THE ISSUE: The Jewish vote in this year’s election and Barack Obama‘s policy toward Israel.
Gabriel Schoenfeld doesn’t seem to understand that he makes an eloquent argument for the exact opposite proposition he purports to be making (“Barack & the Jews,” PostOpinion, Oct. 22).
Because the socio-economic position of today’s Jewish American community should make them even more wary of Barack Obama‘s class-envy rhetoric than most, a vote of only 30 percent for John McCain this late into the election is, in fact, monolithic voting.
I would go further and call it mindless. Being Jewish, I say that with anger and unmitigated disgust.
E. N. Eden
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As a lifelong Democrat, I strongly support McCain, and my reasons are partially addressed by Schoenfeld.
Jesse Jackson’s prediction that Obama will abandon Israel is illuminated by Obama’s alliances with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, McPeak and Brzezinski – all deeply hostile to Israel.
But the list doesn’t stop there. Let’s not forget that Obama was actually endorsed by Hamas.
Many Jewish supporters of Israel who are Democrats wish to vote for the Democratic candidate. But, with so many screaming alarm bells being sounded, how can they do so in good conscience?
Those supporters of Israel who vote for Obama will be plagued by guilt when they see what devastation they have wrought by electing America’s most anti-Israel president.
Ken Kelner
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Schoenfeld cites a lack of empirical evidence to reject what he correctly calls the “insulting analysis” that Jews would vote for McCain because of racism.
But he then makes his own argument, sans empirical evidence, that the only issue about which Jews are concerned is US foreign policy toward Israel.
Jews are not, and have never been, single-issue voters in America. To lump all the Jews together is insulting and wrong.
Even if Jews only cared about Israel, Schoenfeld’s claim that McCain is best for Israel is debatable. McCain’s questionable skill in dealing with the American economy bears serious risks for the state of Israel.
Justin Berkowitz
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Schoenfeld correctly focuses on reasons for concern about Obama’s likely foreign policy. But that concern should be shared by all Americans, not just Jews.
It requires a suspension of disbelief to accept Obama’s new positions on Iran and Israel.
In many ways, we live in a much more dangerous world than we did in 1977, and the abandonment of our allies and appeasement of our enemies will not serve our country well.
David Coffey