David Wolpe
Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles

David Wolpe

Named the No.1 Pulpit Rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine, Wolpe is the Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and currently teaches at UCLA.

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Charlie Sheen rant: More anti-Semitism in Hollywood

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Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre, executive producer of Two and a Half Men, are shown on a press tour in this July 20, 2005 file photo (AP Photo/Nick Ut, file)

Several years ago, a friend of mine who is a well known producer related an experience with an English director who is still quite popular in the Hollywood scene. "I stood there at a bar in disbelief while he blamed everything on the Jews - problems in the world economy, the Second World War, everything. I was stunned. I told him I would never work with him again." I asked if others knew of this. "Of course" he said. Has anyone else refused to work with him? "No" he answered, sadly.

Yes, Hollywood has many Jews. But it also harbors more people who hate Jews than we would like to believe. Some time ago I wrote a column asking what I thought was a simple question: Why was Mel Gibson successful despite ugly, vicious anti-Semitic diatribes and suddenly anathematized when he was recorded speaking abusively to Oksana Grigorieva? For those of you still mulling, here is the answer: sexism is officially verboten. Anti-Semitism is tolerated.

The Polish aphorist Stanislaw Lec once said that anti-Semitism and alcohol can't exist in the same body - pour one in and the other comes out. The most recent examples are Charlie Sheen on a rant who referred to his boss Chuck Levine as "Chaim - that's his real name" (it is not, by the way) in the course of abusing him; and John Galliano, chief designer for Christian Dior, detained in Paris for allegedly attacking a couple and hurling anti-Semitic insults at them. I grant that a solitary remark does not make a hater, but ask yourself: If you were angry or depressed would you suddenly start attacking an entire ethnic, racial or religious group? When enraged, people reach for the hatred that already has a nesting place in their souls.

How many assume for a second that Oliver Stone's career will be derailed by his comment? Perhaps you don't remember what he said: "Hitler did far more damage to the Russians than the Jewish people, [there is a greater focus on the Holocaust than on Russian suffering because of] the Jewish domination of the media." Lovely, yes?

To argue against anti-Semitism is futile. That which one has not been reasoned into one cannot be reasoned out of. It is a deep, angry, ugly prejudice that not only ruins lives but has been responsible for some of the greatest crimes in historical memory. Everyone knows that Hollywood has an unsavory side; "Day of the Locust" and "See Sammy Run" have long since entered our national literature. But there is more ugliness than is encompassed by money, fame, a corrosive frivolity and disregard of what is sacred. There is a combustible fuel of hatred, racism, sexism and anti-Semitism, from which this liberal, politically correct community likes to think itself exempt. It is not. Some unattractive swamps lurk out there amidst the flash and glitter, and if these latest incidents make them harder to ignore, then some good might rise out of the muck.


Editor's Note: In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Abraham H. Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League's national director, called Sheen's radio rant on Thursday "bizarre" and "borderline anti-Semitism." Read more at their site.

"By invoking television producer Chuck Lorre's Jewish name in the context of an angry tirade against him, Charlie Sheen left the impression that another reason for his dislike of Mr. Lorre is his Jewishness," Foxman said. "This fact has no relevance to Mr. Sheen's complaint or disagreement, and his words are at best bizarre, and at worst, borderline anti-Semitism."

By David Wolpe  |  February 25, 2011; 12:24 PM ET Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
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First, Charlie Sheen is usually accredited with being a talented actor who is not so talented at the role of human being.
Secondly, we live in a society that, on the one hand, promotes that everyone should show overt pride in everything unique about their humanity - eg: religion, sexual preference, distant or recent nationality - and then claims that people are disciminatory for noticing those unique qualities.
Equality is a double edged sword for those who value their uniqueness. Eg: It's hard to notice someone is Black when he/she calls him/herself "African-American" or that Nathalie Portman is Jewish when she has called herself "Jewish and proud to be so". I'm not saying it's wrong to be proud of one's uniqueness, culture or otherwise, but please, stop being insulted and reaching for insults when people notice exactly what you're proud of one minute and then say "how dare you notice it!" the next.
Thirdly, discrimination is awful. It implies hatred without legitamite reason (ie: race or creed etc. vs personality). Any form of discrimination is wrong. That being said, facts are nothing more than facts. I for one do NOT feel like an Anti-Semite for saying that as a Christian I believe that a handful of non-Jesus following Jews were infuriated by His claim to be God and wanted Him crucified. This is documented by non-Christians and Christians alike. For that matter, I also don't feel like a sexist for noticing a man is male. Truly, Anti-Semitism exists in the world, clearly, but not everything is Anti-Jew or anti-discriminatory in general.

