Glenn Beck

November 12, 2010

Glenn Beck’s anti-Semitic crusade

By Michael Tolkin

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“Here’s a Jewish boy helping send the Jews to the death camps.” - Glenn Beck, November 10

“You’re being duped” by Soros, Tides, ACORN, and PBS - Glenn Beck, October 21

“I would have never started watching Fox News if it wasn’t for the fact that Beck was on there. And it was the things that he did, it was the things he exposed that blew my mind.” - Byron Williams

On July 18, 2010, Byron Williams opened fire on California Highway Patrol officers who had stopped him on an Oakland freeway for driving erratically. For 12 frantic minutes, Williams traded shots with the police, employing three firearms and a small arsenal of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds fired from a .308-caliber rifle. In an affidavit, an Oakland police investigator reported that during an interview at the hospital, Williams “stated that his intention was to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU.”

If I try to defend George Soros against Glenn Beck’s attack, by dissecting all the ways that Beck is twisting a few pieces of a larger story, I lose. The damage is done. The particulars of Soros’ childhood experience are irrelevant. His real crime, for Beck and the right wing, is that among the billionaires, he seems to be the only one to spend money on left wing causes the way right wing billionaires have been spending on theirs. Not every billionaire is fascist, and if more of them followed Soros’ example, the left might have the kind of intellectual army sent to the field by the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, with cadres of pundits trained in the daily talking points, and given extra cash by speaking at seminars.

The psychotic confusion of Beck’s punditoracy…. Did you think it wouldn’t end with Jew hatred? All conspiracy theory has to end blaming us, the Jews. All political lies converge on us. Political lies on the left converge on us, too, but anyone who wants to give Beck a pass and make this an example of how both sides are guilty, is guilty of Jew hatred.

Why are vampires and zombies the metaphors of the age? Because no other metaphors better describe the world in which we live. The vampires are the seducers who bring the herd to violence, and make the herd their slaves. Glenn Beck is a vampire, Byron Williams was his zombie. Anyone who exuses Glenn Beck after this latest rant is either a vampire or a zombie.

There is no reasoning possible with them anymore, and the ballot is the only stake you can drive through their heart. Violence can’t work against them because the provocation gives them everything they want, the excuse to suspend what remains of liberty, in the name of liberty

Again, the only resistance is the ballot, thus, their attack on voters and voter registration and their history of voter suppression and the reason why the conservatives on the Supreme Court have given corporations the power to fund unlimited cash into election campaign.

So, the TIDES foundation is targeted by Beck, because, as TIDES states,  “Our mission is to partner with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the country and across the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected.”

What Beck fears most, more than the truth, more than being called an anti-semite, is high voter turnout.

Soros gave money to the Prop 19 campaign not to legalize pot as much as to get out younger voters, hoping that this would defeat the Republicans.

The incoherence of the right wing is the product of careful study, the product of the right wing think tanks. There is no coherent argument against Beck or Limbaugh or Palin, because under - I was about to say fascist, but that’s not accurate anymore, call them what they call themselves, Tea Partiers – under Tea Party thinking, language can’t hold thought anymore. It’s easy to refute Beck point by point, but impossible to stop him, because the arguments we make against him have to be carefully researched and organized, and organized thoughts are to the Tea Party mind like organized labor; the enemy.

Beck, Murdoch, the Kochs, Limbaugh, Ailes… their wet dreams don’t allow them fantasies of death camps, but something more like Chile under Pinochet or Argentina under the generals. We’ve already sanctioned torture, and the enhanced interrogators have been trained and are surely willing, if not waiting.

Do you remember Jacobo Timerman? He was an Argentine journalist who was tortured in a secret prison for two and a half years starting in 1977, in the years when the Argentine military killed thirty thousand people. He was then released on condition that he leave for Israel. In 1981 he published “Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number,” his memoirs of that time. For attacking Ronald Reagan’s support for the Argentine regime, his credibility was attacked by William F. Buckley, of course, but also Irving Kristol, because the Argentines were anti-communist.

I bring this up, because even as death squads knock on American doors, taking away Jewish opponents, there will be right wing Jews who say it isn’t true.

Then, ten, fifteen years from now, there’ll be some dreadfully sentimental reconciliation ceremonies on national television, hosted by Jon Stewart, in which prisoners and torturers will be given new cars in celebration of the government imposed civility.

On Halloween, I went out in the neighborhood on a get out the vote drive with the Progressive Jewish Alliance. I was dressed as someone who gets the out vote, no mask. I’m safe, for now. But just for now.

Michael Tolkin is a filmmaker and novelist whose novels include The Player and Under Radar and whose films include The Player, Deep Impact and Nine.

A version of this article appeared in print.

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Soros is anti-Israel and Pro-Palestinian. He helped steal from his fellow Jews as an adolescent, and shows no remorse. He hates his fellow Jews.

Therefore, attacks on him are not antisemitism, any more than attacks on that depraved gonif, Noam Chomsky, are antisemitism. It’s not Soros’ Judaism that offends Beck (and myself, a Jewish patriot), it’s his evil.

Comment by Occam's Tool on 11/12/10 at 4:18 pm

You are so misguided it’s sickening!  OBVIOUSLY YOU DO NOT WATCH GLENN BECK’S SHOWS!  Glenn Beck ALWAYS tells the viewer/reader to CHECK HIS FACTS against their own.  I have done full research on the topic of George SOros and GLENN BECK IS 100% CORRECT!  For any Jewish person to call Glenn Beck an anti-semitic is LUDICROUS at best particularly when he is talking about SOROS who SOLD THE JEWISH PEOPLE OUT FOR HIS OWN GAIN!  You should be ashamed!  Thank GOD for Glenn Beck to bring out the truth regarding SOROS and his plans to turn the USA into a Marxist/Communist Nation.  What the hell would Israel do than?  Think it about it!

