The Jewish Street

"But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid."
Raymond Chandler

Over at The Corner, Jonah Goldberg wonders

Wouldn't It Be Grand

If the Iranian Holocaust-deniers' rally elicited anywhere near the outrage and concern that the Pope's reference to an obscure centuries-old text did? Or those Danish cartoons? Alas, there is no Jewish street (at least none that people care about) and dangerous bigotry of low expectations says those whacky Muslims just do this sort of thing.

In his post, Goldberg links to an article he wrote earlier this year that pretty much sizes up what amounts to The Jewish Street these days:

The 'Jewish Street' Erupts

In response to a series of offensive cartoons published in an Iranian newspaper and subsequently printed in every newspaper around the globe, including many which had refused to publish the now-forgotten Danish "anti-Muslim" cartoons last winter, the "Jewish street" erupted.

At Brandeis University, a course on Lesbian motifs in Yiddish literature was briefly interrupted as students asked their professor what he thought about the controversy. In Washington, D.C., a flurry of letters to the editor and press releases poured out of Jewish organizations. In New York, Commentary magazine -- a leading organ of the "neoconservative" Jewish Right -- announced it would run three articles on Iran in its next issue as well as an extensive letters section.

"This is outrageous but expected," thundered a furious Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League on a longer-than-normal appearance on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Elsewhere, Jewish tempers weren't running so hot. At Artie's Delicatessen on the Upper West Side of New York, Josh Greenberg ate a pastrami sandwich with a friend, Abe Kolman, hoping to avoid all the furor in the Jewish street. "Zabar's is a mad house today," Greenberg observed. When asked about the Iranian newspaper controversy, Greenberg said "What are you going to do?"

Kolman, an orthodontist, added "I'd stop eating Iranian pistachios, I guess."

The White House continued to plead with Jews across America to stay calm.

Now that's the 'Jewish street' we know--a far cry from the infamous "Muslim street." It's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much.

Of course, on occasion the Jewish street has been known to rouse itself--remember the rally in Washington, DC a few years ago?

But for the most part, there is a lack of passion. We write letters, and editorials, rather than show up for a protest. And given the opportunity, we would prefer to email rather than write that letter. We tend more towards civilized outrage than passion--and pride ourselves on the distinction.

At a time when the West fears offending Muslims, we cannot afford not to take offense at the politicians who--for all of Jimmy Carter's whining--will always put Israel's interest second...or third.

Nor can we worry about offending the politicians who constantly remind us that they are our friends. If the Democrats are the friends of Israel they claim to be, then let them prove it. No resting on laurels; no more platitudes and promises. If the Republicans are the friends of Israel that their election-time ads claim, let's see Bush recognize Israel's right to deal with their terrorist threat with at least as much determination--and when necessary, ruthlessness--that the US has used when needed; no more double standard.

The 'Jewish street' has to be more than 5th Avenue during the Israeli Day Parade once a year.

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