Thursday, August 16, 2007

Kos diarist expert on Judaism, O'Reilly not

This is so cutting-edge:
[...]I'm Jewish.

Not only am I Jewish, but I am professional Jewish, meaning I have an advanced degree in Jewish Studies (M.Phil.in Modern Jewish Studies from Oxford) above and beyond my Ph.D. in Anthropology. That means I am officially licensed and have been paid to talk, write and otherwise be an expert on Jewish stuff. In fact, one of the things I have written about is anti-Semitism--all kinds of anti-Semitism. I know, for example, that when you write "anti-Semitism," you capitalize the "S." Many people do not know that, but I do.

Among the many things I know about Jews, Judaism, one thing I know for certain is that Bill O'Reilly is not an expert on Jews and Judaism. If he was an expert, I would have come across that fact at some point in my studies or, if he had become an expert so recently that he was not yet mentioned in books or articles, then one of my many Jewish studies expert friends would have told me. It probably would have happened at at Jewish Studies conference (we have them every year) with a friend walking up to me and saying something like: 'Did you hear? Bill O'Reilly is now an expert on Jews and Judaism.'

That hasn't happened. [...]
Glad that's all cleared up now?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

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