Posted by: Sounjirah | March 1, 2011 2:31 PM
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Farnaz2Mansouri21, what you have just said, is the most insanely idiotic thing I have ever read. At no point, in your rambling incoherent mass of words you call a post, were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

Posted by: Brcassell | March 1, 2011 2:50 AM
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Gee, ChristoNazis is back in the form of this BrCassell. That poor, gentle, flamingly gay Jesus Christ must surely weep to see that the Romans still don't get it.

Well, they killed you once, my friend, and not because you were gay. And they just keeps on a'doin' it because they are "God's people," the Romans err Christians err whatever.

Of course, their God is neither yours nor mine, and, in that we can take comfort.

Pity the poor Christians err Romans err Nazis err whatever.

Posted by: Farnaz2Mansouri21 | February 28, 2011 10:40 PM
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I don't have anything against Jews except for the fact that they (the Jews) have the majority of the population convinced that the Nazi did nothing bad to anyone but them. Which, quite frankly, is utter BS. I suppose that is one of the benefits of controlling the media, you can make the masses believe whatever you want them too.

Oh, and they killed Jesus. But yet they are still God's chosen people? Talk about confusing.

Posted by: Brcassell | February 28, 2011 4:43 PM
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He is a junkie, yes, and, in fact, he had been in rehab since January. Evidently, either it didn't take, or he's still dealing with the aftermath.

His racist remark aside, this Jew wishes him well. He has destroyed his marriage, his career, embarrassed his family and friends time and again. The rant is so insane and aggressive, the targets so many, as to suggest that he needs some kind of very extended inpatient care. A few months, at least, at a wellness center, perhaps.

Racism is racism. He needs to stand up like a man, and, at present, he admits he often cannot stand up at all, and face what he has said and done.

He's got a lot of apologizing to do, and, that is one of the first steps of recovery. What shows his failure to heal is his continual view of his victimizing self as victim.

Posted by: Farnaz2Mansouri21 | February 27, 2011 1:50 PM
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Charlie Sheen is a Junkie pure and simple nothng more and nothing less the only difference is that this guy is a well known T.V. star. If you look around Charlie Sheen isn't that unique there are junkies in all walks of life. Charlies is what is known in the Recovery Community as "King Baby" google it and find out for yourselves what this guy is going through and when you finish reading it you'll find that you may have more in common with Charlie than you think. Remember people when you point the finger three are pointing right back at cha.

Posted by: slivin500 | February 27, 2011 11:23 AM
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Editor's Note: In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Abraham H. Foxman, the Anti-Defamation League's national director, called Sheen's radio rant on Thursday "bizarre" and "borderline anti-Semitism." Read more at their site.

"By invoking television producer Chuck Lorre's Jewish name in the context of an angry tirade against him, Charlie Sheen left the impression that another reason for his dislike of Mr. Lorre is his Jewishness," Foxman said. "This fact has no relevance to Mr. Sheen's complaint or disagreement, and his words are at best bizarre, and at worst, borderline anti-Semitism."
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WHO IS THIS "EDITOR"? In the three years that I've been blogging here, I've never seen an "editorial" comment designed to undermine a blogger's essay.

Sorry, ELIZABETH TENETY, this is entirely unacceptable. It needs to be removed immediately with an apology to R. Wolpe and his readers.

This is also a good opportunity for me to ask why, years after the antisemitic rant of Mr. Gandhi, years after being informed by Ms. Quinn that she'd asked him to report on what he'd learned from the aftermath of his racist rant, we have still heard nothing. Does that mean he learned nothing?

