This morning we referred and linked to an interview Ryan Lizza did with Alt-Right poster boy Milo Yiannopoulos in the New Yorker. What we didn't get into was Milo's excuse for his anti-Semitism, the old trope that he can't be an anti-Semite because he's partly Jewish.
In one clip, he cavalierly approves of sex with thirteen-year-olds and suggests that he once attended a party at which minors were sexually assaulted. In another, he talks about the “statistical fact” that “Jews own most of the banks” and “completely dominate the media.”...He also addressed his claim about Jewish control of the media. “My mother is Jewish. I was raised Jewish,” he said. “I said we are proportionally overrepresented in some industries, and I don’t think pointing out that fact is anti-Semitic.”
Trump and Those Darn Jews -by Michael WolkowitzI have heard a fraction of the speculation and detailed analyses of the basis for and confusion about President T’s purported Anti-Semitism. The manipulative use of his Jewish daughter, the ever-sinister Bannon and Breitbart, his relationships with Israel, the alt-right and white nationalist supporters, and a gazillion other things. While those other topics are interesting and may be relevant in ways, this is mostly just like the rest of his many problems: personal insecurity, jealousy, and resentment. Donald grew up in a Major New York Real Estate Family (note initial caps). Based (now-famously) originally in Queens, founded by his father, and well, not the top of the list, and not just when it came to the family fortune part. Check out what follows and then ask yourself if you are still in any way surprised or confused about that strain of Anti-Semitism running through those purported veins of his. The first on the list is just a reminder that Jews are not the only people he feels inferior to.A Sampler* of Notable New York’s Real Estate Dynasties ranked in order of wealth. These are all privately held fortunes so the numbers are somewhat speculative but well-substantiated.]**Except the last one.Overall notes:1. Each of these families has buildings, wings, and or entire institutions in the areas of Health and Education named after them.Except for the last one.2. Each of these families has members who are current Chairs and Members of Boards of organizations including (but not limited to):American Museum of Natural History, Columbia University, Cornell-Weill Medical Center, Memorial-Sloan Kettering, The New School for Social Research, The New Victory Theater, Rockefeller University, Smithsonian Institution, The Trust for Public Land. I could make the list double with no trouble at all.Except for the last one.3. Each of these families gives at least $5 million a year in miscellaneous philanthropic grants annually and far more (10x annual or more) for capital projects year after year, decade after decade.Except for the last one.Name/History-Ethnicity-Religion/Fortune//Samples of Civic EngagementROCKEFELLEROld-ish Money WASP Family private fortune: $10 BillionFoundation value: $3.5 BillionCivic Leadership: just walk around NYC for a few hours and read the names on the buildings.RUDINJEWISH Immigrants/Turn of the 19th/20th CenturyPrivate Family Fortune: $5.5 BillionCivic Leadership: Founded Association for Better NY; sponsored NY Marathon, support for NYPD; developments have focused on accessibility etc.They have streets named for them in Manhattan-- for good reason.DURSTJEWISH Immigrants/Turn of the 19th/20th CenturyPrivate Family Fortune: $5 BillionCivic Leadership: Several enormous buildings that are the most environmentally-green globally; NYC Job and Work Center; NY Water Taxi.Leading environmentalism includes largest organic farm in NY State.MILLSTEINJEWISH Immigrants/Turn of the 19th/20th CenturyPrivate Family Fortune: $4.5 BillionCivic Leaders: NY Blood Center, NYC Commission on the Homeless, Central Park Conservancy, National September 11th Memorial & Museum.TRUMPGERMAN Immigrants/Turn of the 19th/20th CenturyPrivate Family Fortune: Good question. $3 Billion? $4 Billion? Half a $Billion?Family Foundation: out-of-business, never gave much, used other people’s money for the wrong thingsCivic Leadership: Fixed a Skating Rink in Central Park once (sort of).Substantial Giving: Nope.* There are a several more, all with with similar profiles with greater net worth, civic participation, and philanthropy when compared with the bottom-most on the list, but this should give you the idea.** Multiple sources including: The Foundation Center, Guidestar, Federal 990s, Forbes Magazine, etc.
