Great email response to my piece on Autism & The Lie of the Entrepreneur, which will be posted below with some pining in by me to clarify my positions. Great to have readers read and respond. I can understand that the writer hasn’t read the hundreds of pieces I’ve written for DV to comprehend and frame the entire context of the issues tied to academia, corporate felonies, controlled opposition, the tribal politics, economics, cultural crimes of Jews in High and Medium High Places, Zionism, militarism, the lies of non-profits and the continual dysfunction of environmentalists not giving diddly squat for or about poor people. On the surface, boy, sounding off against White Male (female) dominance by actually finding that White Male-Females of Jewish identity politics and cultural linchpins might come off as extreme. It is not extreme. Really. I’ve worked with all manner of Jewish thinker, business person, politico, and academic, to name just a few categories. Always I’ve had my mentors or fellow workers or bosses or whomever self-identify as Jewish this or Jewish that, each one committed to some form of Jewishness, whether Orthodox, Zionist, atheistic, or just “that’s my past, my history, my family, but . . . .” sort of disassociation from some mainstream Jewish identity. But still, identifying as a Jew has always been my litmus test on how to identify a fellow worker or thinker as Jewish.
I’m 57, I’ve been in dozens of countries, and was raised in the Azores, brought up in Europe and other parts of the world. I’ve been in literary circles, artist circles, journalism circles, prison education circles, higher education circles, urban planning circles, environmental circles, and dozens of others, including now special education and developmental disabilities.
The entire process of my dissidence, radicalism and not following orders has corralled me here in Vancouver, WA, where there are no jobs for an educated man, and where I end up in Portland, driving 53 miles round trip daily, for a job that should pay as much as any Goyim or Jewish banker gets – you know, educational opportunities for severely impacted (and not so severely impacted) adults with Down Syndrome, intellectual delays, Fetal Alcohol, Fragile X and so many other intellectual and psychology impacts of gestation, chromosome damage, the luck of the draw in the soup that is mother’s womb. But I am paid shit, and I am expected to do the work of nurse, caregiver, teacher, friend, coach, nutritionist, psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, et al.
Imagine a world where the work you do is valued and there is equity and parity in wages and pay. Think of a world where universal insurance is a given – I do not have health insurance here because I am kept just below 38 hours. My wife the public elementary teacher is my conduit to overpriced, over-squeezed insurance. But, imagine that world where mortgages are readjusted based on the communities’ respective cost of living and the individual’s pay. Imagine real public transportation, real labor rights and rent control and available housing. Not so in Portland or Vancouver. Imagine gasoline prices regulated by the state and nation, whereby the felons of big oil can’t charge 30 cents more a gallon from county to county. We pay MORE for gas in this locale.
This Oregon has more poor this year than last year, and of course, the way they – gov’t – indexes poverty, well, we know what that lie is — always add five or ten percentage points on top of the official poverty or unemployment figures coming from the bankers and think tanks and gov’t. This is a blown-out society, one where value is not put on the real work and then, well, to be honest, who is the vanguard of economics departments, of the private industry felony enterprises, and the think tanks, and legal profession and media? You have to be living in a cave in Montana to not know the answer to that – many many more Jewish intellectuals and merchants and money grubbers in the upper echelons than reflects their total population. But, shoot, we only “do that minority quotient” when it comes to African-Americans, blacks, Latino/a’s and Asians. Think of how OUT OF balance the number of millionaires, the number of militarists, lawyers, bureaucrats, money launderers there are that represent the Jewish Tribe in this country. Talk about out of balance power structures going in favor of a .2 percent global total population.
In any case, these DD students and their parents need alternatives to sitting in a corner and drooling, and thus, I am helping embolden them and enhance them to be happier and more active, while their caregivers get a break. What a huge service to this country, this metroplex, and yet, it’s $12 an hour, with two graduate degrees.
