LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Politics aren't all that simple

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “AOC and how she works with Jews: It’s personal,” Nov. 19)

What a simplistic claptrap this Point of View was! Where do I start?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represents people in her district. Looking at the geography of her district, upper Manhattan is nowhere near it. Yes, that’s a good reason Joe Crowley — ignoring the needs of his constituents — lost to her in the primary.

My wife and I, both bonafide card-carrying Jews, have worked with AOC’s people on getting people to fill out census forms, getting them out to vote. Helping her constituents’ kids celebrate their graduation, where none was forthcoming this past spring. Where were you? Acting as if you were her constituent?

Normalizing de facto annexation by saying Peace Now is a radical group because they call “annexation,” well, “annexation”? Really? A half-million Jews live there, so that just means it might be right?

Yep, the Nazis occupied France, and so whatever they did when there — because they were there — makes it de facto legal?

Do you have pretzels for all your meals? Your logic makes me think so.

Want to think of yourself as a good American Jew? Try this on for size: Think of our role here in America, and push for the help people who desperately need our help, who are where many of us were a generation or two ago. But nope, stay away from public schools, and rail about people not worshipping the ground you walk on.

That’ll surely not make you friends, nor help you influence people.

Note to writer: As I grew up a few generations ago, I learned something smart: No one person will ever always please me, especially a politician. When someone ran for office, I learned to choose the office seeker whose positions most dovetailed with mine — and no, never played the victim role of identity politics.

I did not, and could not, agree with all of what anyone said or believed — then and now.

I live in America. I vote here. Not Israel. I don’t walk around feeling persecuted by someone I disagree with politically.

I do walk around feeling radical right wing extremists, evangelicals and assorted human detritus have me, an American Jew, in their sights — and many of them are ardent supporters of Israel. Confusing?

What to make of all this? It is never ever as simple a picture at this writer paints. Ever.

Yes, claptrap all right.

Adam Stoler

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Adam Stoler,

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