Outrageous! Deputy Commander opens staff meeting with offensive antisemitic Passover joke explaining why so few Jews ever get promoted! MRFF assists Jewish officer who “felt gut punched” by the “joke.”
From: (Active Duty Military Officer’s/MRFF Client’s E-mail Address Withheld)
Subject: Deputy Commander tells joke explaining why so few Jews ever get promoted
Date: April 21, 2024 at 11:33:06 AM MDT
To: Information Weinstein <[email protected]>
Mr. Weinstein and (MRFF Base Rep’s name withheld),
My wife and I thought about whether to write a thank you note to you both after what I just went through or should we just let it go? We decided that we had to thank you both after what went down. Just please keep our names out of it.
Earlier last week our Deputy Commander (name and rank withheld) of my unit (unit name withheld) at (military installation name withheld) opened up our weekly staff meeting with what he termed a “seasonal joke”. He asked why “so few Jews ever make senior rank in the military”? With a big smile he then answered his own question by saying it was because “Jews celebrate their Passover”. I felt gut punched! I was shocked!
For those who do not know when you don’t get promoted in the military it is commonly termed that you got “passed over” for promotion.
I am a (junior officer rank withheld) with a very common American last name. I keep my Jewish faith very hidden. Pretty much nobody knows. I learned to cover this up at the (U.S. military Academy name withheld) as a (cadet or midshipmen) where I came to see firsthand that being Jewish was never in favor by my Academy chain of command.
I had first asked the MRFF for help years ago during my first year at the Academy in (year withheld) when my (Academy cadet or midshipman upperclass senior rank and title withheld) made remarks about how “Jews worship dollar bills more than their God”). Other similar words of antisemitism were spoken about Jews by this (cadet or midshipmen) and even others as days passed. This was very hurtful to me. I asked my parents what to do? My parents got me in touch with the MRFF. I had not really heard such things said so commonly about my Jewish faith before I got to the Academy. I did not stand up back then. I should have as Mr. Weinstein said he would ensure punishment for what had been said by those upperclassman. But my parents and I feared the kind of consequences that Mr. Weinstein and his kids had received at the military Academy they attended when they stood up.
But this very public slur by my Deputy Commander at our staff meeting was too much!
I discussed what to do with my wife. She knew the wife of our MRFF Rep here at (installation name withheld) as they are both involved with some child welfare charity work here on base.
My MRFF Rep advised me to call Mr. Weinstein right away. He gave me Mr. Weinstein’s personal cell phone information and I called him directly after work that day. He answered his own phone and asked for some contact information for my chain of command. My wife and I did not even want to know any of the specifics as to what the MRFF was going to do here as we trusted them totally!
The following afternoon my MRFF Rep called me to tell me that both my Deputy Commander and Commander had been ordered to report in to the office of (name, rank and title of superior Commander).
The meeting lasted only less than 5 minutes apparently. I don’t know what happened but at our unit staff meeting on Friday the Deputy Commander gave his face-saving version of an apology for the Passover joke remark. He told us that while he now sees he was “a bit out of line” to make that joke he “meant no harm” and that “some of his best friends are Jewish”. He also said that he “ran that joke by them” after the fact and they all thought it was funny and harmless. He finished by saying “If I offended any of you I’m sorry. I didn’t even know that any of you were Jewish”? My wife and I were appalled at what he said in this “apology”.
His so-called “apology” was weak but at least he got some negative facetime with (name, rank and title of superior Commander) and maybe even embarrassed himself to our immediate Commander. I don’t know? I’m still very upset by all of this as is my wife who is also Jewish.
Mr. Weinstein told me that if we want to go further he and MRFF will help us. But for now I think we just want to wait. Without the MRFF we never would have not even gotten this far. Even after what had happened years ago at the Academy I did not expect to see this kind of blatant antisemitism when I got out into the (service branch name withheld). I won’t just take it anymore as I have been doing.
My wife and I want to really express our thanks to Mr. Weinstein, (name of installation MRFF Rep withheld) and all of the MRFF for being there for us and taking action for us. There was no safe alternative but to ask for the MRFF’s help here. If and when (more likely when now, I guess) it happens again we will not hesitate to call the MRFF for help.