You think I am not MAD. Raging mad? I can’t get a teaching job, even part-time, because I am 57, teach English-lit-writing, and, well, this area is FLOODED with others with degrees, and my 25 plus years teaching at a dozen colleges and in so many other programs DOES NOT bode well for me, since academic is being run by controllers, careerists, by software and on-line and digital terrorists, who do not want old school, old ways, deep ways. How much easier to hire someone, younger, who has not organized adjuncts and written hard about administrators, the highly packed top of the education sphere with effetes and rotten overpaid and unethical pigs.
I’ve been in meetings, in conferences, in programs where many many more times the percentage of Jewish leaders or academics or bigwigs are running the show. This is a global community of .2 percent, and, as I have said before, if we yammer on and on about way too many white males running the industries and the banks and the futures of the rest of the world, we can’t somehow let go of the fact that Jewish youth and Jewish old farts are controlling the narrative BIG time because we fear them, fear repercussions and fear the truth? Of course we can.
Here is how that works: These conversations and mind-sets, while not monolithic, the backgrounds and religious and non-religious training of Jewish people, for the most part, have really sculpted the way they want to see the world and tell the stories. There is a process that is almost consistent with what I have experienced directly and as a scholar around the way Jews write, think, and hold our world. Here, in this blog is not where that can get fleshed out, but please, believe me, I have had 10,000 or more intersections with what a tribal mind sees and believes. This is not anti-Semitic drivel (which is a misnomer), this is not Nazi Holocaust Denying, and it’s not racism. It’s about power circles, power structures, the very systems I have worked in and under. I have not seen equanimity and fairness and a real gutsy way of facing this world without some White Jewish Man-Woman’s Burden mentality infecting much of what I have done. I have been directly attacked and held out of that circle by effete men who have directly called me a white male in the dominant circle. Can you believe this?
Here, Gary’s great review of Gilad’s book, The Wandering Who?
Now in his 50s, with a luminous musical career of his own, Atzmon has published two novels, and numerous essays and articles at websites and periodicals worldwide. The Wandering Who is a collection of 22 essays that serve as a baedeker for those who want to accompany him on his extraordinary “journey” of self-discovery and self-actualization. The book’s sectional titles include, “Identity vs. Identifying”; “Unconsciousness Is the Discourse of the Goyim”; “Historicity & Factuality vs. Fantasy and Phantasm”; and “Connecting the Dots.” Accompany Atzmon and one finds oneself sharpening one’s own tools for self-interrogation and reflection, wandering with him to discover our own elusive “who.”
“I deal with Jewish Ideology, Jewish identity politics, and the Jewish political discourse. I ask what being a Jew entails. I am searching for the metaphysical, spiritual and socio-political connotations.”
He divides “those who call themselves Jews” into three main categories:
1. Those who follow Judaism.
2. Those who regard themselves as human beings that happen to be of Jewish origin.
3. Those who put their Jewish-ness over and above all of their other traits.
Throughout this book, it is the third category that Atzmon considers “problematic,” and which he probes with magnifying glass and scalpel. It is a category that includes Zionists and anti-Zionists, religious and non-religious Jews. He quotes Chaim Weizmann: “There are no English, French, German or American Jews, but only Jews living in England, France, Germany or America.” But, again, what exactly is “Jewish-ness”?
We travel down labyrinths of history, myths, power politics, enfranchisemen t and disenfranchisement to ferret meanings. Judaism, we find, is an amalgamation of stories, legends, poems composed during “the Babylonian exile”—and a sense of exile and alienation are categorical indicators of “Jewish-ness.” Important clues come in the Bible’s Book of Esther.
(Parenthetically, I’ll note here that during his recent visit to the US, reportedly to discuss what must be done about Iran’s purported nuclear weapons program, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu handed the President of the world’s remaining super-power a copy of the Book of Esther. Whether or not the Prime Minister accompanied the gift with an order to “Read it!”—has not been reported!)
