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Makes me think of an ethic joke...

Reader comment on item: Ali Mazrui, Antisemite

Submitted by Peter Herz (United States), May 26, 2010 at 10:44

I'm old enough to remember the golden age of the ethnic joke, back before everyone had to become PeeCee--or else! It seems as if Dr. Mazrui has tumbled into something similarly embarrassing.

But, before we get too much onto Jews and their brilliance--

Confucius, Lao Zi, Zhu Xi, Mo Zi, Zhuang Zi, etc. were all great philosophers, and they weren't Jewish.

Augustine of Hippo, Cyprian of Carthage, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, John Knox, Samuel Rutherford, John Ponet, John Witherspoon, Johannes Althusius, Francisco de Vitoria, Philippus Marnix van Sint Aldegonde, Francois Hotman, and Hubert Languet all synthesized questions of theology and social organization. None of them were Jewish.

Maybe we're aware of Jewish contributions because the Jews of the late 19th century and early 20th century, newly freed from a host of legal disabilities, tried very, very hard to prove they were worthy of acceptance in the wider society. They not only contributed richly in arts, sciences, letters, etc., but started talking loudly about what they had contributed--largely to combat the anti-Semitic bombast assailing them. However, I will bet the proverbial farm that if we wanted to, we could pick any people group--ethnic, religious, geographical--and come up with an equally impressive list. Anyone ever see the little books _How the Irish saved Civilization_ and _How the Scots Invented the Modern World_? Ever hear Germany described as _Das Land des Dichter und Denker_--the land of poets and thinkers?

Submitting....

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Reader comments (35) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Mazrui is a Classic Hypocrite [188 words]UkoAug 27, 2014 16:54217451
Makes me think of an ethic joke... [236 words]Peter HerzMay 26, 2010 10:44173416
Mazrui a scholar? [53 words]David NatanelMay 26, 2010 08:45173412
Not worth the paper it's written on [63 words]Mark D.May 25, 2010 21:22173403
1It May Be Drivel, But .......... [419 words]Ron ThompsonMay 25, 2010 18:43173395
Where's the White House [61 words]AlexMay 25, 2010 17:59173389
What Value is There of Intelligence that Works Against ANY Sector of Humanity? [418 words]M. ToveyMay 25, 2010 16:53173388
Stop the slogans and answer some questions! [199 words]Frank AdamMay 25, 2010 14:59173379
Ali, All Wrong [41 words]Sir Daniel M.J. TobinMay 25, 2010 12:09173375
One thing missing from his resume? [10 words]Sam DeakinsMay 25, 2010 07:25173358
Wrong direction [135 words]Doug GreenerMay 25, 2010 04:23173354
True Racisme [233 words]Cherif El-AyoutyMay 25, 2010 02:52173351
This is an excellent point [45 words]David LMay 27, 2010 11:16173351
ACADEMIC DEGENERACY [32 words]DAVID R.GROESBECKMay 25, 2010 01:23173349
Tell me please... [23 words]NancyMay 25, 2010 01:13173348
Ouch! [55 words]Merry WhitneyMay 25, 2010 00:50173347
Anti-Semitism and the Facts... [236 words]SarahMay 24, 2010 23:43173341
All the way down to the gutter [113 words]Abu NudnikMay 24, 2010 21:58173339
Mazrui a Rank antisemite [111 words]Nenette GrunbergMay 24, 2010 21:15173338
Where do they get these people? [104 words]Seamus Dafydd Dives MacNemiMay 24, 2010 20:25173336
The Threat [76 words]Mark D.May 24, 2010 20:23173335
1Academia under siege by Arab lies in the name of Allah [480 words]Carmen Waggoner, Ph.D.May 24, 2010 18:27173332
Maghreb-Atlas Arabs from Jews [120 words]Gábor FränklMay 29, 2010 05:40173332
1EUROPE HAS LOST IT'S COURAGE [56 words]MMAug 22, 2010 20:29173332
Being a rank antisemite is just what Mazrui required to boost his credentials . [51 words]M.D.May 24, 2010 18:21173331
Academic Freedom -- Academic Integrity [55 words]James S. OppenheimMay 24, 2010 18:14173330
Nazis invented it [51 words]JimmyMay 24, 2010 17:51173328
it goes to show that one can be well educated and still be ignorant ! [110 words]Phil GreendMay 24, 2010 17:43173327
The towering Ali Mazrui [65 words]DAVID KABACHIADec 11, 2010 07:28173327
African studies [19 words]Lewis LoflinMay 24, 2010 16:06173322
FROM THE MOUTH OF A KNOW NOTHING [200 words]MannyMay 24, 2010 15:56173318
"Academia" [21 words]Fred KravitzMay 24, 2010 14:47173316
Higher ed? [228 words]Doug CorriganMay 24, 2010 14:41173315
YELLOW RACE [13 words]DAVID KABACHIADec 13, 2010 03:12173315
Unfortunate [3 words]David LMay 24, 2010 14:40173314

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