By using epitaphs like nazi and racist over and over again the left has diminished the words to where they have sadly lost some of their meaning. I think that this what Voltaire meant about the children of the revolution eating their own. People on the left are now using it against each other instead of reserving it solely for white men who don't go along with the liberal agenda.

I would remind everyone that the the acronym nazi stood for Nationl Socialism. Hitler was a socialist when he started out in politics which certainly has never prevented people on the left from evoking his name.

Glenn, I would say that you need to learn some new words; the words nazi and racist come too easy and often from your own lips.

I've got five blogbucks says no GG commenter has ever made a polite remark only to be answered with an all-caps howl of "anti-semiiiiite" followed by a demand to know why the commenter hated Jews. Get hyper-literal much?

From 4 earlier letters to this post of Glenn's, all accusing Glenn of anti-semitism for criticizing the ADL:

"So who I came complain to

About Glenn Greenwald calling Jews in general, Nazis, by implication? Oh no one? Yeah I forgot; your mouth to God's ear. Antisemitism is fine, really but we should just accept that you're engaging in it as well. Just cop to it already. No one will think any different of you."

--Anonymous

Permalink Monday, October 8, 2007 02:59 PM

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"Glenn

Either you're channeling Mark Elf or you need to get help. 75% or more of your recent output is violently antizionist/antisemitic. It's no longer the label it's the sheer quantity."

-- (~~~~)

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"So what's on the plate for tomorrow, Glenn?

Columbus was a secret Jew bent on the extermination of the indigenous population as part of their world plan? I mean you missed a golden opportunity today by skipping over the anniversary of Kissinger's peace accord to end the Yom Kippur war (this day in defeated goals of exterminationist history).

--Anonymous

Permalink Monday, October 8, 2007 05:07 PM

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Nazis that he maybe ok with (and maybe not)?

Mr. Greenwald seems to be obsessed with all faults of Israel, any organization that defends the rights of Jews (even if it is incidental to the defense of all persons rights) and also seems to feel that Jewish orgs MUST police the use of the term "Nazi" by anyone who has nothing to do with their organization. At the same time he feels that any one who defends the constitutional rights of Jews in America or speaks at all favorably about Israel is a fifth columnist. I suggest people read his entire bio on wikipedia to get a better feel for his thinking were you will find this

".....One of Greenwald's more notable clients was neo-Nazi Matthew Hale. Hale was eventually jailed and tried for solicitation of murder against Joan Lefkow, who had been the federal judge in the trademark case. ...."

Funny it seems that he doesn't mind some people using the term "Nazi" just the ones he feels shouldn't use it as an insult with out his permission.

Go figure out where this guy comes from (pardon the dp)."

--Anonymous

Permalink Monday, October 8, 2007 08:42 PM

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If I wanted to bother to spend more than 5 minutes in a cursory search for baseless cries of "anti-semite" I could cull thru any other post of Glenn's that mentions neocons or AIPAC or the Israel Lobby or Israel itself and find additional examples.

And then, of course, there's Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter who have been called anti-semitic for labeling the Israeli system in the occupied territories an "apartheid" system, despite the fact that various prominent Israelis have also used the word apartheid to describe what is going on in the occupied territories.

Frankly, I consider it as silly as a white person crying racism just because apartheid South Africa, or white racism in America, is criticized. Unless someone either states or implies that all whites are bigots simply because of their ethnicity, the criticism is completely valid, and is not racist. Some whites are bigots. Some Jews are bigots. Some whites should be criticized for their hateful actions. Some Jews should likewise be criticized. Jews are just as susceptible to human failings as any other human beings. Unfortunately, there are too many who bandy about the term "anti-semite" who seem to think that if ANY Jew is faulted or accused of bigotry, that must mean that ALL Jews are being criticized. Its as if many of the hurlers of the "anti-semite" slur believe that all Jews must think and act alike, or in other words, those who unfoundedly accuse others of anti-semitism, are often believers in anti-semitic stereotypes themselves.

Glenn, first-time writer; long-time reader. For what it's worth, I sent the following via the ADL website:

RE: The Greenwald article. Mr. Foxman, why don't you put the issue to rest by condemning O'Reilly for likening Kos and MoveOn to Nazis and condemning Jonah Goldberg for likening Hillary Clinton to Hitler? Given all the other examples you cite, it ought to be easy. Your refusal so far to do so damages your credibilty. A child could see this.

I have four cases where comparisons to the holocausts can be favorably made--I've seldom heard these compared, which is telling.

The native Americans--this is certainly a better example of genocide realized. Our own history here is absolutely shameful. We offered them double dealing, never honored our own treaties and stole their land

The Stalinist murders--I believe Stalin murdered more Jews than Hitler. Perhaps it is harder to make Americans and Europeans feel the same culpability for these systematic murders as for Hitler.

The South/Central Americans--Columbus was tickled over how the natives would grab their broadswords, slicing their hands on the sharp blades. He wrote, these people are prime candidates for enslavement. Within 30 years their population was 1/10 of what it is when they arrived.

Black Americans under slavery--These people have one similarity with Columbus' victims. Both group's mothers would drown their own children sparing them from life under our domination.

This omits two other oft cited examples, the Armenians and the Palestinians. Further, I am disturbed by our protests of Burma/Myanmar, we've almost zero culpability for this oppression, while we ignore funding, arming and supporting Israeli "domination, oppression, humiliation and starvation of an entire people," to paraphrase 3000 IDF soldiers.