Minister: Steve Cohen and Jews hate Jesus
By Ben Harris on Feb 13, 2008 in Congressional races, Featured |
Ron Kampeas just filed a brief about Steve Cohen, the Tennessee congressman who once again finds himself on the receiving end of anti-Semitic invective. Even worse, his opponent in the Democratic primary won’t condemn it.
A Tennessee congressional candidate has declined to disavow a flier saying the incumbent and the Jews hate Jesus.
The flier, which reads “Steve Cohen and the Jews Hate Jesus,” is the work of an African-American minister, the Rev. George Brooks, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
In an editorial, the newspaper noted that the campaign of Cohen’s Democratic primary opponent, Nikki Tinker, would not condemn the flier because its officials had not seen it.
“We’d be interested in denouncing this sort of nonsense as well but, again, we haven’t seen it,” Tinker spokesman Cornell Belcher said.
The Appeal slammed the flier as “disrespecting the pioneers who have fought for racial parity.”
Cohen represents in the U.S. House of Representatives a majority African-American area in Memphis. In 2006, during his freshman run, he had been the target of anti-Semitic invective, particularly from a vocal African-American minority that wished to preserve the seat for an African-American congressman.
The seat was open because its incumbent, Harold Ford, was running for the U.S. Senate.
Separately, the National Jewish Democratic Council in denouncing the flier called on those “who find such smear tactics abhorrent to spread the word and shame those responsible.”
It is time for Nikki Tinker to finally condemn this anti Semitic slogan, even if she hasn’t actually seen it!!!
Zohar Freiberg | Feb 17, 2008 | Reply
While Nikki Tinker’s failure to denounce and repudiate this flier shows that she is totally unfit to hold any position of public trust or responsibility, the National “Jewish” Democratic Council, whose “Bubbie versus the GOP” video does in fact promote hatred of Christians, Jesus, ministers, and the Cross, is the last organization on earth with any moral standing to complain. NJDC also lied about the Christian computer game “Left Behind: Eternal Forces” by saying that it encouraged the player to kill anyone who wouldn’t convert to Christianity. (I downloaded the demo and verified for myself that NJDC was lying.)
Just as all decent Christians have a responsibility to denounce Nikki Taylor’s anti-Semitic supporters and their vicious leaflet, decent Jews denounce NJDC and its anti-Christian sinat chinam (baseless hatred) and fearmongering.
Bill Levinson | Feb 17, 2008 | Reply
I was websurfing about this for a blog and came upon your webpage. Here’s an update.
Posted on Thu, Feb. 14, 2008
Anti-Semitic note attacks Tenn. lawmaker
By WOODY BAIRD
Associated Press Writer
“Nikki Tinker, a black lawyer expected to be Cohen’s chief opponent for re-election in the Democratic primary in August, said she was incensed by the anti-Semitic attack.
“My faith teaches me to love, not hate,” said Tinker, who is Christian.”
http://www.star-telegram.com/462/story/474517.html
Gregory Peterson | Feb 18, 2008 | Reply
Gregory,
Thank you for the information. Fair enough; since Tinker denounced the leaflet, I don’t have a problem with her. She did the right thing.
Bill Levinson | Feb 19, 2008 | Reply
the National “Jewish” Democratic Council, whose “Bubbie versus the GOP” video does in fact promote hatred of Christians, Jesus, ministers, and the Cross, is the last organization on earth with any moral standing to complain
Nonsense. There is a vast difference between lampooning fundamentalist Christians and actively promoting hatred of Christians and Christianity. Fundamentalist Christians have used their access to the Bush administration and the Republic Congress these last seven years as a cudgel with which to beat liberals (whether they’re assailing gay rights, women’s rights, separation of church and state, etc.). To equate the employment of satire by a minority group (Jews) with the perpetration of hate crimes by majorities is to stand reality on its head. Fundamentalist Christian beliefs translate into policies that negatively impact minorities. Minorities have a right and a responsibility to fight back, by questioning (and where necessary, ridiculing) the beliefs of the majority. In fact, such iconoclasm is a proud Jewish tradition.
NJDC also lied about the Christian computer game “Left Behind: Eternal Forces” by saying that it encouraged the player to kill anyone who wouldn’t convert to Christianity. (I downloaded the demo and verified for myself that NJDC was lying.)
For someone so defensive of fundamentalist Christians you seem to know very little about their theology. “Left Behind” takes place after “The Rapture.” The Rapture occurs when all the “true Christians” are whisked away to heaven by God, leaving all the non-believers to perish on Earth. Who are the non-believers? Atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews… The point of the game is to convert or kill everyone “Left Behind.” Who’s left behind? Atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews. So who does the game inherently suggest ought to be converted or killed?
Stan Horowitz | Feb 19, 2008 | Reply