-
Elijah Harper, R.I.P.
May 18, 2013 | 1 comment
-
That’s a Lot of Caca in Caracas
May 16, 2013 | 7 comments
-
Canadian PM: Keystone XL Pipeline “Absolutely Needs To Go Ahead.”
May 16, 2013 | 2 comments
-
Has Obama Done Sufficient Damage Control With The IRS?
May 15, 2013 | 8 comments
-
Liberals Surprisingly Re-Elected in British Columbia
May 15, 2013 | 1 comment
The Spectacle Blog
I watched and listened to Sarah Palin’s Facebook video concerning the Tucson shootings.
Now the liberal media is up in arms over Palin’s use of the term “blood libel.” Or more precisely the liberal media is upset that Palin accused them of manufacturing one.
Yet this is exactly what the Krugmans, the Fondas, the Olbermanns and others have done. They took a horrific situation and cast the blame for it at her door in an effort (in Olbermann’s words) to dismiss her from politics and public life. All Palin has done is call them to account and has done so in her usual candid and vivid manner.
But for those who reservations about Palin’s use of the term “blood libel” then please consider the following. Shortly after the 2008 presidential election, I wrote an article which appeared at Intellectual Conservative titled, “Sarah Palin is the Israel of American Politics.” By that I meant to say, “If Sarah Palin were a member state of the UN she would be condemned daily by the General Assembly for transgressions both real and imagined.” Allow me to elaborate:
Those who hate Israel are prepared to believe any unkind word said about it. If Israel-haters are told that Israelis use the blood of Palestinian children to make Purim pastries they accept it as the gospel truth. Those who hate Sarah Palin are prepared to believe any unkind word said about her. When unamed sources from the McCain campaign were alleged to have said Palin didn’t know Africa was a continent, the Palin haters accepted it as an article of faith. Never mind that Palin led an effort to have Alaska divest its holdings in the Darfur region of Sudan. Those who hate Palin are not interested in the truth. They are interested only in seeing grievous harm come to her.
Well, more than two years have passed and as the events over the past several days have demonstrated Sarah Palin is still the Israel of American politics. There is a strong segment of the American electorate prepared to believe any negative word about Palin at face value. And as we have seen that includes everything up to and including being responsible for mass murder.
But then again being the Israel of American politics isn’t entirely a bad thing. Given that a majority of Americans support the State of Israel and that a majority of Americans don’t think Palin (or for that matter Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh) bear any responsibility for what happened in Tucson there is every reason to believe that Palin will come away from this only stronger.
View all comments (54) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/12/palin-is-still-the-israel-of-a
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Wes| 1.12.11 @ 3:33PM
Thank you for writing this
YOU GO GIRL!| 1.12.11 @ 3:34PM
I love it when a girl busts the spineless bullies right in the chops and cherries.
Margie| 1.12.11 @ 3:37PM
Sarah Palin the Israel of American Politics.
Bravo, well said!
Indy82| 1.12.11 @ 3:45PM
That is awesome... the "Israel of politics." Excellent.
Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 4:17PM
Palin is the Israel of American politics?
You know, it sometimes occurs to me that conservatives have a particular weakness for analogies.
Palin's analogizing about "blood libel" (Paul Krugman : Sarah Palin :: Nazis : Jews) is vicious and utterly stupid.
Calling Palin the Israel of politics is just dumb.
You people need to find hobbies!
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 4:24PM
The esteemed Liberal, Alan Dershowitz, agrees with Palin's use of "blood libel." Uh oh, trouble in Libtardville!
I love it when Sarah busts your chops, Liberal Whiner!!
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 4:53PM
Mr. Reader:
Actually, if the Left is laying blame for the shootings on Palin because of her inflammatory rhetoric, then it would indeed be a variant of a "Blood Libel." I'm a Jewish guy; my grandmother escaped a pogram around a 100 years ago in mat rosseeya. I'm fairly familiar with the term.
Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 5:09PM
Oh please.
Criticizing Sarah Palin -- even if the criticism is unfair -- is not tantamount to persecuting her or violently oppressing her.
Sorry Occam.
You're free to try again. But let's do a little bettter next time. Give me something to work with at least.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 5:14PM
It's not our fault you have so very little to work with, Screeder. Besides, you didn't address my first post.
How very convenient.
Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 5:36PM
Your posts bore me, Patriot. You don't write things that are interesting. So no, I usually don't respond to them. That's your response.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 5:40PM
The fact that Dershowitz supports Palin's use of "blood libel" bores you? I guess facts bore you, too.
That's so weak, you're slipping, Screeder.
