Tommy Thompson on Jewish Values
It is good that we have politicians and leaders to help us focus our conversation on values. Given the degree of internal debate, Gov. Thompson‘s clarity is refreshing:
Former Wisconsin governor and Republican presidential hopeful Tommy Thompson told Jewish activists Monday that making money is “part of the Jewish tradition,” and something that he applauded.
Speaking to an audience at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington D.C., Thompson said that, “I’m in the private sector and for the first time in my life I’m earning money. You know that’s sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that.”
As someone who spends lots of time thinking about Jewish Values at the RAC, I now feel more of a kinship with Thompson and his Presidential bid.
He continued:
“I just want to clarify something because I didn’t [by] any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things,” he said.
“What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You’ve been outstanding business people and I compliment you for that.”
This clarification was helpful as it appears he has successfully avoided the strong version of the Jewish banking conspiracy. That said, we don’t generally see the weak version as a good alternative.
Update: Thompson’s home-state Journal Sentinel has run an editorial calling for him to end his modest bid for the Presidency as a result of this incident. Let’s hope all candidates are held to this standard of ethnic and religious sensitivity. Even better, let’s hope that we hold them accountable for policies, in addition to awkward statements, that reflect insensitivity to diversity.
Shalem center people published a bunch of articles in _Azure_ to that effect a few years ago. I’d rather ally myself with the socialists.
He didn’t mean to “infer” anything? Forget about values, this guy needs a lesson in English.
From the context, I think Thompson was equating “Jewish tradition” to “Protestant work ethic.” I do not find it sinister or offensive.
Regarding “Let’s hope all candidates are held to this standard of ethnic and religious sensitivity. Even better, let’s hope that we hold them accountable for policies, in addition to awkward statements, that reflect insensitivity to diversity,” all six of the current Democratic candidates have disqualified themselves from consideration by any decent person by accepting an invitation to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.
Al Sharpton is a known racist and anti-Semite whose hate speech has, at least indirectly, caused two fatal incidents of anti-Semitic violence: the Crown Heights Riots and the Freddy’s Fashion Mart arson. Sharpton has personally used slurs like “[Jewish] diamond merchants,” “white interlopers,” and “Greek homos.” His entourage has used worse. Unlike Don Imus and Mel Gibson, he has never even apologized for his actions.
Nor has he ever done anything, like public service by his National Action Network, to help repair the damage it caused in Crown Heights. They can’t bring Yankel Rosenbaum back to life, but taking up a collection for his family and perhaps doing community service in Crown Heights would be a way to put that event behind them. But perhaps Sharpton feels that murdering Jews in riots, burning down Jewish-owned stores, and damaging lives and reputations in Wappingers Falls is completely acceptable.
Nonetheless, Clinton, Obama, Biden, Richardson, Dodd, and Edwards have accepted an invitation to what is essentially the Black version of the Aryan Nations or Ku Klux Klan (my perception, noting who its leader is). There is no way I will even look at their platforms or positions next year if any of them wins the nomination. I encourage the Democrats to find someone else, and find him or her quickly.
Bill, you’ve got to be joking.
if bill saw the same remark made by thompson posted to the moveon.org forum, he would have upheld it of evidence of the entire democratic party being a haven for antisemites.
he is a fraud and obviously a GOP operative.
Nonetheless, Clinton, Obama, Biden, Richardson, Dodd, and Edwards have accepted an invitation to what is essentially the Black version of the Aryan Nations or Ku Klux Klan (my perception, noting who its leader is). There is no way I will even look at their platforms or positions next year if any of them wins the nomination. I encourage the Democrats to find someone else, and find him or her quickly.
I’m sure you were giving the Democrats serious consideration until they accepted this invitation, but then you were so shocked and appalled that you did a total about-face!
BZ,
I admit that I was not giving the Democrats in question serious consideration because of their connection with MoveOn.org, another hate group. I could, however, consider a genuine Democrat like Joe Lieberman or Ed Rendell who has not dirtied his hands through contact with MoveOn.org or Al Sharpton.
The comments posted to MoveOn.org were not positive stereotypes of Jews. One, which garnered very high marks from the other participants, said the Talmud orders Jews to hate and even kill non-Jews. (Can anyone say “blood libel?”) The rest might as well have been quoted from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion or The Eternal Jew.
I am not a “GOP operative”–in fact, I wrote letters to the editor to support two genuine Democrats for my state legislature, and I voted for my Democratic Representative. I would have followed my Democratic friends’ request to vote for Bob Casey had he not insisted on accepting support from MoveOn.org. I am quite capable of not only touching but pulling a lever with a “D” on it, but not one that goes with someone who consorts with anti-Semites, Christian-haters, and racists.