“Blood libel” refers to Jews killing, eating and sucking the blood of children in 12th century Spain. The charges were all lies, of course.
When you say Palin used the term in “EXACTLY the right context,” are you saying someone accused her of killing, eating, and sucking the blood of a child? Because that’s the only “correct context” for the term. Those who’ve used it differently over the past few weeks are simply ignorant of its history. Ignorance is commonplace in many quarters of society, but a dangerous failing in a leader, which is why Palin’s willingness to speak a term of which she is ignorant is so troubling.
Physician heal thyself of ignorance.
When you say “refers to” you are only correct insofar as “blood libel” is the name of the dishonest tactic....NOT the accusation the tactic employed.
She was accused of having innocent blood on her hands, that she was the one who was at fault for the killings. The charges are all lies, of course. No one has a patent on words. Is the word vendetta exclusive to Italians? History also changes the context of the words. If you are going to get upset by one offense, get upset by all. Why is the first public outcry I can remember relating the possible misuse of the term?
I do not believe that Sarah Palin intended to offend Jews by the combination of those two words. I’ll bet she is a stronger supporter of Israel then a lot of Jews in this country are. She wanted to convey a message, which she did, in my opinion, accurately. It doesn’t matter what she would have said or didn’t say. People who are offended by what she said were going to be offended no matter what two words she put together.
The people most upset about its usage are people who don't like Palin anyway. Get over it. Language evolves with usage. It is legitimate to use "blood libel" to refer to a libel over having the blood of innocents on your hands.
I think a lot of Jewish liberals freaked out when what they thought was a phrased owned by them, was used against them.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt. Wrong. Gwt off the island.
Blood and libel are two words strung together most prominently first applied to the Romans who blood libeled Christians in regards to the Holy Eucharist. Supposedly the evil Christians were using Roman children for the blood component of the Holy Eucharist in the early Second Century AD. Which, of course, predates the Middle Ages and certain Christian blood libeling of Jews.