Curtis Rasmussen| 1.12.11 @ 6:51PM
That's funny libturd.
You always put forth a premise that outcomes would be improved if we had (insert socialist government program here). You bring up a question that no one would ask.
Then, you go off on a tirade about the alleged benefit of the program when no one answers.
Straw man all the way. You bring the question and the answer, no matter how irrelevant or narcissistic.
Hypocrite.
By the way, what do you do for a living? Are you rich? Are you a troll that your mom keeps in the basement to scare away the rats?
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 8:32PM
As I recall, the original Liberal Reader/Jeremiah claimed he was a graduate student moonlighting as a troll. I don't know if that's true anymore.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:26PM
Oh, it takes actual blood from the victim to make a "Blood Libel," in your eyes, LR. Sorry, you are wrong---Blood libel (also blood accusation[1][2]) refers to a false accusation or claim[3][4][5] that religious minorities, in European contexts almost always Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays.[1][2][6] Historically, these claims have–alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration–been a major theme in European persecution of Jews.[4]
It is the accusation of activities that lead to death that describes blood libel. It does not require persecution or oppression---it is the seed from which those activities can grow, however.
Learn your terms, LR. As I point out to you Libs frequently, "your mind is to mine like that of an amoeba." Arguing with a Jew about the definition of Blood Libel---what a maroon.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:28PM
Now that quote's from Wiki---but I have an University research library right next to my office. Want me to assemble a report?
Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 5:35PM
No, but I would still like you to explain how in this context Palin's use of the term was anything other than rash.
Given your handle, I'm sure you're able to appreciate my sense that Palin -- a woman who gets paid millions to communicate her ideas in public -- could have defended herself in a more appropriate way.
And I reject her implicit claim that the most important issue at this time -- in the wake of these shootings -- is the intemperate or foolish or even mean-spirited criticism she has received. It's not all about Palin, Occam.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:42PM
OK, here's the Krugman quote:
A Democratic Congresswoman has been shot in the head; another dozen were also shot.
We don’t have proof yet that this was political, but the odds are that it was[ he's dead wrong---OT]. She’s been the target of violence before. And for those wondering why a Blue Dog Democrat, the kind Republicans might be able to work with, might be a target, the answer is that she’s a Democrat who survived what was otherwise a GOP sweep in Arizona, precisely because the Republicans nominated a Tea Party activist. (Her father says that “the whole Tea Party” was her enemy.) And yes, she was on Sarah Palin’s infamous “crosshairs” list.
I don't know. Seems like he's accusing Palin of creating a political culture that caused this shooting. With deaths. (Nevermind that the Daily Kos also had the Congresswoman in crosshairs).
Look, feel free to disagree with Palin---I don't care. But accusing her of complicity in murder or stating that Trig isn't her own kid---you Liberals are as crazy about her as the Birthers are about Barry. If you are the paradigm of logic you claim you are, surely you can see this. If not, I'm done arguing, as there is no point with you.
Dershowitz agrees with me, and the guy is as Liberal as they come (I have a friend of mine who had him as a prof at HLS, while I was in med school at UTMB. Liberal Asshat is the Dersh.).
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:43PM
Sorry---Krugman from "A Democratic" down to "crosshairs list."
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:47PM
The Dersh---"The term “blood libel” has taken on a broad metaphorical meaning in public discourse. Although its historical origins were in theologically based false accusations against the Jews and the Jewish People, its current usage is far broader. I myself have used it to describe false accusations against the State of Israel by the Goldstone Report. There is nothing improper and certainly nothing anti-Semitic in Sarah Palin using the term to characterize what she reasonably believes are false accusations that her words or images may have caused a mentally disturbed individual to kill and maim. The fact that two of the victims are Jewish is utterly irrelevant to the are Jewish is utterly irrelevant to the propriety of using this widely used term."
OK? Like I said, it's an acceptable use of the term, not rash. Incidentally, Krugman was wrong---she shooter was insane, not politically motivated in the traditional sense of the term.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:50PM
As opposed to this Liberal rush to judgment, compare the Liberals' moronic avoidance of judgment in the Fort Hood shooter case. That one mattered to me personally, because I am a psychiatrist, and had a job offer to work there several years ago---I would have been his colleague, and therefore dead.
So I take these conversations very seriously.
Mike | 1.12.11 @ 5:48PM
And you talk about your family's experience with pogroms in an earlier post. Interesting
Liberal Reader| 1.12.11 @ 6:11PM
We liberals?
I don't have anything to say about Palin's children and I never have.
And I agree that Krugman and some others went over the top.
Let me be clear.