Thank you Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF for all you guys do for all of us in the service!
(Active Duty Military Officer’s/MRFF Client’s name, rank, MOS/AFSC, title, unit, and installation names all withheld)
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I’m saddened that antisemitism is so rampant in our military. I grew up Catholic on the West Coast, in a major metropolitan area, taught by a very liberal group of nuns who never hesitated to offer sharp scoldings for any kind of unkind statement toward any religious group, cultural group, or race. Or women–my high school was all girls, and my nuns were raising up the next generation of judges, politicians, nonprofit directors, and so forth. At least, that was their intent.
I can’t imagine that military people who take antisemitic, racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or anti-[religious persuasion] jabs are in any way fostering group cohesion. Must we burden our servicepeople with fear that an anti-whatever teammate or commanding officer won’t have their back? Why are top brass not hammering on this hard?
Should any Jewish memeber of the Armed Forces ever be confronted by the same rhetorical “question” as to why so few Jews attain senior military rank, provide THIS simple answer:
BECAUSE Jews comprise only 2.4% of the U.S. population, THAT’S why.
I grew up right across the Hudson River from USMA West Point and recall that during that period one of the Superintendants of the Academy was the four-star General Andrew Goodpaster, a Jew.
If placing the training of a generation of Army leadership in the hands of a Jewish general officer had the confidence of the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense and Department of the Army, then it should have been good enough for anybody.
I think:
The October 7 slaughter of Israelis and attack on Israel, and the Israel government’s actions in Gaza in response, have emotions running high. Even reputable newspapers have proven to be fertile ground for “a lot of the old animosity to resurface” (as a Jewish acquaintance of mine observed recently). Outrageous, derisive and defamatory caricatures of Jewish organizations like the IHRA and ADL seem to appear regularly, for example.
The MRFF has done so much for those Christians, atheists and other non-Jews complaining of proselytizing and worse over the last 20 years or so.
I hope somehow, all MRFF beneficiaries might now return the favor but //especially// to those whom these MRFF beneficiaries know are Jewish, here in the United States and at U. S. military bases abroad.
Recently I came up short in an exchange where a fellow service academy graduate made a thinly veiled comment derisive to Jews as a group. I was in denial. I was cowardly. I have since taken a vow that anytime anyone says something derisive to Jews, I will respond: “If I were Jewish, //would// you be saying this to //me//?” If they want a lecture from me, they will get it. If the conversation is over instantly, so be it. If the friendship ends, good riddance. I say: Enough.
Regarding this rhetorical question asking why “so few Jews ever make senior rank in the military”:
If this Deputy Commander had any awareness of the world at all, it might cross his mind that anti-semitism may have suppressed more than one Jew from reaching her/his full potential. (I would bet on it.) Why on earth would he be so clueless as to make light of this?
He wasn’t clueless. He is a bigot who was showing his character when he didn’t think anyone would hold him accountable for his words.
You know there’s a culture of bias and hostility toward Jews in an organization when there are many recurring incidents of people in positions of authority spewing anti-Jewish comments. The military has allowed and encouraged this situation to thrive by ignoring it and issuing mild discipline when forced to acknowledge incidents here and there. MRFF is needed now more than ever, as the bigots have been emboldened by high-ranking politicians, cultural icons wielding malign influence, and the indifference of higher-ranking commanders.
oh my god!!! cancel him immediately. jokes arent allowed anymore! spread the word!
Troll, humor, defined as punching up is always welcome. Bigotry on display by one’s superior means they are punching down, not up. That’s never ok. Ever.
Thank you for coming to my class on humor troll. You appeared to be clueless, thought I’d help. You’re welcome.
That’s fucking ridiculous, and that is not how comedy works.
There are no rules in comedy.
Try again though libtard.
Tell me you know nothing about comedy….
libtard, did you think that up all by yourself sweet pea? How precious! Bless your heart.
Oh please. Some jerk-off leftist coins the phrase “punch-up/punch-down” a few years ago, and then all the little no-brain lefties start using these buzzword terms after their outrage with Dave Chapelle… and now you are a self-appointed expert in the field of comedy. It would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
You sound like you are reaching CornPop. I know stretching when not used to it can make you sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Well Grape Nuts, we’re off topic which is bigotry, in your face with a rubber mace bigotry.
