January 15, 2011 | 1:17 am

Dear Sarah Palin, Really? Blood Libel? You need to shut up already. Seriously.  Shut Up.  Thanks.

Posted by Ilana Angel

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I have written about Sarah Palin a lot over the past year and have always been kind.  I had a chance encounter with Mrs. Palin and she was lovely to me.  Charming, funny and personable.  I walked away from our meeting able to separate her politics from who she was as a human being.  I liked her.

That stopped today.  Today Mrs. Palin crossed the line with me.  The good news is that she managed to do it on a personal level not political, so I feel very comfortable writing about it.  I am not a political blogger and my blogs about political issues have been my personal opinions, not political rantings.

Those of you who are unable to accept I have an opinion different from yours, or that my personal feelings are not politically motivated and have no agenda, it’s okay.  I’m not mad.  I feel sorry for you, respect your right to think differently from me, and laugh at you behind you back.  I’m kidding.  Sort of.

Sarah Palin had days to come forward and respond to the shootings in Tuscon.  Instead, she kept silent, let all the crap stir up around her, and then broke her silence on the very day that the President of the United States was going to lead the country in healing.

On top of disrespectful timing, she decided to use the term “blood libel” in her speech.  One could argue she did not know what it meant and did not know it would be offensive, but even Sarah Palin is not that stupid.  She knew what it meant, and used it anyway, which is ignorant.

I do not know of an adult Jew who is not familiar with the term “blood libel”.  That said, I’m sure there are Jews who do not know, and since many of my readers are not Jewish, let me share the meaning with you.  This is from the website Wikipedia.org:  BLOOD LIBEL

I don’t follow Mrs. Palin’s political agenda and I could not participate in an intelligent conversation about what her stand is on any particular subject because I simply don’t care about what she has to say politically.  Today however, she offended me as a woman, as a Jew and as an American.

She disrespected my faith, my history, my President and my country.  She showed her true self today and it was ugly.  I think she is a great mom and having met her, I think she is a nice person.  As a person with a voice however, I think she is dangerous to the future of this country.

There are a million blogs today about Mrs. Palin with a million takes on what she said in her video post.  I’ve particularly enjoyed the ones that beg Mrs. Palin to SHUT UP.  I join in by saying please, please, please just shut up.  You have done enough damage and need to stop.

If you come across other blogs that tell Mrs. Palin to shut up, please send them my way.  I’m looking for new wallpaper for my bathroom and think it might be just perfect.  To my friends who support Mrs. Palin, I know you understand that it’s not political, it’s personal.  Blood libel my ass.

I am proud to live in America and while I am not a citizen, this has been my home for 20 years and I care about what happens here.  Today I felt blessed that I am Canadian, and should this woman ever manage to step into a position of power, I can take my son and go home.

To OUR President, you did a great job today, thank you.  Nobody can understand what it’s like to be in Tuscon and touched by the events of the past week.  I can only say as an outsider looking in, when those in attendance cheered during your speech, they cheered for America.

I hope your words of support and comfort helped ease their burden, even if only for a moment.  Their reaction to you sent us the message that they will be okay, we will be okay, and America will come out stronger on the other side of this darkness.  I send my prayers to everyone.

To Mrs. Palin, since clearly you are not a great listener, let me tell you again, slowly so you can hear, S – H – U – T – U - P!  This is a remarkable country and try as you might, you will not ruin it.  Buckle up sweetie because we are strong, we are smart, and we are keeping the faith.