So... as part of my job at Patheos, I posted a discussion in our discussion forum. Here is a link to it - Are Jews to Blame?
In a nutshell (help I'm in a nutshell... sorry couldn't resist) it discusses that more Democrats than Republicans BLAME JEWS!!! for the financial crisis!!!! 34%, in fact!! That is incredible to me considering that we Jews don't have any financial magical power. There are those stereotypes. There have always been those stereotypes. Why? Because back in the day, Jews were forbidden from doing many jobs. Money lending was considered "dirty" so it was relegated to the "hated" class, the Jews. Hence, we got pretty good with numbers and some families stay in the business. Now, I don't have my head in the sand and I know that Bernie Madoff perpetrated one of the largest ponzi schemes in the history of the world and that he was Jewish but what about these?
(My post continues below these...)
(borrowed from - Business Pundit)
In 1880, Boston Ponzian Sarah Howe promised women 8% interest on a “Ladies Deposit.” She said it was only for women, selling an implicit assumption of safety. She took the Money
and ran.
9. The Haiti Haters - not Jewish
Ponzi schemes popped up all over Haiti in the early 2000’s. These schemes sold themselves as government-backed “cooperatives.” They ran mainstream-sounding ads, some of which featured Haitian pop stars. As a result, people felt safe investing more than $240 million–60% of Haitian GDP in 2001–into the schemes, which ended up being a massive swindle.
8. The Scientologist Snake - Scientologist
Earthlink co-founder and Scientology minister Reed Slatkin posed as a brilliant investment advisor
for A-list Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. Working out of his garage, Slatkin cheated the rich and famous out of roughly $593 million, creating fake statements referring back to fake brokerage firms to prove his mettle. He fed the Church of Scientology with millions of his winnings. In 2000, the SEC caught wind that Slatkin wasn’t licensed, and busted the scheme.
7. The Lottery Uprising - no evidence of Jewish involvment
When Albania was moving out from behind the Iron Curtain in the mid-1990s, a powerful government and environment of questionable ethics resulted in a financial system dominated by pyramid schemes. The government endorsed various Ponzis, which robbed the majority of the population and netted more than $1 billion in losses. Albanians rioted and overthrew the government.
6. The Costa Rica Crooks - evidence of Christian faith
Three Costa Rican brothers, Enrique, Osvaldo and Freddy Villalobos, defrauded clients–mostly American and Canadian retirees–out of $400 million in a 20-odd-year unregulated loan
scheme that started in the late 1980s. They promised interest rates of 3% per month on a minimum investment of $10,000. Villalobos moved money through shell companies before paying investors. Its staying power had to do with the fact that margins were low, the brothers were disciplined, and the outfit just barely skirted past laws.
5. The Biblical Bilker - Christian
In fraud-rich Florida, the Greater Ministries International church used Bible-speak to cheat its flock out of $500 million. Starting in the early 1990s, the church, led by gun-toting minister Gerald Payne, offered worshipers investments in gold coins. Payne then created an investment plan that would “double the ‘blessings’ that people invested” by funneling money towards the church’s fake precious metals investments. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Payne said that God had modernized the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and asked him to share the secret.
$500 million later, the Feds caught Payne, but most investors never got their money back.
4. The Boy Band Bandit - Jewish
Beginning in the late 1980s, Lou Pearlman, Art Garfunkel’s cousin and former manager of ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, offered attractive returns through his FDIC-insured Trans Continental Savings Program. The scheme was neither a savings and loan nor FDIC-approved, but that didn’t stop Pearlman from bilking investors out of nearly $500 million, with which he planned on funding three MTV shows and an entertainment complex.
3. The Retiree Plunderer - no evidence of Jewish heritage
Mexican resort owner Michael Eugene Kelly schemed retirees and senior citizens out of $428 million. He offered them timeshare investments in Cancun hotels that he called “Universal Leases.” The timeshares came with rental agreements promising investors a nice fixed rate of return. Most of his victims used their retirement savings, thinking they would get solid, low-risk returns. The SEC says that “more than $136 million of the funds invested (came) from IRA accounts.” Kelly, meanwhile, bought himself a private jet, racetrack, and four yachts.
2. Madman Madoff - Jewish
Bernard Madoff’s scam is still unfolding. The facts as we know them now are that Madoff spent decades building the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, bilking nonprofits, famous people, funds, banks, and countless others out of $50 billion.
1. The Namesake - no evidence of Jewish heritage
The King of Get Rich Quick, Charles Ponzi became a millionaire in six months by promising investors 50% return in 45 days on international postal coupon investments. He earned $15 million, which in 1920s terms was serious money. After Ponzi was caught, investors only received $5 million back.
More after the jump
Why does it come up when they are Jewish but you don't hear, "Catholic Jim Smith just stole 180 bazillion dollars from little old ladies." When a Jew or Muslim missteps, it has to be a symptom of a horrible religion?
Well, it seems like age old anti-semitism is taking hold again. Here are a few interesting studies - Pew shows us that there are increasingly negative views of Jews in Europe but also in America - here.
This is the study about the Dems and Jews - here
I would be interested to hear your opinions too. Here are what some of my Facebook friends have said -
MF - while I'd like to see their methodology a bit more closely, if this is indeed accurate, it's pretty alarming, but I wouldn't say surprising. Racism exists more than we care to admit (ask the Harvard professor). And, frankly, lots of people still think that "THE JEWS" control the global financial system.
JB - Awesome. I think I'll be starting up a concierge service for overseas relocation...call it MOT Travel. France, England, Sweden anyone?
DS - Seriously? Anti-Semitism is so 1900's!
SS - I mean, isn't easier to blame the Jews than anyone else... Doesn't history prove this? the more things change, the more they stay the same.
BF - Why does this not surprise me?
LZ - It's the WWJC, don't let the gentiles know that the World Wide Jewish Conspiracy is alive and well. Let's ask the financial branch to find out who these 34% are and ruin their credit ;) I mean we do run the banks. While we're at it call the boys in Media to cover it up, because we run Hollywood too, right.
Idiots!
My response to these -
I couldn't agree more, guys. I was really surprised to read that more Dems than Repubs felt this way. It is interesting that people equate Democrats with Jews. While that is true for most reform Jews, it is the opposite for orthodox. Because they are socially conservative, they align more with the Republicans.
Also, most Evangelical Christians are Republican and too, most Evangelicals are Israel supporters.
But yes, DS, anti-semitism is so 1900's but alive and well here. Reading some comments about Israel and Jews lately has made me want to hurl.
DS - As a Christian, I see myself first and foremost a supporter of justice, peace, and truth, regardless of nationality, race, gender, etc. So, whenever there is oppression, violence, or deception, I mourn how far these practices are from the Almighty's desires of people.
BR - Hrm. Coincidentally, just ran across this today: http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=262
CL - All I can say is that is dumb.
Interesting conversation today.
