Friday, December 26, 2008

Madoff: An Ugly Stereotype Rears Its Ugly Head

The one aspect of the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme scandal that I am loathe to discuss is the fact that Mr. Madoff is Jewish.
That is a painful fact for me because I am part Jewish. I must emphasise that in the cultural sense since I am a Christian. My father's family are practicing Jews but my father, God rest his soul, was not.
Now in this story, it is really inescapable and has fed into my worst fears as to what Mr. Madoff has done. He has singlehandedly set back the Jewish people by feeding into the vile anti-Semitism of many. And it is on the left and the right. Anti-Semitism is one of those rare cases in which the fringes on both sides seem to be able to agree on.
My problems are these with Mr. Madoff.
He stole from Peter to pay Paul. Hence, that is what a ponzi scheme is. It is always bad when one does that from his or her own people and or faith community. And, it is something that has happened many, many times to churches.
And, he paid off a lot of Democrats.
And, worst of all, not one person seemed to want to think the worst of this guy for he has been doing this scheme for decades.
The racial/religious bigots are having a field day, but I think the three points that I made above are the three issues we need to discuss on this matter.
The fact that Mr. Madoff is Jewish and that he took a lot of Jewish people in his scheme is bad, but has no bearing over the fact that he is an alleged crook. Crookery knows no race, religion, social standing.
Remember that when discussing this matter.

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