While people were pressed into camps not called concentration

[sovay]

spatch has been relaying me select portions of the conservative protest against the term "concentration camps." I have been quoting To Be or Not to Be (1942) at him: "Yes, we do the concentrating and the Poles do the camping."

I like David Schraub's not-statement on the matter:

But anyone who thinks that litigating the question "is it proper to refer to these detention centers as 'concentration camps'" is more important, or as important, or maybe not quite as important but still within the same order of magnitude of importance, as full and unqualified opposition to Trump's border practices deserves naught but our contempt and scorn. If you want these comparisons to be made cautiously, great, I agree. If you think that investing energy in policing whether this or that comparison was sufficiently "cautious" is a worthy use of your time that can justify departing even for an instant from unflagging opposition to Trump's border policies, then you need to re-examine your priorities.

(In the meantime, I fall within that portion of the American Jewish population that hears "But this comparison is offensive to the Jews!" and says, "Well, actually . . .")

Comments

[sara]

I've yet to meet a Jew who didn't think it was profoundly offensive to lock kids in penal facilities when they've not committed any crime. There are probably some out there but I don't want to meet them.

(also my friend with the second-most-Polish surname of anyone I've ever known is a super enthusiastic camper so I laughed pretty hard at that one even though it's funny ugh-oh, and not really funny ha-ha)

[sovay]

I've yet to meet a Jew who didn't think it was profoundly offensive to lock kids in penal facilities when they've not committed any crime.

I haven't, either! I just know there are (small-c, right-wing as opposed capital-C, the denomination) conservative Jews out there and I'm sure some of them have splintered on the wrong side of this argument, just because statistical distribution is statistical distribution and people are people.

But everyone I know personally has been more in line with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg: "Tornillo doesn't have to be Auschwitz—a death camp—for it to be a concentration camp. Analogies don't have to be perfect to be instructive. Here, they help us to see how grave and urgent the situation is."

(also my friend with the second-most-Polish surname of anyone I've ever known is a super enthusiastic camper so I laughed pretty hard at that one even though it's funny ugh-oh, and not really funny ha-ha)

Honestly, that's an appropriate response to To Be or Not to Be.

[drwex]

Rabbi Danya is my favorite Twitter rabbi. I have others to recommend if you're interested in that.

I am using this debate over the concentration camps to improve my Twitter block list.

[sovay]

Rabbi Danya is my favorite Twitter rabbi. I have others to recommend if you're interested in that.

I am not actually on Twitter—I get most of my Twitter news from spatch and selkie—but if they have public accounts, I don't mind knowing.

I am using this debate over the concentration camps to improve my Twitter block list.

That's getting some use out of it.

[selkie]

I am friends with a statistically high percentage of rabbi Twitter, if you ever want a wrap-up. Mostly this week, Seb Gorka piled onto Jonah Pesner, and everyrabbi came back swinging on Pesner's behalf. I am not echt fond of Pesner as a human, but he didn't deserve the Nazi Twitter callout.

[sovay]

I am friends with a statistically high percentage of rabbi Twitter

This is me not being surprised.

Mostly this week, Seb Gorka piled onto Jonah Pesner, and everyrabbi came back swinging on Pesner's behalf. I am not echt fond of Pesner as a human, but he didn't deserve the Nazi Twitter callout.

What the fuck.

[dewline]

I'm certain that such people exist; If they didn't, Binyamin Netanyahu would not be PM of Israel at this point. But that's a topic for another day.

[sovay]

But that's a topic for another day.

Especially since what is under discussion is the response of American Jews to Trump's border policies. None of whom, no matter how far-right they get, have the ability to vote for Netanyahu.

[dewline]

And with that, we shall move on.