It starts with a joke i mass email:
An Arab needed a heart transplant, but prior to the surgery
the doctors needed to store his blood in case the need arises.
Because the gentleman had a rare type of blood, it couldn't be found
locally.
So the call went out to a number of countries.
Finally, a Jew was located who had the same blood type. The Jew willingly
donated his blood for the Arab.
After the surgery, the Arab sent the Jew as appreciation for giving his
blood, a new Rolls Royce, diamonds, lapis lazuli jewelry, and a million US
dollars.
Unfortunately, the Arab had to go through a corrective surgery once again.
His doctor telephoned the Jew who was more than happy to donate his
blood again.
After the second surgery, the Arab sent the Jew a thank you card and a jar
of Almond Roca sweets.
The Jew was shocked to see that the Arab this time did not reciprocate the
Jew's kind gesture as he had anticipated. He phoned the Arab and asked him
why he had expressed his appreciation in not so generous manner.
The Arab replied " Habib i, now I have Jewish blood".
Response by one person:
Oh Danny, Danny, Danny what are we going to do? Don't you see this as a racist joke: Jews are tight-fisted, miserly, etc. etc. etc.? These little jokes can easily be overlooked, I guess. But remember what was said after the Second World War: First they begin with words. Then they start burning books. And then they start burning people. Anyway, enough of that. Here is what I would like you to do. In 1947 an incredible movie came out called "Gentlemen's Agreement." It won an Academy Award. It stars Gregory Peck and Dorothy Malone, and the Jewish actor John Garfield. The movie talks about (among many other important things) the power of jokes. It is a powerful film and readily available on DVD even in Blockbuster.
My response:
will have to check out that movie.
As far as the Jewish jokes or any jokes for any race or religion, it can be a sensitive issue that can lead to a lot of problems in certain societies. There are times to laugh and times to cry and times to be angry and outraged. Certainly self-depreciation of one's culture isn't a very good thing unless the intention is to make everyone laugh and everyone reasonable to understand those things as only jokes. I mean look at Larry David and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Should we be outraged or should we laugh at how he puts himself and certain Jews down? When do we laugh at ourselves and when do we stop and say, "No more. Not now."
Are we allowed to laugh at ourselves and our peculiaraties? When does it go too far? I don't have those answers and perhaps you can shed a light on that.
As far as the second part about words leading to burning books leading to victimizations. Well, my question is, why should we allow ourselves to be victims again? Since when are Jews not allowed to fight back with the same zealoutry (if that's a word) that many Black Americans do at a slight hint of what they might consider to be racist? Why are we afraid of what other people might think if we decide to protest about, let's say for example, that anti-semetic nature of Obama's church and the media not exposing it enough and continuing to kiss his butt because he's black and therefore different? I'm sure there are other examples. IN the 1940's during the Shoah, (I mean I wasn't there to see it for myself), but why didn't American Jewish leaders march like crazy to have the railroads leading to the concentration camps bombed? Why weren't we zealouts to save our own people? What right do we have to be so nice and respectable when it's a life and death situation? Anyway, I got off on a tangent. I think we have to stop looking at ourselves as victims and prevent our own victimization, Gd forbid, by being strong and stop worrying about what "other people might think about us". Reasonable people will understand. Anti-semites will forever stay anti-semites and, really, I don't care what they think of us.
His response:
There is a world of difference between a joke of self-deprecation and a joke which affirms a stereotype. Lenny Bruce and Larry David use the stereotype and destroy it through their humor. They turn the stereotype on its head by poking fun at the very thing which your joke just confirms. What they do is subtle and brilliant. Your joke is not that at all. Jews in 1940 in America did not have anywhere near the power we have today. Blaming them for not going to the streets is unfair. You need to read a lot more. Your statement regarding Obama is racist, as well. "Continuing to kiss his butt because he's black" is absolutely unacceptable. I kiss nobody's behind whether they are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, white, black, heterosexual or homosexual. We Jews are far more sophisticated. Obama has surrounded himself with Dan Kurtzer (former ambassador to Israel) and Dennis Ross, one of the most ethical, honest and pro-Israel person in government. Judge the candidates by what they say and do, not by their color or by a prejudice which is reflected in the statement I just quoted in your last e-mail. Obama's relationship with the Trinity Church and its pastor Jeremiah Wright are a problem But let's talk about the problem and let's see how he handles that relationship with an open mind. Likewise, let's see how Michele Obama deals with her mistakes. You need to read, read, read: history, poetry, the classics both ancient and modern, from Cicero to Shakespeare to Milton, to Faulkner, O'Neill and David Mamet and Edward Albee. Subtlety of thinking rather than broad strokes are the signs of culture and wisdom.
My response:
> There is a world of difference between a joke of self-deprecation ......
If what they do is subtle and brilliant, which you and other sophisticated people recognize, how do you think non sophisticated people will look at it? They might think Jews are actually as Larry David (and Borat) puts them. Not many in this country are very sophisticated to understand what Larry David does.
>
> Jews in 1940 in America did not have anywhere near the power .......
I didnt' blame them. I said back then and today we don't fight hard enough. We worry too much what others will think by our actions when we want to defend ourselves. "What will the world think? What will the world think?" But a reasonable person will understand. Everyone else, I pesonally don't care what they think. Nor should you or any Jew, in my opinion.
> Your statement regarding Obama is racist, as well.........
come on! What I wrote wasn't racist. A white candidate who were to belong to a white supremecist church would be frowned upon by the media and never be forgiven.
