Opinion Editorials are posted and archived on JNonline.us . HOLIDAY D ry Bones THEIR CALENDAR Editorial Why They Hate Us T he persistence of anti- Semitism over the centu- ries is largely explained by the fact that it is, at its core, illogical and impervious to rea- son. The Jewish people do not actually have to do anything to arouse hatred. All they have to do is exist. That is enough for all sorts of conspiracy theories and tales of insidious, dark influence to be attached to them. No matter how many times the Protocols of the Elders of Zion is proven to be a forg- ery, for example, it resurfaces and gathers new adherents. Because it fits a pre-existing set of beliefs that are prepared to welcome it. Best of all, it is part of a plot that is hidden, covered up, only detectable by the truly informed. That's why it is taken as a matter of absolute truth in most of the Muslim world that it was the Jews who were really behind the attacks of 9-11; in combina- tion, of course, with the country they secretly control, the United States. Several commentators have noted the structural similarities between classic anti-Semitism and the new wave of anti- Americanism in the world. "In both, prejudice functions as a matrix of self-justifying, holistic conspiracy theories that substitute for rational thought:' summarizes former London Times editor Daniel Johnson, in the June issue of Commentary. "Both rely on fantasies about power and influence, discern- ing hidden patterns, concocting atrocity stories, gliding over inconvenient disconfirming facts." America really is the stron- gest power in the world, but when measured in the great balance of history it has been a force for good. That makes no difference to the true believer. So what if it rushes aid to disaster victims, pours money into humanitarian causes, sends troops to places like Kosovo to help people in whom it has no political or financial stake? That's the really clever part of the plot; a pretext to mask its true goal, which is world domi- nation. Just like the Jews. Since it is still impermis- sible to be overtly anti-Semitic among the European media and political elites, the focus of their disapproval is Israel and takes the form of anti-Zionism. But the theory rapidly gaining a foothold in Europe is that the "Israel lobby" is the secret force that actually controls foreign policy in Washington. Its American arm is the neo- conservatives. Indeed, the word neo-con among the elites has become another way of saying Jewish, only with a wink and a nod. To believe that the Jewish people — so few in number, so often the victims of history — are trying to rule the world by ruling America takes a spe- cial sort of mentality. But ancient hatreds do not go EACH YEAR WE CELEBRATE THE PISASTER .OF 1918. IN TIME, OF COURSE WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE OISASTER OF 2006 WHEN WE CHOSE WAR INSTEAD OF A STATE ALONGSIDE OF ISRAEL. WHEN WE CHOSE HAAS TERROR INSTEAD OF A STATE ALONGSIDE OF ISRAEL www.dryboriesblog.com away. They may go underground for a while. Eventually they reap- pear, however, and renew their attacks on the same old targets in newly altered forms. The mas- querade should fool no one. ❑ E-mail letters of no more than 150 words to: Ietters®thejewishnews.com . Reality Check Shut Up And Watch "You need to take your friends and family and make them see it." — Ad for the documentary film on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth." U ncle Joe didn't see it coming. He answered the doorbell and thought it was just his nephew standing there. He never sus- pected that I was on a mission. Before he could turn around, I had him covered with my Glock, a little number I'd picked up while trying to save the Earth in 24 July 13 - 2006 Argentina. "Hey, buddy boy, what's goin' on," he asked. "Get in the car, unc. We're ' goin' for a ride, and don't make me play rough," I said. "My little friend here has a nasty bite." "I don't get it. Aren't you writ- ing a column anymore." "I'll do the talking here:' I said. "Don't take it personalit's just business. I'm saving the Earth." "But where are we going," he asked. "This isn't any time to go metaphysical on me. When we get back you can call a cler- gyman and see if he has any answers. Right now we're going to see a movie. I'm gonna make you see it." "But this isn't a good time," he said. "It's just too inconvenient." "Sure, that's what they all say," I snarled. "Too inconvenient to know the truth. You know, there are people in Washington hoping that's how you feel so they can dismiss this as a fringe issue. "Not this time. No way. This is global warming's moment." At least, that's what it said in the ad. For a moment, I also thought it said "A snazzy treat." But then I realized that I had let my eye wander over to The Devil Wears Prada ad. It didn't matter. I knew what I had to do. "Now let me get this straight," said Uncle Joe. "You've got that thing pointed at me so we can go see some documentary about global warm- ing? "Bingo!" I replied. "Well, go ahead and shoot:' he said. "Go ahead. I'd rath- er take one between the eyes if it means getting out of lis- tening to Al Gore hak mir tchainig about global warming. "Come on inside. The Tigers are on the television and I've got Boston coolers if you're so wor- ried about the warming." So I sat down and watched the ballgame. But the game I was playing was far from over. I had lots more friends and family and not all of them could be as persuasive as Uncle Joe. There was my mother, for instance. She'd go to any movie except the ones where one of the main characters is a chainsaw. "Sure, I'll go see it, if we can stop at Buddy's for a pizza on the way home," she said. "Don't you get it?" I told her. "Cheese-making is a very envi- ronmentally harmful process. The North Pole is melting. Top of the world, ma:' "And your James Cagney imitation stinkS, too:' she said, gently taking the gun from my hand and making sure it didn't scratch the dining room table. "Just bring the SUV around to the front and we'll go." George Cantor's e-mail address is gcantor614@aol.com .