Fallout from the Kenney Attack

It appears every Jewish blogger (that I know of) has condemned Shaun Kenney's "Jew-Baiting" article.

Yet, despite the clear pain they have caused others, some bloggers continued to gleefully pour salt in the wounds yesterday:

"In an effort to counter the "anti-Christ" statement's traction and paint Miller in a negative light you take a comment he made and instead of actually arguing against it's point you attack his word usage by stating that he's Jewish."-Jason

"Whatever Ben MEANT to convey in that statement, there are two negative connotations of that statement. First, that we should remember that Miller isn't one of us, because he's a jew. Or, to all church-going people of every religion, that Miller doesn't practice ANY faith, because "he doesn't go to church".- Charles

"Why are Webb's supporters so keen to point out that Miller's faith? And when challenged, why do Webb supporters get so angry about it?"- Shaun

Anonymous is a Woman puts it best when she says:

"The real jew baiters are the ones who pick up on a baseless charge and inflame a community by using it for political fun and profit, which is exactly what you are doing."

Indeed. 

While Shaun, Jason and Charles have been totally irresponsible with their comments, I want to thank the Republicans who backed off of this when they saw the anguish it was causing.  Kilo amended his post, and Chad Dotson took down his post completely linking to the Kenney story.  Their effort was noticed, and appreciated.

Comments

I think the lesson we should leant from this is:

There are very few appropriate reason to bring up someone's ethnicity or religion in a political debate. NLS should not have had a screaming post "Miller is Jewish." His rationale about Miller's commets were a reach and wrong.

The bloggers who tried to attack Webb for his antichrist outsourcing comment went too far as well.

The flame war the bloggers are in now make everyone look ridiculous. You guys should just cool it. The more you post about it, the worse you look. NLS and the rest of you folks are participating in a debate that cannot have any winners.

[Will Vehrs]

Ben, I'm sorry that I'm late on this. I'm not exactly the go-to guy for judging offensive comments.

It's always regrettable when charges and metaphors with religious overtones are used in politics when they are not relevant.

You were offended, you had reason to be offended, and those who gave offense should have apologized and tried to make things right.

[Info_Tech_Guy]

In the 3 years plus that I have been active in offshore outsourcing and worker replacement issues, I have never heard anyone claim that "antichrist" should not be used to describe Miller. Of course, the people affected by Miller's activities or engaged in political debate about his activities know the context in which the word is being used. As is so often the case, context is critical. Some Miller and Allen supporters understood the context very well but chose to make dishonest assertions of anti-semitism. (Shaun Kenney and "Riley, Not O'Reilly" are noteable for their dishonesty on this matter.)

Boiled down to it's secular, non-religious, widely understood meaning, Miller has been called EVIL -- a liar and deceiver, among other things, for his activities as the president/chief lobbyist for the ITAA and WITSA. Perhaps, Shaun Kenney and Riley, Not O'Reilly will discuss this charge more fully and show that they are interested in real issues...

[jason]

What people fail to realize is that this is not about the "anti-Christ" statement. This is about Ben's attacking an argument simply by stating Miller's faith. As I've asked before, to what end? And no one has been able to give a proper response to that.

Ben, I'm sorry if you've taken offense to my comments. But my question still stands as to what exactly your goal was in stating Miller's faith in an atempt to counter his comments as opposed to simply targeting the foundation of it.

[Virginia Liberal]

Race baiting happens all too often in politics. People do and say whatever to win arguements. It is sad!

[Kenney Loving Liberal]

I agree with Jason, You and Lowell have offended multitudes more people with your offensive and baseless comments. Order of Return:
1) You Apologize
2) Shaun Apologizes

[jason]

I don't think Ben needs to apologize so much as explain what the intent of his post was. Was his tounge firmly planted in his cheek or is he trying to say something more?

It's also an issue of understanding that one has to be very careful about what they say and how they say it. 99.9% of Ben's visitors did not know he was Jewish so they had nothing to go off of other than the post and it could very much be interpreted as using Miller's faith against him, as it has been. Just another highlight to why Blogs will always be playing catch-up to the MSM.

[Virginian]

It's funny how the liberal blogosphere loves racebaiting Republicans (see last several months re: Allen) but then explodes when it's done to them. Politics is a tough game.

[Southsider]

In your linked article, AnonymousisaWoman says "There's something really despicable about accusing an innocent person of anti-semitism."

Yet democratic politicians for years have had no problem calling anyone who disagrees with their policies racist, sexist, anti-semitic, etc. Oh the irony.

[fan of integrity]

Since it's so ironic, what Ben is saying must be true.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Let's keep in mind, I reported a fact and the Kenney's are the ones who assigned the "motive" behind it. The fact Jason continues to do it is dispicable to the core, and I seriously doubt he would have the balls to do so in person where I could respond in a more appropriate manner to him.

[jason]

To what end, Ben?

FACT: Harris Miller used "church" and "choir" in a statement.

FACT: Harris Miller is Jew.

You don't just toss the two side by side with nothing else and leave it at that unless you WANT people to draw conclusions. You have yet to explain what one has to do with the other in an appropriate manner.

I'm seeking answers, you're seeking a fight.

The more Jason demands to keep this going, the more anonisawoman's words ring true...

""The real jew baiters are the ones who pick up on a baseless charge and inflame a community by using it for political fun and profit, which is exactly what you are doing."