Comment by Debbie Dodge on 11/12/10 at 5:12 pm

“The vampires are the seducers who bring the herd to violence, and make the herd their slaves.
Anyone who exuses Glenn Beck after this latest rant is either a vampire or a zombie.”

Exactly!  I’m dumbfounded how anyone can waste time watching Beck’s hate speeches and lies(and fox) and can actually feel good about themselves.

I first viewed Beck when he was on CNN.  After one viewing I could tell the guy was crazy and full of it -and that was before he got more bat crazy on Fox.

I think you have to have a certain mindset, to start with, in order to fall into his cult garbage.  Those who have seeds of hate for others already planted in their hearts are his followers, I believe.

Comment by Cindy on 11/12/10 at 5:22 pm

I do not blame George Soros for trying to stay alive during the war years, however Soros has backed anti Israel activities by left wing groups and does not appear to have any compassion for anything Israel does in the face of adversity that Israeli`s face on a daily basis.Beck, on the other hand has been solidly pro Israel and has pointed out who Israel1s enemies are as well as those enemies of democracy in general and in particular of the U.S. I think it an affront and ridiculous to label Beck as anti semitic. I have to confess he belabours his points of view but at the same time does expose relevant information.

Comment by Norman Gardner on 11/12/10 at 5:50 pm

Michael Tolkin gives us a diatribe against that great friend of Israel and the Jewish People, Glenn Beck, trying to make him out to be an anti-semite for exposing Soros own shameless early and brazen betrayal of his fellow Jews under the Nazis, and Soros current distancing from Jewish causes (Jewish self-hatred, anyone). Tolkin reminds me of nothing so much as the pro-Palestinian propagandists who accuse Israel of their own crimes, a typical far left tactic.

Projection, anyone?

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/12/10 at 6:16 pm

Thank you…I am so glad to see that ridiculous mantra(We can’t be Jew-Haters because we support Israel)of the Right-Wing repudiated so strongly…their “support” of Israel is mendacious,ephemeral and only operative as a political ploy…

Comment by FTW on 11/12/10 at 11:11 pm

Glenn Beck is a lone voice of reason in a world gone mad with self absorption, lost values, and in many cases like George Soros, pure evil.  It doesn’t surprise me at all that the very people he would die to help; Jews around the world would turn their backs on him and accuse him of Semitic racism. Were it not for my own devotion to our shared heritage and faith with the Jewish people I would give them not another single thought.

So if you find offense in Glenn Beck’s words, then you need to spend some quality time in a totalitarian state such as Soros would have us all live in if his plans for America should ever bear fruit.

Comment by transmissiongawd on 11/13/10 at 1:00 pm

what a bunch of crap

Comment by James on 11/13/10 at 4:02 pm

If he’s liar show what he lied about,if not do not call him anti-Semite,you’re putting food on the table of the real anti-Semites.Beck is big supporter of Israel and patriot.

Comment by AMERICAN on 11/13/10 at 4:05 pm

Oh my. I thought only conservatives are “scare mongers”. Here is one TV personality who scares the heck out of these liberal Jews… George Soros, on the other hand, is their friend. OK, I agree. Someone moved your cheese, but please stop the whining, you liberal Jews.

Comment by harvey on 11/13/10 at 5:52 pm

I am Jewish and the son of a Holocaust survivor. My father and I are conservative Republican.

When Jewish leftists spout off, It just makes normal Americans even more normal. The Son of Sam had gotten orders to kill from a dog. Leftists today would try and prove that the dog ate magic dog food by a right-wing company.

I wrote the books “Ideological Bigotry” “Ideological Violence” and “Ideological Idiocy” specifically to deal with individuals like Mr. Tolbert.

George Soros helped send his fellow Jews like my father to death camps. Glen Beck exposed this. Soros refuses to deny it. No amount of left-wing hatred will change this.

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

Comment by Eric Golub (Tygrrrr Express) on 11/13/10 at 7:20 pm

Wow, quite the hatefilled rant by Michael Tolkin here. fallacy #1 - ad hominem. Glenn Beck is an anti-semite because he goes after the left-wing billionaire Soros, if true then Mr Tolkin is an anti-Mormon bigot for attacking Beck.
fallacy #2 - hyperbole, stock in trade of fearmongers “... even as death squads knock on American doors, taking away Jewish opponents…”
fallacy #3 - more ad hominem, projection “under Tea Party thinking, language can’t hold thought anymore”
#3 dehumanizes what by most measures is 30 to 40% of the American electorate, also with “a vampire or a zombie”
The fallacious, ugly, hateful, and vindictive attacks in this column are a blight on this website.

Comment by Jared on 11/13/10 at 10:30 pm

What a load of crap.  Soros has done more damage to Judaism, Zionism, Israel and the West than any 5 other billonaire leftists combined. This article doesn’t pass the smell test, the taste test, or any other test of reasonableness and fairness.  Given a choice of who to entrust my life as a Jew; either Soros or Beck, I’ll take Beck in a nanosecond.

Comment by george on 11/13/10 at 11:53 pm

you welcome feedback?  then let’s see if you publish my letter

Comment by george on 11/13/10 at 11:54 pm

Beck’s characterization of Soros as the “International Financier” who is supposedly responsible for causing economic crises is straight out of vile publications like “The Elders of Zion”. This vicious stereotype of Jews has been around for centuries.

Whether you like a person or not, it is a despicable crime to accuse someone of aiding the Nazis and helping to put Jews to death.

But this vicious and false slander is even more contemptible when the person you’re lying about was an innocent teenager who was fighting for his own survival as a young Jewish boy living under Hitler.

Beck was using a Goebbels technique here. I’m surprised anyone Jewish would defend what he did.

Comment by Mark Davis on 11/14/10 at 9:50 am

I really would like to know if Soros and his family had anything to do with the persecution of Jews during the 1940’s—or at any time for that matter. I have met ‘Jewish’ anti-semites in my life—know at least one personally—and I know that some members of my Czernowitz family died at the hands of Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, and German Jew Haters. I really don’t care so much about Mr. Soros’ current politics; I would just like to know what he and his family did during the war years in Europe. Please tell me what you know.

