My Experience at an AIPAC Event Last Year

[DoveTurnedHawk]

This post relates partially to a thead started here by DrDon:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=316x50

Last year, I attended an AIPAC event as a guest of my friend, who is a member. I actually didn't know it was an AIPAC event until after I got there, my friend had billed it as merely a lecture. In any event, the speaker was a woman professor living in Chicago whose name escapes me right now, and the subject was voting for Kerry or Bush.

She basically made several points:

1) Based on demographic trends, Jewish political strength in the US was at its height right now, and would eventually decline in future years as the trends became established.

2) Older Jewish voters were as strongly Democratic as ever, but younger Jewish voters were skewing increasingly Republican, to the point where an even split was not inconceivable.

3) The fastest growing segment of the American Jewish population was Orthodox/Hasidic/Haredi Jews, who are more politically (and culturally) conservative than Reformed or Conservative Jews.

4) In recognition of what she saw as the inevitable decline in Jewish political strength in the US, she advocated for a political alliance in America between Jews and either one of two other demographics: Latinos, or fundamentalist Christians. This assessment was based primarily on the demographic studies she had observed. Those two demographics were the fastest-growing ones in America, and had the highest birthrates and/or immigration rates.

5) She compared both Kerry's and Bush's positions on Israel. Although she praised both men on their support for Israel, and claimed to be neutral on the election, she made the point that Bush was more likely to give Israel a "blank check" and less likely to pressure Israel for concessions, and that people who made their voting decisions based primarily on Israel should take that into consideration.

I found the whole lecture fascinating. It seems clear to me that the Democratic Party cannot take for granted one of our most loyal constituencies. The demographic information was very interesting, and the idea of a political alliance with either fundamentalist Christians or Latinos was also very eye-opening.

DTH

[drdon326]

1. That was depressing..........................thanks....I think.

btw...good to see you after all this time DTH.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

2. Good To See You Too, Don!

I found it distressing, but eye opening. In any event, we need to be able to recognize the issue and the potential problem in order to try to solve it.

DTH

[drdon326]

3. OK...The million dollar question.

Is the Democratic Party taking for granted one of our most loyal constituencies ?

[DoveTurnedHawk]

4. Potentially Yes

I could easily see how the small but vocal minority of the Very Far Left (which often does not respect religion of any kind, and often decries the practices of Israel to a disproportionate degree) would make many Jews feel affirmatively unwelcome, much less merely taken for granted.

I believe that some Jews may also feel like many Californians (like me) feel: we are like the ATM of the Democratic Party. They always come here for money, but because we are so solidly blue, we never seem to get much attention any other time. That gets old after a while.

DTH

[Behind the Aegis]

5. That is just plain scary!

It was indeed eye-opening, but more in the vein of "Holy Shit!" The fifth point seems to be out of joint with what is actually happening. I have always maintained that Shrub pays "lip-service" to Israel and nothing more. He doesn't care about Israel at all, not even as an ally. Take a look at what the National Jewish Democratic Council has to say here: Far From Perfect.

Jews are taken for granted, much like gays, until the collection plate is passed. Hell, I even remember thinly-veiled attacks on Kerry that he might have "Jew blood" and, therefore, would unfairly support Israel. :eyes:

[DoveTurnedHawk]

6. I Don't Agree With Everything She Said

Her perspective was blunt and fascinating, though.

DTH

[Behind the Aegis]

7. I understand that

I am sorry if it seem I implied that, it was not my intention. You are right; it is fascinating, IMO, in a very scary way! :)

[IndianaGreen]

8. Those "Latinos" the woman spoke of are largely anti-Semitic

Anti-Semitism is rather prevalent in Latin America, except perhaps in Cuba.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

9. I Didn't Know That

Quite a few fundamentalists are anti-Semitic too, though.

The alliance concept was one I hadn't thought of before, not in such blunt terms. I don't know that it's feasible. I just thought her statement was interesting.

DTH

[leftynyc]

11. The fundamentalist Chirstians only support

Israel - they couldn't care less about the Jews. They need Israel to exist for their own vision (though I'm sure everyone on this thread already knows this). Quite a dilemma.

[elshiva]

16. The rapture B.S.

They need the state of Israel to begin to activate the Rapture crap, which is not in the Bible.:grr: :grr:

[drdon326]

10. Really ??

I didnt know that either.

There are other groups you didnt mention that calls jews "pigs and monkeys"....which I have posted endlessly on other threads.

You can figure it out.

[Lithos]

12. There is a very strong undercurrent of Anti-Semitism in Latin America

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0403648.htm

U.S. Jewish leaders met with Vatican officials in late June to raise what they consider a growing problem: anti-Semitism among Hispanic immigrants to the United States.

According to surveys, new Hispanic arrivals in the United States are "44 percent infected" with anti-Semitic attitudes, reflecting lower sensitivity to the problem throughout their Latin American countries of origin, said Abraham Foxman, national director of the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League.

The rate of anti-Semitism among the immigrants is more than twice that of U.S.-born Hispanics, Foxman said. A high percentage of the immigrants believe the Jews were responsible for Christ's death, he said...

[drdon326]

13. Juuuuuuuust Lovely.

bummer

[Lithos]

14. Add to that the neo-Nazi and RW movements in South America

(Particularly in Columbia, Chile and Argentina) and you have a fairly hostile environment brewing.

L-

[Meshuga]

15. The left Wing in South America is also hostile toward Jews

Perhaps because of the sympathy that the South American left wing has for the Palestinians. The LW in South America dislikes the US and the American support for Israel causes Israel to get a bad rap too and these feelings transform into some degree of anti-Semitic feelings by the left too. I might be way off but that's just a perception I have after seeing the heated arguments over and over between Brazilian Jews and some of the Brazilian Left.

[FourStarDemocrat]

17. False choices...

I understand some of her reasoning, but there are some false premises and false choices there in my opinion. First of all, Jews have a wide variety interests, and share ideals with several different voting blocks, such as civil rights, peace in the mideast, security for Israel, quality education. While the Hasidic/Ultra Orthodox population is increasing at a much higher rate than other groups, Conservative, Orthodox reform,and secular still outnumber them by far and will continue to for decades.

Also, it is not a given that even Ultra-orthodox/right wing jews will organize into a strong political force that answers to the beck and call of republicans. First of all, there is a sense (even under the surface) of distrust that exists for many Hasidic followers in others outside their communities. Secondly, the communities that they live and work in are very much group-supporting and community- sustained in matters of housing, business, education, childcare etc. They don't neccessarily have the motivation in seeking outide secular political power or alliances because the communities that they have created have been very successful in meeting many of their needs. I realize that this is a generalization, but generally true.