Speaking of Racism (Because We Were, You Know...)

Reading through Arab News has left me with a nasty taste in my mouth this morning. Richard Curtiss, who is also the executive editor of Washington Report on Middle East Affairs has a piece, Portrait of a Miserably Undecided US Voter, that is just nasty at it's very core. His assumptions and commentary are mean, base, and not a little confusing.

The first thing that stuck out at me was his obsession with the number of Jews in the candidates cabinets and family trees.

It turned out that Kerry’s blue-blooded ancestors and the Bush family tree were pretty much alike. But there was one difference, probably a minor one, but still it stuck out like a sore thumb, at least to me. On his father’s side a Kerry had converted from Judaism to Catholicism when the family came to the United States.
[...]
Kerry’s brother Cameron converted to Judaism when he married a Jewish woman. It’s also a fact that Cameron has been an adviser and political strategist for Kerry’s campaign.

After going through a few paragraphs devoted to these thoughts about Jewish advisors and how that relates to Kerry's stance on Israel, he gives us this nugget: "The truth of the matter is that in the American melting pot you can find a Jewish ancestor and probably just about any other kind of ancestor one wants. So what?" And follows it up with more talk about, guess what, Jews.

Bush, for whatever reason, does not have a single adviser who is Jewish in his Cabinet, unlike Clinton who had an extraordinary number of advisers and appointees who were Jewish. Which candidate’s group is the best bet for solving the Palestine problem, which in my case, is the key to peace in the Middle East?

The fact that Bush has no Jewish cabinet advisors is a net plus to Curtiss and a mildly odd coincidence to me. Does Curtiss think that Bush went through his Rolodex purposefully crossing off potential advisors because of their religious heritage? Or does he just view it as a really lucky coincidence?

Either way, the suggestion is one step away from racist in its assumptions. The first assumption that a person of Jewish heritage is more loyal to Israel than to the United States is foolish--although it's worth noting that what is good for Israel is often what is good and right for the United States. The second assumption, that Bush's group of advisors will do a better job because their are no Jews present is simply offensive.

Both assumptions are wrapped in one severely wrong-headed belief: that those things that would benefit Israel are, by default, things that will harm Palestinians and the Middle East. I would counter that and say that only a solution that is truly good and fair to the citizens of Israel and Palestinians can be considered to be the right solution to the region's problems.

Then Curtiss really goes off the rails. Anyone who believes that a completely empty idiot can actually ascend to be President of the United States is barely worth my time. A certain fringe, though, believes precisely that, and Curtiss puts in the most blunt terms.

But then look at George W. Bush who apparently can’t go anywhere unless big brother, Vice President Richard Cheney, is within hailing distance to tell him what to do next. To be blunt, it’s pathetic that Bush has no mind of his own. Bush is caught between Secretary of State Colin Powell, who tries to tidy up messes left behind by Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld who has been told to put the brakes on his shenanigans and disappear until after the election.

Someone who considers himself a serious journalist should never indulge in such feebleminded commentary. Simply believing that his policies and convictions are wrong doesn't make him an empty puppet being bossed by his advisors. Do I believe that, in terms of IQ, Bush is the most intelligent American President in modern memory? Frankly, I have no way to judge that, but it doesn't matter to me. A high IQ is no guaranty of a person making good choices or supporting the policies that I believe to be right.

There are times that I read the Arab News and feel hopeful. This isn't one of those days. Curtiss is just a fool clinging to his own prejudices while pretending to be open minded.

Read the rest.

Posted by zombyboy at August 27, 2004 12:08 PM