Jew-Bashing-It's Not Just For Racist Nutjobs Anymore:
Ahh, all things in history eventually come around to the Jews, don't they? If they're not money-changing and drinking blood from the skulls of Christian babies while giggling about gettin' that dirty Jesus nailed to the cross, then Israel is the source of all evil on earth. Man, what those Jews need is a good purging about now, huh? It's about time, right? Can I get a shout-out from my Muslim homeys?

At least that seems to be the deeply paranoid tone that's developing around the world right now. As befits an economy that's on the verge of collapse, the international community has taken to its old reliable saw of blame-the-Jews. (See the American variation: blame-the-blacks-and-or-spics.) No, this has nothing to do with the policies of a radical Christian American government that is attempting to tear apart the world like so many chops from a rack of lamb. And, no, it's got nothing to do with crazy-ass motherfuckers in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and, now (and you know why), Iraq going all postal at each other because of their smothering poverty. And it's got nothing to do with a fundamentalist government in Israel, so bloodthirsty at protecting its conquered land that they'll take down the rest of the world with them (excuse me, but is there an Itzhak Rabin anywhere in the goddamn desert?).

Nope: it's the fucking Jews in general. The Prime Minister of Malaysia said to a conference of Muslims, "Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them," before frothing at the mouth and biting the arm of his assistant. And he was cheered. And Greg Easterbrook, an editor of The New Republic , did a new twist on the Jews-run-Hollywood stereotype when he proclaimed that Kill Bill:Vol. 1 was such a disgusting film, it forced him to question whether the "Jewish executives . . . worship money above all else."

Of course, the problem here is not the Jews, the Muslims, and, even, really, the Christians: the problem is fundamentalist belief, which always rises when poverty does. If you're shit-poor, living in a hovel, begging in the streets for some wealthy person to piss in your direction while what work you do involves blowing your boss for wages that will assure your continued poverty, then who the fuck is going to help you? Your government? Not a fucking chance. Your neighbors who would sell your babies for a Big Mac? Nope. And don't even think about coroporations. All that's left is God, Jesus, Allah, whoever. And you're gonna defend that motherfucker with the last ounce of strength in your malnourished body.