Alan Dershowitz Defends Palin on ‘Blood Libel’

[azurnoir]

Noted Jewish academic and Harvard Law professor Allan Dershowitz defended Sarah Palin's "blood libel" remark today. Though many Jewish groups have expressed dismay over Palin's use of the term, in a statement to Big Government, Dershowitz said "there is nothing improper and certainly nothing anti-Semitic" about Palin's comments. Originally, the term was most often used (in a European context) to falsely accuse Jews of murdering children and using their blood for religious rituals. Dershowitz argues that the term has since evolved:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Alan-Dershowitz-Defends-Palin-on-Blood-Libel-2956

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Dershowitz Gives Palin the Go-Ahead on "Blood Libel"

Big Government scoops a statement from Alan Dershowitz, the acting chairman of Making Sure Things Aren't Offensive to Jews.

The term “blood libel” has taken on a broad metaphorical meaning in public discourse. Although its historical origins were in theologically based false accusations against the Jews and the Jewish People,its current usage is far broader. I myself have used it to describe false accusations against the State of Israel by the Goldstone Report.

This is basically my position, which is why I am on Capitol Hill right now following other stories and not giving a ghost of a goddamn about what Sarah Palin said. I take Adam Serwer's point, though:

"Blood libel" is not wrongfully assigning guilt to an individual for murder, but rather assigning guilt collectively to an entire group of people and then using it to justify violence against them.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/01/12/dershowitz-gives-palin-the-go-ahead-on-blood-libel.aspx