I find your thinking so CLEAR and well argued. I was surprised to hear you’re not Jewish. Then ah, she went to work for a Jewish newspaper and saw through all the double-talk disguising straightforward hatred. I’m not Jewish either, but I wrote for the Village Voice (my 1979-1980 pieces were collected as The Redneck Way of Knowledge) and being from South Carolina, my issues had been feminism and racism - embracing one, fighting hard against the other- but I’ve been with my (now) wife for 26 years and we have 24 year old twins, a boy and a girl, jackpot! and they are Jewish. I wanted our children raised in a temple and bar/bat mitzvahed for many reasons, but it was and is crucial that they understand that they may be treated as white in this country, but they are despised in much of the world. They needed to know that they are Jewish, and nothing they think or believe can changed that. I am of course frightened for them and for my wife and for every Jew in the world. I love your intransigence. I hope you’ll look me up. Blanchemccraryboyd.com or come to my substack, Blanche.substack.com. Have you written any books? I guess I can go check that myself!
Short Hills, New Jersey is a very posh place. I grew up in a nearby town in the 1980’s. I would describe my childhood as having zero antisemitism.
I do wonder, based in this quote, how much of perception of zero antisemitism is in the eye of the beholder. But I also have to say, why not? Why pick up on antisemitism if you can ignore it? I don’t know.
Quote:
“When I came to town in 1949, I didn't know a single Jew and most Short Hills people didn't want to associate with them,'' says the town's former mayor, Earl Cryer. ''Today, things are much better. We realize we're all God's children , that we must work together, though I'm sorry to say that some old attitudes remain.''
Jewish leaders in Short Hills are wary about latent anti-Semitism, but they do not criticize the restricted country clubs. This separation, they say, helps keep alive a Jewish identity in a society that tends to blur the traditional meaning of that identity.
''Private clubs are private,'' says Rabbi Greene of B'nai Jeshuran. ''We should do everything to foster cooperation, but we should also respect differences. If people want to form clubs on the basis of character traits and mutual interests, that's fine with me.''
I couldn’t believe it. 1984. Oh, that’s ok, we didn’t want to be in their country club anyway.
People would say that the rich Jews of Short Hills run the world. Except for the part where they are allowed to live in Short Hills, or be in non-Jewish country clubs.
I read something on Twitter ages ago written by someone I went to school with.
She wrote about Jews engaging in “white flight.”
She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
I was born in the late 70’s. My mother said that there was a house down the block from my parents where an older woman died but specified in her will that the house cannot be sold to Jews.
This is northern Jersey, outside of NYC.
No mitzvah to search for antisemitism under rocks. But people who claim Jews have had it easy are ahistorical.
And my oldest (now former) friend of 32 years said to me (a Jew) can’t I understand how they would celebrate Oct 7. I may never get over that (the betrayal, the friendship is dead.)
"If there is a moderate pro-Palestinian movement, they are being incredibly quiet." It is not that they are being quiet. They are being drowned out by extremists. If you look at the "We Want to Live" movement in Gaza, for example, you see that their most immediate existential threat aren't Israeli airstrikes, but their own government (HAMAS) executing them as traitors.
Thoughts About GenX Antisemites: In the nineties, in Australia, there was a plethora of really intense adverts about the dangers of smoking and ads about the AIDS epidemic, and the movie Romper Stomper (filmed in my city) was huge. As young people what did we do? Well, I can’t talk for everyone, but I took up smoking and had unprotected sex. The self destructive urge was exciting, a massive F-you to all our post-war parents who’d spent our childhoods ignoring us, and apathetic, with a touch of laissez-faire.
In a world, that felt like it was pointless, these things gave me something to do.
Yet, it would never have occurred to me to get my kicks from being racist. That said, I had an Aboriginal (white passing) school friend who started dating a Skinhead. She said part of the attraction was not knowing what he’d do if he found out. Dancing with the devil, playing with fire. Getting off on dating the guy from the decidedly wrong side of the tracks.
I see my fellow Gen Xers, who like me, have mostly settled down, kicked the ciggies, and grown up. The difference between us is I’m watching them, like a snake eating its own tail, devouring the things they previously held dear.
The people who supported Indigenous rights, feminism, the arts, education, who pushed forward medical and scientific research, who helped make all those bush raves, festivals, music, fundraisers, NGO/NPOs happen…
While the snake doesn’t know it’s eating itself (you have to put rubbing alcohol on its nose to make it gag itself back up), I wholeheartedly believe my “progressive” friends know exactly what they’re doing.
It’s giving them a thrill, they’re dating the grim reaper now, they get to wear a cloak of righteousness, to be what they were told not to be (the person giving up Jews to save them self at best, the person hunting them down at worst).
And they get to be what they have spent the last few years mocking— nasty, full of rage, out of control but desperate for control, willing to let the city burn to get their revenge, to get their kicks, Karens.
