Comments on: Sarah Palin and “Blood Libel”

By: Diane S.

Diane S. — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:24:02 +0000

I find the explanation very credible that the use of the word was absolutely deliberate and meant to send barking white-sheeters into howls of derisive laughter for getting to see her do the one-two punch of baiting journalists with the thinly veiled anti-Semitic accusations that the media is controlled by Jews.

She is no moron. She knows what circus ringleaders Barnum and Bailey said, ‘There’s a sucker born every minute.’
She is a pugilist. I am glad she is showing her true colors.

This website is the clearest-eyed I have seen this evening so far.

By: Mackey

Mackey — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:20:54 +0000

In some ways, as an Australian, I am jealous of the US constitutionally enshrined right to free speech, and I get that Palin is entitled to use that right.

But what I don’t understand is how the freedom of speech is treated – it’s like anybody (including those in the public spotlight) can say whatever they like, without thinking about the ramifications of publicly saying whatever comes to mind.

I’m all for the freedom of political speech, but I’m also for responsibility of political speech, especially in ensuring that it doesn’t incite hatred, violence, intimidation, and other nasty things against fellow human beings.

By: baraqiel

baraqiel — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:28:28 +0000

I find that video to be, on the whole, viscerally disgusting. The fact that she straight up made the argument that it’s evil for people to suggest there are things she shouldn’t say, but that people criticizing her is equivalent to a practice that led to whole villages being massacred and they should immediately stop…I agree with you, PhD, “aaaaarrrgghhh my brain”. But furthermore, it is her response, much more so than the actual shooting, that makes me feel unsafe as an American.

By: rodriguez

rodriguez — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:01:00 +0000

@Mark Sikes Please give specific examples of hate or vitriol in this post or comments otherwise go back under your bridge.

By: mischiefmanager

mischiefmanager — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:45:11 +0000

A little historical background: the blood libel specifically accused Jews of kidnapping and murdering Christian children and using their blood in matzah during Passover. This led to annual pogroms in Eastern Europe, and hundreds of thousands of Jews died. When we celebrate Passover today, we enact a ritual that came into being in order to deflect stories about blood libel. We welcome the prophet Elijah, who represents the coming of the messianic age, by opening the door to the outside, symbolically showing that we have nothing to hide.
The painful irony about the blood libel is that under the rules of kashrut we are extremely careful not to consume any blood at all. Meats are salted to draw out all the blood. So the libel was a cruel insult as well as an excuse for Jew killing.

By: PhDork

PhDork — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:35:20 +0000

Mark: Is the phrase “you people” a polite formulation where you live?

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:16:42 +0000

Do any of you people EVER look in the mirror?

Yep. And since I have never encouraged the shooting of people whose politics I disagree with or used anti-Semitic propaganda to blame people for criticizing me…I’m totally okay with what I see there.

By: Mark Sikes

Mark Sikes — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:57:50 +0000

Wow. No hate or vitriol here.
Do any of you people EVER look in the mirror? No, of course not. it’s always THEM who are the problem. The blind spot that the left has to their own hatred is stunning.

By: labman57

labman57 — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:40:27 +0000

Typical. 6 people die, several others are critically wounded … and Palin decides to play the role of the maligned victim.

Sarah suffers from a severe chronic case of Athletes’s Tongue, but this particular reference may offer some insight into her religious upbringing.

By: TiredOnEarth

TiredOnEarth — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:44:35 +0000

This is all so very sad; does this species never learn? I am VERY worried about the similarities to the scenario before WWII and its dismal atrocities: immense wealth held in the hands of a few; the so-called middle class (the economic engine) disappearing; huge social problems resulting, then scapegoating and persecution followed by a horrific war. This time it will be SO much worse.