Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report

“Sarah Palin’s remarks Wednesday in which she accused critics who would tie her political tone to the Arizona shootings of committing a ‘blood libel’ against her have prompted an instant and pronounced backlash from some in America’s Jewish community,” according to the L.A. Times.

“The term dates to the Middle Ages and refers to a prejudice that Jewish people used Christian blood in religious rituals.”

“Instead of dialing down the rhetoric at this difficult moment, Sarah Palin chose to accuse others trying to sort out the meaning of this tragedy of somehow engaging in a ‘blood libel’ against her and others,” said David Harris, president of the National Democratic Jewish Council, in a statement. “This is of course a particularly heinous term for American Jews, given that the repeated fiction of blood libels are directly responsible for the murder of so many Jews across centuries — and given that blood libels are so directly intertwined with deeply ingrained anti-Semitism around the globe, even today.”

The rest of the article is here.

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Editor’s note: Nevada City Mayor Robert Bergman, also a sponsor of a local “Science Series,” has posted a response here about the proposal, which our elected supervisors declined to discuss on Tuesday after hearing protests from our local hard right blogging contingent.

Global warming denialist Russ Steele urged his readers to send protest emails to the electeds, and tea party advocate Barry Pruett applauded the board’s decision. Robert’s response — including the reminder that Nevada City and Grass Valley sent letters of support — is here:

The series that Judy Kildow and I are advancing is educational and not political, and yet the “usual suspects” are trying to characterize our series as something it is most definitely not.

It’s such a shame that these people are so fearful.

The title we are using carries its purpose: ‘What’s Next in Science.’ We want the community to hear firsthand from field leaders – exciting and engaging speakers – about new discoveries and developments on a wide range of topics. This is altogether missing from our area.

In future years, after our first program on the oceans, we’ll look at (no set order): space science and cosmology; neurosciences and the brain; conservation ecology and biodiversity; the future of computers and artificial intelligence; the business and boundaries of science; world health and epidemiology; natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanos and other geological phenomena).

Grass Valley and Nevada City have sent us letters of endorsement/support for the series. We had only asked the Board to do likewise.

Here is a link to agenda item to read what the series is:

https://public.nevcounty.net/Clerk%20of%20the%20Board%20Public%20Library/Board%20of%20Supervisors%20Supporting%20Documents/2011%20BOS%20Meeting%20Supporting%20Documents/01-11-2011%20BOS%20Meeting%20Supporting%20Documents/43.pdf

Robert Bergman

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“Fearing violence from tea party activists, Arizona Legislative District 20 Republican Chairman Anthony Miller and several others tendered their resignation this week following mass shootings that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition,” according to Raw Story.

“Miller, a 43-year-old former campaign worker for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), said that verbal attacks and blog posts from members of the tea party had him fearing for the safety of his family,” it continued, citing a report in The Arizona Republic.

“Tea party members supporting J.D. Hayworth for senator in the midterm elections accused Miller, an African American, of being a ‘McCain’s boy.’ One detractor had even made his hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at Miller.”

“Arizona state Sen. John McComish, who had supported Miller as chairman, told the paper that this battle for local party leadership is more extreme than others he’d seen.”

“It’s too bad,” McComish told the newspaper. “He didn’t deserve to be hounded out of office.”

The tea party groups who were cited did not respond for comment, according to the newspaper account.

The rest of the article is here. The original article in the Arizona Republic is here.

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Here’s a poster that will be distributed for the 10th Annual Foothills Celebration on March 5. Sierra FoodWineArt magazine and its companion website, SierraCulture.com, is a major sponsor:

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•This morning, a racist, inflammatory statement by “Moonbat” related to global warming appeared on Russ Steele’s blog. It used every imaginable slur. I have a copy of it. But then the comment disappeared, without explanation. It prompted me to ask Russ about his moderation polity, but he declined. All day long, people named “Sean,” “Glen” and “John S.” post on Russ Steele’s blog, without him asking them for a full name.

•Last night, Barry Pruett posted a photo of the supervisors posing on his blog, without crediting Eve Diamond of the county, who snapped the photo. It is a standard editorial practice to credit a photographer (as I did in this instance). Some outlets, such as the AP, consider it a copyright violation.

I asked Barry about this and he responded: “Government documents are exempt.”

•Todd Juvinall’s blog “Sierra Dragon Breathe” (sic) reads “Real name required: Thank you” but he lets “Woodsy 2.1″ post without asking him to disclose his full name.

This comes as the hard right political blogs are growing in numbers.

The defensive responses and non-responses here mirror what’s going on in our nation and community when it comes to violent rhetoric — people refusing to accept standards. It’s become a national epidemic.

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Needless to say, the national debate about condoning violent political rhetoric is not new. Last August, Rep. Wally Herger , the congressman in our neighboring 2nd district, drew criticism on this front.

“Earlier in the week, it was reported that Herger had hosted a town meeting in which he praised an attendee for declaring himself a ‘proud right-wing terrorist,’” as the Huffington Post reported at the time.

“‘Amen, God Bless you,’” Herger told the man after he finished speaking. “There is a great American.”

“This is the dangerous edge, in which these people, including some elected officials are now dancing,” said Chris Matthews. “We’ve been here before. Words lead to actions, words create the national mood, the mood creates a license. People take that license and use it.”

The congressman, however, stood by what he said.

“Congressman Herger stands by his statement in support of his constituent,” read a statement from his office. “(This man) is a taxpayer and veteran, who, like so many others, is rightfully fed up with being called ‘un-American’, or ‘extremist’ or a ‘political terrorist’ by liberals in Washington, for simply exercising his First Amendment rights. Mr. Stead served his country and therefore he is a great American. The Congressman doesn’t at all regret commending him for standing up, exercising his free speech rights, and expressing his strong concerns with the direction liberals in Washington are taking our country.’”

This is the most troubling part as this issue is explored: Not accepting responsibility.

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