Old Jews, Young Jews, Red Jews, Blue Jews

Please, shake me and tell me I'm dreaming! It can't possibly be true - the People of the Holocaust, the most persecuted group in the history of the world are refusing to vote for a man because he's black?

The first I learned of this travesty was just after Barack won the nomination, and I heard the first rumbling that old Floridian Jews who had come out strongly and passionately for Hillary were in a royal snit. If they couldn't have their girl, they weren't going to vote at all, or might even cast their ballots for McCain (an extra mitzvah if that lovely Joe Lieberman was his running mate). Shortly thereafter I saw footage on CNN - elderly Jews, men and women who, without a trace of embarrassment, were declaring that despite the fact they were lifelong Democrats, would not be voting for Barack Obama. And the reason...?

He was black.

I was slackjawed. Gobsmacked. Outraged. But nobody I knew was talking about it. My own lefty Jewish mother had recently retired to that Great South Florida Over-55 Community in the Sky, but I was sure she would not have voted the racist card. I emailed a couple of Jewish pals, but neither of them responded.

So I called an old Hollywood friend of the Jewish persuasion. In the '80s this woman was the undisputed Queen of the Networks. Straight-talking, funny and clearly an Obama supporter, she answered my query about how a thing like this could be happening: "They won't admit it, but there are a lot of people out there who are terrified about the idea of a bunch of black people running around the White House."

Well yeah, I thought, lots of people who live out where I do, in the Land of the Rednecks, where the Aryan Nation openly parades down Main Street. Where you wouldn't be shocked to hear a beer-guzzling, mouth-breathing bubba say, "If God had meant for nigras to live in the First Home, He wouldn't'a called it the White House, now would he?"

But outright racism in Mondo Condoland? I thought it couldn't be true. Perhaps the Republicans were pulling one of their dirty tricks - finding a few of the clear minority of old Jews who were willing to go on camera and admit to blatant racism in order to psych-out the Dems and give them fits.

But finally, stewing in my own prune juice for long enough, I picked up the phone and called Sylvia, my mother's best friend in Delray Beach, Florida. The Kings Point Senior Community is ground zero of the east coast Semitic set where, amidst palm-tree-lined golf courses and man-made lakes, 17,000 elderly Jews loll in their satellite pools, and the clacking of mahjong tiles echo in the halls of the six-block long clubhouse.

I was relieved to hear that Sylvia was a staunch Obama supporter and appalled at McCain's V.P. choice, whom she sarcastically referred to as "Mrs. Palin, the beauty queen." But when I asked her about her fellow residents' voting proclivities, Sylvia confirmed my worst fears. Many of the people she'd talked to were still angry about Hillary's loss in the primaries, and were staying home rather than voting, or were casting their ballot for McCain. On the issue of Jewish/African American racism and why it was happening, all she could say was "There are a lot of stubborn, stupid people down here." She hoped that the upcoming visits to South Florida from Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden would change some minds, but she wasn't very optimistic. "Maybe if Hillary came down here and talked some sense into them..." she suggested. That sounded like a good idea to me.

It does seem that there's a generational aspect to this problem, and perhaps herein lies the solution. I don't know any young or middle-aged Jews who are voting for McCain or staying home on election day. What if all of us called our parents and bubbies and engaged them in conversation about what is going to be the most important election day in history? Using every tactic we have at our command - from Socratic logic to gut-grabbing guilt - we must convince our misguided relations to do the right thing.

If we don't, John McCain and Mrs. Heartbeat-Away-from-the-Presidency Palin (who is to the right of Hitler on several vital issues) could take America down the path to a new world-wide Holocaust that will make theirs look like chopped liver.

