Why do so many Jews in the US vote Democrat?

[Sojourner]

I've said it before. Secular Jews in America have the Jewish soul that wants to change the world. Without religion, it attaches itself to whatever is trendy.

 I just don't get 30 percent of the Jewish vote going to a guy who embraces a global intifada mentality. Then again, as you alluded to, most who voted for him are misguided secular thinkers. It's just unfortunate that right-minded folks who didn't vote for him will have to deal with the repercussions of his radical agenda.

[Fenris]

One amusing thought. Should America become inhospitable for Jews, the six million Jews in America will join the seven million Jews already in Israel. And Israel won't be just a regional power anymore.

[RabbiKnife]

One amusing thought. Should America become inhospitable for Jews, the six million Jews in America will join the seven million Jews already in Israel. And Israel won't be just a regional power anymore.

Maybe our friends in Mossad can send him a new mayoral pager…

[tango]

One amusing thought. Should America become inhospitable for Jews, the six million Jews in America will join the seven million Jews already in Israel. And Israel won't be just a regional power anymore.

Maybe our friends in Mossad can send him a new mayoral pager…

OK, I don't often literally LOL but did at this

[Fenris]

The first is that historically, the political right, whether in the US or Europe, has harbored antisemitism. Things have changed, and so are voting patterns, but these things take time. Party loyalty doesn't go away in an instant.

This is a great time to revisit this topic.

Jews tend to vote Democrat because of the historical antisemitism on the political right. And an example of this right now, today, is taking place with our vice president, JD Vance.

Some backstory.

I am a registered Republican. I have always been a registered Republican. I have never voted for a Democrat for president. Having seen government power in action, firsthand, I am a strong believer in limited government.

What is my problem with JD Vance? He flirts with the antisemitic right and his statements show that he is not a friend to Jews. And it is not major statements. It's the 100 little things that he's said that show who he is.

I first noticed it when the president held a press conference to announce that he ordered a bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. Vance had a such a sour face. He looked so upset and so annoyed, almost as if it was his nuclear sites that were bombed.

He does not take antisemitism seriously. Just a couple of days ago, on the heels of the mass murder of Jews at a Chanukah celebration in Australia, he said that we need to get the illegal immigration in this country under control to manage antisemitism here. This is laughable. In Europe and Australia, most of the immigrants come from North Africa and the Middle East. That's their problem. In this country most of the immigrants come from Central and South America. This causes many problems, but antisemitism is not one of them. That crowd is if anything philosemitic. But sure, JD, bundle together a mass shooting of Jews to push your own policy preferences.

When someone asked him at a press conference by some loon if Israel controls the US government, his response was "Israel does not control this president".  I see. So Israel controlled other presidents? This is an old antisemitic trope and he should have shut the questioner down, instead of using it to uptalk the administration.

He condones antisemitic figures on the right like Tucker Carlson and in fact employs Tucker's son. When asked if he thought that antisemitism was becoming worse on the political right, he rejected it out of hand. He called that question "slanderous". (That question he was willing to shut down. Weird, eh?)

This is all really a shame, because the political left is rejecting Jews. So now Jews in this country are politically homeless.  I know I am.

[Sojourner]

Like a pervasive sociopolitical cancer, Antisemitism crosses many demographic lines and taints the thinking of individuals on the right and the left. That said, I think a majority of Protestant, conservative Christians--invariably Republicans--are almost always supportive of Israel and of Jews in general. (Unfortunately they're not as vocal or actively involved as the frenzied Jew-haters). If it's any consolation, the growing wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment fulfills prophecy, and is a reminder that we're navigating the timeline of events that culminate in the messianic age. Remember that God promises His people a glorious destination, not a smooth journey.

[Fenris]

Like a pervasive sociopolitical cancer, Antisemitism crosses many demographic lines and taints the thinking of individuals on the right and the left.

This is true. Pertinent to this conversation, Vance is personification of the right wing caricature that drives Jews to vote left.

That said, I think a majority of Protestant, conservative Christians--invariably Republicans--are almost always supportive of Israel and of Jews in general.

I agree 100%.