“In the Book of Esther,” Atzmon writes, “the Jews rescue themselves, and even get to mete out revenge.” To wit: Haman, the Persian King’s Prime Minister, “plots to have all the Jews in the Persian empire killed in revenge for a refusal by Esther’s cousin Mordechai to bow to him in respect.” Esther, “a brave and beautiful Jewish queen,” has never revealed her “Jewish” identity to her husband, the King! But, now she warns him of Haman’s murderous plot. The King has Haman and his 10 sons–innocent bystanders, really–hanged on gallows originally intended for Mordechai and allows the Jews to take up arms and slay their enemies.
“The moral,” writes Atzmon, is clear: “If Jews want to survive, they had better infiltrate the corridors of power.” And this imperative to bond with power is an essential characteristic of “Jewishness”—notable in Esther’s time and in our contemporary world of AIPAC, think-tanks, media mesmerism and “message” control.
Or, ““Controlled Opposition,” by Gilad:
Jewish power is the unique capacity to stop us from discussing or even contemplating Jewish power. It is the capacity to determine the boundaries of the political discourse and criticism in particular.
In his new book, The Invention Of The Land of Israel, Israeli academic Shlomo Sand, manages to present conclusive evidence of the far fetched nature of the Zionist historical narrative — that the Jewish Exile is a myth as is the Jewish people and even the Land of Israel.
Yet, Sand and many others fail to address the most important question: If Zionism is based on myth, how do the Zionists manage to get a way with their lies, and for so long?
If the Jewish ‘homecoming’ and the demand for a Jewish national homeland cannot be historically substantiated, why has it been supported by both Jews and the West for so long? How does the Jewish state manage for so long to celebrate its racist expansionist ideology and at the expense of the Palestinian and Arab peoples?
Jewish power is obviously one answer, but, what is Jewish power? Can we ask this question without being accused of being Anti Semitic? Can we ever discuss its meaning and scrutinize its politics? Is Jewish Power a dark force, managed and maneuvered by some conspiratorial power? Is it something of which Jews themselves are shy? Quite the opposite — Jewish power, in most cases, is celebrated right in front of our eyes. As we know, AIPAC is far from being quiet about its agenda, its practices or its achievements. AIPAC, CFI in the UK and CRIF in France are operating in the most open manner and often openly brag about their success.
Furthermore, we are by now accustomed to watch our democratically elected leaders shamelessly queuing to kneel before their pay-masters. Neocons certainly didn’t seem to feel the need to hide their close Zionist affiliations. Abe Foxman’s Anti Defamation League (ADL) works openly towards the Judification of the Western discourse, chasing and harassing anyone who dares voice any kind of criticism of Israel or even of Jewish choseness. And of course, the same applies to the media, banking and Hollywood. We know about the many powerful Jews who are not in the slightest bit shy about their bond with Israel and their commitment to Israeli security, the Zionist ideology, the primacy of Jewish suffering, Israeli expansionism and even outright Jewish exceptionalism.
But, as ubiquitous as they are, AIPAC, CFI, ADL, Bernie Madoff, ‘liberator’ Bernard Henri Levy, war-advocate David Aaronovitch, free market prophet Milton Friedman, Steven Spielberg, Haim Saban, Lord Levy and many other Zionist enthusiasts and Hasbara advocates are not necessarily the core or the driving force behind Jewish Power, but are merely symptoms. Jewish power is actually far more sophisticated than simply a list of Jewish lobbies or individuals performing highly developed manipulative skills. Jewish power is the unique capacity to stop us from discussing or even contemplating Jewish power. It is the capacity to determine the boundaries of the political discourse and criticism in particular.
Look: I just heard NPR (with the help of Pro-Publica) do a piece on wage theft. You know, the series over at Pro-Publica is okay, but old news, and, well, until we have advocacy and revolutionary writing, it’s just more filming and taping and writing about the Titanic sinking.
The issue is the two writers, hipsters, really, and, fucked up in their heads in the way they sound and their tone and framing and cutesy way. This is about life and death, people losing their jobs, up to their necks in hock, and almost pushed onto the streets because of banks, credit card fucks and a government that is run by Zionists and bankers, one in the same.