Comment by Peter Pruitt on 11/14/10 at 12:56 pm

GLENN BECK is a true friend of Israel.

Comment by AMERICAN on 11/15/10 at 8:43 am

Is Tolkin’s article in the opinion section, news section or empty name calling section?  Are there some facts to prove any of his points, or is he preaching to the choir with no need to explain?  Is it a given that all JJ readers are already convinced of the Soros side (if there is one) of the Soros-Beck issue?  Tolkin wrote: “If I try to defend George Soros against Glenn Beck’s attack, by dissecting all the ways that Beck is twisting a few pieces of a larger story, I lose.” So he didn’t dissect nor give ANY argument at all and the reader loses.

Comment by Henry Gregory on 11/15/10 at 3:14 pm

You don’t want comments, you want agreement. You’re an embarrassment to the Jewish people, I suggest you sign up now to be an ASH Jew (ashamed to be Jewish, Howard Jacobson explains the syndrome in his new novel).

Comment by george on 11/15/10 at 3:19 pm

What an ridiculous article. 

His first comment, isolated from whatever he said, if he actually said it, has no meaning.  Please provide a link so we can see the full context. 

There is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic about his second statement and to bring up Jew hatred with that comment is absurd. 

And this: “...because even as death squads knock on American doors, taking away Jewish opponents, there will be right wing Jews who say it isn’t true.”  What world do you live on?  American death squads?  Taking away Jews?  Good heavens, man, get a grip.

And shame on the Journal for publishing this tripe.

Comment by Grantman on 11/15/10 at 3:42 pm

Karl Marx could not have written a better column;  Power to the people!  Fight the terrible right wing ... Workers of the world unite - we need to have the rich - after all, they are all just vampires sucking our blood.

This piece is really horrific.  Compared to the hate and anger of the writer, Glenn Beck seems like a friendly teddy bear.

Comment by M. Waterman on 11/15/10 at 3:43 pm

When did criticizing George Soros become synonymous with anti-Semitism???

The author clearly never listens to Glenn Beck or is so ideologically blinded and deafened that he doesn’t hear what the man is saying.  Beck is no anti-Semite.

Comment by dsharon on 11/15/10 at 3:56 pm

while i’m no fan of glenn beck, how do the two quotes at the top of the page plus that a nutjob took beck’s rants as his “motivation” to shoot at people cause provide a foundation for this article which honestly sounds-as-breathlessly-unhinged-as-beck? does asking this question make me a jew hater too (which would upset my mother)? does having any opinion other than tolkin’s make one anti-whatever and a suspect for HIS thought police tyo carry away? why did you guys print such wackiness as news?

Comment by phil on 11/15/10 at 3:57 pm

While I detest Glen Beck’s “religious crusade”, Michael Tolkin’s screeching note of hysteria, his emotional style smacks of a similar kind of hysteria. I’ve always felt that when the left’s hysteria meets the right’s fanaticism, we’re all in trouble.

Comment by Irving S. White on 11/15/10 at 4:13 pm

It is well known that Glenn Beck is an Anti-Semi, the question is, what going to be done about it?

Comment by Marco Medina on 11/15/10 at 4:16 pm

This articles headline is “Glenn Beck’s Anti-Semitic Crusade” however, I see NO evidence, let alone any facts to show this. Mr. Tolkin, if you are going to write an opinion pece claiming something, please be kind enough to include facts and evidence to prove your point.

I believe you consider yourself a ‘progressive’. What is your definition of a progressive? You believe in national healthcare? Smaller army? Schools run by the Federal Government? Liberal ideology being tought at colleges instead of history, math, literature, etc.? Please explain.

Respectfully,

Darryl

Comment by Darryl on 11/15/10 at 4:29 pm

The paranoid style in American politics has migrated to the Left, with panic in the fever swamps of the “pinks”. 

Glen Beck may be a buffoon or patriot, but he has not crashed, for his own benefit, the currencies of entire nations, nor nearly succeeding in legalizing dope for the entire State of California. His openly “One World’ utopianism would wipe out national soverignty in favor of universal government run by clerks and ideologues.

How Soros views would impact the State of Israel and the Jewish people is logical. They would be melded into the universal collective.

I’ll take Glen Beck.

Like the Bourbon Kings of France, Mr Tolkin hase learned nothing, and forgotten nothing.

Comment by Herbert Rubin on 11/15/10 at 4:43 pm

Since some of the far left hates the far right so much they use anything to attack members of the right.  Beck is more pro Israel than Soros has ever been and will ever be.  Stop the bias, Beck is right.  If far left Jews want to attack anti Israel people, go after the Jstreet and Soros people. 
Stop persecuting those who support the Jewish people who don’t agree with the far left agenda.

Comment by Ari on 11/15/10 at 4:47 pm

U said what needs to be said over and over and over again.  The Tea Party rhetoric is right out of the Jim Crow book.  Who else has the moxie to call ‘em out?!

Comment by wi goldstein on 11/15/10 at 5:28 pm

Mr. Tolkin seems very biased without a sense of objectivity. He needs to do more research on the subjects of his comments.

Comment by Rene Osman on 11/15/10 at 6:33 pm

The only point this entire article made is that Glenn Beck attacked George Soros (a Jew) for his support of the Democratic Party (very much expected from a hard-line Republican). There were absolutely no other valid points. The author even tried to accuse Beck as “making” someone go on a shooting rampage - plenty of well known people can be tied to similar incidents. The author also attacks the Republican Party and the Tea Party. What does this have to do with Beck being an anti-Semite?

I am not the biggest fan of Beck, but I have heard him say plenty of positive things about Israel.

I’ve never read JewishJournal, but I can only assume that it is a very liberal website…

Just saying.

