Trump seems to see Jews accurately.
“Abe, it’s antisemitism. All my members will be Jewish.”
“Donald – that’s antisemitism,” Foxman said. “You don’t know who your members will be.”
If that is antisemitism, then antisemitism is hardly a fearful thing.
“To say that only Jews will be members meant that only Jews have money – it was stereotypic,” Foxman recalled in a recent interview. “For him, it may have been an assessment of business opportunities. He’s a shrewd businessman.”
Stereotypes are usually true.
His relationship with the Jewish community offers exceptional insight into the tolerance of a man whose unpredictable presidential campaign has been defined, by many, as one of the most culturally and racially divisive in modern American political history.
Healthy tolerance means tolerating those who are likely to be useful to your group. Unhealthy tolerance means tolerating those who will likely be bad for your group.
Trump seems to have something of an affirmative prejudice toward Jews.
How terrible!
They believe he considers Jews a group of rich, smart, successful and generally powerful deal makers…
That’s particularly true of Ashkenazi Jews with their average IQ in the 110-120 range.
“In some ways, Donald Trump and his relationship with the Jews is the latest chapter in a very long history of ambivalence and dichotomous relations,” Jonathan Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History, said in an interview. “The line between philosemitism and antisemitism is often a difficult one – the line is thin. It’s not bright red. Often you can find within the same person both tendencies, and Trump is a study in that.”
You could say the exact things about Jews’ relationships with gentiles. “In some ways, Jonathan Sarna and his relationship with gentiles is the latest chapter in a very long history of ambivalence and dichotomous relations. The line between pro-gentilism and anti-gentilism is often a difficult one — the line is thin. It’s not bright red. Often you can find within the same Jew both tendencies, and Sarna is a study in that.”
What two groups that live with each and compete with each other don’t have long histories of ambivalence and dichotomous relations?
The process for securing an apartment wasn’t hard for her Jewish family. “We met the requirements,” she said.
Fred Trump wanted to rent to Jews on Long Island. That was a sound business decision. If he had rented to more blacks and Puerto Ricans, he would likely have made less money.
Jewish tenants were his preference.
That’s smart. How many people get rich and prosperous and lead happy peaceful lives renting primarily to blacks? What majority black cities or countries would you like to live in? I can’t think of any.
Trump Management believes that Jewish tenants are the best tenants.” Another agent was instructed to rent only to “Jews and executives” and to disregard the applications of blacks.
Commonsense. How many Uber drivers want to pick up young black men? How many homeowners want to take in blacks via AirBNB?
And whatever prejudice Fred may have maintained against “colored” people, he demonstrated a consistent willingness to work with and befriend Jews beyond simply renting to them.
Different groups have different gifts.
Donald’s older brother, Freddy Trump Jr., joined a Jewish fraternity at Lehigh University in 1960, claiming to at least some pledgees that his father was part of the tribe…
When Jews are in power, it makes sense to claim to be Jewish.
Sarna said that Christian European immigrants to New York during this time were often torn between what they had in common with their Jewish European brethren, and what appeared to set them apart.
Jewish-European immigrants to New York during this time were often torn between what they had in common with their gentile European brethren, and what appeared to set them apart.
“Ambivalence is the right word,” said Sarna. “On the one hand, lots of German Americans had lots of Jewish friends in this period. And yet they were always different as Jews, and they knew that they were different – and at crucial moments, the two really came to be at loggerheads.”
Ambivalence is the right word. On the one hand, lots of Jewish Americans had lots of gentile friends in this period. And yet they were always different as goyim, and they knew that they were different – and at crucial moments, the two really came to be at loggerheads.
…Donald’s father as a “reserved, well-dressed executive” who came from a “different time” when discrimination was acceptable business practice.
Success and safety in life and in business depend upon discrimination.
“He surrounds himself oddly enough with Jewish personnel, both then and now: his real estate lawyer is Jewish, his house counsel is Jewish, his controller is Jewish, his chief of staff, chief financial officer, executive vice president, his first executive vice president – I was his litigator for 15 years,” Jay Goldberg, who worked for Trump from 1990 to 2005, said in an interview.
I suspect Trump tries to choose people are best suited for the job, and these jobs in New York are more likely to be filled with Jews than Puerto Ricans.
“When we talk about the Jewish community and I really think about it, I can’t think of one Christian person on his senior staff,” said Goldberg, who will vote for Trump in November. “It’s amazing to me. It’s almost prejudice in favor of Jewish people.”
Trump does not seem terribly Christian. He uses Christianity like he uses Jews.
“I’ve got black accountants at Trump Castle and at Trump Plaza. Black guys counting my money,” Trump said, according to the 1991 biography. “I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”
I don’t think many businesses will flourish using blacks to track their money as opposed to Jews.
