Tuesdays with Paulie 6/17/08

Open minds and hearts dominate Jewish festival
Angry leftists and self-haters still present but rare

While Americans were enjoying Father's Day this past Sunday, approximately 30,000 Jews in Chicago brought dad and the rest of the family to the Greater Chicago Jewish Folk Arts Festival. The one day event celebrates all aspects of Jewish life and culture. It's one of the few events you will ever experience where you will find Orthodox and Reform Jews intermingling in such high numbers as well as so many different social and political perspectives of Jewish life.

I attended the festival with my wife, children and parents. Wearing my Republican Jewish Coalition T-Shirt. I was prepared for stares of disgust and rude remarks by the abundance of leftists and Democratic loyalists that dominate the Jewish community of Chicago. What I found was an open-minded attitude toward political thought that has been missing from the community during my lifetime.

Promising my good friend Michael Menis of the Chicago RJC my presence at the RJC booth for part of the festival, my family and I set out for their location upon arrival. I had also promised my synagogue time at their booth, so my day was well planned in advance.

Organizations (shuls, political, charity) were all placed together at the festival. As a social observer I began noticing the personal statements people were making. Shirts, hats, buttons were worn by many participants to make political, religious and social comments. Most people wore items that expressed their own shuls or community groups they were associated with. The political commentary was extremely limited. Two or three pro-Obama shirts, same for McCain and the rest was a couple of anti-war shirts and pro-Israel military gear.

I was surprised to say the least. I was expecting the leftist Jews residing in the area of the event to be displaying their love for Obama and 10Th cong. district candidate Dan Seals (D), who is challenging Israel's best friend in the House Mark kirk. What I learned was that their is a growing fear in the Jewish community regarding Obama and Seals is not doing nearly as well as he should be in what will be a strong Democratic year.

When I arrived at the RJC booth I was amazed to see how crowded our table was. The email sign up list was growing considerably and people were writing checks to become members. "I am a Democrat, but I just don't trust Obama," were the words I kept hearing. Many lifelong Democrats telling us they were voting for McCain. "I never vote Republican, but I always respected McCain," or "The last Republican I voted for was Reagan, but I like McCain."

Of course you can't attend a Jewish event inside the Peoples Republic of the Illinois 9TH congressional district without some leftist hate showing it's ugly face. "Shame on you," a female came up and said to me as I stood behind the RJC booth. She asked if Israel was the only issue and we honestly told her it was as important to our group as any other issue. She asked if we were driven by money and if we were funded by AIPAC who she then called "a terrorist group." Even your brilliant blogger was stunned by this ignoramus.

She talked about the prosperity America endured under Bill Clinton. I knew she wouldn't comprehend how Clinton benefited from the Internet and dot com boom and his policies actually prevented greater growth. I told her Obama wasn't Clinton he would be the second term of Jimmy Carter. Then I reminded her that Obama has hired countless anti-Israel advisers from Carter's administration and in his personal life it's hard to find a friend who isn't an anti-Semite.

In disgust this person claim to be a family friend and good friends with Michelle Obama. "Then the shame is on you," I replied." Your friends with a man who associates with so many Jew haters and you tolerate it and don't say anything." She left in anger with her female significant other hand in hand, which is probably the real reason she hates the GOP. She wouldn't be the first homosexual your brilliant blogger knows who hates Republicans and makes excuses for Progressive anti-Semitism because of gay issues.

The biggest negative of the event was the revelation of a disturbing trend among Jewish baby-boomers. I encountered a few individuals as well as witnessed conversations by attendees who don't believe Israeli security is an important issue. What they have undoubtedly done is chosen to lesson Israels importance in exchange for their liberal social views and in some cases believe the Progressive propaganda that America went to war in Iraq for Israel. Hence the comment that "AIPAC is a terrorist group."

This ignorant thinking stems from a loyalty to the Democratic Party that supersedes what little faith they have as well as their own denial that anti-Semitism and threats toward Israel's existence actually exist. I refer to it as people who's true religion is abortion rights not Judaism, Christianity or what have you.

Your brilliant blogger views himself as a Republican leaning Libertarian. I do not believe in voting for political Party over a candidate and the issues. Sadly a majority of Jews in America do vote for the "D" regardless of the person. For the first time in my life I am seeing the Jewish community open it's mind to individual candidates regardless of the letter next to their name.

Paulie