Political Prodding, Or Racism?

They would have it as good-natured (or, given this is politics, bad-natured) prodding, gentle jabs. Not racism, not at all. Don't even mention that dirty word. All right, not racism, just plain old-fashioned anti-Semitism, with a nod at Nazi Germany for verification.

Mario Dumont of Action Democratique du Quebec has been attending events put on by the Jewish community within Quebec. To try to garner votes, needless to say. To demonstrate what a fine fellow he is. Which he very well may be indeed. To ensure this particular ethnic voting bloc as some would have it, know that he is approachable.

Politics as usual. Don't they all engage in this type of thing? Identify a potential voting bloc and then make themselves available, open to questions, willing to let themselves identify with whatever they perceive it is glues that particular community together. As if.

The belief that most identifiable ethnic groups are monolithic is, perhaps in and of itself tinged with racism. That aside, this is a time-honoured political gambit, and no doubt the targeted group feels flattered that it is being courted by none other than the head of any political party.

But a controversy has erupted. Jews have such thin skins, after all. Some in the community feel insulted, umbraged, even fearful of possible consequences of being picked out in such a manner, in three of Quebec's leading newspapers.

Jocularity at the expense of the political candidate it may pose itself to be, but these barbed and historically validated caricatures of Jews is nothing to laugh about.

On the editorial page of La Presse the Action Democratique leader portrayed widely smirking, earlocks hanging down under a large black fur hat, saying "next week I'll be courted by nude cyclists". Jews are such a zany lot, after all.

How the image of Hasidic Jews is representative of the broader Jewish community in the mind of this cartoonist hasn't quite been explained. Bit aren't they quaint? And just a tad - you know, not quite Canadian.

No harm meant.

In le Devoir, a cartoon of Mr. Dumont sporting a tee-shirt emblazoned with a seal of approval directing the reader to understand that he has been "certified kosher". Oh dear, ha-ha. Can't take a joke? What's the matter with you.

No harm meant.

Not to be outdone, and they most certainly were not, La Tribune out of Sherbrooke cartooned Mr. Dumont with dollar signs where his pupils should be, glad-handing a brace of Jewish business types themselves appearing with large noses, curly hairlocks and kippas. "Welcome my friend$", appears on the caption bubble.

Surely, you're not offended! No harm meant...!

We can do business together. At least the Action Democratique can. Pssst, what does that say about them, about their politics...?

You planning to vote for them? Jew lovers; think you can trust them to do what's right for Quebec?