Jewish DUers: (others Welcome): McCain compares Purim to Halloween!!!!

[npincus]

What do you think about that? When I heard it, I cracked up. What an old fool! And Joe Lieberman had to coreect him. AGAIN. :rofl:




http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/20/787720.aspx

MCCain: Purim = Halloween?

When McCain made a foreign policy gaffe in Jordan on Tuesday, it was Sen. Joe Lieberman who quietly pointed out the mistake, giving McCain an opportunity to correct himself in front of the international press corps. In Israel yesterday, NBC’s Lauren Appelbaum reports, Lieberman once again intervened when McCain made an incorrect reference about the Jewish holiday Purim -- by calling the holiday "their version of Halloween here."

McCain made the incorrect statement during a press conference with Defense Minister Ehud Barak after touring the Israeli city of Sderot to view buildings damaged by Hamas rocket fire. McCain was discussing the numerous rock attacks on the city. "Nine hundred rocket attacks in less than three months, an average of one every one to two hours. Obviously this puts an enormous and hard to understand strain on the people here, especially the children. As they celebrate their version of Halloween here, they are somewhere close to a 15-second warning, which is the amount of time they have from the time the rocket is launched to get to safety. That's not a way for people to live obviously."

Purim is not the equivalent of an Israeli Halloween, Appelbaum notes. The holiday -- although a joyous one -- commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from mass execution. When Sen. Lieberman had a chance to speak at the press conference, he placed the blame of the mistake on himself. "I had a brief exchange with one of the mothers whose children was in there in a costume for Purim," Lieberman, who is Jewish and celebrates the holiday, said. "And it's my fault that I said to Senator McCain that this is the Israeli version of Halloween. It is in the sense because the kids dress up and it's a very happy holiday and actually it is in the sense that the sweets are very important of both holidays."

"Could I just say that I understand this is the holiday of Hadassah, otherwise known as Esther," McCain later said. Those in attendance quickly made light of the mistake.

[Slagathor]

1. Purim, arguably, celebrates something that might have really happened

whereas All Hallow's Eve celebrates an entirely fictional concept.

[timtom]

20. What fictional concept would that be?

[Slagathor]

22. Saints. The concept is patently absurd.

Some actually were living people who led deluded but mostly good lives. Others were manifestly works of an over-active imagination.

EG St Christopher was de-sainted because the church ultimately got embarrassed because he was a cynocephalus.

[mr_hat]

25. Ay-y-y-y!

[timtom]

31. I always thought Halloween to be directly descended

from Samhain, a pagan holiday.

While nowadays (since the ninth century) it is associated with all saints' day it must be remembered that it is merely a commemorative event -- a time to honor or remember saints and martyrs.

A commemoration can hardly be an absurd concept.

In the Christian church, all believers are considered saints.

If you mean canonized saints, well that's your opinion against the Catholic Church.

I personally do not like Halloween in either form, but not because of patently absurd concepts.

[livvy]

2. McBush is an idiot, just like the lying weasel himself.

And his enabler Lie-berman, should be ashamed of propping up this empty shell of a candidate.

We are in so much doo if this duo gets in power.

[meegbear]

3. When you need Joe Lieberman to help correct you several times ...

you know your candidacy's fucked.

[mikeytherat]

7. When Mumbly Joe has to keep correcting you, in public, in front of everybody,

well, "fucked" almost doesn't seem adequate.

mikey_the_rat

[Vinca]

4. That's really funny. McCain is writing our commercials for us.

:rofl:

[KharmaTrain]

5. Typical...

My bets are Gramps heard Joementum mention the holiday...and I'm sure Joe didn't fail to mention the Persian/Iranian connection and how Haman was probably AQI of that day...and how people dress up in costumes to celebrate and Gramps "ASSUMED". Typical. It's part of the "some of my best friends are" fun of being Jewish in a Christian world.

Except for observant Jews, I doubt many others would really pick up on this latest gaffe...nor get the nuance of it. I thought it was just another stupid remark...ignorance attempting to sound "clever". Not the first time, nor the last I will hear it.

I consider this in a similar vein as to how many blacks must feel about whites trying to ASSUME what Reverend Wright was saying as opposed to the message he was really communicating.

[LeftishBrit]

6. McCain is a complete idiot.

[Solly Mack]

8. McCain: " and then there's Sukkot, their version of Thanksgiving"

Lieberman: "That's my fault. I said it was a pilgrimage holiday and a celebration of the bountiful harvest."

[npincus]

10. and isn't Chanukah that week where pople ride on floats and throw beads...

and shout, "Thou shalt show us your t*ts!". :rofl:

[FloridaJudy]

41. Some comedian summed up

Almost every Jewish holiday with: "They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat!"

That's close enough to the truth to be really funny, and a damned fine approach to life IMHO.

[Solly Mack]

44. Sounds like a family reunion.... my family anyway

[MADem]

9. It's actually kind of FUNNY! That's not a dire gaffe, it's "sweetly amusing" actually

And the most important thing is, he said it "over THERE. "

I'm not Jewish, but I don't think that will piss people off.


Heh, heh...!!!!

The more I think about it, the funnier it gets!

[npincus]

11. Happy Purim, to you MADem.

Yeah, it's really funny, but put it in context of the multiple corrections he's received on his trip, and it's good fodder to make the case that he's a confused old coot!

Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth! :rofl:

[MADem]

13. And to you!!! Add "befuddled" to "Angry Popeye!" and Heeere's JOHNNY!!!!!

It is funny.....!!!