Comment by Alex on 11/15/10 at 7:58 pm

You are clueless as to what Beck said. You confuse liberalism for Judaism.
Soros IS an antisemite. He acts like one today. And he was raised to be one.
Beck loves Judaism and Israel.  Does this writer?
Is the Jewish Journal controlled by Soros too?

Comment by Jewish Conservative Afraid to post my name on 11/15/10 at 9:08 pm

I THINK THE WRITER OF THESE LIES IS IN THE SOROS CAMP. THE JEWS THAT VOTE FOR OBAMA SOROS AND THE LEFT ARE THE SAME ONES THAT WOULD SEND US BACK TO AUSCWITZ OR GIVE UP ON ISRAEL I HATE THE LEFTIST JEWS IN AMERICA THEY ARE OUR WORST ENEMY HERE AND IN ISRAEL G-D SAVE US REAL JEWS WHO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE LEFTIST FILTH THAT SURROUNDS US

Comment by phillip goldstein on 11/15/10 at 9:23 pm

I hardly know where to begin. Such ranting incoherent hyperbole does not belong in the Jewish Journal. The author can choose George Soros as his hero if he wishes. Glen Beck is theatrical but certainly no anti-semite. Does Soros, regardless of his background care a wit about the Jewish people or Israel. 
Mr. Tolkin think that

Comment by Rafael Guber on 11/15/10 at 10:49 pm

I hardly know where to begin. Such incoherent hyperbole and ranting does not belong in the Jewish Journal. The author can choose George Soros as his hero if he wishes. Glen Beck is theatrical but certainly no anti-semite. Does Soros, regardless of his background care a wit about the Jewish people or Israel? 
Mr. Tolkin can think what he wants. He sounds like he needs anger management classes if not something stronger. Why would the Jewish Journal waste space and lessen it’s own dignity by publishing this poor man’s paranoid fantasies?

Comment by Rafael Guber on 11/15/10 at 10:59 pm

As a Jewish woman who votes as a Republican and as a member of the tea party I must object to Mr. Tolkin’s (and abe foxman’s) calling Glenn !eck antisemitic. He may not LOVE Jews but he,unlike 4oros is a great supporter of Israel. He has said more about how important the Jewish state is than Zoros and his ilk. I feel Soros happened to be born Jewish but is an enemy of the Jewish state and the American people. Lay off Beck and fight the Soros of the world

Comment by allyson rowen taylor on 11/15/10 at 11:21 pm

Excellent, on target and I agree.  If we do, if we don’t… everything must be gone over as if someone is studying Torah, Talmud, Or, since there are so many areas in Judaism for the richness of culture, history and the shear beauty of it.  Thank you for this article.  Please write more.  Extremists on either side of any coin are dangerous.  We must always be alert to even the most subtle changes.  Bigger ones may be at the horizon and never again and “Remember” must always be in our minds and hearts.  Hashem, bless His holy name, should be in charge of our souls.

Comment by KATHY CARSON on 11/15/10 at 11:25 pm

To: Glenn Beck

We are American born Jews living in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The Anti Defamation League does not speak for us.
They would surrender Holy Land given by G-d to the Jewish people

They seek a fantasy peace with unreconciled murderers.
You are not an anti-semite. 
Israel is the shield against the Islamization of the entire Middle East and then of the entire world.
The Holy Bible and its author, the G-d of israel, is the blueprint for true peace in the world.

Foxman is an opportunist, afraid of man and indifferent to the Creator.

You are one who speaks the truth among millions who do not know truth from falsity.

With love of Israel

Miki & Herb

Comment by Herb & Miki on 11/15/10 at 11:43 pm

“The particulars of Soros’ childhood experience are irrelevant,” huh? I consider it extremely irrelevant that Soros, familiar with the Jewish community, actively assisted a Nazi official in identifying Jewish assets so they could be seized by the Nazis. He shows no remorse and has said this was the “happiest period of his life.” The man is a conscienceless sociopath, and your frothing-at-the-mouth editorial is disgusting. Glenn Beck said nothing anti-Semitic; he criticized the disgusting behavior of a Jewish-born anti-Semite. Good for Glenn Beck.

Comment by Davidka on 11/15/10 at 11:53 pm

From an male Jew born in Indiana, two years before the Polish camps ramped up to top efficiency as viciously cruel mass death centers staffed by Germans - and others; my reaction to your piece here, is a strong visceral feeling that you are a fool.  A man perhaps who can never learn to have the courage to learn to really perceive the crisis of a human experience.

Comment by Roger Zoss on 11/16/10 at 12:35 am

Mr. Harper delivered a particularly somber address about the state of humanity. “It is a fact of history, and it is a fact of our nature, that humans can choose to be inhuman. This is the paradox of freedom. That awesome power, that grave responsibility—to choose between good and evil.” He said the world must never forget that there are those who would “choose evil” and would launch another Holocaust, if left unchecked.

Comment by Roger Zoss on 11/16/10 at 12:45 am

I am astounded by the continual left-wing slant of this author and the Jewish Journal.  Why are the Jewish left defending Soros,a self-hating Jew who has no regrets about what he and his anti-Semitic family did in Hungary.  He supports anti-Israel groups like JStreet and says that there are enough Jews to support Israel so why should he do so. I believe that Soros is not only bad for Israel and Jews but he is bad for America.  I heard Beck’s several part discussion and don’t believe for a moment that Glenn Beck is anti-Semitic.  But I do believe that Soros is, something that Soros has never denied.  The Jewish left wing will help bring Jews and Israel to destuction!

Comment by Roberta Scharlin Zinman on 11/16/10 at 2:37 am

Tolkin’s attempt to picture Glenn Beck as anti-Semitic because of his opposition to George Soros political views is a stretch of incredulity that is beyond the pale. There is no doubt that Soros funds extreme left-wing causes including Acorn. Trying to link Glenn Beck and other conservatives with fascist views is incredibly demeaning and insulting. Beck and others are as entitled to their viewpoints as George Soros. Only when they infringe on the rights enumerated in the Constitution do they pose a threat. Acorn has been shown to be a criminal shakedown organization in some venues. Legitimate criticism of Soros should not be equated with a support of fascism.

