In Liberal Judaism, All Roads Lead to Gender Studies
I have said it before…or at least, I have thought it. There is nowhere to go except within. Communally, Judaism itself does not improve in liberal communities. It just gets goofy. And frankly, that’s a damn shame.
As I have mentioned before I am privileged to take the class “Exodus and Revolutions” sponsored mainly by AJWS and Avodah and few other cool [editor's note: please don't use the word "cool" in this context ever, ever again. It sounds fucking awful. You are making us vomit even before you give us reason.] organizations. We talk about oppression and the Exodus and other such Jewish-lefty-entitled things. [See POLJ's original post for links]
Okay. One we are defining Judaism in “Jewish-lefty” terms, we know two things. 1) This is going to be bullshit, and 2) This class is going nowhere interesting.
Where exactly is nowhere interesting? Here:
When class ended a man in the back called our attention to the fact that a vast majority of the class is women while a vast majority of the air time (his words) has been dominated by men[...]
In that there is a majority of folks in this class are women it is pretty clear they are free from the sexism that would have kept them out twenty-five years ago. However they may not yet be free to engage, explained this person in the back of class.
I find the whole exercise suspicious. To his credit, POLJ doesn’t buy it, but what I would have asked the gentleman insisting that women are too oppressed to speak is,
“Are you single?”
If his answer was in any way approaching “yes,” I would have asked,
“Are you in any way trying to get laid?”
Anyway, the funny thing is, yesterday in my class, which is filled with CCNY leftists, (and these aren’t the same as Jew-Leftists, my friends) I defended Roosevelt’s imperialist tendencies against a rigid, feminist interpretation.
These women are not quiet. And I kicked their ass. You know why, POLJ? Because I am liberated like that.
13 comments
I thought women complained that men don’t talk. Looks like we can’t win whatever we do.
Well, now I understand why academic standards and prestige in higher education are so compelling to you, DK.
Ron, I don’t understand what you mean, exactly. What I would say is that you would personally probably enjoy these debates and studies in history and sociology as much as I do. So if you meant that sarcastically, who are you kidding?
I iz vanting new and improved Toyrah in vitch thee Lot’s daughters screwing there farther stori is not mentioned. Iz thes akseptable by thee gender studes peaple?
Shoulda asked you this before: What’s the difference between “CCNY leftists” and “Jew leftists” and what were the feminists in your class trying to pull?
Ichabod Chrain,
There are schools of thought that gender oppression and warfare is the root of a lot of general “oppression.” Such feminists blame the Civil War and Imperialism on gender issues, not race or economics, to a large degree. I find these interpretations overreaching, although I do not deny that they had some presence and influence.
You’re mistaken, DK. I would not enjoy that at all. I would consider it a profound waste of my time and would consider my time spent arguing such idiocies as pearls before swine. And my point here is exactly what it sounded like: For all your talk about the glory of secular education, you acknowledge here what a crock so much of what goes on in universities is.
I iz tink tat math and thee heretical scienses our crock cauz ve shuld be lerning about the wonders of asstrology and pharoh’s astrologers and about flying mountens. flying mountens iz reel sciense, carben dating iz not.
Idiot Yeshiva Kid,
I thinkk you maik sum of deh best kommentz I’fe seen laitely. But vot vee need from asstrology and flying mountens ven vee gott feminism?
I too am interested in the difference between “Jew leftists” and “CCNY leftists.” At one time they would have been considered one and the same. What’s the difference on campus (and in general) today? Are you arguing here that “Jew leftists” tend to be liberal and “CCNY leftists” are more radical? Or is it something else?
Did you read the comments at POLJ?
I found this one hilarious though it was probably not intended as such by the author, “A California Fan”:
“Women are often taught to sit back, listen, and only offer a word when necessary.”
Dude—and a dude has to have written this—obviously does not know the same Jewish (to say nothing of Israeli) gals I have had the privilege of knowing. Most are, if not outspoken, certainly willing to speak their minds.
And this as well:
“[I]t seems, from our Torah experience, that it was easier to leave Egypt than it was to enter the Promised Land. Easier to enter the wilderness than to take up the “yoke” of a truly free person.”
I thought it was all about being ready, able and willing to follow the commandments and be a servant of Hashem. Here we have Moishe Rabbenu as an archetype of hippyish self-realization. Crazy man, crazy…
“Are you arguing here that “Jew leftists” tend to be liberal and “CCNY leftists” are more radical?”
To some extent, yes. Also, the only people in the U.S. who believe that Jews aren’t at least provisionally white today are Jewish leftists. CCNY leftists absolutely reject that Jews aren’t white today.
Additionally, race looms much larger, which is annoying for me, but there are more people for whom fiscal Leftism is a priority, which I relate to strongly, and which is almost absent from the Jewish-Left today.
Check out Jewschool — all social Left. Nothing fiscal Left. That’s
why it’s so boring and shrilltheir reality.So I don’t mean to trash CCNY too hard. I actually find it liberating at times. And some of my Lefty minority colleagues respond well to me…I think it is because I don’t pull that, “we minorities are all in the same boat” bullshit that certain Jewesses tend to try.
Why do more Jewish women try to pull that nonsense than Jewish men?
DK, easy thing: when content fails / lacks, form has to make do.
OK, now I’m even more confused.
Do the “Jew leftists” focus on economic (”fiscal”) issues or racial issues? In which circle does race “loom larger”?
From my experience, lefty Jews have been much more prominent in organizations that focus on economic need and concerns whether NGOs, unions, etc.
What I meant by liberal versus radical was a willingness to work through the established conduits of power, or at least see social change moving in a gradual process, versus a militant position or belief in some sort of utopian revolution.
No, I don’t want to waste any more time at Jewschool. It was entertaining to post comments when I was working in front of a computer monitor but now that I am teaching I don’t have the time for it. Plus, I get the Party Line and I’m not down.
One thing I have to say for Jewschool though. It convinced me if these people can post their half-baked thoughts to the world, what’s preventing me?
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