As for the antisemitism of the thugs mentioned by R. Wolpe, what can one say. Thugs are thugs. Most of us have the misfortune of working primarily amidst Christians/Catholics, and almost always FOR same. Yes they are antisemitic, but they are also anti-MUslim, pro-white, in the main.

R. Wolpe, there is a way of dealing with them. I've been very successful with it. I give as good as I get. What does this mean? I respond to racist in racist terms.
Not only has this stopped the thugs from acting thuggish with me at my place of employment, but it has stopped them from same with every other Jew.

They are cowards, and they are weaklings. Glass jaws, R. Wolpe. Remember that.

As for Carlito Sheenzalez, I'm sure he'll find employment with his co-Catholic Mexicanos.

Posted by: Farnaz2Mansouri21 | February 26, 2011 11:46 PM
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Oh, hi, everybody, I'm sorry if you wrongfully and stupidly took remarks as anti-Semitic.

Posted by: areyousaying | February 26, 2011 9:24 PM
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The argument as presented reads more like: due to the large amounts of money and, what has to be, intensity of competition for power and fame, many people are offended by Jewish success much like when a white guy loses a job to a Black American or a Black American to a Hispanic, Hispanic to Asian and every other combo. This exposes how the person sees the world in general which is the bigoted American. Think about the fact that Sheen's dad is Irish/Mexican. C'mon! Anti-Semetic!? More like "ribbing while pissed" He insulted T. Jefferson!!..

Posted by: bklynmaxred | February 26, 2011 4:44 PM
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Per News Sources: He also repeatedly called Mr. Lorre by the name Chaim Levine, which executives from both CBS and Warner Brothers interpreted as a veiled anti-Semitic attack. Mr. Sheen was also criticized on Friday by the Anti-Defamation League for those comments. (The comments probably went back to a mention Mr. Lorre himself once included on the show, where he called himself Chaim Levine. That is his Hebrew name. He was born Charles Levine. Mr. Sheen also goes by another name. He was born Carlos Estevez.)

Posted by: RufusTWashington | February 26, 2011 1:02 PM
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Announcement:

WE [i]'m putting together da 1st 'SCRIPT', Both based on the-meaning/'Message' of them "THE PROTOCOLS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION..."

(is a fraudulet(?) antiSEMETICsemitic text? purporting to describe a Jewish plan to achieve global domination.." Please see WIKiP) AND

.. on The Meaning of what some of the CHARACTERS of G-d-PLAYER Mr//Rabbi MOSES's self serving TENACH/CHUMASH/BIBLE is saying; even subliminally (NOt Mytically).

It's Directed For Mr. M. GIBSON or Mr. A. SCHWARZENEGGER and from within the "Actor's Of The Pantheon" , i.e., via cool folk like

Lyndsay Lohan portraying "SARA" in Moses, "SARA PROSTITUTION STORY" et al OR

Charlie Sheen staring as "JACOB" in; "JACOB THE ULTIMATE SWINDLER STORY" and

Mel GIBSON being "NOAH" in the "NOAH RACIST STORY" and or the "THE MOST EVIL STORY EVER TOLD ON EARTH STORY" ; note, NO TOY STORY

TRANSFiNITY░ and BEYOND

Note: Rabbi (Dr. of DIETY/G-d) Mr. (king)DAVID WOLPE & CO., includes the None Dr.'s Of his/G-d makers and or followers, of ACTOR's, BIZs in HOLYwood etc.) Don't Know the WHAT? the Word "anti_SEMITE" is! So, CAMERA, ACTION TAKE!

APOCALYPTICALLY defined, the-real-meaning of "SEMITE" and "ANTi-SEMITE"

IN MYTHOLOGY of "JEWish's, Originally spelled "SHEMITES" (sounds like Shame/ites), meaning ALL/EVERY/ANY decedent -of- "SHEM" (sounds like SHAAM). And of the PELEGian EBERU AEGYPTIAN STOCK; Not East or West of the Tigres or Euphrate River//Babylons Bolgne/story! So,