Comment by Stefan on 11/16/10 at 3:43 am

“I bring this up, because even as death squads knock on American doors, taking away Jewish opponents, there will be right wing Jews who say it isn’t true.”

Maybe I’m just slow, but are you saying that in the United States there are death squads taking away Jews? If not, just what are you trying to communicate?

Comment by Peter Bojsen on 11/16/10 at 7:09 am

Boy am I glad to see the reactions here.  I was convinced that the Jewish Journal, based in LA, whose articles are so overwhelmingly left of center, would be proportionately supportive of the author by way of the responses and comments.  Nice to see the numbers are flipped. 

There’s hope for the world! 

Oh, and yes, Soros is a bad guy, pretty bad, and Beck’s pretty good.  Not perfect, but pretty good.

Like I said yesterday, Mr. Tolkin, get a grip.

Comment by Grantman on 11/16/10 at 12:30 pm

So nice to see so many good comments on the Journal Web site. The Journal should be properly called the Progressive Leftist Self Hating Jew’s Journal. Rob Eshman owes this idiot Tolkin a lot. Tolkin makes Eshman the anti Jew look reasonable.

Comment by alan jacobs on 11/16/10 at 4:18 pm

Mr. Jacobs, the reason for all this tsunami of what you called “good comments” is because this time, for a change, readers comments are posted automatically as-is without JJ’s censoring. This is the evidence that the Jewish community has not lost its sanity, contrary to what the lib JJ wants us to believe

Comment by Harvey on 11/16/10 at 4:52 pm

Anybody who actually reads The Jewish Journal knows that it reflects all points of view in the community. Our regular columnists include Dennis Prager, Judea Pearl, David Suissa—none of whom are “left of center.” 

Last week’s piece against Obama’s Mideast diplomacy was by Zeev Binyamin Begin—hardly “left of center.”  The LA Jewish community is largely liberal, non-observant and votes Democrat, but our opinion pages reflect far more ideological and religious diversity. 

Michael Tolkin is a brilliant, accomplished writer with a strong point of view—what good paper WOULDN’T publish his opinion?

Comment by Rob Eshman on 11/16/10 at 5:15 pm

Today Glenn Beck invited Rabbi Daniel Lapin ,what a bright man.I wish people like Soros listen to him.

Comment by AMERICAN on 11/16/10 at 10:21 pm

Mr Eshman while you might be right about the jews in LA the jewish tide has changed my friend we are no longer democrats socialist not liberals The conservatives are the real liberals we are much more open minded. but times have changed jews are no longer democrats socialists we have matured grown up become more in touch with our Jewish ness and Israel. We are not goingto sit hear and even if your paisan wrote this article he had no right to speak on behalf of the Jewish People neither does the ADL Yea Rabbi Lapin im sure agrees

Comment by phillip goldstein on 11/16/10 at 11:57 pm

Ron Eshman:  To answer your question at the end of your statment:  A GOOD PAPER would publish both sides of the issue, not just one side as you chose to do. to say that “The LA Jewish community is largely liberal, non-observant and votes Democrat” may be true FOR NOW, but G-d willing, not forever.  Your opinion pages, while offering some “diversity” is still generally the “liberal, non-observant and votes Democrat” party line.  If you want the truth in your paper, why don’t you look at the entire series that Beck presented on Soros, look at the sources and then get back to us less “accomplished” people.

Comment by Roberta on 11/17/10 at 12:28 am

Eshman’s comment reflects the cognitive dissonance and denial of what is obvious on its face. Eshman’s own editorials have become increasingly tilted to the left. Four opinion pieces attacking Glenn Beck in a single week without a single balancing or responsive opinion piece at the same time is simply unconscionable. We know Eshman knows better because on other controversial issues he has published opposing points of view side by side.

As for Tolkin his bias has been obvious for some time in his pieces. The only reason Eshman cannot seem to see this is if he shares those biases.

Time for Eshman to take a dispassionate view of current Journal behavior and not rest on his laurels.

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/17/10 at 12:37 am

Yesterday’s Press Release from Mort Klein at the Zionist Organization of America:

http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=1968

‘nuff said.

Comment by Grantman on 11/17/10 at 4:48 am

Mr. Eshman, your points are well taken. However the feeling among many of us is that your paper routinely suppresses voices who disagree with your politics. This time, for a change, our talkbacks went uncensored, and see the frustration here. See how different it is from other censored talkbacks in the past. Whether this is reality or just perception, you will have to work much harder to change this perception than by having token conservative columnists.

Comment by Avi on 11/17/10 at 10:48 am

And one more thing: In most cases your conservative columnists contribute a Jewish angle to their issues, whereas many of your liberal contributors write on things that have nothing to do with Judaism, but purely left wing liberal politics.

Comment by avi on 11/17/10 at 10:50 am

Avi:  Just to be clear, we do NOT censor talkbalks as long as they adhere to our guidelines.  Sometimes there has been a delay in posting them, because we get backed up.  You’d be surprised how many out and out nut jobs, Jews for Jesus, and Aryan Nation washouts try to sneak through. We’re working on a more efficient system.

Comment by Rob Eshman on 11/17/10 at 10:54 am

I am a Orthodox Jew with conservatives leanings - that said I think Rob Eshman is one of the good guys. I have published Op-Ed pieces in JJ in the past that were clearly contrary to Rob’s outlook. He allowed me the space and gave me his time making suggestions, etc. I He also challenged me and suggested edits which made my pieces stronger.

Michael Tolkin’s piece, accomplished writer or not, was….how should I say this…I felt embarrassed for him. Rob always made me back up my pieces with facts.
Maybe Tolkin is “too big” to manage on the printed page. I hope I never get that big.         

