Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

Pew: Unfavorable views of Jews, Muslims in Europe on the rise

Filed Under Jewish, Politics, Religion | Comments Off

From Pew:

A spring 2008 survey by the Pew Research Center’s Pew Global Attitudes Project finds 46% of the Spanish rating Jews unfavorably. More than a third of Russians (34%) and Poles (36%) echo this view. Somewhat fewer, but still significant numbers of the Germans (25%) and French (20%) interviewed also express negative opinions of Jews. These percentages are all higher than obtained in comparable Pew surveys taken in recent years. In a number of countries, the increase has been especially notable between 2006 and 2008.

Great Britain stands out as the only European country included in the survey where there has not been a substantial increase in anti-Semitic attitudes. Just 9% of the British rate Jews unfavorably, which is largely unchanged from recent years. And relatively small percentages in both Australia (11%) and the United States (7%) continue to view Jews unfavorably.

Who, specifically, doesn’t like Jews or Muslims?

A notable parallel between anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish opinion in Western Europe is that both sentiments are most prevalent among the same groups of people. Older people and those with less education are more anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim than are younger people or those with more education. Looking at combined data from France, Germany and Spain – the three Western European countries where unfavorable opinions of Jews are most common – people ages 50 and older express more negative views of both Jews and Muslims than do those younger than 50. Similarly, Europeans who have not attended college are consistently more likely than those who have to hold unfavorable opinions of both groups.

Any parallels to where one is on the political spectrum?

There are some political parallels too. Anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish opinions are most prevalent among Europeans on the political right. For example, among respondents from France, Germany and Spain who place themselves on the political right, 56% express a negative view of Muslims, compared with 42% of those on the left and 45% of those in the center. Similarly, 34% of people on the political right have a negative opinion of Jews, compared with 28% of those on the left and 26% of centrists.

Additional findings after the jump.  Go to the site for some good graphs. Read more

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:40 pm September 21st, 2008 in Jewish, Politics, Religion | Comments Off 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

Two live-blogs of Obama call with 900 rabbis, wishing L’shana tovah

Filed Under Barack Obama, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, leadership, Politics, Religion, WH2008 | Comments Off

Here’s a great live-blog, by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, of the conferene call Senator and Democratic candidate for president Barack Obama had on Wednesday, September 17.  Here’s one (by a rabbinical student who supports Obama) of many entries by Jewish bloggers that reveal their feelings about the call and Obama. Here’s Jake Tapper’s take on ABC’s blog, Political Punch (I love that he relies on Rabbi Ruttenberg’s live-blog so much!).  And here’s another rabbi’s take as he live-blogs (I think he’s a rabbi from how he phrases the post but I could be wrong):

I have the honor of joining 900 other rabbis from across North America on a conference call with Senator Barack Obama. He is speaking as I write and so want to convey the immediacy of his message. This call was arranged by the Obama Campaign’s Jewish Outreach professionals. One of the arrangers, the New York Board of Rabbis, is trying to get Senator John McCain on a call with rabbis as well.

He was introduced by Rabbi Sam Gordon (Reform), co-chair of Rabbis for Obama and Rabbi Elliot Dorf (Conservative), who presented one of the most moving sermons about the state of our country I ever heard (and certainly on a conference call!)

Jews loved Bill Clinton. I have to say, Obama goes even further. This is a man who knows us and loves us.

…

After 56 minutes, Obama wished us all a Sweet New Year and said that at this critical election in our country’s history, “we’re at a defining moment in our history and we need to get it right.”

That was an historic moment. 900 rabbis signed off.

You can see why it’s difficult for Jews like myself who support Obama and know so many other Jews who support Obama to understand how another Jew can say, “I don’t know how you can support Obama!”

After the jump is the letter authored by Jewish Outreach Coordinators for the Obama campaign, about the conference call. Read more

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:18 pm September 21st, 2008 in Barack Obama, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, leadership, Politics, Religion, WH2008 | Comments Off 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

Reason #45 to VOTE FOR Obama/Biden

Filed Under 57ReasonsObamaBiden, Barack Obama, Economy, Politics, WH2008 | 3 Comments

Because a survey of over 500 economists concluded that they prefer Barack Obama more than 2:1.  And that information was collected before this past week’s financial crises occurred.

The story about the survey is here.  Some background:

At considerable personal expense, I [Scott Adams] commissioned a survey of over 500 economists, drawn from a subset of the members of the American Economic Association, a nonpolitical group, some of whose members had agreed in advance to be surveyed on economic questions.

The results do not represent the economic association’s position. The survey was managed by The OSR Group, a respected national public opinion and marketing research company.

And here’s even more background from Adams, so you can decide for yourself just how much to eschew the survey.  There are several important notes he mentions that you may want to take into account.

The general result:

Overall, 59 percent of our economists say Obama would be best for the economy long term, with 31 percent picking McCain, and 8 percent saying there would be no difference.