I find your thinking so CLEAR and well argued. I was surprised to hear you’re not Jewish. Then ah, she went to work for a Jewish newspaper and saw through all the double-talk disguising straightforward hatred. I’m not Jewish either, but I wrote for the Village Voice (my 1979-1980 pieces were collected as The Redneck Way of Knowledge) and being from South Carolina, my issues had been feminism and racism - embracing one, fighting hard against the other- but I’ve been with my (now) wife for 26 years and we have 24 year old twins, a boy and a girl, jackpot! and they are Jewish. I wanted our children raised in a temple and bar/bat mitzvahed for many reasons, but it was and is crucial that they understand that they may be treated as white in this country, but they are despised in much of the world. They needed to know that they are Jewish, and nothing they think or believe can changed that. I am of course frightened for them and for my wife and for every Jew in the world. I love your intransigence. I hope you’ll look me up. Blanchemccraryboyd.com or come to my substack, Blanche.substack.com. Have you written any books? I guess I can go check that myself!
Pat so many extraordinarily good points here!! Bravo and thank you 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Nailed it. I think you understand antisemitism better than I do, and I’ve experienced it firsthand for more than 50 years.
https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/1016/101618.html
This is an article that was written in 1984.
Short Hills, New Jersey is a very posh place. I grew up in a nearby town in the 1980’s. I would describe my childhood as having zero antisemitism.
I do wonder, based in this quote, how much of perception of zero antisemitism is in the eye of the beholder. But I also have to say, why not? Why pick up on antisemitism if you can ignore it? I don’t know.
Quote:
“When I came to town in 1949, I didn't know a single Jew and most Short Hills people didn't want to associate with them,'' says the town's former mayor, Earl Cryer. ''Today, things are much better. We realize we're all God's children , that we must work together, though I'm sorry to say that some old attitudes remain.''
Jewish leaders in Short Hills are wary about latent anti-Semitism, but they do not criticize the restricted country clubs. This separation, they say, helps keep alive a Jewish identity in a society that tends to blur the traditional meaning of that identity.
''Private clubs are private,'' says Rabbi Greene of B'nai Jeshuran. ''We should do everything to foster cooperation, but we should also respect differences. If people want to form clubs on the basis of character traits and mutual interests, that's fine with me.''
That's a great article. Thanks for the link.
I couldn’t believe it. 1984. Oh, that’s ok, we didn’t want to be in their country club anyway.
People would say that the rich Jews of Short Hills run the world. Except for the part where they are allowed to live in Short Hills, or be in non-Jewish country clubs.
I read something on Twitter ages ago written by someone I went to school with.
She wrote about Jews engaging in “white flight.”
She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
I was born in the late 70’s. My mother said that there was a house down the block from my parents where an older woman died but specified in her will that the house cannot be sold to Jews.
This is northern Jersey, outside of NYC.
No mitzvah to search for antisemitism under rocks. But people who claim Jews have had it easy are ahistorical.
And my oldest (now former) friend of 32 years said to me (a Jew) can’t I understand how they would celebrate Oct 7. I may never get over that (the betrayal, the friendship is dead.)
We have learned a lot about people in the past year. Far too much, in many cases.
That’s helpful. Thank you. It’s been quite the year +
Pat, you may not be Jewish, but there is a bit of the Jew about you, as was said of Leopold Bloom.
Perfectly stated.
"If there is a moderate pro-Palestinian movement, they are being incredibly quiet." It is not that they are being quiet. They are being drowned out by extremists. If you look at the "We Want to Live" movement in Gaza, for example, you see that their most immediate existential threat aren't Israeli airstrikes, but their own government (HAMAS) executing them as traitors.
Thoughts About GenX Antisemites: In the nineties, in Australia, there was a plethora of really intense adverts about the dangers of smoking and ads about the AIDS epidemic, and the movie Romper Stomper (filmed in my city) was huge. As young people what did we do? Well, I can’t talk for everyone, but I took up smoking and had unprotected sex. The self destructive urge was exciting, a massive F-you to all our post-war parents who’d spent our childhoods ignoring us, and apathetic, with a touch of laissez-faire.
In a world, that felt like it was pointless, these things gave me something to do.
Yet, it would never have occurred to me to get my kicks from being racist. That said, I had an Aboriginal (white passing) school friend who started dating a Skinhead. She said part of the attraction was not knowing what he’d do if he found out. Dancing with the devil, playing with fire. Getting off on dating the guy from the decidedly wrong side of the tracks.
I see my fellow Gen Xers, who like me, have mostly settled down, kicked the ciggies, and grown up. The difference between us is I’m watching them, like a snake eating its own tail, devouring the things they previously held dear.
The people who supported Indigenous rights, feminism, the arts, education, who pushed forward medical and scientific research, who helped make all those bush raves, festivals, music, fundraisers, NGO/NPOs happen…
While the snake doesn’t know it’s eating itself (you have to put rubbing alcohol on its nose to make it gag itself back up), I wholeheartedly believe my “progressive” friends know exactly what they’re doing.
It’s giving them a thrill, they’re dating the grim reaper now, they get to wear a cloak of righteousness, to be what they were told not to be (the person giving up Jews to save them self at best, the person hunting them down at worst).
And they get to be what they have spent the last few years mocking— nasty, full of rage, out of control but desperate for control, willing to let the city burn to get their revenge, to get their kicks, Karens.
Love your writing pat!
For those who advocate for a free Palestine, here's a taste
https://youtu.be/86CdiLSUALI?si=-bkddf_c-_lJ3Vt7