Posts
Why We’re Making An Obama T-Shirt
By tahlraz / March 14, 2008
Some people in the Jewcy community are understandably concerned that creating a shirt that supports Barack Obama's presidential candidacy will alienate some of our readers. Here's why we're going to make one anyway.
We make a big case of saying that a primary principle of ours is that we're not partisan so much as polypartisan. In practice, that means we work toward integrating the views and opinions of unorthodox voices across the continuum (right, left, Gentile, Hindi, and so on). This sets us distinctly apart from the rest of Jewish media, as does the knowledge that such inclusion makes for the best conversation.
'Polypartisanship' doesn't mean that Jewcy won't take a stand, or that we don't work towards articulating a specific worldview and a shared set of values. The brand's origins stem from an incredibly polarizing shirt, "Shalom Motherfucker." "Shalom Motherfucker" was a passionate and strong announcement of a very particular and new kind of J ewish identity, one that repulsed a significant segment of the Jewish community. We're not a news organization. And we're not unbiased.
In our editorial objectives, we've stated that:
for all the prosperity America Jewry has enjoyed — its charities, its new temples, its countless organizations — the community is in a moment of transition where the outcome is far from certain. Much of the Jewish establishment is unsound at its roots, built on ugly ethnocentric, parochial values, mortified of change, riddled by hypocrisy, resistant to criticism and prone to empty self-congratulation, and completely out of touch with the needs and desires of a new generation of Jews. We've had enough; it's open season on these pretenders, phonies, and purveyors of intellectual, communal, and spiritual snake oil. At the same time, there is an emerging new community with its own legitimate heroes and heroines, its models and mentors. We'll set out to identify the values of these people who are creating change, leading lives, and building organizations that embody them.
And:
With a sense of imagination, we will undermine the distinctions and blur the boundaries between what is and isn't considered Jewish. In an effort to recreate a Jewish culture that feeds the soul, that enervating both intellectually and creatively, we need to transform the community from one based solely on ethnocentric, tribal, belonging….Choosing either modernity or religion is a false choice
The point is, we can take a stand on Obama because we're not just a media outlet (though it's worth noting that newspapers do endorse candidates). We're attempting to create a new community. We're attempting to create the largest, most intellectually engaging Web-based discussion about how to be a hyphenated American in the early 21st century, and more specifically, what it means to be Jewish in America now.
Jewcy's take on what it means to be Jewish in America will be tempered, and tested, by the alternative viewpoints we include in the discussion and by you, our readers, who will have the last word on what works for you.
Over the last year and a half, Jewcy's proudest editorial accomplishments have all articulated a well thought out bias that provoked both those who agreed with us, and those who didn't, into action. I'm talking about provocative topics like our confrontation of the ADL over their policy of genocide denial,our debate about the future of Jewish peoplehood with Jack Wertheimer, our editorial on why Israeli assholes should be a source of Jewish pride, our argument that writers should stop mining the Holocaust for material, and our debate between Sam Harris and Denis Prager, which arguably established the template for the rest of mainstream media on how to cover the growing Atheism phenomenon.
Action is the best case scenario (we want participants, not just readers). And hopefully, as we do better and better work, the aggregation of all those biases will constitute a somewhat unified, clear vision of the world that does more than ask what it means to be a Jew now, but actually provides a compelling and persuasive answer to a growing amalgam of Jews and other Americans disenfranchised and alienated by the institutions and leaders that once provided them with a sense of community and meaning.
As for Obama, our coverage has made it clear that he's the Jewcy New Jew candidate for a hundred different reasons, not least because of our reaction to the extraordinary racism, xenophobia, and dirty tricks employed by the Jewish establishment to discredit him.
So, yes, an Obama tee would alienate people in our audience. Precisely, and perfectly, in the same way our Shalom Motherfucker Tee did a couple years ago, and still does today.
We're interested in hearing your take. And if you have design suggestions, email our art director Tara Rice at tara@jewcy.com.
POST A COMMENT
M-Dawg is a term of affection
haha love it. Obama thinks Ahmadinejad is a nice guy. You may not know this, but he actually calls him "M-Dawg."
I agree entirely with DK, it is rubbish like this that does such a giant disservice to any actual substantive conversation about Obama–one which certainly should be taking place, and one that has been largely ignored.
