You are a student of history and your post was a rationale one as opposed to the typical "Jews are everywhere" paranoia.
I also enjoy the study of history and current events. I also believe one learns from history and that there are patterns.
However, anyone who studies history knows that the author of the history book and certainly anyone who analyzes and comments on the tome puts his own spin and finds his own patterns. There is nothing wrong with this and, in fact, is a good thing in a free society.
From the time of the crusades through modern history, Jews have been used as "scapegoats." Why is this? Jews usually come into a society, escaping from persecution. They are sometimes welcomed, sometimes tolerated. This is not much different from how any wave of immigrants are treated. We can see the same thing happening today with the mass migration of Asians and Hispanics.
Successful immigrants soon realize that prime jobs will not go to these "strangers," irrespective of skills. After all, it is human nature to be frightened of change and "strangers." This is why there is a pattern of Jews going into medicine, law, small business. This is not an easy route, with many first generation running businesses such as "junk yards." Jews have understood that "hard work" is the way to get ahead.
Jews, throughout history, have not had "welfare" or governmental assistance. Typically, they organize to assist their own. Jews are taught that they are the "people of the book," i.e., the way out of poverty is through knowledge.
The result of all this is that Jews reach positions of power in business. Political power, given the realities of numbers, is always the last to be attained. That does not prevent Jews from being involved in moral causes that "get through" to the political leadership. In our nation, this is why the Jews were so involved and so powerful in the Civil Rights movement. This involvement has been acknowledged at all levels, as well as by bigots and by Black leaders. It was not something that led to financial well-being or self-serving goals. It was moral, altruistic and the "right thing" to do. It is recognized, even more importantly, by Americans now as the "American" way of thinking and acting.
When there is an economic downturn or an international crisis, extremists look for "scapegoats." Who better to chose to disguise their own inadequacies, their own failures, than those who are perceived to be successful, well beyong their respective numbers in the nation. This is enhanced by paranoid and extremist fundamentalists, irrespective of what religion they follow, who belief that there way is "the only way" and that those who worship a different "name" are standing in their way of "salvation." We see this on this very message board.
As a student of history, certainly you can see that your theories and commentaries are nothing more than that. They are not bad, except to the extent that they seek to encourage hatred, pouring fire on an incendiary situation. Finding a pattern on a surface is not a deep analysis at that. You are basically saying that Jews were powerful in various nations and, therefore, they were able to influence leaders to the detriment of the nation.
It is just as "easy" to come up with a theory that is more probable. In our nation, we reacted to the horrors of Nazism. With all the faults of our nation, the vast majority see "wrongs and wish to right them." This is why this nation has been such a strong supporter of Israel. There have been differences, e.g. Suez 1956, but Israel's right to exist has been supported by the vast majority of Americans, irrespective of party, beliefs, religion, philosophy, etc.
It is more likely, given the American character, and the very low percentage of Jews in the US, that the reasons for this support is moral, philosopical and humanitarian. It is illogical to claim that it is political. With 2 1/2% of the population, and that includes assimilated Jews who really do very little to further a "cause," this group has power but nothing like that of the minorities that dwarf the Jews in number and, over all, financial resources.
It is not just the concentration of wealth, it is the moral underpinning. Yes, there is a willingness to put one's money where his/her mouth is that many do not do. I do understand that there are many who complain but never do anything and certainly will not sacrifice even the pennies that would be necessary to get a message across. However, I believe that Americans generally realize that extremist messages will not be accepted in the US no matter how much money is thrown at it.
This is why we have not had a LePen or a Hitler gain anything but minimal influence. Yes, there are extremist groups and haters who offer blood libels. These messages will never take hold in the mainstream because of our history, the good and the bad.
The vast majority of Americans support Israel's right to exist. They also understand the horrors of terrorism and recognize, without debate and blathering, that the use of suicide tactics, sending children to be human bombs against civilian targets, is INHERENTLY WRONG. It may be explained but it is simply mala in se. It does not have to be prohibited or debated.
Those who somehow try to explain this phenomenon are relegated to "extremist". I am not making a moral statement but simply a factual one that even you must realize is true. Americans recognize and reject extremism. This is why we have 50-50 elections, with both parties being pretty close to one another in views up and down the line. 60-40 is a landslide. The debate may be dirty and off the wall, but the vote goes with the main stream.
We support Israel, among other reasons previously listed, as it is the ME nation that most resembles the values of this nation. It is really the only ME nation that is close to being democratic, humanitarian, etc. It is not perfect and it is difficult to come close when your existence is threatend ab initio. If one were visiting the US in the early 1800's, there would be much to criticize, given the tenuous status of the nation at that point and the external and internal threats. Israel does incredibly well, by any rationale moral standard, given the extreme level of threats under which it lives. (I've previously posted my beliefs that Sharon would not be in power in a peaceful Mideast.)
So - bottom line - Mr. Student of History, I suggest you study a bit more, realize that coming up with a theory and then finding bits of history to support that theory is the tactic of a demagogue not that of a student.
Thank goodness, the former approach will never succeed in this great nation. Hitler, no matter how dynamic how handsome (see, e.g, Arnold S comments) would never get more than a small following. Once his message is analyzed, Americans, who are not considered intellectual by those effete snobs elsewhere, somehow know what is "right" and "wrong." It may be easy to say we follow the leader and are sheep, but more times than not, the sheep do the right thing and recognize what is right. It's not that difficult.
Yes - thank goodness. |
