Comments on: Russia’s long history of Jew-hatred

By: Mitch

Mitch — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 01:51:05 +0000

I think Derek has got it.

From Etymology Online
pale (n.) c.1330, “fence of pointed stakes,” from L. palus “stake,” related to pangere “to fix or fasten” (see pact). Fig. sense of “limit, boundary, restriction” is from c.1400. Barely surviving in beyond the pale and similar phrases. Meaning “the part of Ireland under English rule” is from 1547.

I don’t know why they think this is so obscure, though. The word “paling” for a fence of pointed stakes (or the individual stakes) is clearly related and still in use.

By: Derick Schilling

Derick Schilling — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 00:03:28 +0000

In English, “pale” originally meant a wooden fence (cf. “palisade”), then the space enclosed by a fence, and then an area under a certain political jurisdiction, such as the English-controlled areas of Ireland, Scotland, and France during medieval times. Thus, “beyond the pale” means “outside the fence” or “outside the jurisdiction.” I don’t think the origin of phrase relates to Tsarist Russia and its Jewish population.

Putin resents American power, and opportunistically seeks allies among those who share his resentment, whether they be in China, Iran, Syria, or Germany. By breaking with the US over Hamas he shows he’s independent of American influence, and hopes to gain favor in the Arab/Muslim world. But he should learn from our experience with the Afghan War of the 1980s: he who plays with jihadi fire ends up getting burned.

Personally, I think he’s less anti-Semitic than many Russians, which may not be saying much. Ideologically, he seems to believe in the power of the Russian State, and little else. But the KGB during his era was full of paranoia and vitriol about the evils of Zionism; I wonder if some of it stuck.

By: sultan knish

sultan knish — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 21:02:46 +0000

putin is pushing russian nationalism and a return to a more soviet era, quite a few of the statues torn down under yeltsin have been put back, the hymn is soviet style again but at the same time putin is trying to lure emigrated russian jews back to russia

he’s succeeded to some extent making chabad the official representatives of judaism and suppressing any competitive jewish agencies and groups, e.g. the expulsion of moscow’s chief rabbi, rabbi goldwasser, and in turn chabad’s rabbis have touted how wonderfull russia is

putin backed organizations have also made a dent in the russian jewish community abroad, a putin backed group is running in the WJC elections, as Russian Jews for Israel, putin backed groups have also bought the russian forward and the novoye russkoye slovo among others

this however may put a dent in luring russian jews back ‘home’

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10764102.htm

we’ll see

as for russian anti-semitism, look into who some of the most prominent figures in the duma are, e.g. the deputy speaker

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zhirinovsky

By: velvel

velvel — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 16:48:24 +0000

According to wikipedia (which is now accepted in some courtrooms as valid), the Pale of Settlement was established by Catherine the Great of Russia (not so great to me) in 1791. There is debate whether this is the “pale” referred to as some define it as a political enclosure of questioned origin.
That being said, someone needs to tell 43 that his “friend” “Pootie” needs to be publicly slapped because it is obvious that he (“Pootie”) has regressed to his opportunistic KGB antisemitic past. But I don’t see 43 or his State Department doing it…

By: Tara

Tara — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 15:06:31 +0000

Dammit I’m so sick of people repeating on and on about legitimate elections.

There is no freedom of speech. There is no freedom of the press.

–>

The legitimacy of the election is severely, if not completely undermined.