Friday, May 16, 2003

Jacoby's wrong about Robertson. Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby must have missed this one when he penned his ode to the heretofore undetected philo-Semitism of that great theological thinker Pat Robertson. Quoth the good reverend:

With all due respect to those dear people, my friend, God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew.

Robertson, as you'll see if you follow the link, has also muttered darkly about the relationship between communism and Jews.

Jacoby might also read this exchange of letters between Abe Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, and Robertson. Foxman accuses Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network of showing a film called The Easter Promise that "is saturated with sinister caricatures of Jews reminiscent of the anti-Semitic stereotypes promulgated only in the darkest periods of Christianity."

Foxman also notes that Robertson had not acted to take The Easter Promise off the air despite having been tipped off about its "vile" content five years earlier.

Robertson's response is all unctuous solicitude. But the bottom line is that he accuses Foxman of being an agent for the Democrats. Robertson closes:

But Abe, I understand your game. It is clear that your focus is not the defense of worldwide Jewry, but the domestic political agenda of the Democratic Party of the United States who has done more to poison the relations between Jews and Christians in America than you. I marvel that the Board of the Anti-Defamation League hasn't restrained you some time ago.

This despite the fact that Foxman makes not one political reference in his letter.

It is true that Robertson has been a staunch defender of Israel. But Jacoby really needs to be less promiscuous about which friends of Israel he chooses to honor.

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