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I hope you are all well and your wishes all coming true.
And I thank those of you who sent me your kind words
after seeing me on the Larry Elder Show because I
looked and sounded terrible. I have some very kind
people on my mailing list.
Here is my third installment on anti-Semitism.
Anti-Semitism: Third Installment
Here is my third installment on racism and anti-
Semitism.
If you have not already done so, you may
wish to read the previous issues before you read this
one.
Please resist the urge to bombard me with angry emails
condemning my approach to anti-Semitism. This is only
one installment in a long series. After you have had my
complete presentation, it may make more sense to you.
If it doesn't I will gladly accept your criticism.
Read Previous Newsletter
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Bullies to Buddies Rule Number Two: Treat everything as the words of your best friend. |
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If we want people to be our friends rather than
enemies, we have to treat what they tell us as the
words of friends. But what do we do? When people
criticize Jews, we respond as though they are enemies.
We should only treat people like enemies when they try
to hurt our bodies or possessions. Otherwise, we should
consider their words, no matter how nasty or angry, as
though they are trying to give us valuable advice. It
doesn't mean that we have to believe what they tell us
or that we have to do what they tell us. Only that we
should be grateful that they have taken the time and
effort to tell us what they feel or believe.
Here is the wrong way to respond.
Anti-Semite: Hitler should have finished you all off!
Jew: How dare you say that!
Anti-Semite: It's true. You Jews are filth and ruin
everything for everyone.
Jew: No we don't! It's bigots like you who ruin society.
Anti-Semite: I'm warning you! You are looking for
trouble!
Jew: Yeah? What kind of trouble?!
Anti-Semite: I'll send you to hell where you belong!
Jew: I'm calling the police. You'll rot in jail, where you
belong, for hate crimes.
Now the right way:
Anti-Semite: Hitler should have finished you all off!
Jew: You know, a lot of people feel just the way you
do.
Anti-Semite: And for good reason!
Jew: What's the reason?
Anti-Semite: You're the bloodsuckers of the planet.
Jew: What do you mean by that?
Anti-Semite: You all cheat and suck up all the money
so the rest of us have to live like dogs.
Jew: Your life is really that bad?
Anti-Semite: Yes. I have to live in a trailer park while
all of you live in the ritzy part of town.
Jew: Yes, we tend to live in the more expensive
neighborhoods. Do you believe it's the Jews' fault that
you live in a trailer park?
Anti-Semite: Of course. You take all the good jobs and
we have to live on public assistance.
Jew: Would you like to have a good job?
Anti-Semite: Of course.
Jew: You could get one the same way we do.
Anti-Semite: How's that?
Jew: By getting a good education.
Anti-Semite: Who's got money for a good education?
Jew: I see what you mean. But the truth is if you try
hard enough, you can get a good education even
without having a lot of money.
Anti-Semite: What are you talking about?
Jew: The government has lots of education programs
for poor people. You just have to be motivated to work
hard. If you want, I can try to help you find the right
offices to go to.
Anti-Semite: Thanks. I'll think about it.
Of course, it might not turn out this nicely. But, as you
can see, treating the anti-Semite as a friend has a
much better outcome than treating him like an enemy.
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Television and Racism |
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Television is blamed for so much of what is wrong with
society. I am not an apologist for the entertainment
industry. I don't think that everything it presents is
worthwhile, and I believe most people spend way too
much time being entertained. Personally, I think that
television has done more to destroy social life than any
other single factor. However, it seems we only hear
about the harm it causes. Since television isn't about
to disappear, we need to recognize its beneficial sides.
I strongly believe that television deserves major credit
for reducing racism. Racism has been on a steady
decline in recent decades and I think that television
has had more to do with this than the combined efforts
of legislators, school programs, and tolerance
organizations.
How does racism get reduced? The best way is by
contact between groups. When we get to know each
other as human beings, the stereotypes disappear and
we become more tolerant and compassionate towards
each other. Unfortunately, most people tend to limit
their close relationships to those of their own groups.
Television brings people of all backgrounds right into
our living rooms. When we watch entertainment, our
sense of reality is suspended as we identify with the
characters and vicariously experience what they are
supposedly experiencing. We love entertainment
because it is fun to experience others' realities for
short periods of time. Watching a good movie or show
can be a more effective learning tool than the best
lectures, which is why more people eagerly pay to
watch movies than to go to lectures.
Last week, when I was flying, I got to see the movie,
Remember the Titans, starring Denzel Washington as a
Black high school football coach. It is hard to imagine
any lecture doing a better job of teaching racial
tolerance than a film like this. Anyone who watches a
movie like this and doesn't give up his/her racist
attitudes is seriously disturbed. And Remember the
Titans is not unusual. Many movies and shows will have
a similar effect.
I recommend Remember the Titans for a couple of
additional reasons. One, I was impressed how the
protagonist refuses to let anyone treat him or the Black
students as victims in any way, practicing what I have
been writing about in these newsletters on anti-
Semitism. Two, there is a great locker room scene that
illustrates what I teach about humor. One kid insults
another kid's mother. That kid starts getting mad. A
third kid throws out a mother insult. Before long, they
are all insulting each others' mothers and laughing their
heads off.
Three cheers for Hollywood.
Best Wishes,
Izzy Kalman
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