ANd don't forget a famous former pastor didn't get a free pass by you or the media because he likes to thank Gd every two seconds.
To me, it's a hipocracy and double standard of the media! However, the media is hiding and downplaying Obama's controversies.
And I am not judging OBama because he's black. I dont' care that he's black. I care that he marched in the exteremely racist million man march with Louis Farrakahn, Al Sharpton, and Jessie Jackson. I care about his questionable past and connection to American hating movements. And I care that he will single-handedly destroy this country (if it hasn't been destroyed already by previous presidents). The media also puts way too much attention on him and kiss his butt..and he's not qualified...If he were purple, orange, green, white, or pink polka dotted he would be just as unqualfied. But the media loves him...because he's the first "presentable" black person to have a chance in winning. (I wish the media did the same for Alan Keyes, but he's against most abortions and the media hates that).
Let me tell you something about racism. Giving preferential treatment for someone of a certain race...OR the exact opposite: thinking that a certain race is genetically inferior.
hating behavior...even if it is prominent in a certain race in a certain country, is not racism. Hating evil cultures even if it is prominent in a certain race of people in a certain society isnt' racist either. So please understand how I am looking at it. It's the media that gives racial issues a double standard.
> I kiss
> nobody's behind whether they are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, white,
> black, heterosexual or homosexual....
I never implied you did. You aren't the media. And I know you choose leaders based on what you feel is better for society; that you feel is best for this country. I do not fault you on that. I might disagree with what you feel is right, but that's life.
>We Jews are far more
> sophisticated. Obama has surrounded himself with Dan Kurtzer (former
> ambassador to Israel) and Dennis Ross, one of the most ethical,
> honest and pro-Israel person in government.
Big deal he surrounds himself with those Jewish leaders. Anyone who wants to get elected will cater to certain "leaders" of a certain background to get more votes. You can't be that naive that just because Obama surrounds himself with these two Jewish leaders and who might endorse him makes him our best friend. Yasser Arafat shook Rabin's hand and kissed him three times on the cheek. So I suppose he was Israel's best friend too; Yasser Arafat loves the Jews!
Fact: Obama believes that negotiating with leaders like Ahemdinejad and pressuring Israel for territorial suicide will solve the worlds' problems. There might be a portion of my wording you disagree with, but that's neither here nor there. I don't believe in making concessions that only give promises of "peace" on paper to give land to a quasi-govt or a group of people who wish to kill Jews and destroy Israel, just to be nice and respectable to the world. We should prefer to live and be hated than be loved and dead (I know it's a famous quote from a certain someone that when you hear his name might make you shudder...but that guy was right in that statement, in my opinion).
>Judge the candidates by
> what they say
Wait, did you just say for me to judge candidates (politicians) by what they say?! I hope you aren't that naive. Since when are politicians honest to trust what they say? But judging their actions and reading deep into them..yes...very important to know their behavior and comparing it with their words. And don't forget the timing! I personally assume that most politicians lie... Unfortunately, it has come down to me choosing the least dishonest politician.
> and do, not by their color or by a prejudice which is
> reflected in the statement I just quoted in your last e-mail. Obama's
> relationship with the Trinity Church and its pastor Jeremiah Wright
> are a problem But let's talk about the problem and let's see how he
> handles that relationship with an open mind. Likewise, let's see how
> Michele Obama deals with her mistakes.
>
What racist? The media gives into a double standard...It's bad if Huckabee says Gd and that he was once a pastor. But it's acceptable if Obama was in Jermamiah Wright's church for 20 yrs. That's a lot of influence on someone's theology and life! "Gd damn America! It's them white folks and Jews that ruin the black people!" I would rather have a, "Let's pray with Jesus Christ" type of guy running this country over that other devasation.
And yes, it has to do with the fact that he's black. I mean, if a white candidate was affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan, HIS CAREER IS OVER!!! But Barak Hussein Obama gets away with it?
Nooooo, nobody gets away with questionable affiliations! Not for me! It's an automatic disqualification irregardless of color...That's not racism..That's the opposite of racism. I hate bad behavior..I hate evil cultures. I don't care what genes that person carries. If he does evil, I hate him. If he does righteousness, I love him.
And there is no preferential treatment in a truely liberal society. Everybody is equal. Everybody gets equal say. And everybody is allowed to disagree or agree. But the media-Ha! They are giving preferential treatment. Is it because he's good looking? Because he's so young? Because he affiliates himself with the democratic party? Because he says, "Let's bring change."? Because his wife was charismatic on the View? Because he's the first black guy who has a good chance to become president? I might be cynical. But that that only makes me a "racist" to "naive" people with "naive" genes.
> You need to read, read, read: history, poetry, the classics both
> ancient and modern, from Cicero to Shakespeare to Milton, to
> Faulkner, O'Neill and David Mamet and Edward Albee. Subtlety of
> thinking rather than broad strokes are the signs of culture and wisdom.
>
yes...true. Too much internet and TV makes the brain melt.
>
> I'll get back to you on your latest e-mail. Many, many factual errors
> and mistakes. Cyncism does not become anyone but a small mind--
> skepticism, on the other hand, enlarges the mind.
Cynicism, Skepticism...my vocabulary is not as superior as your's.
However, if a politician were to show me something that waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, but tries to convince me that it is really a frog, I'm going to be cynical...or perhaps skeptical...either way...I'm not going to trust him/her and might be a little upset if anyone actually believed him/her or at least speculated the possiblity of it being a frog because they chose to be "skeptical".
Topic: An exchange of an email conversation: want some opinions (Read 971 times)