Lets see-reasons why I should vote for Obama
1) He has advisors that made Jimmy Carter the "successful" president that he was
2) His Middle East advisors worship Yasser Arafat (Zbig Brestinky, Robert Malley, Samantha Power)
3) His spiritual leader is anti-semitic
4) He has no specifics on how to deal with foreign policy, economics, health care
5) His business partner (economic advisor) Tony Rezko is a Syrian allied with a corrupt Iraqi
6) He thinks Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a nice guy. Carter thought the same of Khomeni "a holy man"
If Obama advocated selling nukes to Iran and an economic boycott of Israel, you would still support him. Your column makes a sound argument for raising the voting age to 40. This is why we are not reaching out to you-you are in thrall of a false religion
Jeffrey Weaver wrote,
 "Jewcy has become a shill for Obama."
Good point.
Jewcy, tell the truth — were these t-shirts Koffler's idea?
I admit that I am part of the Jewish-Jewcy community that you seem hell bent on alienating. lately, Jewcy has become a shill for Obama, not looking deeply into the man, but tarring anyone that does not fall into line as a nutter with racist thoughts. How hard is it to at least honor the original concept and being a home for all Jews regardless of branch and partisanship. You barely lasted one election before you go for the hard left? Seriously do you not even see what you are doing or is being just another run of the mill Jewish leftist website really the goal? I have never believed that Jewcy should make any endorsement nor should they have become so left-leaning that their original idea is dead. It is not too late to try and become the place that unites all Jews not just an echo chamber trying to be the next Heeb…
Sure you can sing lead. I'll just play my power chords in a different key. Universe restored.Â
Thank you one and all. Just another days work. Now back to my day job at the Daily Planet.
This seems to be an adolescent response to the right-wing Jewish attack machine. This would piss Morton Klein and David Horowitz off – so let's do it. If you want to be really transgressive, why not print a Jewcy for Nader T-shirt – lets back the one candidate who not only is actively anti-Israel but also managed to hand Bush the White House for 8 years. Â
I certainly get why Obama is the "Jewcy" approved candidate. He's hip, he's multicultural.  Like Jewcy, the Obama campaign takes image and branding seriously and understands that hipsters need their substance delivered to them when they're not looking – the way that Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook delivers vegetables to kids. But there's plenty of hip Jews already supporting Obama. Obama-kahs are already on the market and they truly can't be improved upon when it comes to kosher Obama swag.
Jewcy should stick to a serious discussion of the issues around Jewish anxiety (real or manufactured) towards Obama. Getting writers like Ali Eteraz to comment about how American Muslims respond to the defense against the "Obama is a crypto-Mulsim" "slur" offers a fresh and important perspective.  A Che-style T-shirt with rays of light gleaming from Obama with a Jewish star tacked on is on the other hand tacky and cliche.
We must return our dialogue of scorn before the fabric of timespace is permanently damaged. But hold off until I walk the dog and go to Walmart for groceries.
Zionist wrote,
"David Duke is also practically endorsing Obama."
 That is the stupidest reason for being suspicious of Obama I have heard yet, and I AM suspicious of Obama.
Elvis wrote,
 "I think that if Farrakahan were the Democratic nominee for president, he would received 75% of the Jewish vote."
Elvis, I gotta give you folks on the far-right credit. You folks don't even TRY to reach out to others. Â
It's exactly this kind of lunacy that hurts those with legitimate concerns about an Obama presidency. You people are SUCH a hindrance.
I love that the guy above calls himself "Zionist" and then, in his lunatic screed, paints an infinitely less flattering portrait of that political persuasion than I ever did. BTW, I never uttered a peep at LGF, an uninteresting site without a tenth of the wit, smarts or soul of this place. Must have been another Ismail. We're everywhere.
Tahl, I am delighted to learn that I'm a rock star. When may I expect the truck full of lissome and pliant young women and the bags of cocaine to arrive? I ask only so I can remove the lawnmower from the driveway and have time to remind my wife how long it's been since she's seen her mom.
Naftali! David! Dudes, we did it! We're totally gonna need a van, though, and I was thinking it'd be best if I sing lead. You guys cool with that?
