Jewish Groups Refudiate Sarah Palin "Blood Libel" Remark
Sarah Palin's video response to the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords prompted a strong backlash from some members of America's Jewish community. Why?
The former Alaska Governor accused the media of manufacturing a "blood libel" that only incites the hatred and violence they condemn. Fair enough, except ...
"Blood libel" is a term apparently dating back to the Middle Ages, referring to a prejudice that Jewish people used Christian blood during religious rituals.
David Harris of the National Democratic Jewish Council said that instead of dialing down the rhetoric, Palin "chose to accuse others trying to sort out the meaning of this tragedy of somehow engaging in a 'blood libel' against her and others."
Harris called the repeated fiction of blood libels "directly responsible for the murder of so many Jews across centuries - and given that blood libels are so intertwined with deeply ingrained anti-Semitism around the globe, even today."
He wasn't alone in echoing this sentiment.
"The term 'blood libel' is not a synonym for 'false accusation,'" added Simon Greer of Jewish Funds for Justice. "It refers to a specific falsehood perpetuated by Christians about Jews for centuries" that sparked violence and discrimination.
"Unless someone has been accusing Ms. Palin of killing Christian babies and making matzoh from their blood, her use of the term is totally out of line."
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who was shot in the head (allegedly by Jared Lee Loughner) and remained in critical condition, is Jewish.
Criticism over her crosshairs map that infamously targeted Giffords during the 2010 elections prompted the comments by Sarah today (below).
Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, was sure to note that "it was inappropriate at the outset to blame Sarah Palin and others for causing this tragedy or for being an accessory to murder."
"Palin has every right to defend herself and we agree with her that [our best tradition] is one of finding common ground despite our differences," he said.
"Still, we wish that Palin had not invoked the phrase 'blood libel' in reference to the actions of journalists in placing blame for the shooting on others."
"While the term 'blood libel' has become part of the English parlance to refer to someone being falsely accused, we wish that Palin had used another phrase, instead of one so fraught with pain in Jewish history."
Here's Palin's video response to the Arizona's massacre:
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January 15th, 2011 6:44 PM
Never, in my entire life, have I heard the tale about Christians saying Jews used Christians' blood in their rituals. All of you lib-progs have been saying that Palin's a know-nothing hick from the puckerbush. Now she's supposed to know about the origin of the term "blood libel, even though in the past 800 years or so it has come to mean a false accusatiion of a heinous crime by an individuakl, but more often a group. Maybe you Jews should publish a book about common English phrases that offend you, and make it mandatory reazding in high school. Nah. It would hurt your chances to hang an anti-Semite label on anyone you disagree with. As far as I'm concerned, falsely branding someone a bigot is a blood libel. p.s. Anyone who knows squat about Jews would laugh at the blood thing. Eating human blood is the most un-Kosher thing I can think of. Observant Jews wring the blood out of beef, for God's sake. You get gray meet even if you don't overcook it. Dumb story. Of course, Gypsi
January 13th, 2011 9:38 AM
@cheryl: I know it sucks when facts get in the way of a fun argument, but taxes have gone down for 95% of Americans during Obama's term and he just extended the Bush tax cuts to keep taxes at the same rates they've been for all brackets.
But go ahead and keep believing your own rhetoric. i know it makes you feel superior.
January 13th, 2011 4:29 AM
Null, wake-up.........it is completely disengenuous to quote definitions without some context. "Blood libel" was an allegation historically used against Jews to vilify and persecute Jewish communities since the time of Jesus.......
Sarah Palin is an ignorant and stupid woman, cunning as a fox but with a below room temperature IQ, a very dangerous combination. As my father used to say 'empty vessels make the most noise"!
January 12th, 2011 8:52 PM
you are ignorant to think these words this women is saying are anywhere near offensive. She gets attacked for being the powerful women she is and for her unlike for this president who has proved nothing what so ever except for the fact that he wants to single handed make every descion in government and tell you all lies so you will believe him. Raising taxes so all your money goes to people who aren't even legal in the US? One of the many things that he has done and has no excuse as to the reasoning!
January 12th, 2011 7:05 PM
She is such a f$ching moran, she doesn't even know that if she keeps he stupid ignorant mouth shut people would forget her.
January 12th, 2011 5:33 PM
Now, she opened her mouth again. Be quiet Palin or think before you speak. Bottomline.
January 12th, 2011 5:19 PM
Sarah Palin - joke on wheels. Reality TV wannabe politician. Everything she says takes away any faith that she might have a brain.
January 12th, 2011 5:01 PM
wow....four words for sarah. Put. The. Shovel. Down. Every time she sticks her head in the media (which is every fucking day) she just makes herself look even more dumb than she is. How can people even respect this woman??? she is the biggest joke of a political figure i think the united states of america has ever seen. period.
January 12th, 2011 4:47 PM
Giffords is Jewish. This is the best metaphor she could conger up? Silence is golden Sarah - give it a try. Please.
January 12th, 2011 4:30 PM
I never even heard of this term. Maybe Sarah Palin never heard of it.