Sarah Palin is definitely ignorant of what is a blood libel. From Wikipedia, which Sarah could access, if she wished to take off a minute from her incessant attacks:Blood libel (also blood accusation) refers to a false accusation or claim that religious minorities, almost always Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays. Historically, these claims have–alongside those of well poisoning and host desecration–been a major theme in European persecution of Jews.We feel that the profound misuse of this concept by Palin to further her political aims is her most disgraceful act to date.
The libels typically allege that Jews require human blood for the baking of matzos for Passover. The accusations often assert that the blood of Christian children is especially coveted, and historically blood libel claims have often been made to account for otherwise unexplained deaths of children. In some cases, the alleged victim of human sacrifice has become venerated as a martyr, a holy figure around whom a martyr cult might arise. A few of these have been even canonized as saints....
Sarah Palin accuses critics of "blood libel"
(Reuters) - Prominent Republican Sarah Palin on Wednesday accused critics of "blood libel" by blaming her rhetoric for contributing to the shooting rampage in Tucson that killed six and wounded 14, including Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
"Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them," the conservative Tea Party favorite and former Alaska governor said in her first major response to critics.
"Especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible."...more...
I am no fan of Sarah Palin, she seems to embody the very worst of the new right wing American political movement - a combination of sex appeal, ignorance, and demagoguery.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think that everyone is missing the point when it comes to the Giffords shooting tragedy. This event highlights more than anything the complete breakdown of the American Mental Health establishment. According to David Brooks from the NY Times (this week(, over 50% of all mass murders in the US are committed by paranoid schizophrenics - like Jared Loughner. It is amazing to me that we can spend over two trillion dollars fighting Islamic terrorism, on three continents, and completely ignore this other domestic threat, all while continuing to defund (and/or close down) State owned Mental Hospitals.
Jared Loughner's triggers cannot be explained by cross hairs on a Congressional map, nor by anti-semtisim, nor by any allegiance to a right wing, left wing, or Islamic ideology. No - this man was motivated by a three foot tall talking alien bird with gray scales who told him to carry out his deeds.
FYI: Sarah Palin says she the anti-Semitic meaning of blood libel but used the phrase anyway:
ReplyDeleteFrom the Washington Post:
On Monday, appearing on "The Sean Hannity Show," Palin said she knew the historical roots of the term "blood libel" as an expression to describe accusations that Jews used the blood of slain Christian children in their rituals. She added that the expression was more commonly used to mean falsely accusing someone or some group of people of "having blood on your hands. And in this case that's exactly what was going on."