Sen. George Allen: The Good Old Boy Is Jewish
Robert Paul Reyes
September 20, 2006
Sen. George Allen works very hard to cultivate the persona of a "good old boy", donning cowboy boots and collecting Confederate flags. His "aw shucks" demeanor has taken him all the way to the senate.
Bus his aspirations for the White House are in deep Macaca, and now, Oh Vey, it turns out that the good old boy is Jewish.
At this late stage in his life and political career, Allen has finally acknowledged he has Jewish roots.
I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line’s Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed,” Allen said in a statement on his Web site.
I am Hispanic and believe me I didn't learn that I was Latino by reading an online bio for one of the Web sites I write for. I am proud of whom I am and I have never tried to hide my ethnicity.
Allen quickly added, “I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian.” In other words, he was sending a signal to his redneck constituency, that he is still one of them at heart.
The statement was released only after Allen's ethnicity was brought up by a reporter.
From Slate.com writer Christopher Beam:
"During a debate on Monday with Democratic Senate candidate James Webb, Sen. George Allen issued a harsh rebuke to a panelist who asked Allen about his Jewish ancestry. The audience booed the question and Allen urged the journalist to "ask questions about issues that really matter to people here in Virginia" and refrain from 'making aspersions'".
Allen's response to the reporter's question reveals a self-loathing about his Jewish roots. If someone asked me if I am a Latino, I would answer unequivocally "Yes!", and I wouldn't think that the person was "making aspersions".
I doubt that Allen will start wearing a yarmulke instead of a cowboy hat, I just hope he will never get to wear anything with the presidential seal.
Bus his aspirations for the White House are in deep Macaca, and now, Oh Vey, it turns out that the good old boy is Jewish.
At this late stage in his life and political career, Allen has finally acknowledged he has Jewish roots.
I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line’s Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed,” Allen said in a statement on his Web site.
I am Hispanic and believe me I didn't learn that I was Latino by reading an online bio for one of the Web sites I write for. I am proud of whom I am and I have never tried to hide my ethnicity.
Allen quickly added, “I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian.” In other words, he was sending a signal to his redneck constituency, that he is still one of them at heart.
The statement was released only after Allen's ethnicity was brought up by a reporter.
From Slate.com writer Christopher Beam:
"During a debate on Monday with Democratic Senate candidate James Webb, Sen. George Allen issued a harsh rebuke to a panelist who asked Allen about his Jewish ancestry. The audience booed the question and Allen urged the journalist to "ask questions about issues that really matter to people here in Virginia" and refrain from 'making aspersions'".
Allen's response to the reporter's question reveals a self-loathing about his Jewish roots. If someone asked me if I am a Latino, I would answer unequivocally "Yes!", and I wouldn't think that the person was "making aspersions".
I doubt that Allen will start wearing a yarmulke instead of a cowboy hat, I just hope he will never get to wear anything with the presidential seal.
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