(Washington Post) By blaming American Jews for an Iraq policy he opposes, Rep. James P. Moran Jr. has confirmed our opinion that he is unfit to serve in Congress. His comment perpetuates a stereotype of Jews as a unified bloc steering the world in their interest and against everyone else's. Over the centuries anti-Semites have used this libel to distract attention from their own failings and to instigate violence and discrimination against Jews. Mr. Moran's comment will be used to concentrate the poison of anti-Semitism in many parts of the world where it remains virulent and dangerous. Jews in fact are far from unified in their opinion of President Bush's Iraq policy. It wouldn't necessarily be anti-Semitic - just demonstrably wrong - to argue that Mr. Bush's Iraq policy is motivated primarily by a desire to protect Israel. But the argument moves from merely wrong to patently offensive when it attributes to Jews or "the Jewish community" a single view and a nefarious influence.
2003-03-12 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive