New York Times Embroiled in Anti-Semitism Spat
September 19, 2012 11:12 by Simon Plosker
The New York Times has become embroiled in a row over the use of anti-Semitic tropes following a column by Maureen Dowd focused on the role of neo-conservatives in the Republican election campaign. Dowd wrote (emphasis added):
Ryan was moving his mouth, but the voice was the neocon puppet master Dan Senor. The hawkish Romney adviser has been secunded to manage the running mate and graft a Manichaean worldview onto the foreign affairs neophyte.
The Politico website reports:
Dowd fairly observed that neither Mitt Romney nor Paul Ryan are experts in the field of foreign policy, but asserted their strategy was orchestrated by a “neocon puppet master” who was leading the neocon effort to “slither back” into power.
Such language, to say nothing of the questionable legitimacy of her claims, struck experts on American-Israeli relations as an inappropriate (though perhaps unintentional) appeal to anti-Semitic stereotypes, and especially offensive ahead of the first night of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.
“Dowd’s use of anti-Semitic imagery is awful,” Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote on Twitter.
“Maureen may not know this, but she is peddling an old stereotype, that gentile leaders are dolts unable to resist the machinations and manipulations of clever and snake-like Jews,” Jeffrey Goldberg, the Atlantic columnist and leading journalist on Israeli issues, wrote.
“[A]mazing that apparently nobody sat her down and said, this is not OK,” Blake Hounshell, the managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, tweeted.
On the right, The Weekly Standard’s Daniel Halper called it “outrageous,” while Commentary’s Jonathan Tobin described it as ”particularly creepy.”
“Dowd’s column marks yet another step down into the pit of hate-mongering that has become all too common at the Times,” Tobin wrote. “This is a tipping point that should alarm even the most stalwart liberal Jewish supporters of the president.”
It is irrelevant whether one sympathizes with Republicans or Democrats – the use of anti-Semitic tropes is unacceptable whatever one’s political beliefs. It is entirely possible and indeed probable that Maureen Dowd did not intend her comments to be viewed as anti-Semitic. Nonetheless, it is a disturbing sign, both that such language has entered the body politic and that the New York Times did not recognize the problem before Dowd was published.
Al Neuman
6:31 pm
Sep 21, 2012
Think reading antiSemitism into this Dowd piece may be a bit of a stretch, although readers need to know that for some, the term “neocons” IS definitely a code word for “Jews with too much power” and often accompanied by explicit antiSemitic references.
Think the larger questions are: Why is Maureeen Dowd so monotonously left wing, slurpingly pro-Obama and comfortable with considerable factual distortions to drive this agenda? and 2. Why is The Times in general inarguably and regularly antiIsrael and pro-Islamist (19/21 recent editorials about the region NEGATIVE toward Israel!)
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Sam Israel
9:13 pm
Sep 21, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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steve mann
7:41 pm
Sep 23, 2012
So you are a non patriotic coward-
Why dont you just be honest and say so!
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Al Neuman
6:27 am
Sep 22, 2012
This particular attack on Dowd may indeed be a bit misplaced–but so is nearly all of the slurpingly relentless pro-Obama drivel she regularly cranks out. Dowd can say nothing but smarmy sarcastic negatives about a great guy like Romney but has never seen one thing from our Fraud in Chief she didn’t like.
As for me, i’d MUCH rather be called a neocon than a draft dodger.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Brent Pudsey
1:51 pm
Sep 22, 2012
This is shameful language and is an embarasment to democracy . As people who fight for democracy around the world such bigotry and antisemetism should not be allowed. As a Canadian , I am turned off and appaled by such behaviour on the part of the American Media.
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steve mann
7:49 pm
Sep 23, 2012
Brent- For a long time now it has been “Fashionable” for the Liberal Elite” to be both anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic.
I genuinely believe most of them do not even know why!
The most sickening ones are those Jews that have joined them.
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Sam Israel
8:30 pm
Sep 22, 2012
To All,
I am not an America or Israel bashing commentator: Israel should remain a Jewish homeland, but surely all those reading this can agree that the rights of Israeli minorities need to be protected. Of course, how that is done is the devil in the details. Have news organizations distorted the Israeli side of things? Yes, without a doubt. Should we be vigilant against unfair, prejudicial reporting? Again, yes, without a doubt. But I am concerned that some people in their zeal to protect Israel’s standing in the public sphere allow their passions to rule where more critical thinking needs to govern. Dowd is not guilty, as charged.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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steve mann
7:45 pm
Sep 23, 2012
But all Israeli minorities are catered for- The 14 other religions- Those without faith- there are even Nazis in Israel (Sickening)
They can all vote, be members of the Knesset is elected- Teach and go to universities- pray in mosques and churches- Are members of the Military, Judiciary and some hold high office.
So what the hell are you trying to say?
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Gary E.
11:03 pm
Sep 27, 2012
Sam Israel writes: “…but surely all those reading this can agree that the rights of Israeli minorities need to be protected.” Apparently the Israeli Arab minority is not required to join the IDF. Does this possibly have to do with lack of loyalty of many Arab citizens of Israel to the Israeli state? Do all inductees to the IDF have to take a loyalty oath to the defense of Israel similar to the oath U.S. armed services inductees must take to support and defend the U.S. Constitution? I am wondering whether or not opponents of the state of Israel are claiming such a policy is evidence of discrimination. I’m not making charges here, but I want to be better informed.
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Dave Fridman
4:24 pm
Sep 23, 2012
Elle echoed other saying “neo-con is a special derogative (sic) reserved for Jews” and received lots of thumbs up here. A quick search found these three articles where the term is used for those of other faiths. It’s sad when I see my own people follow the Arab lead of ignoring facts as they hurl accusations.
Beware A Beautiful Calm By MAUREEN DOWD
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/opinion/sunday/dowd-beware-a-beautiful-calm.html?_r=0
It’s Mitt’s World
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/its-mitts-world.html
Recess Appointments and Partisan Politics
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/recess-appointments-and-partisan-politics
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Sam Israel
10:23 pm
Sep 23, 2012
That’s it, Mr.Mann, I’m a “non patriotic coward,” Thanks for your encouragement to be “honest.” As to your comments re: Israeli minorities are ” catered to.” The term ” catered” suggests an attitude that the rights enjoyed by Israel minorities is something the majority offers, and that the minority actually enjoys; this is simply not the case. The 369 characters I have left is simply not enough to create a detailed argument. But I would like to make a suggestion. To have a civilized debate personal attacks should be avoided. In that spirit I withdraw my comment made earlier that I’d rather be called a “kike than a neocon.” But that the NC is a dangerous ideology I still believe.
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steve mann
11:06 am
Sep 24, 2012
I stand by every word I said- And you , as expected have taken my words and twisted them.
Minorities in Israel are treated no different to those in the UK or the US-
In fact as an example-
The Burka is banned in France- Is frowned upon in the UK and many would like it banned- In Israel, who even talks about it-
So I would rather be called a “Kike” than a Communist- Is that not a stupid comment to make!-
So why would you make your comment in the first place.?
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Herbert Radack
3:44 am
Sep 24, 2012
Many of my fellow Jews find an antisemite under every piece of paper. Some neocons are Jews; most are probably not (Cheney comes to mind). Dowd’s description is apt; that Goebbles and is current imitators have used it against Jews is totally irrelevant. We’re giving too much credence to a picayune and puerile attempt to smear a liberal journalist who’s proud to write under her own byline.
