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Are Virginians Anti-Semitic? Or is Dana Milbank Just Stereotyping Virginians?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

As readers of the Rebellion know, we avoid commenting upon electoral mud-slinging and the politics of personal destruction in favor of focusing on the issues. The particular issue that I want to address arises from the much-blogged flap over Sen. George Allen’s ethnic heritage. But I don’t give a hoot whether or not Allen’s grandfather was Jewish, and I’m not interested in dissecting the Senator’s reaction to what he perceived to be a hostile question from television reporter Peggy Fox. I am interested in an insinuation made by Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank:

Fox’s question, while a matter of some intrigue, seemed out of place in the debate, which focused on more urgent matters such as Iraq. But Allen turned on the questioner with ferocity. He may have been irked that the question was a follow-up to one noting that “macaca” was a racial slur that his mother may have learned in Tunisia. He may have been concerned that Jewish roots wouldn’t play well in parts of Virginia. (My italics.)

Now, that’s an interesting statement. What “parts of Virginia” could Milbank be talking about? Could he be referring to Allen’s culturally conservative, red-state constituency of blue-collar bubbas? Is he insinuating here that anti-semitism is a feature of the Virginia cultural landscape? Is not the undertext of that statement that “parts of Virginia” are prejudiced against Jews? Milbanks, it seems to me, may be engaging in some stereotyping of his own.

I wonder if Mr. Milbank would like to clarify his remarks.

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14 responses to “Are Virginians Anti-Semitic? Or is Dana Milbank Just Stereotyping Virginians?”

  1. Bill Garnett Avatar
    Bill Garnett

    “Why is that relevant? My religion, Jim’s religion, or the religious beliefs of anyone out there?” said George Allen, in response to WUSA TV anchor Peggy Fox.

    Yes, Virginia, why, in a civic debate, is the bright line between religion and government crossed?

    Why are not facts and reason the context of civic debate and law, rather than the religious beliefs of anyone out there – this view recently emphasized by a Republican judge, Jay Wilkinson, on what is considered the most conservative appellate court, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, saying, “To use the Constitution as a forum for even our most favored views strikes a blow of uncommon harshness upon disfavored groups, in this case gay citizens who would never see this country’s founding charter as their own.”

  2. Virginia Centrist Avatar
    Virginia Centrist

    Jim –

    I love Virginia, and I’m proud of Virginia.

    But I had friends in high school (not so long ago) whose parents wouldn’t let them date Jewish boys…

    It’s subtle, but there is still anti-semitism out there. I’m not going to say it’s “Bubbas” or “Republicans” or “Democrats”. it’s just mixed in..

  3. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    JB, maybe you missed it, but Eugene Robinson of the “Washington Post” editorial page had this to say about SW Virginians back during the macaca affair:

    “Maybe he was giving that audience in conservative southwestern Virginia a clear message: I’m with you, I’m one of you, and we all understand that the guy over there with the camera is not one of us, he’s just a Macaca whose real name probably has a lot of awkward syllables and isn’t worth learning to pronounce.”

    I emailed ER to alert him that it was HIS prejudice that was showing. White middle/working class people, men in particular, are the only group that it appears to be safe to insult. Political Correctness doesn’t extend to them.

  4. Waldo Jaquith Avatar
    Waldo Jaquith

    I’m not Jewish, and if I have any Jewish roots, it’s news to me. That disclaimer aside, I’ve encountered very little overt anti-Semitism in my life. The one incident that I can recall was between two kids on the bus that I took to Western Albemarle High School in my freshman year. One lad named “Junior” — not a nickname, but his actual name — discovered that a friend of mine was Jewish. He angrily confronted her, accusing her of being “one of them whut killed our lord.” She pointed out that, if anybody, he should be upset with Romans, but it didn’t calm him down any.

    I don’t buy that Virginians care about Allen’s grandparents Jewish heritage or, really, anybody else’s. If anything, I imagine that it would give him credibility among strongly pro-Israel conservatives. (Sadly, I don’t think I can say the same thing for Islamic roots.) I expect that Virginians do find it odd that Allen wears his heritage and religion on his sleeve but won’t tolerate being asked about the Judaic aspects of that heritage and religion, but he’s got nobody to blame but himself for that.

