Is there a correlation between Jewish pride and willingness to defend against antisemitism?
We have seen evidence of such a correlation since the 1967 Six-Day War. In the 1940s and ’50s, one would be more likely to respond in the name of humanity and reason rather than particularly as a Jew. After Israel’s overwhelming defeat of the Arab armies in 1967, self-identified Jews started to view themselves as members of a collective empowered to defend itself. This shift parallels the way Blacks generally viewed themselves after the successes of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. In general, the earlier view, which held that all human beings have to abhor racial segregation, changed to the notion that a self-identified member of the group who is directly impacted–e.g., an African American–must respond when confronted with racism. Ethnic pride is “in” these days. What do you think is behind the popularity of Jon Stewart, who clearly feels comfortable proclaiming his Jewishness on The Daily Show, and the “Jewish Cool” movement, represented by Heeb magazine and Jewcy? I think these ex
