Current Events

You have already read the news, but what does it mean? Specifically, what does it mean for Jewish-gentile relations?

This page provides selected articles from the media with our comments.

We welcome your suggestions for more material to include on this page. Suggestions can be sent to: staff(at)jewishresponse.com

Madoff's Securities and Investment Fraud

While other media outlets report the recent Bernie Madoff securities fraud and investment scandal for the news of interest that it is, the New York Times seems to be trying to divert attention from the theft perpetrated by a greedy investment broker into an issue of Judaism and anti-Semitism.

In a recent New York Times article by Jennifer Peltz published on December 26, 2008 entitled " Jews Fear Madoff Case Stokes Hate", the words "Jew" , "Jewish", and "anti-Semitism" are repeated over and over, driving home their obvious goal of making Madoff's supposed "religious beliefs" a primary issue in this event, perpetuating an age-old Jewish stereo type when in fact, Madoff's greed and fraud are totally contrary to the tenants of true Judaism and Madoff himself is considered a "breakaway Jew" who does not, and did not practice true Judaism.

We can't help but compare the New York Times' reporting on this event to the even larger 60 Billion dollar fraud by Enron, a company owned by Christians. Quite rightly, not once were Christians, or the Christian religion taken to task for the actions of Enron. The universal sins of greed and theft are against the commandments of God, whether written in the Christian Bible or the Jewish Torah and the supposed "religion" of men who have no concern for these commandments should not be an issue for discussion nor reflect on the true believers.

The New York Times article would somehow have one believe that because Madoff is a Jew and many of his investment victims were Jewish, that somehow his crime is more heinous than that of the greedy Enron executives who not only bilked their investors for $60 Billion ($10 Billion more than Madoff's $50 Billion) but also left thousands of Enron employees and their families with no job and no future.

An estimated 50 - 70 million people died in World War II, the war instigated by a Christian, Adolf Hitler. Christians have never been expected to take responsibility for the actions of that dictator, nor should they be expected to do so. Similarly, Jews should not feel responsible or be blamed for the actions of a greedy, unscrupulous investor who claimed to be Jewish.

The New York Times, by again and again mentioning the words Jews and Jewish adopt the rhetoric of anti-Semitism which lumps all Jews together with any individual who has committed crimes, and all other media outlets should be challenged to report this story for what it is, a story of greed and corruption, not a reflection on the Jewish people or their beliefs any more than Enron is a reflection of Christian beliefs. It's time to move on and ignore the people of hate which are unfortunately publishers, writers and so-called political analysts regardless of how sophisticated they hide their hate to the faith of their fathers by putting up the question that needs no answer. It's time for humanity to adopt the vision of a righteous thinker who has no hate but just tries to understand men and their creator.

Read the article:

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/jews-fear-madoff-case-stokes-hate/287355