The time has come to play the Jew card--yet I hesitate. Is it wrong to publicly attack a fellow tribesman if he turns his back on minorities? I grew up after WWII, and had more than a few distant relatives with numbers tattooed on their arms. I was constantly told I had an obligation to protect the weakest members of society--"regardless of race, creed, or color." Bigotry and elitism is wrong no matter who the victim.
I moved from politically comfortable New York to coastal Carolina-- from an area with many Jews, to one with less than a handful--and therein lies my dilemma -- the Jewish couple in my development are bigoted tea party members. My wife and I are cordial to them, but are repulsed by their views--as I'm sure they find our positions foolish. We are "friends" on Facebook, and lately he has begun posting hate messages--calling Obama arrogant and destructive-- and using code words my relatives warned me about. Should I start a fracas on Facebook? Should I just unfriend him? Should I bring this up the next time we see each other? Do I owe it to my relatives to make a big deal out of this?
No matter what I do, he won't change--but if I do nothing-- I am guilty of omission. My area is quite "confederate," and circumstances block me from moving away. I have a deserved reputation of being an impulsive loud mouthed liberal New Yorker-- yet here I am hesitating. My grandmother would have told me to keep quiet and avoid a scene. My grandfather would recommend the exact opposite. My wife sides with grandma-- but Jewish history scorns being quiet. Any suggestions?