  5. Bill Garnett Avatar
    Bill Garnett

    Interesting. I grew up in Richmond and went to college here. But, like many Jews, I never experienced discrimination here either. People often don’t know much about you unless you tell them. By the way I am not Jewish, I was Southern Baptist.

    UNTIL I CAME OUT! As a masculine appearing, non-lisping gay man, I too was able to move easily within my family, employment, community, and church without discrimination – until I came out.

    After growing up in the Southern Baptist church, and returning from years working overseas, I asked my pastor at my church if I would be welcomed back as an openly gay man. The answer was an unequivocal “no”.

    I have since been “unwelcome” at both another local Baptist and Methodist church when I mentioned that I was gay. For anyone with a legitimate interest, I’d be more than happy to supply the names of the churches and discuss my experience candidly.

  6. Jim Bacon Avatar
    Jim Bacon

    When I graduated from college (UVa), I moved to Martinsville nearly 30 years ago to take a job as a cub reporter covering Martinsville city council. Much to my surprise, I found that Martinsville had a small but respected Jewish community. The Globman family owned the town’s only department store. And a Globman son in law, Barry Green, served on city council. I think he later became mayor. Martinsville was a blue-collar town, full of people whom Northerners would stereotype as bubbas and rednecks. But I never detected the first whiff of prejudice against Jews. I wish I could say the same about attitude towards blacks. But, then, the intensity of prejudice did not come close to the intensity imagined by journalistic elites. I’m reminded of the NBC “sting” operation of sending a bunch of Muslims to the Martinsville Speedway to see what kind of reaction they’d stir up. NBC was so disappointed: None. The bubbas didn’t conform to the stereotype.

  7. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    This is apparently an excruciatingly close election. See McDonnell v. Deeds. How many people might have voted against McDonnell if they knew he is Roman Catholic? Would it have made a difference? Does that mean this largely Protestant state is anti-Catholic?

    Sen. Allen’s mother’s family is apparently from Tunisia, a North African nation. Does that make him African-American? (Sorry for the Stephen Colbert line.)

    As a whole, we are not anti-Semitic, but I am willing to wager there are at least a few thousand Virginians (or New Yorkers, for that matter) who are. That MIGHT matter in this apparently close election.

    And if it matters, for this voter, the fact that Sen. Allen has a mixed pedigree makes him more “American” in my eyes. And this is from a Christian who has had it with the Conservative Christian movement, with whom Sen. Allen has been so cozy.

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    “Yes, Virginia, why, in a civic debate, is the bright line between religion and government crossed?”

    I don’t see how it was, and it’s been a little goofy claiming that it was (not that Allen has ever shown much of any concern about talking about his heritage, background and religion up until this point).

    The subject was Allen’s heritage, which was an issue because it was widely alleged that the obscure macaca word coincidentally happened to be parlance used in his mother’s background. There was some debate over just what that background was. Allen, who has previously written to The New Republic to ask that they correct a biographical piece in which they mentioned that his grandparents were of Jewish ancestry, had just talked about his grandfather being persecuted by the Nazis. Now, as a reporter, particularly after Allen has accused the press of malfesance, encounters a man who mentions his grandfather’s persecution but seems bizarrely uninterested in why that persecution took place, don’t you think it’s reasonable to ask what the heck is up with him getting so huffy about this background?

    Allen, classless as always, missed a golden opportunity to take that point and turn it into a zinger on Webb begin soft on the war on terror and protecting Israel and so forth. Instead, he got huffy and insulted and babbled on answering a question no one had asked.

    …

    Jim, is asking the wrong question. Milbank didn’t say anything about the people of Virginia. He said something about what he suspected ALLENS’ motivation and thinking about the people of Virginia were. Given his bizarre behavior, Milbank’s explanation is at least plausible, and makes sense REGARDLESS of whether he or you think that assessment of Virginians is incorrect. It’s perfectly possible that Allen thinks he is playing to an audience that doesn’t exist. That would certainly fit with Allen’s caricatured idea of what Southern culture is and is all about.