I think ANY discussion of political rhetoric or "tone" or the "climate" of politics in America is somewhat inappropriate right now. A psychopath shot 19 people in AZ; six are dead. That's a terrible thing.
I do think there is a debate to be had about political discourse in this country, provided it can be kept separate from this awful shooting.
Sarah Palin's response to these criticisms, however, seems almost to justify those criticisms. Instead of rising to this occasion, instead of saying something consoling or -- God help us -- wise, she insights even more controversy.
No you will reply, Perhaps she has no wisdom to offer.
But then I will respond, Then why do we keep discussing this woman? Since when does a reality television celebrity deserve so much attention?
Blood libel. Please, Occam. You seem a smart fellow. Let's argue about something that makes sense.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 6:15PM
Better yet, why don't you leave so we don't have to argue with tiring twits like you!
You still didn't address my first post, chicken.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 7:03PM
You're right. There is no point in arguing with Screeder, that's why I ridicule the troll incessantly.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 5:44PM
It's the height of absurdity for a Leftist troll like you to lecture us about intemperate language.
I've gotta' say one thing for you, Screeder, you've got chutzpah!
Bob Grant| 1.12.11 @ 10:10PM
I'm not exactly a Palin supporter but accusing Sarah of being "rash" is laughable to the extreme considering the slanderous attacks she' s received since two minutes after the shooting.
The arrogance most liberals have when conversing with facts is amazing. They think people will just absorb whatever they say; no filter, no fact checking.
Bobbby| 1.13.11 @ 11:21AM
@Liberal Thinker
Please go away
Were tired of what you have to say
Huffington Post awaits you
GeronL| 1.12.11 @ 5:04PM
The left needs to stop making things up. too. They need to come back to reality and stop their "conscious dreaming" as the shooter called it.
David W| 1.12.11 @ 5:08PM
I would suggest you find a different hobby than reading stupid Conservative web sites/blogs. That way your panties wouldn't be in a continuous bunch when reading all of these weak analogies and stupid comments.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:21PM
The use of the "Blood Libel" predates the Nazis. But it is fairly obvious that the Liberals are blaming Palin creating a rhetorical climate which encourages murderers. That would be a "Blood Libel." Sorry, Liberal reader. Go to the HuffPo blogsite and find your intelligent commentators...oh, wait, there are none there.
Kingofthenet| 1.12.11 @ 6:49PM
Yet the Huffpost is 1000x as big as this website.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 6:59PM
Then why don't you stay in that cesspool where you belong?
bubba16123| 1.12.11 @ 5:51PM
leftist reader, we don't have time for hobbies we're busy working to pay for all the programs that you live off of
Margie| 1.12.11 @ 6:31PM
"You people need to find hobbies!"
As if posting here to obfuscate and lie and curse conservatives here isn't one of yours!!
Mike| 1.12.11 @ 5:17PM
I seriously doubt that Sarah Palin could explain the meaning of the phrase "blood libel" let alone discuss the phrase in the context of literature or history.
Who is her speech writer and what was his/her motive?
AmSpec, as usual, seeks to misdirect and obfuscate.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:22PM
Yes, but I could, both historically and psychoanalytically---and she's correct.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 5:25PM
It's painfully obvious you clowns on the Left got Sarah's meaning; that's why you're howling like a pack of whiny hyenas in response. It's great.
God bless Sarah Palin.
Mike| 1.12.11 @ 5:39PM
Sarah's meaning? You cannot be serious. Compare this speech others by her and it becomes immediately apparent that these are not her words.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 5:49PM
Wow! Now you Leftists have super, duper ESP powers when it comes to Sarah Palin's writing abilities. What else goes on in Sarah's brain?
Please elaborate, you're amusing me.
Truth to Power| 1.12.11 @ 8:15PM
Maybe the words are coming from a teleprompter. These lefties live in a world of projection.
The One Who Runs Like a Duck| 1.12.11 @ 5:19PM
We took a shellacking, Liberal Reader. I wanted to put a warning out concerning certain types who are vulnerable to hate speech. We need to be aware of men that have a difficult time establishing a normal boy-girl relationship. Instead of this they tend to get fixated on female politicians. As with the Tuscon case they like to point out how stupid the female politician is. Next comes the completely nonsensical writings concerning all things. You know when I put it this way I have described every one of my trolls on this site. On second thought Liberal Reader, you are somebody. Don't hurt anybody. Good job. Seek counseling. We'll have all gay guards at Gitmo soon, baby. They haven't seen harsh interrogation yet. We are unsustainable and proud of it.
martin j smith| 1.12.11 @ 5:28PM
You know I had not thought of her that way but you are right on. And I think the more I hear her and the more I hear people ( or is it a people or a robot ? ) like Liberal Reader ( again M/FM or Machine ) I am inspired to vote for Sarah Palin as the attack Dog of Conservatives or attack Grizzly. The best thing Sarah can do is to keep it up and flip entities such as Liberal reader the bird. But more importantly flip the MSM the bird. They richly deserve it.
