Comments (0)From The Blogs
November 6, 2009A round-up of new offerings at blogs.jewishtimes.com/
We’re Watching
I was watching the other night a stand-up comedy routine by an African-American comedian. She talked about how when she was growing up when she and a sibling would misbehave, her mother would scold them by saying, “Stop it, white people are looking at you.”
I couldn’t help but think of her routine when the person in front of me at the local grocery store was a young, well-dressed man. He was wearing a kippah and, yes, he was having a rather loud conversation on his cellphone. He was buying flowers for Shabbat and other items.
He didn’t validate the existence of the African-American employee scanning and bagging groceries. … I wanted to say, don’t do that, a black person is looking at you. …
— Phil Jacobs
Good Numbers
Despite what sometimes seems to be the case, anti-Semitism in this country has just reached its lowest level in the 45 years that it has been tracked. That is reason to celebrate. At the same time, anti-Semitic acts of violence do seem to be increasing, which gives one reason for both concern and precautionary measures.
Last week the Anti-Defamation League released its annual survey of American anti-Semitic attitudes. It found that 12 percent of Americans hold such views. Obviously any racism, hatred or bigotry is too much — even though there will always be some. Indeed, this represents roughly 30 million Americans. …
— Neil Rubin
Blame Cheney
We have just suffered through the deadliest month in Afghanistan since that war started eight years ago.
Afghan President Karzai and at least one of his brothers have been accused of throwing the recent elections (at least 30 percent of the votes appear to be tainted), participating in the extremely lucrative Afghan poppy/heroin trade, and allegedly being on the CIA payroll. Can anyone say Diem?
President Obama is weighing the option of sending 40,000 more U.S. troops, i.e., a surge, per the request of General McChrystal.
Just to add to the abundant white noise, the Penguin, a.k.a. former Vice-President Dick Cheney, has squawked that Obama is dithering and needs to act decisively. Let’s start with Cheney. …
— Joseph Velisek
Cool Dude
When the Brooklyn-based Israeli artist known as J.Viewz — the jazz induced, electronic project from Jonathan Dagan was sent my way by a fantastic publicist I’ve known for years, I was a little hesitant about immediately jumping on the band wagon.
I read the bio — award winning, chart topping, radio play, etc. But it was when I clicked on a YouTube link to J.Viewz’s jazz inspired take on Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” that I was totally sucked in. Set in a dim-lit bar after hours, J.Viewz sets the stage for an interpretation of Jackson’s hit like I’ve never seen. The first word that came to mind, very simply — cool…
— Richie Frieman