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keikioaina t1_ix9ogtw wrote

Reply to comment by Bodark43 in My grandpa being the decorated in 1942 for saving what was left of the cruiser Trento’s crew the, sunk during the allied operation Harpoon. He was a machinist engineer. Later half of his family would sadly be executed by the Germans for harboring fugitives destined to concentration camps. by LUNA_FOOD

Jew/neuroscientist here. I really don't care that Ford had Jewish friends or employees. His legacy was to use his position to amplify hate, bigotry and racism. It's complicated, but it's not hard to take a position on Ford's anti Semitism. Also watching a video cannot push someone further into dementia. Dementia does care what you do while it eats your brain.

OTOH, Ford's grandson, Henry II was a big supporter of Israel and made statements about atoning for his family's behavior.

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leninbaby t1_ixaz6j3 wrote

There are quite a lot of anti-semitic supporters of Israel, and conflating supporting the state of Israel with supporting Judaism... also feels kind of anti-semitic?

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keikioaina t1_ixb0lsm wrote

Yeah, I understand the distinction and agree with you. My readings about Ford Jr suggest that he was a non ironic and sincere friend to Israel and Jews, both. He spoke of reversing his grandfather's legacy of anti semitism.

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Master_finder t1_ixb4i47 wrote

I think that supporting Israel's right to exist is a necessity as it does have the right however I feel that blind allegiance in any country is wrong. There is not a country that does not have a black book of all of It crimes....calling those who criticize the policies and or murder commited by government should not be grouped with those who are against a specific religion or culture wishing for their death. I do not feel that the Israel and Palestine peace accords are on equal ground as the US blindly goes wherever the State of Israel goes and that causes the conflict to persist . Saying what I said will however incur in some the belief I am anti Semitic even though I have never called for the destruction or harm of Jewish people.

The term is now being used by certain groups seeking to push a political agenda that does not represent the majority in my view. Just read The Haaretz and you can see how divided people are in that conflict except that they are Jewish and so cannot be treated of being anti Semitic...

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Bodark43 t1_ixctpli wrote

The witness to Ford's viewing the film was not a medical professional, and his mental and physical health had been declining for some years. But it is significant that he was very upset, did not applaud the implementation of Hitler's Final Solution. Regardless of how he might have felt about the film, though, Ford's anti-Semitic effect has indeed long outlasted him. A friend has told me you can buy still reprints of The International Jew in Istanbul. But if Roosevelt had listened to him, lots of Jewish refugees could have escaped to the US and survived the Holocaust. I'm not saying Ford was admirable, or even defensible. I am saying he was complicated.

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keikioaina t1_ixcun4k wrote

I don't know about what Ford told Roosevelt. Can you explain or point me to a reference.

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