Occam's Tool| 1.12.11 @ 5:35PM
^ a b Turvey, Brent E. Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis, Blood libels are sensationalized allegations that a person or group engages in human sacrifice, often accompanied by the claim that the blood of victims is used in various rituals and/or acts of cannibalism. The alleged victims are often children. Some of the best documented cases of blood libel focus upon accusations against Palestenians [Jews], but many other groups have been accused throughout history, including Christians, Cathars, Carthaginians, Knights Templar, witches, Wiccans, Christian heretics, Roma, Neopagans, Native Americans, atheists, communists, and satanists.[Catholics were accused of using real blood during communion and not red wine. Webster's dictionary Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: A false accusation of ritual murder made against one or more persons, typically of the Jewish faith".
Not ritual in this case, but fomenting the murder by her actions, is what Palin is accused of. That's close enough to the spirit of the term for this Jew.
KTnLA| 1.12.11 @ 5:46PM
The Left has been out to get Sarah Palin ever since her electrifying appearance at the 2008 GOP convention, and subsequent drawing power at campaign trail political rallies. Why? She terrifies them. Here was a fresh political voice, almost literally out of the wilderness, with a powerful ability to appeal to not only Red State America, but to potentially rip rank-and-file workers away from their union bosses, and thus shatter a pillar of the New Deal coalition. The Left knew it could be done; Ronald Reagan did it. And so they attacked with every vicious word and deed they could muster. Recall, one supposedly funny lib suggested, with relish, that she would be gang-raped in New York. The attacks, in the form of malicious lawsuits, continued when she returned to Alaska but the tactic backfired. Instead of toughing it out in a contentious backwater, Ms. Palin took it media-public, and proved tough enough to rally the Tea Party - with more than a few mistakes - and help the GOP nail the Dems like a slow moose. Yeah, they want her scalp.
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 7:01PM
Well, they ain't going to get it.
Hope Sarah hires lots more security, there are more crazy Leftist freaks and weirdos than I can count out there.
Stay safe, Sarah!
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.12.11 @ 7:46PM
May God bless,
Sarah and her family.
My very first boss, (while at Baylor), had a downs syndrome boy.
That little boy sprayed love and affection like a fountain.
I have never forgotten him.
He passed early as downs kids do. I will miss him until I bow at Jesus' feet.
I would love to call Sarah "Madam President".
She has come through the fire as clean as gold.
ANYBODY
who trashes this lady and family is simply fecal matter that needs to be flushed.
Oh...I'm an "Israel seconder" by the way. I honestly pray for them each day... Remember the Alamo!
Patriot| 1.12.11 @ 8:23PM
You're a sweet man, Old Texican. God bless you.
Bob Grant| 1.12.11 @ 10:36PM
Nice story Tex...
...she'll have still many fires to go through 'cause if she's gonna be the one, she'll have to be PERFECT moving forward. This is in part because of the evil, unfair treatment by the mainstream media of her, and in part because of her own doing. Make no mistake.
I will say her video today was not bad.
Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 1:02AM
High praise coming from you, Bob; back-handed, but better than usual.
Atomic Veteran| 1.13.11 @ 10:07AM
The leftists just don't get it. It doesn't matter what they think; no one cares what they think anymore. They have made themselves irrelevant. This is America. Socialism is alien to our core beliefs. Sarah Palin loves America; they don't. That's why Sarah Palin will win the 2012 Presidential election.
Pauli | 1.13.11 @ 10:23AM
Great article.
I see that the commenter Liberal Reader has finally left the building. Whoops--Elvis analogy, my bad. Or maybe he was removed from the field on a stretcher. Whoops--football analogy, my bad.
probably12| 1.13.11 @ 1:07PM
America what have you done to your country? I hope what is happening is only but a nightmare...My wish and prayer is to wake up once again to find the country that is the REAL AMERICA, with REAL AMERICANS.
Henri Pergeroz| 1.13.11 @ 2:43PM
I am jewish and don't much care for Palin politics,but the left is losing it.It's one thing to get down and dirty to stop an ugly war,but this is just getting ugly for the sake of ugly.Leave us jews alone.We are tired of christians,the far left,and jewish groups speaking for us.