Over the weekend one of our left-leaning readers was lamenting the fact that no one was up-in-arms over comments Ann Coulter made on Donny Deutch’s CNBC show last week. I admitted I was unfamiliar with the incident. I tend to ignore the Left’s outbursts of righteous indignation for the most part. This morning I read an article by Dennis Prager and, after reading his take, I’ll agree with him:
Those who label Ann Coulter an anti-Semite do damage to the battle against anti-Semitism.
I say this as a committed Jew, a religious Jew, a Jewish writer and lecturer, a past college instructor in Jewish history, co-author of a widely read book on anti-Semitism, recipient of the American Jewish Press Association’s Prize for Excellence in Jewish Commentary, instructor in Torah at the American Jewish University, and a man who has fought anti-Semitism all his life.
There is nothing in what Ann Coulter said to a Jewish interviewer on CNBC that indicates she hates Jews or wishes them ill, or does damage to the Jewish people or the Jewish state. And if none of those criteria is present, how can someone be labeled anti-Semitic?
…
As a practicing Jew, I do not agree with Ann Coulter’s theology any more than those attacking her do. But I am neither offended by her nor frightened by her or her beliefs. She believes that Christianity is better than Judaism. So what? Why is that in any way different from leftists thinking that liberalism is truer and morally superior to conservatism? Or conservatives thinking that their values are superior to leftist values?
Somehow, the Left seems willing to accept real anti-Semitism from one of their own:
There is also a move to boycott Ann Coulter, so dangerous are her words. Of course, there is no such Jewish or left-wing boycott of former President Jimmy Carter, who has done real damage to the Jewish people by describing Israel as an “apartheid” state in the very title of his anti-Israel book. In fact, Carter was invited to speak on his loathsome book at Brandeis University, an ostensibly Jewish university. But for many Jews and leftists, real hatred, real damage to Jewish security can only come from the Right, especially from Christians on the Right. So Ann Coulter, who has done nothing in her life to compromise Jewish welfare, is to be boycotted, but Jimmy Carter is worthy of invitations to speak. Jewish groups even invite John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt, the authors of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, which is essentially a tempered modern-day version of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. But Ann Coulter is beyond the pale. And she said nothing to harm Jews.
To me, it seems that this feigned indignation is just a ruse by the Left since almost every political move they make with regards to Israel is detrimental to its existence.
As fate and irony would have it, this past Sunday night I was the keynote speaker at the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. Since 1981, the church, led by Pastor John Hagee, has had an annual “Night to Honor Israel.” Five thousand Christians came to this year’s event, where they heard and sang Hebrew songs and watched their pastor give $8 million to various Israeli and Jewish charities.
Those are Ann Coulter’s people, and they are, by and large, the best friends the Jewish people have today. And since Judaism teaches that we judge others by their behavior, not their beliefs, this Jew thanks them. And fears those who fear them. One day, God forbid, should there be real anti-Semitism in America, these hysterics will have cried wolf so many times that no one will listen.
There are some Christian denominations that have an apocalyptic belief with regards to Israel. The belief is that the reformation of Israel as a nation is an indicator that the end-times are near. In my faith we don’t hold that belief but it is not harmful to Jews or the nation of Israel. Certainly not like the Left’s resurrected hero.
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hamous
What Coulter said neither offended or affected me however I have no desire to be “perfected”
Anything that anyone says can be taken out of context. Except Carter, we all know he is an idiot.
You go girl
Of course what Coulter said was not meant to be offensive, unlike other statements she makes. It was just a case of speaking when it is best to just be silent.
However, comparing “The Isreal Lobby” by John Mearsheimer to the Protocols of Zion. That is just ridiculous hyperbole run amuk. There is no comparison between the two.
Prager has said a mouthful with that article.
Brutus: I agree with you - comparing “Lobby” with “Protocols” makes me wonder if Dennis has read either..
Ann was on ‘O’Reilly’ last night.
I certainly did NOT perceive any hate whatsoever. Ann’s good humor is infectious as she laughs at those who try to get her “fired” (which is hilarious as she is self employed)
3 & 4 - I know that book is a fav among the Paulestinians but he did say “a tempered modern-day version”.
