New York – Statement By Assemblyman Dov Hikind in defense of Sarah Palin’s use of the term “blood libel”
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“As someone whose grandparents were slaughtered in the Holocaust; whose parents survived the horrors of Auschwitz; and as the Assembly representative of the largest contingency of Holocaust survivors, I resent the recent attacks on Sarah Palin for her use of the term “blood libel” in defense of accusations lobbed against her by those wishing to lay blame for the tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona. This is nothing more than an attempt to vilify and malign her, and I am not a Palin supporter. I would argue that those who continue to demonize her are themselves engaging in a blood libel.”
Well said.
The opinion and logic to somehow blame this horrific event on Sarah Palin and other conservatives, is as twisted and cruel as the event itself. Yes i stand by those words.
How dare these heartless inhumans in the media immediately, IMMEDIATELY, find balme at those who dare disagree with their political agenda? How low will they stoop? Have they no shame at all???? Disgusting.
And on top of all that they now AGAIN accuse Sarah Palin of using a term – in her defence – that’s “offensive to Jews”. Now they’re suddenly sensitive to feelings of Jews!! Did they EVEN ONCE take Israel’s side in the conflict with those Palestenians?? They have condemned Israel – and the Jews – at EVERY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY!! These same Anti Semites are now suddenly on our side. If it wasn’t so sickening it would be funny…..
Fort Hood? an islamic terrorist trained to kill americans, glorifying himself for doing so is, whose fault?
??
no one on the right remotely suggested it was the fault of the liberal left or similarly thinking minds.
because the right doesnt do that,period
this is so stupid already,
making those that did nothing wrong defend actions of those they have nothing to do with.
i listened to palin, she spoke very well, and from the heart .the term was not used in any disdaining way. it was, simply put making the point that blaming others is libelous and when involving life and death may even lead to bloodshed hence blood libel.
listen if you care to and you will likely agree, best of luck.
Got to give Hikind credit for this one.
Would love to hear Charliehall’s spin on this. Charlie where you at???
Most of us concur with Dov on this issue.
Right on, Dov!
The way the PRESS has been vilifying conservatives in general and Palin in particular is as my grandmother used to say, ” Ah shandeh un ah beisheh!” ( a shame and a embarrassment!)
all good and well, but PLEASE stop using auswitz and the holocaust in every other statement…
thanks dov – just curious – why are you not a Palin supporter? why is she any differant then huckabee?
People are going to label me a vilifier of Palin for this, but I stand by it:
Even if in this case, there was no connection between Palin’s words and Loughner’s actions, one still must be very careful that there is no way one’s words could be misinterpreted or twisted from what one intended. The beginning of Avos d’Rabbi Nosson ( 1st perek) says that one must “make a fence for one’s words.” It gives as an example God carefully scultping His words (where I don’t remember–I don’t have the text in front of me) so that the other nations cannot point to them as evidence against us. The message is that we also have to sculpt our words so that they will not be used or interpreted differently than we intend. Of course, it is not always possible to guarantee that, and in fact it very rarely is, but with something such as putting a crosshairs and writing “Don’t retreat–reload!,” and the use of the term “Blood libel” were extremely clumsy constructions which easily could be (and have been–by the Palin-vilifiers) be turned into something they are not. She, and every other politician, left and right, can learn from this the importance of carefully choosing one’s words.
Well said Assemblyman Dov Hikind. Thank you.
J Street — a “Jewish” organization hostile to Israel’s interests — is the one leading the brigade against Palin for her “blood libel” remark, which means that her remark was perfectly OK.
He is right that Sarah Palin is certainly not to blame on any level. In fact, this nut job probably didn’t even know who she was. It is a stupid argument to make.
However it is not blood libel. I’m not offended that the term was used, mind you. Anyone who is should realize that Sarah Palin is an idiot who didn’t know the meaning of the words. She often uses words she does not understand.
However, beyond the 2 or 3 journalists who made the accusation, why is this story important to anyone? Glenn Beck says worse things about people on a near daily basis. If I write a story blaming Palin for the floods in Australia will get attention like this too?
This is another Fox News driven story with little to no proof behind it.
Is there reason to have a discussion about how political discourse can impact people’s behavior in society? Of course there is. Those discussions are probably long overdue. But nobody except a couple of fringe-left journalists said anything about Palin here. So why are the Palin worshipers up in arms to make a national issue? Take it up with 2 or 3 journalists who made the point. Why do the rest of us have to listen to this nonsense go on and on?
Back in March 2010, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords responded to the use of violent imagery and heated political rhetoric from conservative activists — mentioning Sarah Palin’s use of crosshairs on a map over Democratic-held districts such as hers. At the time, Giffords said that people should realize such rhetoric has consequences.
the main point of blood libel is that it was a lie
so was trying to link sara palin to this nut job – another lie
good for sara palin and dov hikind calling a lie a lie
I vote for Palin. Who says the words “blood libel” belong to Jews anyway? Do we own the word “Holocaust” too? Enough of this nonsense.
So when you people were instantly blaming liberals because one of the books the killer owned was the Communist Manifesto, that must mean you all committed blood libel as well.
Palin is toxic and she is culpable for her use of the crosshairs in the gun context of “reload” on her website. Can’t the “right” wing take personal responsibility for their contribution to this event? Where are their family values? So now its not politically correct to criticize the right wing? Are they soooo sensitive? Hikind is 100% WRONG in defending Silly Sarah’s historic misuse of the term blood libel. Her use of the term is either another moronic verbal misstep or an effort to blunt the correct attacks on her by throwing in this most unkosher red herring. Next thing she’ll say something about Jews having horns…
I do not think she knew what she was saying. She was trying to get out of one mess and got herself into a bigger Mess. She does not think before she speaks!!
i’m not exacly a fan of dov but he’s got this one right.