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Slightly off-topic, but Democrats who support the anti-Israel BDS movement or otherwise seek to weaken Israel have often said to me that the only reason far-right Christians support Israel is due to their belief in End Times, Rapture, whatever - and that they really care nothing about Jews. My response to that has always been that if I have a choice between Christian Evangelists who support Israel for the wrong reasons and secular Democrats who are willing to sacrifice Israel for the wrong reasons, I'll go with the former.
Spot on. And not as off-topic as you think.
FDR was allegedly more "friendly" to Jews socially than most Republicans. That proved not to be important when actual issues arose that needed those warm and fuzzy feelings turned into action.
FDR has been a long-time hero to the Jewish people. My family had been FDR worshipers until then. My mother was born November 7, 1932, the day before Election Day that year. My mother's name was lengthened from "Ruth" to "Ruthellen" in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt. At that point FDR's election was virtually inevitable. My father and his family were wildly admiring of him.
Since roughly 1968, when While Six Million Died: A Chronicle of American Apathy by Arthur D. Morse came out, it was painfully obvious that he was anything but. Indeed, he said what people, including the American people, the Jews and Hitler wanted to hear. In in February-March 1973 I read the referenced book. Even before his now-famous rejection of the ship the St. Louis his state department found that virtually all Jewish immigrants were "likely to become a public charge."
About two years ago I read 1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History by Jay Winik. That book and other reading cemented my view that despite some tepid "efforts" such as the War Refugee Board, Roosevelt almost preferred to have the "Jewish problem" finally resolved overseas by ensuring that most Jewish captives did not survive. At the end of his career there was the refusal to bomb the rail links to the death camps. Last but certainly not least was his promise to ibn Saud not to allow a Middle Eastern Jewish state. Fortunately Truman thought better after FDR descended either into a grave or further down into the fires underground.
The Jews is many respect are their own worst enemy. They give aid and comfort to those who give them lip service. And by the way hate Donald Trump. Totally counter-intuitive.
Amen. Morse's book should be required reading in every school in the nation, btw.
About two years ago I read 1944: FDR and the Year That Changed History by Jay Winik. That book and other reading cemented my view that despite some tepid "efforts" such as the War Refugee Board, Roosevelt almost preferred to have the "Jewish problem" finally resolved overseas by ensuring that most Jewish captives did not survive. At the end of his career there was the refusal to bomb the rail links to the death camps. Last but certainly not least was his promise to ibn Saud not to allow a Middle Eastern Jewish state. Fortunately Truman thought better after FDR descended either into a grave or further down into the fires underground.
Truman was a rare, non Anti-Semite in the Democratic party. If only he were POTUS in 1939, there is no way IMO he would have said no to the St. Louis docking. He had a pair, unlike the POTUS he served under.
Part of the FDR legacy is that when it came to it, there were two main choices up until Pearl Harbor, the German sympathetic isolationists with anti-Semitic leanings and FDR. During the 20's and 30's anti-Semitism was rampant; right wing politicians blamed the Jews for the depression and WW1, the Klan was prominent, and Americans were hit for years with the anti-Semitic rantings of people like Father Charles Coughlin, Gerald L. K. Smith, -Disciples of Christ minister and then there was the German-American Bund. In that environment, FDR was a sane alternative. For more:
Part of the FDR legacy is that when it came to it, there were two main choices up until Pearl Harbor, the German sympathetic isolationists with anti-Semitic leanings and FDR. During the 20's and 30's anti-Semitism was rampant; right wing politicians blamed the Jews for the depression and WW1, the Klan was prominent, and Americans were hit for years with the anti-Semitic rantings of people like Father Charles Coughlin, Gerald L. K. Smith, -Disciples of Christ minister and then there was the German-American Bund. In that environment, FDR was a sane alternative. For more:
The Bund gave FDR an excuse if he so desired to cripple them. After the Madison Square Garden Hitler rally, the authorities should have been following every one of the 20,000 there every second, every day. (Not just the leader) .We had enough national intelligence to do just that, and it would have sent a great message to the nation.
Amen. Morse's book should be required reading in every school in the nation, btw.
Agreed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobNJ1960
Truman was a rare, non Anti-Semite in the Democratic party. If only he were POTUS in 1939, there is no way IMO he would have said no to the St. Louis docking. He had a pair, unlike the POTUS he served under.
Truman was personally a bit of an anti-Semite and also prejudiced against African-Americans. He just knew right from wrong and did the right thing. FDR did not generally do the right thing. A good analogy is President Buchanan. He was personally against slavery but caved to the disunionists at every opportunity, including not security Harper's Ferry and Newport News from ultimately disloyal Virginia. Both were federal property.
Quote:
Originally Posted by webster
Part of the FDR legacy is that when it came to it, there were two main choices up until Pearl Harbor, the German sympathetic isolationists with anti-Semitic leanings and FDR. During the 20's and 30's anti-Semitism was rampant; right wing politicians blamed the Jews for the depression and WW1, the Klan was prominent, and Americans were hit for years with the anti-Semitic rantings of people like Father Charles Coughlin, Gerald L. K. Smith, -Disciples of Christ minister and then there was the German-American Bund. In that environment, FDR was a sane alternative. For more:
Yes. And he made bad choices that did not keep us out of the war. Appeasement rarely works.
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