I got the impression watching and rewatching the interview that she was teasing him about having to be law abiding and just when Christians had the Fedex version - that we were already forgiven.
But hey, thats just me, personally when I first heard the interview I though she was going to be braodsided for the “Racially mixed couples in New york have a chip on their shoulders” remark myself.
That’s basically what I said at some other website when the owner of that website referred to Coulter as a “disgraceful pig” for making those comments a few days ago.
I’m a Christian, so why wouldn’t I want ALL (including Jews) to follow Christ?
5. Katfish,
I actually fired her a long time ago. I choose to not buy her books or attend her lectures.
I suspect there are many who do the same, but not nearly enough that she has to worry about going on welfare.
Simple
Those doing the wailing are either intentionally dishonest or know nothing about conservative Christian theology. Christians get in the same kind of trouble when they say people must accept Christ as their savior in order to go to Heaven. By definition, that doctrine excludes lots of folks.
So do we change the Bible to fit the current norms of political correctness?
Or do we say what Coulter said: “Like it or not, it’s a fact.”
If we don’t believe in our own religion, what’s the point of having one?
# 6 hamous
“Paulestinians”
We only want our rightful homeland.
# 6 hamous
“a tempered modern-day version” of a lie??
6.
Don’t do it, hamous, don’t do it . . .
#12 Sounds about right. Mearsheimer’s book seems to be long on speculation. But you know me. There are no conspiracies
#13 Must…..resist…..temptation
Coulter has every right to speak her mind on politics, religion and anything else.
To me, it looks like she’s intentionally phrasing her religious views in a provocative manner to increase controversy, and therefore book sales and audiences. It has worked well for her in the past.
If lefties knew how much she appreciated the attention, they might just ignore her.
http://internetweekly.org/2007/10/cartoon_the_reincarnation_of_eva_braun.html
The glaring difference, which seems to be lost on the Thought Police of the Left, is that Coulter is saying, “I believe everyone should become Christian”, as opposed to others who say, “Join our religion, be our cattle, or die. Those are your only choices.”
16 hamous,
I believe that membership in any sect of the Christian religon is voluntary today. That has not always been the case.
Lord Torquemada made the same “join up or else” offer to many in Spain during the inquisition as did the Spanish Conquistors during the settlement of Central and South America.
Simple
What does that have to do with Coulter’s comments or Christianity today?
Simple - Why is it that anytime a lib wants to complain about the Christian faith, they have to bring up a 400 year old abberation. OK. We’ll stipulate that the inquisition was a horrible, evil, pervision of what Christianity should stand for. I suspect that 99.9999% of all Christians would do like wise.
Now that we have that out of the way, how does Lord Torquemada have anything at all to do with the statement made by Ann Coulter, or by Hamous. If you can’t argue any better than that, you should go back to the liberal blogs where rational logic isn’t required.
Or expected.
Or understood.
Geez. Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZQI0Xm29To
Dang it! Ya beat me to it Shannon.
FAT,
My point is that Christians (I am one although not a very good one) have not always had clean hands or been very tolerant. I do believe that Christians have evolved and I suspect that Moslems will as well in time.
My question to you is very simple. How do you know I am a liberal and isn’t is a bit unfair to label someone just because he does not fit your compartmentalized definition>
I consider myself a fiscal conservative and social moderate, but I realize that there are some Kool-Aid servers in the Republican Party eager to cast out anyone that does not fit their narrow definition. It is a strange strategy to me on the eve of an important election. Normally, political parties are striving to be more inclusive than exclusive.
Simple
Ron PaulRon Popeil?Sorry, couldn’t resist.
I agree with fat albert. Next thing you know they’ll be calling for reparations for the ancestors of those forced by the Spanish to convert at swordpoint 500 years ago.
Funny, RedZilla I just watched “History of the World: Part I” last night. Remember the Inquisition song-and-dance bit?
And those feet, have you ever looked at those disgusting feet???