Comments

[dsbsh]

I love the prescription: talk some reason into our older relatvies :). But let's not go off the deep end here. Anecdotal evidence will kill you. Every demographic has their racists and other assorted idiots, and we all know some of them; but that doesn't make it a problem. The fact is that if Obama did as well with Christians as he’s doing with Jews, this race would be a landslide. A few examples with actual numbers:

Lincoln Mitchell notes that at worst this election cycle Obama is winning the Jewish vote by a 2-1 margin: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lincoln-mitchell/barack-obamas-real-proble_b_105887.html

Aaron Keyak discussed Jews and Obama, citing a recent J-Street survey, a couple of months back: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-keyak/poll-shows-mccain-out-of_b_113179.html

And this one from myDD discussing voting patterns among Jewish voters over the past several elections; Obama’s numbers look an awful lot like Kerry’s: http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/7/16/19427/3591

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

Racism is alive in the jewish community just as it is in every american community. An african american friend of mine experienced it back in the late 80s when we both were living in Miami. She wanted to get a bagel at this jewish mom and pop type cafe. As she exited the car, a man came from behind the counter and locked the door. No, it wasn't closing time. This occurred in the middle of the day during business hours. If I hadn't seen it myself, I would not have believed it. Since I did not want a bagel, I told her that I would wait in the car for her. I was shocked this was happening in Miami, one of the most diverse communities in America. I then became angry due to the hurt look on my friend's face. By the way, did I mention she is a biracial african american jew. Robin, I'm glad you pulled the cover off one of the dirty little secrets within the jewish community. Although it's one I and my friend have known for over two decades now. It always amazed me when I would here african americans and jews comparing the similarites of their history regarding the injustices of racism. I guess when it boils down to it, there's a little racist in all of us. Ya think?

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

Here's a bit of history,
During the WW2 Black soldiers were sent in to some of the camps to rescue imprisoned Jews. The reason for the US Army was the Germans were dressing up a US soldiers and tricking the Jews and leading them to mass graves and then executing them. This was dilemma for the US how can we help them if they don't trust the uniform, The AA soldiers were put easy to indentify as American service men. Like wise the Jews stood by the sides of AA during civil rights movement, today the past has been forgotten. Just imagine if those soldiers hadn't been willing to put their lives on the line not only for a country that did not see them as equals of human for that matter but for people that were treated just as horrible as they were . SMDH

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Obama/Biden 08

[BonnieJW]

My husband and I are in our 60's and Jewish and we, all our friends and our parents are voting for Obama.

[mamacat]

I think that the threat of having a right-wing Christian fundamentalist in the White House will drive Jewish-Americans to vote for Obama.

The thought of a "Jews for Jesus" nut having her finger on the nuclear missile launch button should be a wake up call for all voters.

Contrast Palin with Obama, a man with a 170 IQ, whose Christianity leads him to want to work with and for people, not oppress them.

The contrast between Palin and Obama is, for me, like the contrast between modern and fundamentalist Muslims.

[Fukai]

I'm not sure what Obama's IQ is, but it seems to me that it took him an awfully long time to figure out what kind of person Jeremiah Wright is.

[protagonia]

mamcat,

Some "Christians" want all the Jews to be in Israel by 2012 for a very specific reason.

Something unthinkable, yet absurdly easy to look up in a certain book.

Any hotel here will provide it.

There is an actual God.

One who does not care what symbols you have atop your places of worship.

One who loves children more than borders and weapons.

More than oil.

And to the true God we ask - HELP US!

[lboucher]

Biden, who won 3% of the popular vote in the Democratic presidential primary in his home state of Delaware, and 1% or less in every other contest he entered, is ballot-box poison.

[Fukai]

Good point! By choosing the "gaffe machine" instead of Hillary Clinton as his running mate, Obama displayed incredibly poor judgment.

[dsbsh]

Interestin­g... the polling numbers I'm reading show that Biden + the convention pretty much locked up PA for Obama, even with all the Palin hoopla. Chuck Todd on NBC, one of the few MSM reporters/analysts worth listening too, basically said the same thing this week.

[S1m0n]

Suffering never made anyone just. If it did, the past 60 years of Israeli history would be very different.