The "NOVEL STAR" & self serving 'G-d Story Teller' (to go with da Toy Storys), aka Rabbi (1st LAWYER, oooppss LYER) MOSES (the 1st JEWish'r ooopss JEW) declared Such via His (now someone else's or versions) "DRUNKIN NOAH STORY" and other vicious (Anti-Family/Community) TALES (of Horrors//Terrors etc.. Doctines) had been narrowed-down by

"G-d" to the "JEW"ish's who should "SUPER_RACIALLY_RULE" the Whole World (i.e., via HOLlYwood & CO.?) as "G-D(s) CHOSEN PEOPLE" sindrome!? And now

ganged-up 'Together'? (after Being BRANDED circumcisionilly & suddenly) to 'TERRORIZE' & RULE' All the "GOY'S" (KAFIRs, Heretics, Castes... None AEGYPTIAN-JEWish'rs or even none ISHLAMi//ESAUi's...) starting with PHAROAH's ex-landa "CANAAN" (now Called PALISTINE) etc. YET,

yet Ironically The Prophecy of Mr. MOSES's CHUMASH's etc today is sublimannaly TELLUSng something; especially via the "UNTIL_SHILOM_COME" for the "TIKKUN" (APOCALYPSE), and "UNTO HIM (aka 'SHI{LOH') SHALL THE GATHERING OF the-People BE" which, unfortunately, the JEW(s) MISTOOK AS MEANING THEIR OWN "SEMETIC" DICTATOR/THOCRAT//MONARCH all into ONE EMPIRE forever with MOLECH/ALLAH/ISHVARA..lala?

OyeZEUS!

Posted by: letitbe | February 26, 2011 10:57 AM
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Egomania knows no bounds. Certainly not ethnic barriers. Charlie Sheen's universe resides within his cranium.

Posted by: edbyronadams | February 26, 2011 10:32 AM
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Of course it was anti Semitic. No other reason to call Lorre by his Hebrew name in a rant like that. It is just like when people think they are smart when they associate the President's middle name with something they dislike.

As for Hitler's atrocities - the special thing about the mass murder of Jews was that it was directed at them ONLY for being Jews. Homosexuals and roms were killed because of who they were too, and that has been shamefully forgotten until recent decades, because the number of victims was lower.

Millions of Russian were killed, but there were no special death camps for them. Hitler's hatred against Jews stood out. He hated no one the way he hated Jews.

Posted by: asoders22 | February 26, 2011 6:14 AM
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Dont you think your reaching a bit over sheen's comments? Do we really have to list every anti-semitic remark down through the centuries because of sheen? Pick your battles sound like a plan?

Posted by: plasma411 | February 26, 2011 2:37 AM
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hitler did do more damage to the russians than the jews.

its also interesting that roughly the same amount of people were killed in concentration camps who were not jewish as there were jews. Yet we never talk about them.

does stating facts make you an anti-semite now?

Posted by: plasma411 | February 26, 2011 2:27 AM
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Why not just replace him on Two and Half Men? If he wants to obliterate himself with booze, broads and drugs, so be it. Let the show go on!!!

Posted by: YEAL9 | February 25, 2011 11:47 PM
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R A B B I D. W., et al

Those Who BASH (like GIBSON, or SHEEN et al) the JEWSISH's are RIGHT in so many & Evident ways Today; Especially in These ABRAHAMIC(s) people Killing Other ABRAHAMICs,includes killing VEDICS et al too! We [i] Don't need Cartoons to Show Ye & Yo's. Explanation:

As an APOCALYPTARIAN aka EKLAHTi-ON (nay Off) & now an Ex-"JEWISH" [Who's Family {pbu Them et al} in LUDZ, Poland Disappeared et al) that

i [WE] need, to remind the World & Quote What The THIRD-TEMPLE's 1st-First PRIME MINISTER, David BEN GURION {pbuh et al} of Israel the "ROCK"(?) once or twice said about them "JEWISH" [Mishigga; translated; 'Crazy's).

