anti-semitic Doonesbury?
On Sunday May 31st, newspapers around the world printed the Doonesbury cartoon that in the first four panels pitted an angry Jewish god against a pacifist Christian god. There may be truth or metaphor embedded in these panels for all I know, but what they contain most of all is a depiction of a centuries old anti-semitic stereotypical argument. In fact, the cartoonist has created what is quite possibly one of the best teaching resources for "look kids, this is what anti-semitism looks like" - a white family sitting around the kitchen table, an innocent child pointing out the differences in belief structures. I'll leave the last two panels for you to find and read - all I'll say is memories of Merchant of Venice anyone?
Here's a very coherent response by a prominent civil rights Rabbi to the article.
**UPDATE**
AHA, there are two other panels before the ones I saw. The girl is speaking to a (Christian) reverend, questioning his choice of readings. That definitely tips the scale away from anti-semitism towards political criticism, although I still think it ends up tilted the other way. Lesson du jour: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SOURCES people!
Full strip direct from Doonesbury here.
Here's a very coherent response by a prominent civil rights Rabbi to the article.
**UPDATE**
AHA, there are two other panels before the ones I saw. The girl is speaking to a (Christian) reverend, questioning his choice of readings. That definitely tips the scale away from anti-semitism towards political criticism, although I still think it ends up tilted the other way. Lesson du jour: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SOURCES people!
Full strip direct from Doonesbury here.