It’s ok by the troll when bigots target those they discriminate against anyway. They would never be thrown under the bus like that, no way.
I’m sure you’re correct boo. The history books aren’t all that accurate and never mention the fate of those who did the original dirty work and then were eliminated during the “final” purity purge. Well, maybe a few (hundred) times but you should be fine. Yeah, fine.
I’m done playing with this one. Anyone else want a go?
Unfortunately, antisemitism was rampant in the military for much of the early 20th century and there was the Jewish-Bolevisk conspiracy during that same time period.
The 1947 movie Crossfire hit a nerve with the American public because of antisemitism that had occurred in that movie.
CornPop wrote “Some jerk-off leftist coins the phrase “punch-up/punch-down” a few years ago, and then all the little no-brain lefties start using these buzzword terms.”
He calls them “buzzword terms” because he doesn’t want to think about what they mean. “Punch up” refers to the weak and powerless using nasty humor to verbally attack the powerful.
“Punch down” refers to the powerful using nasty humor to verbally attack the weak and powerless. The reason he doesn’t want to think about what they mean is that he’s allied with, or part of, the group that practices the latter.
It is quite amazing how antisemitism was rampant in America after World War I due to Communism and Jewish-Bolevisk conspiracy, then it had disappeared in America during World War II, and then it had immediately rose up again after the end of the Second World War.
There was no Jewish-Bolshevik conspiracy. That’s just a bigoted trope that denies the fact that some Jews joined the Bolshevik revolution because they were poor and their rights were disregarded by those in power – just like the majority of the Bolsheviks (who were not Jewish).
Huh, Gunther uses a racist trope to besmirch humans just trying avoid dying from starvation or extreme temperatures. It’s almost as if the suffering of their fellow humans means nothing to them.
The challenge of what to do with humans who insist it’s their way or the highway is a vexing one. In the histories I’ve read many societies existed in peace for centuries, that is until someone came along and decided all that self determination and agency was an affront to their need for control. Whether they took advantage of a natural disaster or gathered enough humans of like mind to seize control there is always an authoritarian on scene who just can’t stand humans taking care of things on their own and not because the authoritarian of the day gave the command.
I’d say shoot the authoritarian until they are no longer a problem but that solution always, always ends up poorly when the authoritarians defenders overwhelm the peaceful citizens by doing the unspeakable, another authoritarian trait.
So in the war of tit for tat how far down the violence rabbit hole are we supposed to go? Kids for kids, families for families, torture, dismemberment; we humans really like our gore as art and history are filled with both.
Here’s the paradoxical answer I’ve discovered – every citizen of a society must not only be able to act independently but also when necessary to act in cohesion with other citizens. No clue how to make this happen but then I’m not an authoritarian.
The MRFF, obviously, fights against unconstitutional religious bullying of any flavor, directed against any target, religious or not.
Typically, it’s Christian bullying that is the target of the MRFF’s actions given the Christian strength of numbers in the military and their Christian Nationalist agenda.
However, regarding anti-semitism, Netanyahu and his ultra-right Likud Kahanists are the single biggest driver of anti-semitism on the planet. Netanyahu doesn’t survive, politically, without anti-semitism; it’s in his interests to feed the beast, pulling out the Holocaust platitudes and other rhetoric to keep himself in power and out of jail.
Christian bullying in the military looks for targets, regardless of religious stripe, or lack thereof, much as our own members of Congress spew Christian Nationalism as a platform for sustaining their own power and greed in their efforts to theocratize the nation, their coveted Gilead just around the corner of the next election, fascism its fuel.
I see the MRFF as the honest broker against ALL religious and unconstitutional bullying against any faith.
This Commander should be relieved of Command, unfit to lead. Jews were the target of his “joke,” but do you believe he feels any differently toward Muslims, Hindus, or, gasp, atheists?
Kick his ass out. Not because he picked on Jews, but because he’s unfit to lead!
MAGATS – Out The Door In 24!