Posted on 03/28/2008 1:01:36 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Eric Alterman’s new book on Why We're Liberals isn’t just plagued with errors, it makes wild charges, like attacking conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, suggesting she was anti-Semitic for cheering on the movie The Passion of the Christ. In a chapter about how conservatives mock the elites, when they themselves are rich and pampered, Alterman wrote about conservatives: "In Ingraham’s case, as in many others, one detects a strain of anti-Semitism in her insistent elite-bashing." From pages 173-74:
In observing the members of the conservative elite denouncing "elitists, it can be difficult to tell your players without the proverbial scorecard. For instance, the radio talk-show host and former conservative cable host Laura Ingraham has written an entire book about the dangers posed by liberal elites, entitled Shut Up & Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the Media Are Subverting America. In it, this daughter of a Connecticut lawyer, and graduate of Dartmouth and the University of Virginia Law School, who now lives in an expensive home in Washington D.C., distinguishes between liberal elitists and those whom she terms "true Americans."
She begins her treatise by explaining who these "elite Americans" are and what they think: "They think we’re stupid. They think our patriotism is stupid. They think our churchgoing is stupid. They think having more than two children is stupid. They think where we live – anywhere but near or in a few major cities – is stupid. They think our SUVs are stupid. They think owning a gun is stupid. They think our abiding belief in the goodness of America and its founding principles is stupid."
In Ingraham’s case, as in many others, one detects a strain of anti-Semitism in her insistent elite-bashing. During the flap over Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ – more about which below – Ingraham announced: "I want to see any more that drives the anti-Christian entertainment elite crazy." Presumably Ingraham did not mean to imply that this "anti-Christian elite" was mostly made up of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, or Scientologists.
Alterman is doing here what his Media Matters colleague Paul Waldman constantly accuses conservative media critics of doing: reading someone's mind. Conservatives can quickly suggest that Hollywood's elite has a few Scientologists (from Tom Cruise on down) pagan goddess-worshippers (Susan Sarandon), and lots and lots of Christian-bashing comedy writers, like the Comedy Central clique.
Oddly enough, on page 175, Alterman turns to bashing John Podhoretz, Michael Ledeen, and Bernard Goldberg, who allegedly "wrote a book comparing his former friend Dan Rather to a ‘prison bitch.’"
Once again, Alterman is wildly exaggerating. In one sentence in his book Bias, Goldberg suggested Dan Rather ran most of CBS: "If CBS News were a prison instead of a journalistic enterprise, three-quarters of the producers and 100 percent of the vice presidents would be Dan’s bitches."
Alterman’s footnote for Ingraham’s quote on the Passion is a Reason article by Cathy Young at the time of the movie’s release, which doesn’t quote Ingraham directly:
Few people worry about an outburst of violent anti-Semitism in the United States. But in its own way, the attitude of some champions of "The Passion" is troubling. A few seem positively gleeful about the distress caused by the movie -- and quite in-your-face about it. "I want to see any movie that drives the anti-Christian entertainment elite crazy," conservative commentator Laura Ingraham has been quoted as saying.
That’s a slimy charge by Cathy Young, too, suggesting Ingraham seems gleeful about "distress," as if she wouldn’t mind an "outburst of violent anti-Semitism," something that never happened as fans of The Passion emerged silently from the theaters.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center
Alterman bashes three Jews! He must be an anti-semite!
Well at least one person read his book!
I have listened to L.I. for some time now and do not see her as being a Jew-hater. She is a strong defender of Christianity and strikes me as perhaps being a Catholic (as she defends the Pope at every opportunity) but I don’t ever remember her trashing Jews or Israel.
NOT GUIL...well you guys know the rest
Alterman’s ridiculous charge of anti-semitism against L.I. is based on her positive remarks on the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. For Liberal JINOs that is reason enough.
Here it comes.
You’re right. She’s a convert to Catholicism.
Show the ODIOUS Eric Alterman!! He’s the reason I stopped watching C-Span!!! He is VILE!
I wonder what this “male’ thinks about Rev. Wright and BO
and their anti-semitism.
Could anything smell sweeter than that of the self-destructing Leftists crashing and burning?
Look at a picture of a weasel’s face and compare that to Eric’s. Uncanny!
Lieberals don’t need a reason to make charges. They do it everyday.
This idiot author, proves himself another example of a Leftist Liberal with severe mental illness.....
In Ingraham’s case, as in many others, one detects a strain of anti-Semitism in her insistent elite-bashing.
It looks to me like this hyper sensitive putz does not like the searchlight layed upon him . Go crawl back into your cesspool and call your mommy . Jackass .
And as a typical liberal, he continues down the road of total delusion and thus proving once again.....liberalism is a disease!
What a surprise. I didn't know all the elites were Jewish.
Luara Ingraham is a devout Catholic and has not a shred of antisemitism in her. These lies from Alterman are the twisted ramblings of a morally diseased leftwing crackpot.
Ingraham announced: "I want to see any more that drives the anti-Christian entertainment elite crazy." Presumably Ingraham did not mean to imply that this "anti-Christian elite" was mostly made up of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, or Scientologists.
No, I think she meant to imply that this anti-Christian elite was made up of anti-Christians.
Jesus was Jewish. King of the Jews.
How is it anti-Semitic to follow the King of the Jews?
Eric Alterman is far more of an anti-Semite than Laura Ingraham.