[Southsider]

Ben is right. Calling Webb an anti-semite for his comments is inappropriate and wrong. However, so is calling someone a racist because they oppose affirmative action but that's done every day. That's the way politicians have chosen to play the game and blogosphere is apparently no different. Maybe some folks will consider this next time they start labelling politicians they disagree with.

[jason]

Allow me to say this as slowly as possible so maybe it'll finally get through:

This
has
nothing
to
do
with
Webb's
"Anti-Christ"
statement.

This has everything to do with Ben's post about Miller's using "church" and "choir" in a comment and Ben's pointing out that Miller was Jewish and leaving it at that.

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2006/05/harris_miller_a_1.html

That I keep coming back to this is not jewbaiting as you may want to toss around but is a sign that I will not be bullied or threated into submission in leiu of receiving a rational and reasonable explaination to what was an irrational post. That Ben is Jewish is moot except to make his original most that much more confusing. What are you trying to say? What are you trying to insinuate? If you had simply explained yourself and your comment I would not be hammering you on this but instead I get the verbalization of the one finger salute and a threat should we meet face to face.

I'm sorry if you're offended by my questions, but I do not see where I have gone wrong. You made an irrational post, I asked for an explanation. That is where we stand.

Jason are you still here asking if Ben (a jew) mentioned Harris was Jewish and meant it in a negative way towards Jews?

Are you retarded?

[Jonathan Mark]

There is something very peculiar going on here.

It looks like non-Jews are impersonating Jews in order to wage accusations of anti-Semitism against persons they do not like, chiefly Webb and Ben.

Usually it is Jews who complain about anti-Semitism. But in these cases no Jews are complaining.

If these were legitimate complaints at least a few Jews would be complaining too.

It is common for Jews to mention other people being Jewish in contexts which non-Jews would not find relevant. Elliott Yamin of American Idol suggested that Paula Abdul was weeping when he got kicked off in part because he and Abdul were both Jews and there was a bond between them.

Was that relevant? Not to a non-Jew. It was relevant to Elliott Yamin.

If Ben wants to mention Harris Miller being Jewish let him. We don't like Miller as a candidate (or at least I don't) but it is stupid to accuse Jewish critics of Miller of anti-Semitism.

We don't claim that what we find offensive about Miller's candidacy is caused by Miller being Jewish. We don't like outsourcing and reverse insourcing (flooding the job market with H-1B visas to lower IT wages.)

[Not Jack Herrity]

Ben, I've largely stayed out of this. I don't think you Jewbaited anyone - the idea of "self-hate" is very much a legitimate discussion within the Jewish community. It's a discussion that people of other faiths (a Kenney or a Herrity, for example) only rarely understand.

At the same time, you did bring the issue of religion into this debate. You were the first to ping Harris Miller on the issue of his faith and whether he was downplaying his Jewishness. The Kenneys picked up on those comments and made a legitimate point, apparently without knowing that you are Jewish. The fact that you are Jewish undermines their overall argument as far as you are concerned, and it makes Shaun look a little dumb. However, I'm not sure it gets Jim Webb off the hook for his "anti-Christ" comments.

I know I'm risking being flamed here, but I'm trying to make what I think is a legitimate point. I understand your anger at being incorrectly labeled a "Jew-baiter," but I think we need to separate out that issue from the bigger issue, which is whether Jim Webb's "anti-Christ" comments are Jew-baiting. I believe that they are.

NJH

[Shaun Kenney]

Jay, let it go man...

He doesn't think he did anything wrong.

[Virginia Centrist]

I'm a self-hating liberal. That's why I call myself "Virginia centrist"

[Not Jack Herrity]

Yeah, but you'll never hear of a self-hating conservative. They just hate everyone else instead.

NJH

[The Ghost of Tom Joad]

Oy vey!

[Jonathan Mark]

"""However, I'm not sure it gets Jim Webb off the hook for his 'anti-Christ' comments."""

Here we go again. Webb correctly called Miller "the AntiChrist of outsourcing."

It is really too bad if some people think that the AntiChrist is Jewish. They are the ones with the problem, not Jim Webb.

Harris Nathan Miller, the letters of whose names form the number 666, is in fact the ayatollah of outsourcing as well as the AntiChrist of it and much else besides.

Every single Jewish person who has blogged on this matter so far has not had a problem with the correct, factual statement that Harris Nathan Miller is the AntiChrist of outsourcing. Less than a year ago as ITAA head Miller gave a press conference touting the cost savings to be gained through outsourcing.

Miller looks like "a worm with hair." Is that anti-Semitic too? I am very Jewish with a Jewish wife to boot and even sometimes participate in Jewish groups.

It is appalling that Miller's supporters who are not even Jews are jew-baiting like this by inventing the spurious claim that complaining about Miller's sick support for outsourcing with the term "AntiChrist of Outsourcing" is anti-Semitic.

Perhaps the Miller supporters who make this claim think of the AntiChrist as Jewish. That is their problem, not Jim Webb's.

Jim Webb is not responsible for their mishegas.

[Not Jack Herrity]

Jonathan, let me correct one thing. I do not support Harris Miller. In fact, I have publicly said in this forum and elsewhere that Jim Webb is the better candidate. However, I don't think that immunizes him from criticism.

NJH

[Not Jack Herrity]

PS - How do you know that I am not Jewish?

NJH