THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

It is not that they are liberal itself that makes these people such an embarrassment. It is that they are reflexively liberal, even when it overtly hurts them. Jews by and large are more secular than Christians and Muslims. Jews, especially liberal Jews, are taught at an early age not to be seen in America as “too religious.” This explains their discomfort with religious Jewish organizations such as Chabad.

Ask a secular Jew today if they are Jewish, and they will often say “I am, but I’m not religious.” As I look at them and say “I didn’t ask you that,” they have a look of discomfort that they would rather be talking about anything else. Christians and Muslims simply do not have this reflexive need to distance themselves from themselves. Because Judaism teaches people to question everything, and everything is open to interpretation, there are a large percentage of atheistic and agnostic Jews. Many Jews take pride in being “culturally Jewish,” which is a fancy way of saying “eats bagels, quotes Seinfeld, and makes Jewish jokes in front of non-Jews to gain acceptance.”

Since these secular Jews are often Jewish in name only, their religion does not play as vital a role in their voting as it does for Orthodox Jews, or many Christians. Yes, there are Jews that are liberal democrats and also “religious,” but this is not overwhelming enough to be seen as the norm.

Now I could care less if Jews obey the traditions. I am not God. I do care that these angst ridden guilty white liberals vote, and vote against themselves.

Ronald Reagan received 40% of the Jewish vote, which was considered outstanding. What this does not say is that a warm friend of Israel still could not convince 60% of Jews to vote for him. Many of them voted for Jimmy Carter, who has made so many blatant and virulent Anti-semitic statements that even Jewish liberals are losing faith in him. When Jewish liberals cannot support a democrat, then you know that democrat is bad. Jimmy Carter was a lover of Yassir “That’s my baby terrorist” Arafat, and yet Ronald Reagan still did not win a Jewish majority.

George HW Bush was seen as indifferent towards Jews, and his right hand man James Baker was known to have said “F*ck the Jews, they don’t vote for us anyway.” While this is a disgusting comment, I do understand why many republicans would feel that way. Again, I condemn the statement, but still think Jews are often not worth bothering to talk with, given their close-mindedness. I think that is more due to their liberalism though.

Bill Clinton was loved by the Jews. What did he actually do for Jews? Nothing. He forced Ehud Barak and Yassir Arafat to sit down together and hammer out a deal that was cultural suicide for Israel. After eight years of doing nothing, he desperately wanted a deal to give him a legacy beyond Monica’s blue stained dress. Clinton and Barak were leaving office, and so desperate for a deal, that Arafat held all the cards. Ronald Reagan once came back fro a summit with Gorbachev without a deal. This was seen as a failure. Reagan said that “it was better to have no agreement than a bad agreement.” Clinton and Barak did not believe this. A public handshake such as the disaster that was Oslo was more important than any long term consequences, which Clinton could blame on his successor. It was governing by photo op, which was what the Clinton Presidency was all about.

If Jews really want to do themselves a favor, rather than vote for someone who talks a good game on Jewish issues, why not consider someone who actually has a record on Jewish issues that is flawless.

George W. Bush has been a phenomenal friend of Israel, and liberal Jews still will not thank him. 75% of Jews voted for his 2004 opponent, a man who favored Israel’s border fence in front of Jewish groups, and found it troubling in front of Arab Muslim groups. I feel like sending the Dub apology letters on behalf of my community. Or I could buy a t-shirt that reads, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Dubya.” He gave Ariel Sharon a free hand to run wild. Many liberal Jews are uncomfortable with that. Then they insist that they are not a bunch of kumbaya singing love train desiring counterculture peaceniks. They get offended when they are told they favor surrender. When they are done getting indignant, I then ask them “Ok, so what would you do? What is the answer?” They then mumble platitudes about how complex problems require complex solutions, and that means dialogue. When someone tells you they want to kill you, dialogue with them is not an option, nor should it be. Normally I would favor the weak being eliminated, but there are not enough Jews in this world as it is, so trying to get the liberal ones to grow up is the only necessary option.

Many liberal Jews cannot vote republican because they are pro-choice, pro-gay rights and pro-trees and animals (at the expense of human beings, including Jews). This gives credence to the argument that liberalism is more important than Judaism. For Jews to thrive, it cannot be. It should not be. There is nothing in the Torah that tells Jews to be liberals. Social justice is a myth.

I know, I know, many Jews would vote for Hitler (He was a vegetarian after all) over a republican, but at some point Jews have to stop obsessing over liberalism and start voting their own interests. Liberalism and social justice are fancy ways of saying “Let’s help out other people who don’t give a d@mn about us, resent our help, and would never return the favor.”

Jews are wringing their hands over Darfur…when a billion Muslims could lift a few fingers and donate some blood-stained petro dollars and fix the problem. Does anyone think the people of Darfur would care about Israel?

2008 will tell if enough Jews have had this cranial-glutial extraction surgery. John Edwards has shown some Pro-Israel signs, but then again core beliefs do not seem to be his strong point. Barack Obama has not said anything anti-semitic, but nobody knows what he believes about anything. Barack Obama has said nothing, and John Edwards has said everything to everybody.

Hillary Clinton stood by and clapped while Suha Arafat accused Jews of blood libel, poisoning the water of Palestinian children. The fact that she did not know what was being said is no excuse. She should not have been in the room with that wretched woman. Come to think of it, Suha Arafat would make a great suicide bomber, provided only Palestinian terrorists were the victims.

The answer is for Jewish candidates to support candidates who are good on Jewish issues.

Rudy Giuliani fights for Israel and Jews, which is more than we do as a people. Rudy ostracized Arafat while Hillary was busy kissing Arafat’s wife. Rudy returned 10 million dollars from an anti-semitic Saudi Prince. That is principled, and the epitome of putting your money where your mouth is.

Mitt Romney is a Mormon, and is sensitive to the religious bigotry in this world. Liberal Jews may think he wants all Jews to become Mormons, but a more realistic explanation is he is a good human being with profound religious beliefs that teach him to respect all peoples, including the Jews.

John McCain and Newt Gingrich have stellar records on Israel, and Fred Thompson is so liked by everybody that it would be a shock if he did not also have solid Israel credentials.

I am not implying that Hillary, Obama or Edwards are anti-Jewish, anti-Israel or anti-semitic. I am saying they are indifferent, and will do what the polls tell them to do. If that benefits Jews, fine.

I am not willing to take my chances. This is not the feel good 60s or the Seinfeld 90s. This is a post 9/11 world, and only six decades from the greatest evil known to man, the Holocaust. I need someone in the White House that benefits Jews, whether they want it or deserve it. George W. Bush may never get the appreciation he deserves (although I suspect the history books will be much better than the Jayson Blair Times would have one believe), but he will be vindicated when his successor is someone who is close to him on the War on Terror, which includes the defining (human therefore) Jewish issues of our lifetime.

Jews will have only themselves to blame if things get worse for them, but luckily there are enough sensible non-Jews in this country (Thank you Christian America) to prevent this and stick up for us and help make our lives better, despite many of us refusing to do it ourselves.

eric