Rafael Guber

Comment by Rafael Guber on 11/17/10 at 11:54 am

The editor of the Jewish Journal knows perfectly well that on controversial topics he must publish opposing viewpoints, and he has done so in the past. This time the Journal carried four vicious anti-Glenn pieces in a single week with no refuting or opposing pieces at the same time.

No wonder many of us have become highly suspicious of both the Journal and its editor

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/17/10 at 12:44 pm

Mr. Eshman- You are a racist like most of today’s liberals. You approve of denying Jews the right to live in parts of Eretz Yisrael solely because they are Jews. Christians and Moslems are permitted to live in Judea and Samaria anywhere but only because they are Jews you would deny our people the right to live there.How do you explain that a future Arab State can be Judenrien and not Racist?

Comment by Alan Jacobs on 11/17/10 at 1:13 pm

Mr. Jacobs: It is regrettable that some folks resort to name-calling each time someone expresses a controversial view which opposes theirs. On the settlements issue, there are many legitimate and honorable arguments on both sides. I have never met Mr. Eshman and I often disagree with him, but if he is a “racist”, what will you call a true racist? You may criticize Mr. Eshman’s views, but publically tarnishing someone’s reputation is a serious offense to Jewish values.

Comment by Avi on 11/17/10 at 1:31 pm

Although Jacobs language is harsh, his basic point is correct; Palestinian sympathizers and many liberals avoid confronting the violently racist nature of Palestinian society, both against Jews and Christians. And they avoid calling the Palestinians out on their projection of their own racism to accuse Israel, one of the world’s most free multi-racial societies.

Negotiations cannot succeed. The Palestinians want the emasculation/destruction of Israel as a viable, secure Jewish nation-state.

Though I am as far from extreme right wing as one can get (I received my Ph.D. at Soros’ alma mater, the “Fabian Socialist” London School of Economics), it seems increasingly that Kahane was right.

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/17/10 at 1:36 pm

Mr. Sternlight: Let’s cut the spin. This is not about Mr. Jacobs “harsh” language. Jacobs argued that Mr. Eshman is “a racist like today’s liberal”. Do you agree with him? Is this how low we are getting?

Comment by avi on 11/17/10 at 1:54 pm

The reason we didn’t post an op-ed in defense of Beck is that we didn’t receive any. Even Jon Tobin at Commentary was critical of him.

Comment by Rob Eshman on 11/17/10 at 2:13 pm

Avi:

My reply was not about the “red herring” accusation of racism, but about the underlying argument that supported it. Whether that makes someone racist or not is not for me to say, but the argument itself is, as I suggest, valid.

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/17/10 at 2:20 pm

If someone like Eshman, Obama, Hillary and sadly most people who describe themselves today as progressive liberals espouse and enable out right racism- how it it harsh or “name calling” to refer to them as what they are? The only reason Jews will not be allowed to live in a future Arab State in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is because they are Jews. This is the position of the PA and Eshman and Company back this up. I can not get a reasoned response to why this is not racism. All I get is “you are not nice for name calling”. The PA wants a racist state and Obama etc. are enabling and backing this. Explain how this is not racism.

Comment by Alan jacobs on 11/17/10 at 6:54 pm

Moslem and Christian Arabs are citizens of Israel with all rights to vote, receive social welfare etc. There are Arabs in the Knesset, Supreme Court etc. If the PA wanted a non-racist State-Jews would be allowed to live in any area that might become an Arab State after negociations. The Jews would then have to choose to remain as citizens of that state, live there as expat Israelis or leave. But no -the PA and their enablers want a Judenrien State. Guys this is racist and those that back it are racists and it is not name calling to say it !

Comment by Alan Jacobs on 11/17/10 at 6:59 pm

Michael Tolkin responds:

Mine is one of three or four pieces about Beck and Soros that ran in the Journal, and each of them, Kampeas, Greer, and Eshman, received the same angry mail as I did, and I’m the only one who deserved it, given my wildly unreasonable tone. I once made a film that enraged the audience so much they walked with 90 seconds to go, and the offense? The film said that God exists. So, you pays your money, you takes your chance. Eshman called me at noon, the piece was on line four and a half hours later, and then the responses just rolled in starting on Monday.

I revised the piece a little for the print edition, and I do regret the line that implies that death squads are already here. Of course they’re not, but let me embellish the thought a little more.

Both sides in this exchange believe the others hold totalitarian impulses. So I offer this: if Obama turns out to be the Islamo-fascist as the right describes him, and the ACORN death squads are hunting down everyone with an NRA card, I hope… I hope that I have the courage to offer protection to anyone on the run from the secret police. Really. I also hope that if my worst expectations come true, and after an economic collapse, with a Republican majority on the Supreme Court, we have a judicial coup that suspends elections, and people start to disappear at night, the usual people taken away by the authorities in fascist or communist dictatorships - the union organizers, the folk singers, the independent columnists - I hope that if I knock on the door of a Tea Party member, because I’m being chased, that I’ll be protected.

None of us know how we’ll react when civilians are forced by war or social collapse to make the ugliest choices, which is one reason none of us can judge George Soros’ behavior as a teenager hiding from the Nazis, especially Glenn Beck. Supporting a gentile who uses national television to make an enemy of an international Jew is collaboration with the people who hate us, and a misunderstanding of Christian end times prophecy that requires a Jewish ingathering to set the stage for the Apocalpyse and the Second Coming. They’re friends of Israel like the cowboy is the friend of the calf.

I’ll leave with this, Genesis 45:1-2. Joseph has just revealed his true identity to his brothers, “His sobs were so loud that the Egyptians could hear, and so the news reached Pharaoh’s palace.”
I learned with a rabbi who taught me that it was a mistake for Joseph to cry so loudly that the Egyptians and even the Pharaoh - call that pure power - could hear.

I don’t trust the source of most of the mail, and I think it’s organized and not from Jews, if it were real the letters would have been more specific, and not turned the discussion from Beck and Soros into the usual attacks on Israel and the left.