26
That’ll be two demerits, Bubba.
Watch it.
No, say it isn’t so! Simple used the Kool-Aid line.
Another one falls by the wayside.
She needs to rent Benzion and go on a “Healing Our Souls” nationwide tour…
Fair enough, but that still doesn’t speak to the question of why we should dredge up the Inquisition or the Crusades every time someone says that Christianity is a better answer than other faiths.
I realize it isn’t politically correct, but it is a matter of faith. Jews think their faith is superior, so does Islam.
Islam is the only CURRENT religion that tries to convert at the point of a sword.
32 LOL
Plus she’s got the cash to keep him in the lifestyle to which he’s accustomed.
I can see the marquee, now. “Blonde Bomshell and the Unoffended Jew.”
Opening number choreographed by Mel Brooks.
Too Cool
#34 Springtime for Mahmoud
Ann is a wordsmith…. and every word she used in that interview was intentional. ” Perfected ” doesn’t mean to be made more perfect, but means the theological definition, ( Per Dennis Prager). Because she is very bright, has a new book, and can show the ignorance of the libs…….. she spoke as she did. Some got it, some didn’t , those gals on ” The View” still don’t get it.
Ann Coulture makes money hand over fist with her words.
She’s intelligent and makes some very excellent points.
That’s what’s really behind this NIGYSOB culture of the Left.
None of the folks accusing her of anti-Semitism really beleives that she is, just as none of them really beleived that Rush Limbaugh hates the troops or that Bill O’Reilly is a racist.
They just want other less informed people to beleive it.
I’ll ask again:
What does it say about a poltical philosophy when you have to lie and distort in order to advance it?
What does it say about a political philosphy that the only effective tool they have left is to try to shut up the people who disagree with them?
To me it says that it’s a tired old orthodoxy that’s been exposed by History and rejected by the People.
This is America. We get to beleive what we want to believe—especially about Religion. If you want to worship doorknobs, worship away. If you think dorknob worship is superior to all other relgions, that’s OK too.
If your religion believes that Jews will not be “perfected” until they accept Christ, that’s not a hit on Jews—it’s a Constitutionally protected Right. So is saying so.
What the Left has done here as far as I’m concerned is to reenforce my opinion that they are hostile to Christians, especially Conservative Chrsitians.
And they want to shut us up.
Simple,
Let’s see… where to start…
OK, first, Everyone recognizes that the Inquisition was a horrible thing. (Even if we were inclined to forget, folks like you wouldn’t let us :)) But something that happened 400 0r 500 years ago, in another place, and in quite a different society is hardly relevant to a discussion of current events. Whether Moslems evolve or not is, I suppose, a question of interest, but current events seem to indicate that they are going the other direction. In any case, I’m not willing to wait for them to finally catch up with the rest of us.
Second, Although I don’t post here as often as some, I read LST daily. I’ve read a number of your posts and they seem to indicate that you’re well to the political left of center. BTW - the phrase “fiscal conservative and social moderate” is just silly and oxymoronic. Social moderates want the goverment to do a lot of things - this invariably costs a lot of money, which means that taxpayers have to pay, hence the contradiction.
Finally, I don’t serve, or drink Kool-Aid. And, nobody asked you to leave. I simply noted that if you weren’t going to argue rationally or logically you might want to do so in an arena where no one would notice. I suspect that you are far more welcome here than I would be on say - Daily Kos.
Finally, the arguments above notwithstanding, LST isn’t a political party, although I can see how someone with liberal myopia might see it as such.
#38,FA. Zinnggggg!
#38 fat albert
Your points are well taken. Simple is an old hand here and well known for his eccentricities. We have a big tent at LST, even if nobody else does. Hell, even the Paulistinians like us.
Not all of ‘em. We’re not real popular with the nazi wing.
In regard to the Spanish Inquisition: There are two sides to every story.
http://www.crisismagazine.com/october2003/madden.htm
Another popular myth is that the Crusades were an unprovoked attack on Muslims. This is not true:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2005/11/the_truth_about_islamic_crusad.html