  9. Jim Patrick Avatar
    Jim Patrick

    The first part of Fox’s question [you’ve stuck by your story, but I don’t believe you] was insulting; the second part [didn’t your momma teach you racist words?] is intentionally offensive.

    Allen’s preface to answering (properly) warned about involving his family any farther: “I hope you’re not trying to bring my mother into this matter.” Then he went on to answer these totally inappropriate questions.

    Fox’s follow-up demonstrates two things: She hadn’t listened to Allen’s reply. Why should she after all? They were ‘gotchas’ and the answers were immaterial.

    The first part of her follow-up [is it true you have Jewish ancestors?] was irrelevant at very best. The second part [when did your family start denying it was Jewish?] was an offensive slur —a carefully crafted slur, but a slur nonetheless.

    No matter the answer, it would implicate Mrs. Allen, as the question was intended to do.

    Fox’s questions also shows how far we’ve slid. The whole campaign becomes positively creepy when a blue-eyed, blonde-haired, Aryan archetype obsesses over the amount of Judenblut that might conceivably run in Senator Allen’s veins.

    My parents —who, and whose generation sacrificed so much to eradicate one such menace— audibly gasped at Fox’s question. They have heard it before, but it was a long long time ago.

    Allen took the best possible course by not stepping into the slime. He did us all a service by calling the racist bigotry for what it was; and for drawing attention to the real threats and challenges facing us.

  10. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    About 30 years after “massive resistence” the state of Virginia elected Doug Wilder, a black man, Lt. Governor. Four years later, it elected him Governor – in an off year (that is a non-federal) election. What exactly does Virginia need to do to show that the vast majority of its citizens are not bigots?

  11. Jim Bacon Avatar
    Jim Bacon

    Guys, I would like to steer this thread away from the persona of George Allen back to the original issue I posted: to what extent are Virginians anti-semitic, and to what extent do cosmopolites like Dana Milbank perceive Virginians as anti-semitic?

    Thanks.

  12. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Oh yea, horrible anti-semetic Virginians, like the ones in the Seventh District where the voters have chosen as their parties’ nominees Jim Nachman and Eric Cantor. Two obviously anti-semetic, uh,… jews.
    You know, that seventh district that contains famously cosmopolitan areas like Caroline, Louisa and Goochland counties. Not to talk about ‘ol Felix, but maybe Mr. Milbank should come and see the real Virginia, or at least read his own paper.

  13. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    “Guys, I would like to steer this thread away from the persona of George Allen back to the original issue I posted: to what extent are Virginians anti-semitic, and to what extent do cosmopolites like Dana Milbank perceive Virginians as anti-semitic?”

    That would be a highly misleading framing of the issue then. As I pointed out, you’ve completely ignored that Milbank didn’t say anything about what Virginians are: he said something about what George Allen percieves. Thus, you’ve neglected the veyr real possibility that George Allen thinks that wink wink “good ole boy” rhetoric and anti-semitism are an important factors, even when they are not. George Allen is the one who thinks there is a “real Virginia” and, supposedly a fake one too. You can spin Milbanks’ remark as a comment on HIS perception of Virginians if you want, but you cannot dodge the direct implication that this is a quite plausible explanation for Allen’s bizarre behavior, and his remark was at least on the surface about what he thinks Allen thinks.

  14. CG2 Avatar
    CG2

    Jim:
    I have questions to ask in answer to your question … how long has it been since the Commonwealth Club in Richmond (which still doesn’t admit women members) was officially “restricted,” i.e., not open to Jewish members? How long has it been since the Country Club of Virginia was similarly “restricted?”

    How many other clubs and organizations in Virginia had such policies well into the ’80s? How many still are restricted “de facto” in practice?

    Have the many still-living people who adopted, implemented and sustained such policies and practices overcome past prejudices and set aside the anti-Semitic beliefs that were the genesis of such policies?

    Read Gentleman’s Agreement or rent the movie for a picture of the relatively recent past and widespread reality of such practices and those whose silent acquiescence sustained them.

    Talk to those in Richmond whose lives were affected directly by the existence of such “restrictions.”

    Ask the folks at the Virginia Holocaust Museum to provide a brief history of the roots and practices of anti-Semitism in Virginia.

    Then, ask your question again.

    Claire

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