[ESerafina42]

True - and not all abused children grow up to be crusaders for justice. Some of them become abusers themselves. Let's face it. People don't always react in what seems to be the obvious way. Not Jews. Not Christians. Not Muslims. Not atheists and agnostics. News flash: human beings are not always rational beings.

[SethBLiNK]

Robin, you have uncovered my secret shame. I grew up Jewish in NY and always took pride in thinking of "my people" as smarter and more progressive.

I traveled to Iowa as an Obama volunteer and was heartened to see the kind of white people I didn't expect to be open-minded supporting him without hesitation.

Then I went to Nevada and was sent to canvas in a retirement community which was 50% jewish and what a different reaction I got. I could understand that many of them preferred Hillary, but there was a hatred or fear that went far deeper than just a preference. One woman saw my Obama sign and said "shame on you."

It wasn't just racism, which usually knows enough to be ashamed of itself. It was a 100% willingness to believe every vile lie about him. Some think he's a muslim terrorist. But some don't need that much provocation. While visiting my mother, I heard one of her neighbors say, "if he wins, they'll think they're in charge."

I have to think that much white anti-Obama sentiment has the same roots (from gentiles as well as jews), but people who are surrounded by those of like minds feel more free to express their uglier sentiments.

[McCainWho]

Hold yourself accountable to the voters. McCain MUST release his FULL Military Records and his Mental Health Record. Do not let the voters elect this man and find out later that critical information was withheld from them. His must be fully vetted. VET HIM NOW
Is John McCain Mentally Qualified to be President if he is suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)? He was a POW for nearly six years and his temperament is really bad. Does he get flashbacks? I am SCARED to have him making war decisions for our country. He may have a debt to payback. I thought you must be MENTALLY FIT to run our country. Why he have not released his Mental Health Records or his FULL Military Records? He MUST BE HIDING SOMETHING?

[ceti]

Well, a lot of older Jews like many other whites were part of the white flight from the cities in the 1960s. They share in this racial antagonism. And they were the particular targets of those email smears. However, Ed Koch just endorsed Obama so hopefully this might help, where reason hasn't.

[ESerafina42]

And many of them joined the civil rights marches and freedom rides, including Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the most respected rabbis of the 20th century. Jews, like most groups, are not a monolithic bloc.

[rcwblessed]

Thank you, thank you Robin! I hope your plan works.

[Bart Motes - Huffpost Blogger]

Loved this article. I want to write like you when I grow up!

[Jaid]

There are racist Jews living in Florida? OMG! This simply cannot be true. Not the Chosen, not the persecuted.

[rudiy]

There are lots of bigots like Jaid. Some of all religions and ethnic groups who will not vote for Obama because of his color. That is a shame. But Jewish voters are not monolithic. You will never see 90% + of Jews backing a candidate because of their religion. There are many other issues, such as qualifications and how to govern. There unfortunately is concern that the African American community has become very anti Semitic, ala Jesse Jackson, Rev Wright and others and somehow, no matter how far fetched, this will effect Obama.

[4moremonths]

This is not a race about "the issues", but the issue of this race is Race. Simple.

[PuppaX]

2 years, 2 bestselling books about his life and ideas, countless interviews, speeches, and media profiles, and people still don't feel like Obama's one of them.

One half-hour speech and Palin's the new RNC poster-model - the new every-mom.

Please explain to me how this can be anything BUT racism.

[Memnoch]

News flash: Older people are more likely to be prejudiced. Against any race/relig­ion/orient­ation. That's not ageism. It's just that they're influenced by the times they grew up in. "Average hockey mom in Alaska" is code for white. We all know what "uppity" code is for.

This is why people in NJ and NY, and FL, and all over the US that were/are Democrats, can't vote for Obama. I heard, during the primaries, that Obama and Hillary were 98% aligned on the issues...y­et people are flocking to McCain/Palin.