Tommy Thompson On Jewi$h Tradition$

Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson exposed his feelings on Jewish traditions while speaking to an audience at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism today. He wasn't commenting on Ashkenazi or Sephardic culture, nor the holidays that we Jews observe like Passover or Yom Kippur. Instead he referring to one of the stereotypes that anti-semites like to use, that is the tradition of making money. Apparently he showed his true colors down in Washington.

From Haaretz:

WASHINGTON - Former Wisconsin governor and Republican presidential hopeful Tommy Thompson told Jewish activists Monday that making money is "part of the Jewish tradition," and something that he applauded.

Speaking to an audience at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington D.C., Thompson said that, "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that."

Thompson later apologized for the comments that had caused a stir in the audience, saying that he had meant it as a compliment, and had only wanted to highlight the "accomplishments" of the Jewish religion.

Talk about ignorance at it's finest. These white (mainly) Republicans really have no clue when it comes to dealing with minorities. Whether it is Imus, Tom Tancredo, Tony Snow or even Dem Joe Biden, these guys have a hard time getting passed the deeply ingrained stereotypes that the majority have held against the rest of us for centuries. Of course some of these comments weren't meant to be offensive. Yet the candid nature of them still point to ethnic and racial problems between those that are privileged and the rest that are subjected to these kinds of stereotypes.