If it's any consolation, the growing wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment fulfills prophecy, and is a reminder that we're navigating the timeline of events that culminate in the messianic age. Remember that God promises His people a glorious destination, not a smooth journey.

I agree with this statement too. It's just that... I don't know, I'm disappointed with people sometimes. My son likes to say that we know how the story ends, the only thing we can do is decide what role to play in all this. Why must so many people choose to play such a bad role? 

[RabbiKnife]

That sounds much like a conversation Sam and Frodo had on the way to Mount Doom…

[Sojourner]

Even as we see the worst of humanity being perpetrated, it's heartening to know there are those willing to take action against it, to the point of putting their own lives in jeopardy. Syrian-Australian Muslim shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, at the scene just enjoying a day at the beach, risked his life when he tackled one of the gunmen and wrestled the shotgun away from him. Ahmed suffered serious injuries as a result of his heroism after being fired upon by the second gunman. He's seen donations pour in totaling over 2.3 million Australian dollars (1.5 million US) to help him financially. It's great to see a glimmer of humanity's best shine during a time of its worst. Ahmed dispensed with ideological differences and did the right thing, clearly saving lives, and preventing an even worse scenario. I guess it's reassuring to be reminded that there's good to be found amidst the bad, even where you least expect it.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bondi-beach-australia-shooting-hero-ahmed-al-ahmed-donations-recovery/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

[Fenris]

Syrian-Australian Muslim shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, at the scene just enjoying a day at the beach, risked his life when he tackled one of the gunmen and wrestled the shotgun away from him.

I agree, God bless this man for the amazing courage that he showed. But for every Ahmed al Ahmed, there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Naveed Akrams, willing to murder Jews because of the conscious choice to hate. And there are billions willing to applaud his actions, or even at best behold them in silence.

Jews believe that God made a covenant at Sinai to have the Jewish people be a moral pilot project for the world. No more blundering around in the darkness. God laid out, in very specific terms, what moral behavior He expects from humanity. And after 3300 years, after all the discrimination and bigotry, all the violence, all the expulsions and pogroms, all the attempts and successes in carrying out mass murder, I think it's appropriate to be disappointed, and to ask the world, "In all seriousness, is this really the best that you can do?"

Sigmund Freud had all sorts of detailed analysis, his attempts to understand the smallest nuances of human behavior. Yet he was able to sum up antisemitism in a single paragraph:

"As far as anti-Semitism is concerned, I don't really want to go searching for explanations for it; I have a very strong tendency to surrender to my emotions on this matter, and I find that I have received confirmation for my totally unscientific belief that humanity is for the most part quite a pathetic and miserable rabble"



I'm not looking for silver linings anymore.

[Fenris]

That sounds much like a conversation Sam and Frodo had on the way to Mount Doom…

Except that this isn't fiction. The stakes are real.

[Sojourner]

Syrian-Australian Muslim shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, at the scene just enjoying a day at the beach, risked his life when he tackled one of the gunmen and wrestled the shotgun away from him.

I agree, God bless this man for the amazing courage that he showed. But for every Ahmed al Ahmed, there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Naveed Akrams, willing to murder Jews because of the conscious choice to hate. And there are billions willing to applaud his actions, or even at best behold them in silence.

Jews believe that God made a covenant at Sinai to have the Jewish people be a moral pilot project for the world. No more blundering around in the darkness. God laid out, in very specific terms, what moral behavior He expects from humanity. And after 3300 years, after all the discrimination and bigotry, all the violence, all the expulsions and pogroms, all the attempts and successes in carrying out mass murder, I think it's appropriate to be disappointed, and to ask the world, "In all seriousness, is this really the best that you can do?"

Sigmund Freud had all sorts of detailed analysis, his attempts to understand the smallest nuances of human behavior. Yet he was able to sum up antisemitism in a single paragraph:

"As far as anti-Semitism is concerned, I don't really want to go searching for explanations for it; I have a very strong tendency to surrender to my emotions on this matter, and I find that I have received confirmation for my totally unscientific belief that humanity is for the most part quite a pathetic and miserable rabble"



I'm not looking for silver linings anymore.

I completely understand, and empathize. The bottom line is, God confers free will upon everyone to use for good or bad--but will one day judge all accordingly.