|
|
View My Stats |
 Subscribe in a reader |
|
|
November 14, 2008
Rahm Emanuel...Apologizes?
Upon hearing of his son's new gig, the father of incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was quoted in the Israeli newspaper Ma'Ariv, saying, "Obviously, he'll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab?He's not going to be mopping floors at the White House."With all due respect, what is the big deal? Look again at what Emanuel's father said:
This has prompted a letter from American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee heads Kareem Shora and former Rep. Mary Rose Oakar, D-Ohio, to the junior Mr. Emanuel, congratulating him and President-elect Obama, saying they are "deeply disappointed by comments made by your father, Mr. Benjamin Emanuel."
The ADC, they write, "views this characterization of an Arab as an unacceptable smear. One can readily imagine the justifiable outcry if someone made a similar remark about African-Americans, Jews, or Hispanics, concerning cleaning the floors of the White House. Do the normal standards of decency and civility not apply when talking about Arabs? ADC asks you to disavow and repudiate these remarks publicly. We sincerely hope you will distance yourself from any demeaning characterization of any ethnic, religious, or racial group."
Obviously, he'll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to be mopping floors at the White House.Isn't his father just giving 2 unrelated cases for why his son is going to to be a pro-Israel influence?
o He is going to be a pro-Israel influence, because after all--Rahm Emanuel is Jewish, not an Arab.I suppose you could argue that I am reading too much into this, but I don't think so. On the contrary, I think these representatives of the Arab-American community are taking advantage of the situation and jumping in to score points.
o He is going to be a pro-Israel influence, because after all--Rahm Emanuel is going to be the White House Chief of Staff, not mopping floors.
A spokeswoman for Emanuel writes: "Today, Rep. Emanuel called Mary Rose Oakar, president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and apologized on behalf of his family and agreed to meet with representatives of the Arab-American community at an appropriate time in the future." [emphasis added]I would like to think that "at an appropriate time in the future" is Rahm Emanuel's way of saying "when pigs fly."
Now that is an example of reading to much into a statement.
Hezbollah in passive voice
A cynical and mistrusted offer
Wapo: peace process succeeding because of the great work of the administration
Council speak 100610
Nyt: peace process failing despite the great work of the administration
Do we have enough regulations yet?
Iranian General: "US, Mossad played roles in 9/11 event"
Absolving arafat, ten years later
Rahm can't run? antisemites!
The politics of peace
"Isn't his father just giving 2 unrelated cases for why his son is going to to be a pro-Israel influence?"
================================================
That's the way I read the statement.
I guess the problem is that some people are so intent on reading between the lines--they forget to read between the spaces...
Posted by: Daled Amos at November 14, 2008 12:33 PMI thought it was an odd quote. I assumed that he didn't really mean to connect the two, although in Israel I suppose it's common to find Arabs mopping floors.
But I suppose it could have been worse. It's not like he routinely goes around calling Arabs the "sons of apes and dogs."
Posted by: psychotoddler at November 14, 2008 1:10 PMThe parallel with Mel Gibson and his anti-Semitic father also comes to mind...
Posted by: Daled Amos at November 14, 2008 1:19 PMWake up already people.
Posted by: Cindy at November 15, 2008 2:00 PMI discussed with a friend in shul who suggested that even assuming that Emanuel's father intended no slight whatsoever, it was still worth it to Emanuel--and Obama--to 'settle' by apologizing. He compared it to a particular case of a company that was sued--the company had good reason to believe they were not a fault, but agreed to pay anyway rather than cause bad feelings.
Personally, I think that in both cases there is the risk of encouraging more of the same.
Posted by: Daled Amos at November 15, 2008 7:09 PMGood on Rahm for showing respect to his father while apologizing for his father's offensive but quite forgivable comment.
Posted by: Bruce at November 16, 2008 2:20 PMIf the father's comments are truly offensive--as you say they are--just how are they forgiveable?
Posted by: Daled Amos at November 16, 2008 5:50 PM