"Capitalism and the Jews," Frank Cerabino, an Honest Man and Voter Registration

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Frank Cerabino's Columns

Frank

I enjoy reading Frank Cerabino’s columns in the Palm Beach Post.  Mostly, I agree with him and his politics.  He has a great sense of humor.  Often, the target of his words are the Neanderthals who constitute the Republican Party in Florida.  The sad thing about it though, is that the truths he points out amount to no more than putting a finger in a dike which is leaking in many places.  The ignorance, hypocrisy, bigotry and political trickery which is part and parcel of the Republican establishment in Florida is like an unstoppable flood. 

There are many people who have moved to the Sunshine State from elsewhere after already attaining most of their goals in life and are not interested in carrying the torches here which Frank’s words ignite.  Were they a generation (or two) younger they might do so, but most who agree with what he says are content to enjoy his humor and sarcasm and hope others might take up his causes and join in those battles to which they no longer have the inclination nor energies to commit their allegiance.

Jack Lippman

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Register to Vote Online

Know any Floridians one who are NOT registered voters?   Refer them to a web site where they can complete the registration process online!    Every vote counts.  https://registertovoteflorida.gov/en/Registration/Index   

ALSO, YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO GET THERE.

JL

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Anti-Semitism - It Goes Back to Economics

A Short History Lesson

Just read an interesting book, “Capitalism and the Jews,” by Jerry Z. Muller (published in 2010). Besides being a historian, Muller also gets involved in sociology and economics.  He points out, in a series of four essays which make up the book, that Jews, having historically been barred from most fields of endeavor in Europe because they did not accept Jesus as their savior, still held a special position because of Christian theology’s reliance upon the Hebrew Scriptures.  While not removing from them the stigma of their being outside of the faith, it did give Jews a special place among non-Christians not available to other non-believers.  While still despised, they weren’t quite the “infidels” other non-believers were.

Biblical bans on usury, based on the Hebrew scriptures and later elaborated upon by such theologians as St. Thomas Aquinas meant that one could not make money from money itself, by lending it and earning interest on the loan.  Further, it was also strongly felt that while one could make money from making things, raising crops or selling one’s labor, no one should profit from buying and re-selling something they didn’t themselves create.  This too was initially sinful to many believing Christians. These activities, essential to the development of any economy, were left to the non-Christians in their midst who did not have to follow the rules Christians did. 

As a result, Jews, who were ‘outside of the faith’ became middlemen, merchants, bankers and moneylenders, playing a crucial role in the appearance and development of capitalism, it being no sin for them to break the rules.  In addition to their refusal to accept Jesus Christ, their involvement in these ‘sinful’ areas, in which they were very successful, added to negative feelings toward Jews and gave birth to anti-Semitism.  It was easy to despise someone who not only refused to accept Jesus Christ but also took money out of your pocket without expending much physical effort to earn it.

Eventually, European countries found ways for Christians to evade the prohibitions on usury and non-Jews started to become middlemen, merchants, bankers and moneylenders.  The commercial ‘edge,’ which Jews possessed was thereby significantly reduced.  Paired with this was the recognition that Jews were basically aliens in whatever country they resided.  Spread throughout the Western world by the Diaspora, their citizenship was open to frequent questioning.  This didn’t matter much so long as their services in business were essential to a nation, but when that were no longer the case, their status was altered.

Becoming alien competitors to Christians who could now do the same things they traditionally did in the business world reduced the position of Jews.  Business practices which had been acceptable in the past became something to be criticized for, along with a renewed recognition that Jews did not accept Jesus Christ, and in the eyes of many of the devout, were responsible for his killing.  Resultingly, laws reducing and restricting economic, professional, educational and occupational opportunities for Jews, as aliens in someone else’s county, returned.  Christianity’s debt to the Hebrew scriptures no longer sufficed to prevent anti-Semitism from flourishing.

There’s a lot more in Muller’s book, specifically in regard to Jewish connections to capitalism, socialism, communism and nationalism and their philosophical underpinnings.  These ‘connections’ all eventually became usable tools for anti-Semites.  Try to read the book.

JL

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An Honest Man

Honest Maybe but Still Dishonorable

I am beginning to believe that Donald J. Trump is an honest man!  Could it be that he is so stupid that he doesn’t understand that his words are racist and that he is a racist?  Could it be that racism is so deeply ingrained in him that he no longer recognizes it for what it is.  In that sense, he is being honest, his ‘better angels’ having long since abandoned him.  

I would hope that any Republicans who continue to support the P.O.S. in the White House are aware that they risk being connected to his views in a manner which makes them racists as well.  All Republicans must ask themselves whether or not they are racist.  It they are not, it is time for them to publicly disassociate themselves from the President and work to get him out of office.  

If they do not, they will eventually join him in the sewer of American history.  A special section, to be named the 'Mitch McConnell Cistern' is now under construction down there.

JL