# Why do people think Jews run everything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178 "2003-03-13T21:23:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/21 "2003-03-14T03:38:17Z")
Here’s what I want to know. If the Jews run everything, then 1)why do people keep on messing with them, and 2) why did Lieberman lose? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/22 "2003-03-14T04:49:08Z")
Further to **asterion** ’s point, I read a piece years ago that ostensibly was about the failure of affirmative action programs. In it the author made mention of the apparent “power” of Jews in various fields and attributed it largely to anti-semitism. For example the unwillingness of Christian law firms to hire Jews led to the formation of Jewish law firms which naturally encouraged more Jews to become lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/23 "2003-03-14T06:06:12Z")
Okay, where to start? > [@](#): > > Jews make more money. Historically the Rothschilds were few and far between. For most of history Jews were generally very poor. And hated. In contempary America they have, as a group done failrly well economically … and interestingly suffer less from antisemitism than in most other eras. > [@](#): > > The bible states that it is wrong to lend money. Back in the Dark Ages, Christians followed this rule (perhaps the Pope said so). The Jews also followed this rule, except they felt that it only applied to lending money to other Jews… Let’s go back to 1146. Antisemitism is in full flourish. The first blood libel occurred, in England, just two years prior, and incited much violence against Jews. Many more blood libels would follow. Governments in Germany and Austria, acting upon condemnation of usuary by those such as Bernard of Clairvaux, prohibit Christians from money-lending. Jews, forbidden from holding other professions are granted a monopoly and in some area forced by law to lend money to Christians. 1176 - The concept that Jews are property of the ruler is created. Oh Talmuds ordered burned by Popes things like that … Jews massacred as a result of a dispute over a loan … various royals dealing in loans through Jewish strawmen … Thomas Aquinas encourages soveriegns to treat Jews as their property … 1275 King Edward I forbids Jewish usuary and forbids the collection of debts. 1289 he expels the Jews of Gascony and takes all their property. 1290 he expels all Jews from England. 1306 Philip IV expels Jews from France. 1385 King Wenceslas IV has a great way to endear himself to his Christian subjects. Declare one forth of all owed to Jews as null and void. Many countries start forbidding Jewish moneylending. Jews expelled and killed during the Inquistion. 1543 Martin Luther, who at first had felt that Jews would be attracted to his new Christianity, reacts to the lack of mass conversion with hatred: Writes _About the Jews and their Lies_ Mostly Jews lived in poverty. Interestingly, the best known image of the Jewish moneylender, Shylock, was created by Shakespeare sometime in the latter part of the 16th century … even though Shakespeare never met a Jew - they had been expelled from Englang more than 350 years before he was born - and Jewish moneylending had been outlawed in many other lands. Jews were hated before they ever were forced to become moneylenders. I’m sure that it didn’t help, but it wasn’t the cause of anti-semitism and the charge of undue influence that goes with it. But back to the op: Stereotypes are based on limited exposure. The vast majority of this country is made up of Christians who know fairly few real people Jews. Instead their mental image of _Jew_ is based on visible ones. The highly visible Jew in politics (eg a Kissinger) on TV, Jews involved in media, the genius Jew (Einstein, Freud), Jews involved in the professions … my Uncle Julius who couldn’t influence a fly to land on rotting meat they don’t know. My cousin who is an idiot they don’t know. So the image is percieved of highly influential Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Radon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Radon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Radon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/24 "2003-03-14T06:24:58Z")
The Jews have a special role in history. The survival of His chosen people, without great numbers and without a land of our own, over the millenia is a miracle of some importance. Despite the conquest by the Babylonians and the Romans, the oppressions of living Christian Europe and Moslem Middle East, the holocaust of the Nazis and the anti-semitism of the Czars and the Communists, a Jewish State exists. There have never been very large numbers of Jews, but it’s apparently the Lords wish that special burdens be placed upon the Jewish people. I can’t say I understand it. The Babylonian culture is dead. The religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans is gone, very little of their ideas at all survive in our society – a little science, some architecture, and some important Greek mathematics. The Inquisition has come and gone, Nazism has come and gone, Communism has come and gone. The Jews are still here. All through that time there was one kind of anti-semitism or another. There have been variations, Jews have been accused being Communistic and Capitalists. Hitler had a racial theory, thought that it was something inherited biologically. Medievel Europe tried to convert the Jews, Hitler didn’t care. The Jews remain. Surprising everybody. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/25 "2003-03-14T12:28:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DSeid \* > \*\*Historically… \*\* Very nicely done, **DSeid**. What’s upsetting about the current anti-semitic comments quoted in the OP is that they are simply a continuation of anti-semitic stereotypes that have existed for many hundreds of years. These myths have been debunked over and over, yet they still return. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/26 "2003-03-14T12:38:27Z")