So the two writers and radio announcers are Jewish. Does that matter? First, inhumane and hipster and cutesy thinking as a journalist is terror no matter what sort of mouth is running it. But, something a bit more insane is coming from these Jewish east coast media fucks. Disconnection with the pain. Their parents and families are not IN PAIN. So, it’s easy for them to make funny, har-har, with people’s lives. Just listen:
Millions of Americans are still grappling with debt they’ve accumulated since the recession hit. And new numbers out Monday show many are having a tougher time than you might think.
One in 10 working Americans between the ages of 35 and 44 are getting their wages garnished. That means their pay is being docked — often over an old credit card debt, medical bill or student loan.
That striking figure comes out of a collaboration between NPR and ProPublica. The reporting offers the first available national numbers on wage garnishment
NPR, National Jewish-East Coast Hipster-Neoliberal-Fucked up Radio, well, just do the math. Do it! What percentage of Jewish Americans are delivering the news, writing and producing the news and are in the news over there? Is it a fair .2 percent? Something close to 1 or 2 percent? Giving all those minorities with bigger total populations a bigger chance to make the news, report the news, and get covered in the news? NEVER.
So what we get is a broken news, a Jon Stewart Leibowitz news, you know what I am aiming at. Warped, biased, not of this real world. The way Hollywood and academia (the top of the top) sees the world, and reacts to it and wants it shaped in their own image.
It’s not racist (Jews are not a race) or biased or prejudiced. Just a little bit of Stewart humor!
“I am not sure if Paul H____ and Paul Kirk are the same person. In any case, this is the email address that is on your “about DV” tab that describes Paul Kirk.”
PK — I’ve written about why I have Paul Kirk as a new by-line, and it has everything to do with retribution by the culture of punishment and pain and Google and HR departments and no-free-speech-zones-of-fascism.
“Your article about autism, chronic fatigue etc. is a great expression of rage and anger. I wish more people felt that rage about what is going on in our world. In your final paragraph you said that we have neutered men, boys etc. I think women have been “neutered” as well. Not that girls were ever encouraged to have gumption in the political/social world anyway. Girls and women have centuries of experience with that neutered feeling. You also say “we are run by women, teachers and medical personnel and the general HR and secretarial pool, largely because men have failed this society”. There are lots of men who are teachers, medical personnel and general HR. They are usually called managers or administrators or something.”
PK — This is satire and a blog, but to be honest, look at the Bureau of Labor stats on who teaches our children, who are in the medical fields (LPN, CNA’s, nurses, billing, medium level HR), who are in lower management, front office management, media relations, etc. I beg to differ here. I’ve even reported on the veterinarian field that has seen graduating classes 51 or 60 percent or more female. I understand the managers and higher up administrators, who they are, but in some fields, like higher education, save for provosts and presidents and VPs, women out number men. Even in the classroom as students and teachers, in most fields. I am not saying this is bad, but I am saying that women are neutering themselves twice and thrice over, and with them, potentially powerful girls-women and boys-men to launch against capitalism.
“Nothing will change until we get rid of this capitalist, greedy, money grubbing status seeking monstrosity that the world is right now. But that won’t go away really fast, not even if everyone in the entire world realized at the same time what bullshit it all is. It sucks that so many women think that the way to their own freedom is to be like men in power.”
PK –I think consumer culture and America’s fear state creates this in women and men. This is a society where women, single women, are poor, as I have alluded to some of the better things about the Pro-Publica work on poverty and the economy.
Again, I will cite it here, but the factoids about poverty are wrong when in the hands of economists, private and government:
The official US poverty rate may have gone down to 14.5 percent in 2013 according to new numbers out Tuesday, but still more than 45 million were poor.
Employment is up, but many Americans still lack jobs that pay enough to meet basic needs. This has some people questioning whether current anti-poverty programs are doing enough.
Cara Russo, 34, of Gettysburg, Pa., is raising two daughters, ages 15 and 9, and until recently, could have been the poster child for one of the largest groups of poor Americans — single women with children. According to the new poverty figures, 30.6 percent of such families are poor.
Russo no longer lives below the poverty line, which is less than $19,000 a year for a family of three. But she still struggles. She says the biggest challenge isn’t being in poverty, but finding the way out. In the past, she has worked two jobs in an effort to earn enough.