"“I consider as Jewish? anyone who is [crazy] meshuge enough to call themselves ‘Jewish” (Israels 1st PM/President David Ben Gurion +/- 1951 CE)." But see also

The Fault lies Not In The Stars, But In US” (Julius Caesar +/- 51 BCE). And

Forced Religious-Conversion is Tantamount To Death” (J.J. 2010).
___________________________________________

Today; i [WE] go to JERUSALEM post (WAPO sister/Brother b site) and Today, When me listens to PM "BiBi" Netenyahud Talk and or his FM Lieberman and or others; especial;y the TEDI & or HEREDI's; Today what ever they say runs EMPTY or HOLLOW voices. And BOY/GIRL who Cries Wolf (in Middle East) ain't gonna Past Muster, let alone fall on DEAF (AMERICAN & FRIENDLY's) Ears. Suddenly International Law Flouting, "GODs CHOSEN PEOPLE" (Not GOYS?) They Want PEACE? OYE...!

Note: [THIS] World Does Not Evolve Around the "JEWISH" [World & or PRIDE] anymore! Remember & Never Forgett, The Same Folks who Build UP Israel (GOYs, KAFIRS, CASTES, HERETICS et al) are the Same People/Community/Ummah/Sangha who Ye & Yo's (Because of Todays Leaderships) are gonna See'th on their Arrogant Heads when going DOWN!

Today's ISRAEL is NOt NO "GOD's COUNTRY?" anymore! There is REO De JANEIRO , There is RED WOODS CALIFORNIA, there is GRAND CANYON, There is NIAGRA FALLS.. all these are GOD MADE and NOT JEWISH made! SOo,

TODAY besides the JEWISH's asking "WHY THE WORLD HATES US" lalala, is because The World is FED-UP with such PREAPOCALYPTARIANITY behaviours! Zero APOCALYPTIC, "fashtashe Mine Geeta Freund"?

So this also means the ISHLAMI's or ESAUi's must also ask Selves the Same QUESTION, WHY.. lalala? Instead, or ALSO!

Secret: Actor "GIBSON" is a JEW! Actor SHEEN is a JEW! And me is Not talkin bout the MORONI(s) during 1492 Portugal/Spain but the fact that they are "JUDEO" loving 2ndary's JEWISH's, or Tertiary's JEWISH's (like the Ishlami's) et al! So,

the "SHOAH" is Not the same word as "holoCAUSE" because There was in Fact & in Reality, LET HISTORY BE [MY] OUR JURY", More than 7-Seven MAJOR HOLOCAUSTS//GENOCIDES/ATROCITIES aka "CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY" lala..

When Mr. Gibson Freudianly-Slips or Flips via Secular mind & say "JEWISH"s Did this, done That.." HE/THEY ar Self-Hating [JUDEO] JEWISH's & ANGRY at DOUBLE or TRIPLE STANDARDS PSYCHOSIS+!

Posted by: letitbe | February 25, 2011 7:08 PM
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Mel Gibson. Charlie Sheen.

Different day, same drunken bigotry.

Posted by: areyousaying | February 25, 2011 6:35 PM
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Making fun of his name is anti-Semitic? Really? Is one not able to criticize any particular Jew or policies carried about Jews in the aggregate, such as Israeli policies, without being an anti-Semite?

I really wish I could claim this exemption for myself. If anyone should ever dare to criticize me or any of the actions of my fellow Gentile whites, I'll make sure to accuse of them vile anti-white racism.

That said, Sheen is an absolute schmuck and deserves to be a pariah.

Posted by: PufferPuffin | February 25, 2011 5:16 PM
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But I like his show.

Couldn't they just re-cast him as the "half?"

Posted by: WmarkW | February 25, 2011 3:10 PM
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Charlie Sheen appears to be caught and supplanted by a personality and/or subpersonalities created by media writers and producers whose sole aim is to use the mans possible dissociative identity disorder and obsessive-compulsive behavior as a platform for ostracizing Jews (apparently the last two thousand years of Jew hating hasn’t coalesced in Charlie’s mind yet). He appears to be parroting his on-air character, off screen, with the exception that the censoring (call it a leash) normally associated with socialized media decency in Hollywood has been removed (a first amendment pattern of abuse). Thankfully there are those in media-land and throughout America who know what to do for mister Charlie Sheen and are doing it through prayer every day.

Posted by: Patriot_Son | February 25, 2011 3:05 PM
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