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26 Feb 2008 11:46 am

Obama And The Jews, Ctd.

A reader writes:

The post from your reader about Jews not voting for Obama because of a history of "black anti semitism" is absurd.  First, blacks and Jews have a long, shared history. Jews helped found the NAACP. Of civil rights workers Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney, two were not black.  (Guess what they were!)  Blacks and Jews continue to be targeted by the same groups: the Klan, neo-nazis, etc.  While I can't dispute that the groups have had their tensions (e.g., Crown Heights), I still can't see this as a basis for Jews not supporting Obama.

Further, there is a presumption in your reader's email that Jews vote on Israel and nothing else.  That's an unfortunate stereotype.  But for the sake of argument, even if that was true, Jews may also see Obama's foreign policy as being the one most likely to bring peace to the region and therefore provide the greatest security for Israel.

Finally, let's talk about the significance of the Jewish vote.  We are approximately 1.5% of the total population.  Perhaps we vote and contribute in proportionally higher numbers.  But 1.5% ain't a lot.

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