“I am Spartacus-berg”

At Rhymes with Right, Greg tells about a peculiar interaction he had at a Democratic-themed blog, where his argument in favor of free speech earned an attack against him based upon his Jewishness.  Although Greg was flattered, he isn’t actually Jewish.   He concluded, that the claim that he is Jewish was meant to be an insult, and was aimed at deflecting the whole notion of free speech as something peculiarly (and evil-y) Jewish.

Scott Kirwin, who blogs at The Razor, left an excellent comment:

I take that [being called a Jew] as a compliment. Ever since Daniel Pearl said it before he was murdered, I view it as an act of defiance.

In other words, saying “I am a Jew,” whether or not one is, is giving an upraised finger to the forces of totalitarianism and tyranny.

Naturally, this led me one step further:  Just as the Danes (wasn’t it the Danes?) once upon a time, before they turned into a Muslim nation, deflected the Nazi’s genocidal attacks against their Jewish citizens by all proudly donning the yellow star, shouldn’t all of us, as free people, say “I am a Jew?”

Yesterday, I suggested that all of us, men and women alike, confess to affairs with John Boehner, a la the “I am Spartacus” scene in the eponymous movie.  Today, I suggest that we all say “I am Spartacus-berg” because, in the face of the oncoming darkness, we must all stand as Jews or accept the death of liberty.