Come to think of it, this is a very efficient way to achieve rock stardom. Normally, a band starts off as comrades and only gradually achieves the snarling contempt for one another that keeps VH1 interesting. Naftali and I already have a rich history of sniping and scorn-mission accomplished!Â
Â
Try as he might Obama can't escape his anti-Israel, anti-Jewish past. David Duke is also practically endorsing Obama. Considering that "Jewcy" has the same attitude toward Judaism that "Jewcy" has it's not surprising.
It's lovely how the bigot Ismail is treated here. The Arab Islamofacist, anti-semitic, anti-Israel, terrorist supporting pyscho who actually believes Palestinians exist.  You couldn't get away with your vicous anti-Jewish comments on a real Jewish website. You got your ass verbally kicked on lgf, which is more "Jewish" than this craphole, and ran away like a little baby.
I would label the  "Jewcy" staff Judenrats but considering that over 90% are not even Jews, that wouldn't be accurate. The more terms would be "Aryan Kkk Lovers" and "hamass lovers."
I think that if Farrakahan were the Democratic nominee for president, he would received 75% of the Jewish vote. Most Jews eternally vote democratic in order to repay their debt to FDR for preventing the US from being overrun by foreign accented Jews, and thus embarassing them. Jews may make outstanding contributions in certain fields, but when it comes to politics, most of them have the intellectual capacity of lemmings
for a Jewcy Mike Gravel t-shirt.
Wow.
I agree with the comments above, from the contrarianism to the misuse of the word "enervate."
This was sloppy, poorly argued, and poorly thought-out. A disappointment over all.
"In an effort to recreate a Jewish culture that feeds the soul, that enervating both intellectually and creatively…"
There's a word missing after the second "that" in the sentence above. If that word is "isn't", you've lost the rhythm of the positive verbs in the rest of the section. If it's "is", you misunderstand "enervate", which means to weaken, fatigue, de-energize.
And I agree with the comments that printing an Obama t-shirt in the service of strengthening the site's contrarian bona fides is a poor decision, although the thinking is of a piece with much Obama enthusiasm; lots of extra-political reasons for making a political choice.
My sympathies are with what Obama represents, but I'm troubled by his record of voting in a manner discordant with what his supporters think he believes. I'd really like to see a discussion of these policy matters take precedence over the vaporous hagiography that counts as Obama commentary around here.Â
The above post was about why Jewcy has decided to sell Obama t-shirts and not why Tahl or Jewcy is supporting him. Read the post – the title is
Why We're Making An Obama T-ShirtÂ
Not Why We Support Obama. Â
I’m a regular reader of this site, and a Clinton supporter, and something about this
tee-shirt endorsement bugs me. Backing Obama is fine, and it’s probably a good
idea for Jewcy to endorse someone in this closely contested race, but I think you’ve
come to a completely valid conclusion for all the wrong reasons.
Your discussion of Obama has not focused on his strengths or plans for the
presidency, but on a defense of the man in the face of the “extraordinary
racism, xenophobia, and dirty tricks employed by the Jewish establishment.” Aside
from the obvious hyperbole*, this is a contrarian endorsement: we should vote
for Obama for “a hundred different reason” that Jewcy has left unarticulated. The
coverage on this site has made the case that Barack Obama is not anti-Israel,
not a threat to Jews, and may be unfairly treated by the Jewish establishment –
but none of these are fundamental reasons why Democrats, or Americans in
general, should choose him to lead our county. If, as it is clear, you truly
feel this way: make that POSITIVE argument. Explain why we should choose him
over Hillary, don’t simply tell us why we shouldn’t not choose him.
Jewcy, this criticism gets at a larger fault that I think you should consider. Just as
going after the ADL, it’s not enough to simply tell us why the Jewish
establishment is wrong, biased, or idiotic. Contrarianism, however satisfying,
does not push young Jews in new directions. While you rightly attack the ADL or
the middle-name-droppers out there, you also must argue for an alternative
worldview. This site has excellent
potential, now that it’s become established enough to endorse its first
candidate, its time to move beyond contrarianism.
* “Extraordinary racism”? C’mon. There is, admittedly, some racial
undertone…but stating a candidate’s middle name out loud, for whatever
obnoxious reason, hardly qualifies as “extraordinary racism.” This contest, despite
the 24-hour-media’s shrill hype, has been pretty damn civil.
Wanna post your own comments? Gotta log in first!