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Saul
4:33 pm
Sep 24, 2012
I used to enjoy reading Maureen Dowd’s columns. They were original and they made me laugh. Also, she would throw in a word or two which I was not familiar with, and that would send me scurrying to the dictionary to look up their definitions. She was like chicken soup for the soul: a good chuckle together with an education in the English language. She made me wonder, sometimes, how I could ever get through life without using these words in my daily conversation. Take the aforementioned controversial column [Neocons Slither Back], for example, in which she uses words like “secunded” and “Manichaean”. After I read the column, I immediately attempted to use these words in friendly convers
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Saul
4:54 pm
Sep 24, 2012
[Continued] ations. “Secunded” has something to do with a leaf on the side of a flower. I told my neighbor that some of my tomato plants have leaves secunded to my tomato flowers. She replied that she agreed with me, and whatever solution I could come up with, she seconded the motion. No luck there. Next I tried “Manichaean”, the definition of which is a believer in religious dualism. So I did further research on Dan Senor, and I learned that Dan Senor, in addition to being a Jew, is married to Campbell Brown, a TV news personality, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, and converted to Judaism before she married Senor. Is Dowd worried about their two sons growing up as Manichaeans?
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Ed Hausman
8:07 pm
Nov 12, 2012
The religious dualism of the Manichaeans does not refer to different religious backgrounds. It is a belief in a spiritual realm in which a god and a devil have approximately equal powers to enlist and direct their human worshippers. The original Persian examples were Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.
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Dave Friedman
6:43 pm
Sep 24, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/its-mitts-world.html
It’s Mitt’s World
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E0D71E3BF93AA2575BC0A9649D8B63
OP-ED COLUMNIST; Beware A Beautiful Calm
By MAUREEN DOWD
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/recess-appointments-and-partisan-politics/
Recess Appointments and Partisan Politics
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL
Above are three NY Times editorials pulled from a quick search that discuss Neocons and gee, they’re not Jews, go figure? Another inconvenient truth to the argument that the NYT reserves this insult exclusively to Jews. But let’s not let reality get in the way of a good accusation.
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Sam Israel
8:11 pm
Sep 24, 2012
Steve:Trying to be pithy I failed to convey my disappointment that the progressive ideas of Judaism I was taught to believe are often discarded by those for whom power is the essential goal. I am not being naive: I understand that the world is a dangerous place, and that sometimes violence is the only recourse, but it seems to me that the complaint against the right that for it it is the first recourse is correct. As for Dowd, if she offends, don’t read her, but my anti semite radar has picked up little to be concerned about, other than her sometimes difficult vocabulary. I’m not sure how I twisted your words, if I did, I apologise; I’ll try to be more clear in the future.
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steve mann
11:29 am
Sep 25, 2012
The old saying- Keep your friends close- Keep your enemies closer-
So I will read those who are disingenuous to Israel in general and Jews in particular-
The days of Jews keeping their heads low are gone-
The slightest hint of anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism which I interpret as being anti-Israeli and I will attack.
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Sam Israel
2:38 am
Sep 26, 2012
Hello,
My final thought re: DOWD etc. I think Steve has a point up to a point; our collective history should have taught us to be vigilant, but not to be hypocritical. By that I mean how much more honest would Honest Reporting be if it also found a way to identify fair criticism of Israel, as well as disguised anti-semitism?
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steve mann
12:00 pm
Sep 26, 2012
When and only when these pan Islamic politicians are prepared to be critical of the horrors committed by Israel’s adversaries will I publicly criticize Israels` mis -givings.
Until then Israel can do no wrong!
For the problems which Israel may be accused of fade into insignificance compared with the human crimes of their neighbours.
Even to the point where Hamas introduced the criminal punishment f crucifixion back in 2009, for those patronising Israel.
That the PA under Abbas has a death sentence for any one slling land to a Jew!
Lets hear the wrath of the world for those inhumanities- In stead of keeping someone waiting at a check point!
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MARV SLATKIN
7:01 pm
Oct 29, 2012
Maureen Dowd was right on with her criticism. The charge of antisemitism, when applied thoughtlessly, calls into question the legitimacy of of justified charges. Not all of the “puppet masters” are Jews. No need for Honest Reporting to appropriate this for our exclusive use.
I know it is difficult to stay fair & factual when the other side doesn’t, but you chose “Honest” as your first name, so it behooves you to try.
Keep up the good work. Don’t cancel it out with pandering to the American right-wing . When it becomes politically expensive, and it eventually will if workable arrangements in the Mideast aren’t found, these guys will leave Israel high & dry.
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