The President is bestowing a medal of honor on a Jewish soldier and Holocaust survivor whose actions saved the lives of 40 American POWs in Korea.
When the first Jewish settlers came to our shores 350 years ago, they were not immediately welcomed. Yet, from the onset, the Jews who arrived here demonstrated a deep commitment to their new land. An immigrant named Asser Levy volunteered to serve in the New Amsterdam Citizens Guard, which, unfortunately, had a policy of refusing to admit Jews. That didn’t bother Levy. He was determined, like many others who have followed him, to break down the barriers of discrimination. Within two years, he took his rightful spot alongside his fellow citizens in the Guard. He was the first of many Jewish Americans who have proudly worn the uniform of the United States.
And one of the greatest Jewish soldiers America has ever known is Tibor Rubin. After surviving the Holocaust and the Nazi death camp, this young man came to America. He enlisted in the United States Army and fought in the Korean War. He was severely wounded and was later captured by the enemy. For two-and-a-half years, he survived in a POW camp. He risked his life for his fellow soldiers nearly every night by smuggling extra food for those who were ill — it was a skill he had learned in the Nazi camps — and because of his daring, as many as 40 American lives were saved.
This evening, I’m happy to announce that next week, I will bestow upon this great patriot our nation’s highest award for bravery, the Medal of Honor.
On the other hand, this article says that Jewish soldiers have been routinely overlooked and discriminated against by the Pentagon.
To some, the request may smack of special Jewish pleading, but it is not the first time that the U.S. military, now a model equal-opportunity employer, has been forced to revisit its earlier record of discrimination against minorities.
In 1996, the Pentagon reviewed the files of Japanese American and other Asian American veterans and belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor to 21 of them. The records of African American servicemen, who were institutionally segregated throughout World War II, were reexamined and eight were recognized for the nation’s most prestigious decoration. A similar review of Hispanic veterans has been mandated.
The congressional bill providing for a review of selected Jewish veterans is known as the Leonard Kravitz Jewish War Veterans Act. Kravitz, the uncle and namesake of rock musician Lenny Kravitz, was killed manning his lone machine gun against attacking Chinese troops during the Korean War, allowing the rest of his platoon to retreat in safety.
Kravitz was recommended for a Medal of Honor, but the award was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest decoration.
All the men on the list, save one, had been awarded the Service Cross by the Army, Navy or Air Force. The exception is Tibor Rubin, who was recommended four times for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officers or comrades, two times for the Distinguished Service Cross and twice for the Silver Star — but didn’t get anything except two Purple Hearts and a 100 percent disability.
The United States Armed Forces unfortunately has had some really big anti Semites in it: William T. Sherman, George C. Marshall, Geroge S. Patton, George Brown, and (US Navy) Admiral Thomas Moorer. Today we can see Anthony Zinni as well (with his ravings about ‘neo-cons’).
I’m not familiar with much of Zinni’s works; however I despise many neo-cons without being antisemetic…
The problem is that “neocon” has become a codeword for “Jew” in the lexicon of many on the left as with the neonazis. Thus, the use of the term as a pejorative has been tainted. Since many who rave about neocons are antisemites, those few who might despise neocons and might not be antisemites bear a burden of proof.
When 90% of a group share a trait, the remaining 10% have to prove that they do not.
I don’t think I have to prove anything. A percentage of people who [perhaps rightly] despise the neoconservative philosophy may do so because of antisemitic reasons however I challenge you to demonstrate that this is anywhere near a majority.
This is similar to the strained thinking that equates any criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.
I submit that the burden of proof is on the person who thinks any criticism of neocons is equivalent to antisemitism…
Actually, I am basing what I said on the various postings that I have seen on the internet. When someone uses the term “neocon” to mean “Jewish” (as seen by context) or castigates Israel for building a security fence, while ignoring the walls being built between other countries in the world (such as the US and Mexico, North and South Korea, India and Pakistan, Botswana and Zimbabwe, …), then the implication is taht they are not interested in the barrier as such.
As I said, the evidencef is out there. As unfortunate as it may be, the burdon of proof is on the side that has been shown to be in the minority.
Shown to be in the minority? Just saying that don’t make it so…
Most of the references against neocons I see [not on the Internet but verifiable, non-crank print sources] are NOT antisemitic. I suggest that the antisemites are in the minority, and just because you saw it in a blog doesn’t make it “90%”