If we’re going to debate this among ourselves, we should shut the door that Joseph left open, and we need to be quieter.

Comment by Michael Tolkin on 11/18/10 at 11:07 am

Michael(call me Alan)You have got to be joking - the reponses to your loony article are"organized and not from Jews”. You are one crazy paranoid dude. The letters overall are quite specific given the space allowed in these comments. My generalization about the so-called progressive Jewish left is born of frustration in not being able to get an answer to my question of how you all reconcile the racist Judenrein State Obama, Abbas, Hillary and Eshman want to come into being with your so called liberal philosophies. Your comment about keeping it quiet among us Jews(at least I know I am a Jew)is excellent-but how do you propose we do this? I would love to hear your answer to that one.

Comment by Alan Jacobs on 11/18/10 at 12:13 pm

My last comment was initially rejected because it was 702 words and only 700 allowed. Your long comment above does not seem to have those restrictions. Also my response last night were originally answered that they would have to be reviewed. But todays’ seem to be getting right in. I chalk this up to errors- not a left wing Journal plot to silence those of us who are right-as in correct.

Comment by Alan Jacobsa on 11/18/10 at 12:19 pm

The editor would have us believe that the reason they didn’t publish an op ed in defense of Beck is that they didn’t receive one. This seems highly disingenuous to me. Would he have us believe that by some rare coincidence the many op eds on both sides of controversial issues happened to be volunteered simultaneously?

In any case, the four smears of Beck were so polemical and extreme that unless the editor sought out a counterbalancing or responsive op ed, he can be thought to be at least irresponsible, and at most a partisan supporter of those views.

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/18/10 at 12:20 pm

Tolkin makes things worse with his latest rejoinder. First of all Beck did not complain about an “International Jew”. He called attention to Soros political ideology and irresponsible economic behavior, together with the way he used his wealth to attempt to subvert democratic choice, including the choice of many Jews. To raise this calumny is a kind of reverse “Elders of Zion” ploy, in this case used against Beck.

(continued)

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/18/10 at 12:36 pm

Second Tolkin accuses others his friends’ sins. By creating a fiction of Republican seizure of power, he ignores actions by Obama in actually doing so. Executive orders to subvert Congress; ignoring mass opposition to heath care legislation, “You’ll know what’s in the bill after it’s passed when you read it.”, “Czars” to seize control of process, repeated lies and double-dealing in policy, the use of the courts to prevent disclosure of his long form birth certificate, selective prosecution protecting union thugs by the Attorney General, and many other abuses of power are all real and current actions by the Democrats, not some fantasy about what the Republicans might do.

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/18/10 at 12:44 pm

Mr. Tolkin, whew!  Quite the response there, buddy.  However, your ravings are nowhere near reality and I surely hope that you come back to reality. 

Mr. Sternlight has it correct in both posts at 12:36 & 12:44.  Your fears are your fantasies and have no relationship to the real world. 

Good heavens, man.  Is LA that weird?  For real?

Comment by Grantman on 11/18/10 at 1:47 pm

Michael Tolkin: I read your gibberish and I stopped when I got to this: “…I offer this: if Obama turns out to be the Islamo-fascist as the right describes him, and the ACORN death squads are hunting down everyone with an NRA card, I hope… I hope that I have the courage to offer protection to anyone on the run from the secret police… I also hope that if my worst expectations come true, and… (cont..)

Comment by Harvey on 11/18/10 at 2:02 pm

(Cont’d) “...with a Republican majority on the Supreme Court, we have a judicial coup that suspends elections, and people start to disappear at night, the usual people taken away by the authorities in fascist or communist dictatorships - the union organizers, the folk singers, the independent columnists - I hope that if I knock on the door of a Tea Party member, because I’m being chased, that I’ll be protected.”

I am convinced: You are in trouble, man. Go get some help.

Comment by Harvey on 11/18/10 at 2:03 pm

Mr. Tolkin, thanks for clarifying. If I had any doubt about who you are, I am pretty sure about it now. Your talk-back did not reflect on you the way you were hoping, but I guess you will never get it.

Comment by Mini on 11/18/10 at 2:07 pm

That Mr. Tolkin… Are you sure he for real??? Beats me…

Comment by Avi on 11/18/10 at 2:11 pm

Tolkin’s accusation that Beck is an anti-Semite victimizing the “International Jew” is the basest of libels. Beck is a friend to Jews and Israel and spotlighted the loathsome behavior of a self-hating Jew. Tolkin evades the gist of the criticism: Soros, admittedly anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist, assisted the persecution of Jews, has no remorse and remembers it as the “happiest time of his life.” How dare Tolkin smear Glenn Beck for criticizing such sociopathy. What viciousness.
And by the way, I am sure the Jewish Journal could easily have found someone willing to balance its four (!) pro-Soros columns. Surely there is at least one such person in its rolodex.

Comment by Davidka on 11/18/10 at 7:37 pm

Folks, What is it about this Flat Earth Shill that turns U on? And on…and on?

Enuf already!

Comment by wm goldstein on 11/18/10 at 9:28 pm

Are you sure your name isn’t Tolkein because your article sure sounds like fantasy.
If you were writing sheer propaganda—you succeeded.
If you weren’t—you are beyond ridiculous.

Comment by Edwin on 11/18/10 at 11:18 pm

If Mr. Tolken can see no difference between Byron Williams (who opened fire on CHP officers in Oakland in July) and the conservatives with whom he disagrees (Beck, Limbaugh, Palin, and Tea Partyers), seeing only ‘fascists,’ with whom “no coherent argument is possible,” then it is Tolken himself who suffers from the “psychotic confusion” which he attributes to the right.

Comment by Edward Reisman on 11/21/10 at 2:18 am

By the way, Glenn Beck recently had on his show an Orthodox rabbi with whom he discussed the Tower of Babel story from the Torah and its relevance for today. They clearly knew each other and were friends.

