Revenge of the Jewish Grandmas 2.0: Grandpa Edition
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote how my momma, a Jewish grandma in Boca, is supporting Barack Obama. And not just her, but all her friends. Turns out there's something Jewish grandmas find even more scary than voting for a shvartser, and that's voting for Sarah Palin.
But wait, there's more.
My momma was out to dinner with her friends the other night, older Jewish couple, the man a staunch Republican. And by staunch, I mean STAUNCH. 80 year-old grandpa, former corporate exec, never voted for a Democrat in his life, voted for Bush twice. You get the idea.
As often happens these days, the subject turned to politics. My momma starts talking about what a mess the Republicans have made of things, how negative McCain's campaign has been, how much she hates Sarah Palin. Having had this conversation before, she knew what to expect: a spirited discussion, a heated exchange of ideas, the occasional appeal to reason. But she never expected what she got: agreement.
Turns out gramps has changed his mind and is now voting for Obama.
Why? Two words: the economy. This was the evening after the first meltdown, and this lifelong Republican was disgusted with what George Bush and his party had done to the economy. In his book, someone needs to be held accountable, and if that means throwing the bums out and voting for a Democrat, then so be it.
Now, admittedly, we're dealing with a small and not necessarily representative sample here. But if what's happening with my momma's friends is happening with other Florida seniors (and there's reason to believe it is), John McCain might want to watch his back in Florida - grandma's comin' out to vote, and she's bringing grandpa with her!
Thanks for sharing. I forwarded this and the 1.0 edition to a friend who has relatives in Florida...
October 16, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ja, dat Obama, vhat a Mensch he is!
October 16, 2008 2:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
My Friend, I will not stand for you attempting to mis-characterize the position of my dedicated, loyal and patriotic supporters.
I appreciate this endorsement from Jewish Grandmothers, many of whom I fathered, and would just like to remind voters that Barack Obama, like George Bush himself, is Jewish.
I am not Jewish,
McCain 1908.
October 16, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like your post but I don't like the fact that it picks up on this seemingly accepted stereotype in the creative class that old Jewish folks won't vote for the black guy. It's like you're reporting breaking news that the sterotype isn't real. No kidding. To begin with, the presumption of Jewish bigotry insults people like my Mom and Dad, and they're the ones who taught me to never judge people by the color of their skin. Jews are no more and no less bigoted than the rest of society, don't you agree?
October 16, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
You didn't ask me, Bruce, but thanks for raising this point. FWIW, my operating assumption is yours: no more and no less bigoted than the rest of society.
October 16, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your opinion means quite a bit to me AD. Thanks.
October 17, 2008 7:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your opinion means quite a bit to me AD. Thanks.
October 17, 2008 7:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Bruce. It means quite a bit to me, too. (attempts to insert smiley icon here unsuccessful)
I know I can get pretty worked up, up on my high horse, and sometimes have to remind myself to lighten up a bit. Watching Tina Fey do Sarah Palin these days seems to help. (insert another "smiley" icon)
For all I know someone may have a done a good study on racial attitudes or behavior comparing Jewish people with those of other ethnicities or faith traditions. Amidst the talk of bubbies and zadies, regardless of what any such studies might show, the important thing to me is for each of us to work within our own circles to try to eradicate racism. I didn't see the Sarah Silverman vid so can't comment on whether it struck me as in bad taste or not. But in my experience, grandparents hearing from their grandchildren on this issue is one of the more promising strategies for bringing about positive change.
Remember the movie "Saturday Night Fever"? I recall seeing it with my grandmother when it came out, way back when, when I was late high school or early college, not sure. She was a proper lady, albeit a wonderfully warm one. She was kind of the unofficial "mayor" of the large seniors center she lived in in her late years--knew everyone's name, how many grandkids they had and what their names and ages were, etc.
At the conclusion of the movie, which had some "bad words" and was, in ratings-speak, "sexually suggestive" I was apprehensive about her reaction to it. But I asked her anyway. She said, in a way that struck me as utterly sincere, that she thought it was a good story. I thought wow, do I have a cool grandmother, or what?
October 17, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey bslev --
Sorry -- didn't mean to insult your momma! (The sentence was supposed to be funny. Perhaps I should have inserted a wry winking smiley. ; ) )
As to your last point, to be honest, I have no idea about the relative bigotry of other communities. I do think that to the extent there is bigotry in our community, it is disproportionately and progressively manifested in older generations and that it is disproportionately and inexplicably misdirected towards the African American community. Do you disagree?
To the extent that this bigotry exists, I believe this election is going a long way towards breaking it down, something I have to admit I wasn't sure I'd see in my lifetime. And I think that's pretty awesome.
October 16, 2008 10:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Newparadigm, please I was kidding about my momma. But I don't believe there is anymore bigotry in the Jewish community, older or otherwise, than in any other constituent group. I think our bubbies and zadies might just talk about things more, as you describe with such vivid clarity to the point where I was at that restaurant table chomping on the half-sours. I do think it's fine and helpful for us to discuss this but I happen to be very proud of the fact that all four generations of my Jewish family are casting their ballots without exception for Barack Obama, i.e. my 3 voting age kids and their mom and all her siblings and her mom, my wife and I, my parents, my in-laws, my sister, my brother-in-law, my uncle and aunt, all of their their kids and spouses, and last but not least. . .my wife's 90 year-old grandmother who visited Egypt this year and still takes the bus to get to where she wants to go. I guess the thing is that, as proud as I am, I don't think the voting patterns of my family are really that profound in the Jewish community.
P.S. I do have a sense of humor deep down and we did send Sarah Silverman's video to my son in college (even thought I thought it was in poor taste).
October 17, 2008 7:56 AM | Reply | Permalink