FYI, Greg Mankiw, President Bush’s former head of the Council on Economic Affairs, is the head of the AEA.  He’s written several blog posts and op-eds related to this year’s presidential candidates and economics and did a brief post about the survey.  Here’s one from this summer in which Mankiw argues that “On the issue of dividend taxation, Barack Obama may be the candidate with the best chance of preserving George Bush’s legacy.”

On November 4, vote for Obama/Biden.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:05 pm September 21st, 2008 in 57ReasonsObamaBiden, Barack Obama, Economy, Politics, WH2008 | 3 Comments 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

Palin absent another Sunday news show cycle (update: while also absent from AK)

Filed Under Campaigning, Politics, Sarah Palin, Vice President, WH2008 | 10 Comments

From reading Politico’s rundown, no sign of Alaska Governor and GOP candidate for vice president Sarah Palin again.  This is the fourth Sunday since John McCain announced that she would be his running mate.

Added in: The concerns that Alaskans are voicing about the perceived infiltration of the Alaskan government by the McCain campaign is in part why I’m very glad that Ted Strickland refused to consider being Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama’s running mate:

Local residents say they resent the way the campaign of her running mate, GOP presidential nominee John McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, has allegedly co-opted the apparatus of the Alaska statehouse, screening calls from constituents and reporters and advising how to deal with the so-called “Troopergate” investigation, The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

…

Anchorage Daily News wrote an editorial Saturday reading in part: “Why did the McCain campaign take over the governor’s office? Is it too much to ask that Alaska’s governor speak for herself, directly to Alaskans, about her actions as Alaska’s governor?”

Alaska Democrats, who were instrumental in helping Palin pass several important reforms in her two years as governor, told the Times her partisan actions as a vice presidential nominee have put an effective end to that partnership.

Here’s a link to the ADN editorial that is reference by UPI.  It’s titled, “Abdication by Palin: When did the McCain campaign take over the governor’s office?”.

The appropriate question I suppose would be to ask how people in Delaware feel about Senator Joe Biden’s activities.  But that’s not really apples to apples since there is still another senator (Thomas Carper (D)) and, as the McCain/Palin campaign likes to tell us, even though it doesn’t sway me much, unlike senators or legislators, governors have executive office duties.  I guess in the end its really a matter of how the voters and residents of any one candidate’s state feel.

How would you feel?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:59 am September 21st, 2008 in Campaigning, Politics, Sarah Palin, Vice President, WH2008 | 10 Comments 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

Haveil Havalim #183 (Carnival of Jewish Blogging) posted

Filed Under Blogging, Carnivals, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, Voting, Writing | Comments Off

My sympathies go out to Jack, the host of this week’s Haveil Havalim #183 at his blog, Random Thoughts-Do They Have Meaning?.  I know how aggravating it is to lose writing, but especially when you are editing a carnival, that requires cutting and pasting and inserting links etc.

Lots happening in Israel and beyond.  I highly recommend this carvnival if you want to know about things you might not otherwise ever encounter.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:40 am September 21st, 2008 in Blogging, Carnivals, Israel, Jewish, Judaism, Voting, Writing | Comments Off 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

21

How people I meet are voting, 9/21/08 edition

Filed Under Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, Hillary Clinton, Israel, Joe Biden, John McCain, Politics, Sarah Palin, Voting, WH2008 | 2 Comments

I first wrote about this topic on September 6, and then yesterday I wrote a bit more about my experience at the Obama campaign office.

In the meantime, Jeff Hess of Have Coffee Will Write has been posting a blog entry everyday since September 6 called, “Why Vote For Your Candidate…” and at least a few people have taken the time to answer the question.

Now, I’d like to add a few more voices I’ve listened to and debated with.

Late last week, I met, for the first time, two Jews from NE Ohio who not only think that Barack Obama is a Muslim, but they think he wants to or will be happy to let Israel be destroyed.  One of these two individuals is a Holocaust survivor who survived being buried alive with others who had been shot dead and, as I listened to this individual express distaste for Obama and admiration of Sarah Palin, I decided that to discuss my impressions of those two candidates would involve more intervention than I could muster and probably wasn’t going to be a productive thing, so I cut my losses and focused on other discussion.  This voter had voted for Hillary Clinton in the Ohio primary.

The other individual is a Democrat who is Jewish and also believes that Obama is a Muslim and cares nothing for Israel.  This person had voted for Hillary and expressed great disgust when I mentioned that I’d been making calls for Obama.  This person told me that it was unimaginable that any Jew could support Obama – and claimed to not know any Jews who supported Obama.

I went silent for a minute. Read more

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:14 am September 21st, 2008 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, Hillary Clinton, Israel, Joe Biden, John McCain, Politics, Sarah Palin, Voting, WH2008 | 2 Comments 

"));