[rucky]

28. This Jew agrees...

and that's pretty much how I describe the holiday to gentiles.

and that's pretty much how I remember seeing it as a kid.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

33. Chris Walken for President? At least we'd have a President that can really dance. :)

[rucky]

35. And fly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WW8flwpH-Q

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

37. Hysterical! I said he could dance and yes! he certainly flies!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[tishaLA]

38. It's also how I describe it

so I don't have a problem with this. I have a friend who takes it pretty seriously (she grew up Orthodox) but I haven't bothered with it since I was about 10.

[Recursion]

12. Eh, costumes and candy

I could see calling that a "halloween"

[npincus]

14. ..and isn't Passover when someone beats you to the shuffleboard court?

:rofl:

[slampoet]

15. Happy PUUUURRRIIIMMMM.... ........ .....BOO!

...now let's go egg your neighbor's house.

[npincus]

17. LOL... and

TRICK OR TREAT! :rofl:






I wonder what's in Grandpa's treat Bag?


mayber? :rofl:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. To watch that punim screw up about Purim, oy vey! ;)

[npincus]

18. ...yes, that alta cocka ess a bissel meshugah!

:rofl:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

21. He really is such a schmendrick! BTW.. Rolling On The Floor Lauging My Tuchas Off!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[npincus]

23. LOL...can you imagine that alta cocka shluffing through Cabinet meetings?

..And what about that 3AM phone call?


Wake up, alta cocka! Or gay-karkin!



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

26. Oy, if that alta cocka wins, we really are shtupped.....

:banghead:

[joeybee12]

19. Fool! Purim is the Jewish Thanksgiving!

I mean, why else would they change Home for Purim to Home for Thanksgiving in "For Your Consideration"?????

[seleff]

24. Country Club Republican

For some reason this term sticks with me. Where does he get his world view. Pop culture as viewed by country clubbers. Discussions on the golf course, at the card table or in th esteam room about what they read in Time, Newsweek or saw/heard on TV. Simply intellectually bereft. Not what we need at this juncture in history.

[rockymountaindem]

27. Well, people wear costumes and it's a huge party, so he's not totally off the mark

But, of course, the reasons for partying are totally different. For most people (not practicing Wiccans, of course), Halloween is just an excuse to celebrate, whereas Purim has real religious significance for everybody who observes it. But, while they are celebrated for different reasons, outwardly they may seem the same, so I think there are a lot better things to hassle McCain over.

[Richard D]

29. You're also semi-obligated . . .

. . . to get shit-faced drunk. Something not many people know.

[rockymountaindem]

30. Oh, I know

:)

[Indenturedebtor]

32. Well I didn't know :(

But Hamentashen is had by all :D

I dunno this doesn't bother me really. Hey he knew that Purim exists. That's worth at least 2 Goy points... maybe even 2.5! :applause:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

34. Hamentaschen is GOOD STUFF!!

I love poppyseeds!!! YUM!!!

:bounce:

[RichardRay]

36. Many years ago I lived in the Delmar Loop in St Louis

At that time it was about 50% students and 50% elderly Jewish. I moved a lot of funiture for little old ladies, sat around and talked for hours with a lot of little old men and ate a lot of food I couldn't pronounce. When I heard the comment about Purim all I could imagine was my upstairs neighbor rolling her eyes and shaking her head while muttering something I couldn't quite catch in Yiddish. I wish I could figure out what she's saying so I could repeat it; it would probably be unfit for polite company, but very funny.

[LeftishBrit]

39. Actually...

any day when McCain and Lieberman are parading around together could be called a version of Halloween.

[Hardrada]

40. Well, it ain't St. Pat's sez this old Lutheran who now knows

yet one more holiday for people to get schnockered (if McLame is to be believed). People are wondering if this campaign season could get any more inane.

[mia]

42. My Introduction to Purim was through costumed kids knocking at

my door - so I can imagine how McCain got a Halloween impression. Given that the Constitution has been seriously undermined by this administration, I won't be surprised to start seeing costumes on the Fourth of July.

[Obamarama]

43. Here's your groggers, boys and girls! Lets erase the memory of McCain and Republicans!!

What's a grogger my DU gentile friends are asking?

It's a noisemaker used during the Purim celebration:

FROM TORAH.ORG:
The reading of the Megillah on Purim is an event in the life of every synagogue when there appears to be a general breakdown in decorum. Barely a paragraph goes by without the incoherent wail of untold noisemakers interrupting the rabbi and drowning out his best efforts to read from the sacred parchment scroll.

A close observation reveals that there is a particular word in the text of the Megillah which triggers the clamorous response from the outrageously clad Purim worshippers. The word is "Haman." Haman is the villain of the Purim story...

The Torah assigns a particular commandment to "erase" any memory of Hamam. By making noise when Haman's name is mentioned during the Megillah reading, we are symbolically "erasing the name of Haman"...

The Torah assigns a particular commandment to "erase" any memory of the nation of Amalek. By making noise when Haman's name is mentioned during the Megillah reading, we are symbolically "erasing the name of Haman" and thereby blotting out the memory of Amalek.

The grogger in the hand of a child on Purim is there to remind us how to relate to evil. Like Amalek, it must be erased. Not by labeling it as sick and psychoanalyzing it into oblivion, but by calling it what it is - evil - and dealing with it as bluntly as it would deal with us.
http://torah.org/features/holydays/grogger.html


I don't neccesarily totally agree with the tactics of Code Pink, but respect and admire their tenacity and commitment. I think we should send some pink groggers to use in their endeavors.

[Behind the Aegis]

45. Slight hijack...

...just a reminder, there is a Jewish Group at DU. Though you have to be a donor to post, you don't to read. Feel free to pop-in and say :hi:!