonB
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 12:59 PM
Oh brother!! Does he deny the Holocuast??
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 1:27 PM
Don't embrace this guy yet, Wayne. It's too soon to celebrate the return of the Prodigal Son. If it turns out that Allen despises his Jewishness, he'll be an even worse bigot than he was before.
posted by DC HAMPTON JACOBS, at
9/21/2006 1:47 PM
What did he mean by "macaca" anyway? Was he mispronouncing "macaque" (a type of monkey)? That would be my guess.
Apropo of nothing, let me recommend James Webb's novel, "Fields of Fire", published in 1979, I think. It is really the finest work of fiction yet written about the Vietnam War. (Webb served there as a Marine where he was wounded.) I especially recommend it to Dubya; he can feel grateful all over again to his father, the then-Texas Lt.-Gov. Ben Barnes (who has admitted his role), and others who helped him evade the draft.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 1:57 PM
Macaca is used as a racial slur in South Africa; it may or may not be related to the similar sounding species of monkey.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 4:21 PM
Oy vay--so the burning question is now--was he cut or not?
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 4:22 PM
Bets?? I'll say cut as this is a western tradition in hospitals to avoid infection???
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 5:20 PM
Dr. Marmoset: "Macaca" is a derogatory term used by the French people living in Tunisia to describe a dark-skinned person. I imagine it's the equivalent of the American "nigger." Allen's mother was from that area originally and would have known of the word.
As for Allen's surprise Jewishness, I can only wait in giddy anticipation for the Anti-Defamation League to land on him like a sumo wrestler.
Whatever Allen may eventually claim to embrace, his history of bigotry is his downfall. Living very near to Virginia, the most fascist state of the Union, I think Allen is getting everything he deserves. Maybe now, all those Rednecks in VA will decide not to vote for him. Wayne is right, Karma is a bitch.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/21/2006 9:04 PM
Karma??
How do we even know what "Karma" is?
posted by Anonymous, at
9/22/2006 2:05 PM
Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kṛ, "to do", [meaning deed] meaning action, effect, destiny) means "(the result of) action", generally taken as a term that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. Individuals go through certain processes and accompanying experiences throughout their lives which they have chosen, and those would be based on the results of their own creations: "karma". Karma is not about retribution, vengeance, punishment or reward. Karma simply deals with what is. The effects of all deeds actively create past, present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy brought to others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/22/2006 2:43 PM
I've always believed that you get what you give. That your energy collapses back onto you. Whether it's buddhist, hindu, christian, or even voodoo, it's not something that I would play with. I am always respectful of the cosmic energy floating around.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/22/2006 11:22 PM