“I’m thinking to myself, you know, this is ridiculous. I’m doing all the right things. I’m working two jobs. I’m taking care of two kids. Why isn’t this getting any easier? Why is this getting harder?” she says. “You’d feel like you’d get a step ahead, and you’d really be 10 steps behind.”
“I am wondering why it bothers you so much that some wife beater might lose his job for life. A wife beater is very likely to make a great military officer. I agree that the particular women who called for this are just as you say, but I find it odd that you show some sympathy for the poor neutered men of the world, but not so much for the beaten wives who do dumb things like staying with their abusers for “security” of some sort.”
PK — Again, I am not bothered one bit about jocks or anyone spending time in jail and in diversion programs for violence against anyone. I am not that far off believing that cops and US military have a higher rate of spousal abuse than others in the population. However, I never said I don’t feel for the wives or anyone subject to the beatings. I understand the foundations to beaten spouse syndrome and why people might stay in abusive relationships. I was pointing out that this form of entertainment, football, is all about beating and hitting and traumatic brain injuries and money thrown at people who don’t deserve it. I was pointing out that we live in a culture of gotcha journalism, and these pigs making money in football are married to pigs wanting that money and fame too. In terms of beating and violence, well, where are those prosecutors, those cops? Having 16 women senators writing for Rice’s life suspension is as silly as silly can be considering the real murdering going on in their names, Mrs. and Ms Senator!
“I am kind of uncomfortable with the way you mention Jews in your article. I do think that Israeli politics have way too much influence on our politicians here in North America. There is a long list of US politicians who have dual citizenship with Israel which I could dig up for you if you have not already seen it. I think the Israeli influence is expedited by those politicians, by the Jewish Defense League and other groups that promote Israel’s right to exist no matter who has to die. I don’t know how it can be said without sounding a bit anti-semitic. Way back in 1969 or so, I was having a discussion with a couple of men who thought they were really up-to-date on all things political. When I said in my simple minded way that I thought the formation of Israel was a good idea, but not on land where other people already lived I was told to go back to grade one. Neutered.”
PK — Neutered is right! Ahh, it is uncomfortable how power circles of the few and the white male (female, too) minority does hurt us. This is explained above by Gilad and others, what tribalism is, and how doors are closed to non-Jews, and how non-Jews never make it to first or second base in the game being played out.
“Anyway, your article got me thinking about a lot of things. Including vaccines which I intend to look into some more. Thanks for writing it.”
That’s Susan, quoted above, and I appreciate her reaching out and wanting to comment on our blog, which can be problematic since we all have jobs and other lives, and the fact is that most of the comments we used to received were racist, threatening to us, and all over the place in terms of mean-spirited bunk.
But, to reiterate — the worst abusers are the corporations stuffing money into the few at the top and bilking the majority in the workforce. So, Radisson takes away its sponsorship of the Vikings NFL team because of a player accused of using a stick to swat his kid, when that hotel chain in fact has fought toth and nail to have living wage conditions for its workers. Now what sort of pressures does that minimum wage life, sans health insurance, do for families, for mental conditions of workers, for those nice moments when dads and moms break? Bullshit. We are a country that picks up on the small things, the dramas, instead of pushing for massive changes, including a minimum wage that is living and taxing the rich and the off-shore tax evaders and making the polluting industries play. How’s that iPhone working out, might be a question. How many Chinese workers are getting cancers by the process of making that piece of shit thin? Is that a cause on TV and in the minds of those going after two pigs or ten pigs in the NFL? Ya think cancer for mom or pop makes for healthy families?
The point of some of my juxtapositions is that we are a culture of info-tainment, of the low hanging fruit, of the bizarre, dramatic, reality TV thinking. We need real news, real truths and real change. Going after NFL, well, fine, but let’s go after HS rapists, College rapists, Military Academy rapists, and the soldiers all who commit crimes in war, and of course, their bosses, the officers and generals. Let’s start there, too.