Michael Tolkin proves again how liberals are happy to slander friends of Israel and the Jewish people to advance their liberal agendas. 

The Jewish Journal should take down this article. It is way too crazy to have been published. I had thought better of the JJ; don’t think for a moment it won’t hurt your credibility. It has already. If the editor really wants to keep this dumb article up then at least change the headline. It is terribly unfair to Mr. Beck as it now stands.

Comment by Edwin on 11/21/10 at 3:31 pm

That would be Rabbi Daniel Lapin, who introduced Jack Abramoff to Tom DeLay. Lapin, the rabbi who gets quoted favorably by KKK wizard David Duke, which I won’t repeat,  but you can look it up. He doesn’t have a congregation, he has a website.

Comment by A reader on 11/22/10 at 3:11 pm

“A Reader”:

McCartyite “guilt by association” from an anonymous coward. Shame!

Comment by David Sternlight on 11/22/10 at 4:08 pm

I did look it up and I do have some problems with Rabbi Lapin. He presents an Orthodox, politically conservative point of view, but he is naive in the way he presents his thesis and it can be misused by people like David Duke. But the subject is Glenn Beck, and I haven’t heard any anti-Semitism expressed by him. Criticizing Soros for his alleged actions against other Jews during the Holocaust is not an example of anti-Semitism. If Mr. Beck has made real anti-Semitic statements or anti-Israel statements I would like to know what they are.

Comment by Edwin on 11/22/10 at 5:58 pm

Mr. Tolkin is proving the well known fact,that the liberals are doing everything possible to alienate the real friends of the jewish people and to build their communist dictatorship in USA.The problem is less and less people are taking them seriously.

Comment by AMERICAN on 11/22/10 at 7:56 pm

In case Mr. Tolken (or anyone else) thinks that “the right” is the sole advocate of violence in this country, please check out this link -

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2010/09/27/meet-a-visiting-cartoonist-a-chat-with-ted-rall/

Comment by Edward Reisman on 11/23/10 at 10:21 am

Months have gone by and not one person has volunteered any statements or actions of Glenn Beck’s that are anti-Semitic. Michael Tolkin is shown for what he is, a mud-slinging dreykop who created a headline that is false. What makes it worse is that he must know it’s a false charge.

Comment by Edwin on 1/11/11 at 10:10 am

Also still no response to my 11/17/10 comment.” The only reason Jews will not be allowed to live in a future Arab State in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is because they are Jews. This is the position of the PA and Eshman and Company back this up. I can not get a reasoned response to why this is not racism. All I get is “you are not nice for name calling”. The PA wants a racist state and Obama etc. are enabling and backing this. Explain how this is not racism.”

Comment by Alan Jacobs on 1/11/11 at 5:05 pm

You won’t get an answer because they don’t have an answer. How they work on select issues is they create a headline, throw up a smokescreen, and maintain silence on salient points. They hope their audience will “get” the superficial message they are putting out, something as simple as “Glenn Beck is bad”.
Often key words are used to signal what the audience response should be. It becomes a sort of hypnotic suggestion that is repeated in the media, a type of mediaspeak. We’ve all been subjected to it. What they accomplish is to stop people from taking in anything Glenn Beck has to say, which, of course, is the intent of the spin.

Comment by Edwin on 1/11/11 at 10:35 pm

Time to call such people what they are: known liars, with chapter and verse to back up the charge. Posting that characterization often enough will likely offset the effect Edwin mentions.

Most left-wing ideologues can be caught in such deliberate, substantive, and material lies. For the headline-reader, that will thus do the job.

Comment by David Sternlight on 1/12/11 at 1:08 am

Another tactic is to create anti-memes for left-wing memes, based on logic. For example one of the most effective anti-memes of the past is “Those who cry ‘Power to the People!’ usually mean ‘Power to me and my friends’.

Comment by David Sternlight on 1/12/11 at 1:12 am

Boy are you misinformed….. Where on earth did you get your info?  Russian Jew on my mothers side who had to flee the pogams , I am certain there were people there like you who would have told them to stay. GB is not anti-semetic , he is trying to save Israel…..

Comment by tess on 3/29/11 at 2:47 pm

On today’s TV show Glenn Beck made the strongest and most unequivocal support statement about Israel to date, “I stand with Israel”, together with extensive specifics, and strongly condemned current US Government Middle-East policy.

Comment by David Sternlight on 3/29/11 at 2:54 pm

BOYCOTT WISCONSIN!!  DOWN WITH THE SCAB, WALKER!!!

Comment by wm goldstein on 3/29/11 at 3:55 pm

Paranoid rants from the Left are becoming commonplace. Lionel Trilling wrote a famous book on Right-Wing paranoid politics. The worm has turned. Thankfully, Israel is strong and will thrive/prosper in spite of the J-Street pinks. The Left has been reduced to marginalized wing nuts. Let them go in good health, and far away from policy or power.

Comment by Herbert Rubin, M.D. on 3/29/11 at 4:01 pm

Soros is a thug whose “happiest days” (his words) were spent helping the Nazis confiscate Jewish property. As an adult he has been unremittingly vicious towards Israel and Judaism. There is nothing more stupid than a Jew who can not even recognize his enemies.

Beck, in contrast, is a decent man and a friend of Israel and the West.

Comment by Davidka on 3/30/11 at 2:03 pm

Looks like nobody agrees with the original post.  Since it’s so wrong it’s not funny, should be obvious why.  BTW, ATTOW, the left had to find something to go after Beck about, namely the “Hitler Youth” comment describing the political youth camp in Norway that this lunatic Breivik shot up; such camps are known antisemitic anti-Israel hatefests (that fact doesn’t justify Breivik in any way, shape or form).

Comment by uh-oh on 7/26/11 at 7:31 pm

shame on the jewish journal for publishing such a misleading piece of garbage! tolkin should inform himself better because everything he wrote in reference to the timerman case is false.

Comment by argentine jew on 10/17/11 at 8:43 pm

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