What a surprise. I didn’t know all the elites were Jewish.
Exactly Donna . So many ways to shred his position it’s really a pathetic waste of my time but some things we good citizens just cannot let slide .
These bubble types just kill me .
The charge always seems to be that anything at all that does not shine a favorable light on the Jews, is anti-Semetic. I do not believe that to be the case.
Let’s go ahead and use ‘the Passion’ as an example.
I have seen ‘the Passion’ several times now. I purchased the DVD. I’m am happy to have a copy of it in my home. The movie heralds the death of Jesus Christ, an act that I believe redeemed the souls of men formerly owned by Satan. It is salvation through faith, that is mankind’s ultimate hope IMO. And the death of Jesus Christ made that possible.
Is the movie a frank depiction? Yes it is. There are parts that are hard for me to watch. While I am compelled to say it goes over the top, I have to remind myself that I am not convinced that it actually does. It is probably quite factual in it’s frankness. There are parts that are vile. In truth there were parts of Jesus Christ’s death that were vile. Jesus didn’t get the kit glove treatment. He got the full bore treatment. It should never be able to be said, that Jesus Christ got special treatment. He received the worst treatment that men can face. It was only through this process that He could ultimately prove that a man could follow God’s commandments no matter what, live his life in subjegation to his Heavenly Father in perfection.
Jesus did this for us. And He died for us. And ‘the Passion’ depicts that.
It is my understanding that in Europe it has been the practice for passion plays to herald the netharious nature of the Jews, and that at least some of these presentations are presented as a way to vilify the Jews, to focus hatred upon them. IMO, where that has been done, these folks will face an unhappy Lord on Judgement Day. Despite this reality, the story of Jesus death needs to be told and should be told frankly and honestly. And where the Jewish Mob participated, it should be acknowledged.
Folks, we have U.S. Citizens who do stupid stuff every day. Our anti-war faction is as disgusting as it gets. Does that mean all U.S. Citizens should be lumped together with them and labeled despicable human beings? Of course not. Only the low-lifes who participate should bear responsibility for their actions. Isn’t that the rational way to look at the Jewish Mob at Jesus tribulation? Of course it is. We don’t look upon all Jews as the killers of Christ, destined to be destroyed for these actions. Those who do not recognize Christ will be in trouble, but that is a matter for God to settle in His own time. I do not hate the Jews. I don’t believe Laura Ingraham does either.
I am an ardent supporter of Israel. I steadfastly support it’s existance and would actually be more than willing to put my life on the line to defend it. I woud imagine that Laura Ingraham feels much the same way I do on these matters and it saddens me to see someone try to make an anti-Semetic arguement based on a frank depiction of Christ’s death. and someone who defended that depiction.
Jesus Christ stated, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Show me a good well-informed Christian that could disagree with this.
Shame on Eric Alterman.
I’ve got your back Laura, and I’ve got the back of any other well meaning people out there who are well informed, have a firm grasp of the issues, and are honest about their beliefs.
YUK.
As a person of Jewish heritage, a past regular listener, and current occasional listener of Ingraham, I say no way in hell does she have an antisemetic bone in her lovely body.
Uh, I am “out of the loop” by not knowing who this “Eric Alterman” is?
Actually Laura is a big defender of Israel
Who is Eric Alterman?
Somebody tell Eric to read the ancient manuscripts (ie the Gospels).
They say the Pharisees brought Jesus to Pilate and demanded He be executed. Pilate tried to deter them and offered a substitute (Barabbas). The Jews declined the offer after which Pilate “washed his hands” of the situation and turned Him over to them (the Jews), who argued to Pilate who was a little reluctant to execute, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.”
Now you tell the world what that means.
Anti-Semitism cries has always shown up when the sane goes after communism, that was played out during McCarthyism but today communist are composed more than the atheist Jews as in the olds days.
You have the Irish atheist, English atheist from the Fabian Society, and also others who thrown God to the wolves this guy can’t play the Anti-Semitic card in this century!
The Religious children of all faiths know the game now!
Give it up Eric Alterman!
A Christian Hating Intolerant NAZI Bigot!
Actually, there are plenty of liberals among the elites of vague Protestant background who are pretty anti-Christian, so I don't think it follows at all that anti-elitism is anti-Semitic. She's just tired of the constant Christian-bashing by liberals, and is perfectly correct to point it out. And liking the Passion of the Christ does not make one anti-Semitic. As Nostra Aetate says, neither all Jews then nor any Jews now are responsible for the death of Christ, so there is no reason to assume any collective responsibility in Christ's redeeming passion, which in fact he chose to suffer in accordance with the Father's will.
Alterman on Chris Matthews show almost every night blast someone who actuallys stands up for America. These lefties are just pathetic, un-American and anti-religious. To charge Laura, a newly born again Catholic convert with being anti-Jewish is just inane since she spends much time in aiding Israel.
And why aren’t their more pictures of Laura?
Hmmm. Sorry I missed her smackdown with the CAIR-gal. Sounds like it was good.
The author is a little presumptuous to assume that all anti-Christians are something other than Christian. If we're talking Hollywood elite here, we are talking about liberals. Liberals, by nature, are self-haters. There's probably quite a few anti-Christian Christians in Hollywood.
Humans? Bad.
American Humans? Worse.
Christian American Humans? Oh, don't get me started...
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