I get annoyed when people conflate “Jewish” with “Israeli”. There are strong pro-Israel lobbyists in the US; many of their members are Jewish. That doesn’t mean that there is a Jewish conspiracy. On the flipside, it annoys me when criticism of Israeli policy is interpreted as anti-semitic. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/27 "2003-03-14T13:15:23Z")
Now, let’s see if this fellow is forced to resign… ---
**Author:** ![Radon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Radon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Radon)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/28 "2003-03-14T13:19:42Z")
Anti-semites also criticize Israel, so the mix is in there. And some of the Arabls have in the past and now take a very anti-semitic (anti-jewish) position. So it’s a judgement call. Ariel Sharon behaved very badly in the case of the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camp massacres. But it was the “Christian” Phalange in Lebanon that went in there and murdered people with their bare hands. Yet **all** the public criticism goes to Sharon. Why? Well, it could be political, part of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Or, in some cases, it could be anti-semitism. The government of Syria murdered tens of thousands of Shia Islamic Militants in the city of Hama (in Syria). The world doesn’t blink. No coverage. Relatively small numbers of deaths in Palestine or Israel (on either side) get lots of coverage. In Europe, one Palestinian death is a major event. Well, of course, it is. But why is the Syrian murder spree ignored? Anti Jewish prejudice? Do they expect less of Muslims because they think so little of them? Again, it’s a judgement call. Of course, Israelis criticize their government policies all the time. Sometimes they call each other anti-semitic. Here’s a link I think you’ll find [interesting](http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~jkatz/arafathusseini.html) and informative. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/29 "2003-03-14T13:28:51Z")
You know, I think it’s actually anti-Arab prejudice: the west (or at least its media) _expects_ Arabic countries to be murderous. It doesn’t expect a pro-western, western-funded democracy to be so too. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/30 "2003-03-14T13:31:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Florentine Pogen \* > \*\* > I myself am Jewish. While I know many wealthy Jewish people (doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc etc), I don’t see how people could think that Jews are more influential than Christians, Muslims, whatever. > \*\* Were there any accusations of jews controlling the media prior to the 20th century? When movie making moved to Hollywood many of the studio founders were jewish. Maybe that’s one of the factors that contribute to people believing they run the media. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/31 "2003-03-14T13:31:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*I get annoyed when people conflate “Jewish” with “Israeli”. There are strong pro-Israel lobbyists in the US; many of their members are Jewish. That doesn’t mean that there is a Jewish conspiracy. > > On the flipside, it annoys me when criticism of Israeli policy is interpreted as anti-semitic. \*\* Your first point is well taken. As for the second, it’s rare to see general criticism of Israel equated with anti-Semitism. What’s true is that virulent, irrationally biased criticism of Israel often is a manifestation of anti-Semitism. For examples on this board, look no further than [this guy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=153221). [This person](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=108310) had [similar problems](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=108685). And let’s not forget this [current example.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=165730) With all this power and control supposedly afforded me by The Jewish Conspiracy™, why is it that I’m still working 70-hour weeks? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/32 "2003-03-14T13:31:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > What’s upsetting about the current anti-semitic comments quoted in the OP is that they are simply a continuation of anti-semitic stereotypes that have existed for many hundreds of years. These myths have been debunked over and over, yet they still return. Yep, but then again, when you’re offered the opportunity – as I did in those two recent threads about Jews in the media - to deny or accept that newspapers like the NYT, the Wash Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, etc, etc, etc are controlled by ‘pro-Israeli’ interests, no ‘pro-Israeli’s’ on the board answer. If you were to dispute the cited assertions _and_ even provide evidence, we might have something to work with. Instead, what tends to happen is the poster is attacked, or his motivations, the thread is hijacked, the cited source is smeared …. everything but answer the question. Asa you now seem keen to debunk “myths” **December** , will you dispute or accept – as has been repeatedly cited - the NYT, the Wash Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Boston Globe are all controlled by Jews, and if the former on what evidential basis ? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/33 "2003-03-14T13:53:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > \*\*…the NYT, the Wash Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Boston Globe are all controlled by Jews… \*\* **London\_Calling** appears to be returning to his favorite obsession. Please supply a link to any thread in which you’ve conclusively demonstrated that Jews are “controlling” (i.e. improperly influencing) news coverage on Israel or any other issue covered in the newspapers you cite. Since you hemmed, hawed and ducked when I asked you to supply these proofs in [a previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?&threadid=89483), I have no great hopes you’ll come through this time, but the results should be good at least for entertainment value. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/34 "2003-03-14T13:58:33Z")
\*… and right on cue … \* The question, as it always seems to, still stands. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/35 "2003-03-14T14:30:30Z")
I was wrong. Not even entertainment value. **London\_Calling** is still casting aspersions and ducking. But thank you for stopping in to add your name to the list of posters I cited above. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/36 "2003-03-14T14:34:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > … when you’re offered the opportunity…to deny or accept that newspapers like the NYT, the Wash Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, etc, etc, etc are **controlled by ‘pro-Israeli’ interests** , no ‘pro-Israeli’s’ on the board answer…As you now seem keen to debunk “myths” **December** , will you dispute or accept – as has been repeatedly cited - the NYT, the Wash Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Boston Globe are all **controlled by Jews** , and if the former on what evidential basis? (emphasis added) **London\_Calling** , you seem to have conflated “pro-Israel” with “Jewish” in the quoted post. The New York Times is controlled by a Jewish family, but they are not pro-Israel. OTOH the Wall Street Journal appears to have few Jewish names on their masthead, but they are passionately pro-Israel. The Washington Times is owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and they are passionately pro-Israel. Conservative talk-radio hosts Rush Limbaugh, Bob Grant and Sean Hannity are passionately pro-Israel. [Conservative Arab-American Joseph Farah is passionately pro-Israel](http://www.worldnetdaily.com/). The split is more like Conservative/Liberal. For some reason, conservatives in the US tend to support Israel more than liberals do. This was not the case 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/37 "2003-03-14T14:36:26Z")
Oh goody, I’m on the “List”. Thank you, Senator McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/38 "2003-03-14T14:39:29Z")
So you’re saying that **L\_C** is a anti-Semite because he asks for proof that those papers are not controlled by pro Israeli sources? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/39 "2003-03-14T14:47:56Z")
I’ll get back to you later **december** on your post but I have to say I love ‘The Washington **Times** ’ gag. That’s just desperate ! Just for kicks, how about 'The Washington **Post** and the Graham family ? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178/40 "2003-03-14T15:22:26Z")
A common theme running through anti-Semitism is that Jews “control” world events through manipulation of banking, politics, media etc. ad nauseum. This paranoid vision runs back through such stellar pieces of fakery as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Some people who are bewildered and upset about world affairs take comfort in a simple explanation involving an evil cabal that runs everything. Jews have historically been a leading target. I have challenged **London\_Calling** on his restatement of the “Jews Run The Media” theme, because it feeds into this strain of anti-Semitism. It would be one thing if he were to attempt to present evidence that not only are Jews on the boards of directors or part of ownership of media organizations, but are involved in manipulation of reporting and editorializing. He’s been given ample opportunity to make his case, but can only resort to smirky insinuations about “control” without facts. _“So you’re saying that L\_C is a anti-Semite because he asks for proof that those papers are not controlled by pro Israeli sources?”_ It’s the standard on this board that if one proposes dubious and controversial theories, one is obliged to back them up with appropriate citations and facts if challenged. Others are not obliged to _disprove_ such ravings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-jews-run-everything/161178.md?page=3)