If you’re reading this blog, I’m guessing you’re not down with Glenn Beck, but did you know that Pinkface Half-wit is a notorious anti-semite? Beck has a long history of appropiating the holocaust for political games, has called George Soros a “puppet master”, and has dressed up as a fetishized Nazi officer for his book cover.
On Tuesday, he took it to that other level, calling Reform Judaism “almost like radicalized Islam…about politics, [not] faith” on his radio show. While echoing traditional stereotypes of the soulless, calculating Jew, Beck is definitely preaching a uniquely right-wing American anti-semitism. When a popular demagogue is libeling the largest movement in American Jewry, it’s time for Abe Foxman to stop defending him. I can’t see why major Jewish organizations are tolerating his hate speech.
Update from HaAretz:
“Abraham Foxman, Anti-Defamation League National Director, said in a statement, “Glenn Beck’s comparison of Reform Judaism to radical Islam demonstrates his bigoted ignorance. Despite his feeble attempt to suggest that he was not equating Reform Judaism with Islamic extremist terrorism, the simple fact that he would mention them in the same breath is highly offensive and outrageous.”
It wasn’t outrageous before?
Remember Gershom Sizomu? The only Rabbi in Uganda was running for Parliament, but elections Friday were marred by government thugs with guns totally stealing the election. Sizomu’s campaign staff have been attacked and beaten. This story is still developing, so expect more coverage soon. Hopefully this won’t be the end of Sizomu’s campaign. Other opposition leaders in Uganda are calling for protest, but Western governments are “urging calm”. I’d say it’s disappointing but cutting loose democratic opposition movements in the third world is nothing new.
Doesn’t it seem like Zionist discourse at universities has been reduced to “No, Israel isn’t that evil?” Props to Boston University Students for Israel getting proactive with it. I’ll be checking out that “Tel Aviv Club Night” if the streets are clear Saturday night, so good for them.
On the intellectual side of things, the Boston Jewish Music Festival is coming up in March. I’ll be covering that extensively, with writeups, interviews, pictures, and #hashtags. And on March 14, Boston’s gonna seriously get down with a hip hop showcase at Church Boston. It’s only 5 bucks to get in, and the music’s gonna be on point. The Boston hip hop scene is still mourning the loss of Guru, the legendary jazz-influenced rapper from Gang Starr who died a little less than a year ago. Guru was one of the first MCs to flow over jazz beats, beginning way back in 1989. The thought that a new Gang Starr collaboration is now an impossibility is depressing to say the least. #RIPGuru.
