A Jew in Germany (or Berkeley?)

A Jew in Germany

“   I’d been living in Germany for a couple years already. At that time, I had just moved into a small one-bedroom apartment in Leipzig with a shower in the kitchen. The boiler was also broken, so it was a cold shower in the kitchen. My windows looked out onto a concrete wall, an elevated train track, and some graffiti. I cycled my clunky East German bike around town, worked minimally, paid no rent, and lived pretty decadently.    One day when I didn't have much to do, I was milling around the music section at the big-box electronics store. I was looking at some indie band and started chatting with this other guy with great indie taste. He was about to go buy a record; I said I'd heard good things about it. He said, “Write down your address, I'll give you a copy." A few days later there was a stack of CDs at my doorstep. Charming! I texted thanks, and we set up a coffee date. ...  When he asked me where I was from, I told him that I was American and that my father was Israeli [...] ” Alternate title: A Jew in Berkeley

Reaching out to what?

Tea Party Fights All-White Image Here's yur "reaching out"

“ The Tea Party movement has an image problem that it is urgently trying to change: It's viewed as a whites-only group. Washington Whispers ” "Reaching out" in this context carries a supplicatory connotation; "Please, what must we do?"  In Lib-talk it means, "do what we want and we'll be friends."   Guy named Matt Kane (runs the Tea Party organizing group" called FreedomWorks) will not agree with me,  that the very thought of Teapartiers reaching out  pumps yellow bile into my throat.  Matt told Paul Bedard,  "We do need to reach out."  In fairness, Matt's idea of  reaching out was a new Web site , called "Diverse Tea," where minorities can share their stories of backing Tea Party candidates. That's better than putting reparations on the table; but a sterile, useless gesture nonetheless.  The Tea Party is a spontaneous movement, fueled by the raw feelings and emotions of millions of Americans who love this country; who have a sense of the history that made us a great people; and who want it all back. We despise the gatekeepers from both political parties who sold us out  We HATE socialism.  Hate it.  Let's be real here; thems what think things are just terrific; who love what today's government does to them, and want more of it! - well, they're not Teapartiers; not part of the process.  How do you reach out to people who don't share even fundamental values?  You can't; you don't try.  If we're successful, their children will have a chance at a decent education, and live in a free society though.They'll grow up to be Americans. Sheesh.