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June 11, 1999/27 Sivan 5759, Vol. 51, No.37
Kennedy book reveals anti-Semitism
MARTY LATZ
Special to Jewish News
My dad, Robert, never really liked the Kennedys. One of the youngest state legislators in Minnesota history, he supported Hubert Humphrey, a Kennedy rival, whom he viewed as one of the greatest public servants of all time.
I assumed his dislike was born of simple political rivalry. When Humphrey ran against John F. Kennedy in 1960 for the Democratic presidential nomination and lost, my dad was a Humphrey delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
I admire Humphrey and Kennedy, but with a twist. I recently read Seymour Hersh's "The Dark Side of Camelot," a controversial account of Kennedy's "dark side." It includes stories of his philandering, his monied campaigns and his checkered family history.
I don't know if it's all true, but some of what Hersh relates struck a nerve, specifically two stories concerning "Old Man" Joe Kennedy, President Kennedy's father.
First, Hersh describes Joe Kennedy's attitude toward Hitler in 1938, while serving as U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. According to Hersh, Ambassador Kennedy "repeatedly sought a personal meeting with Hitler on the eve of the Nazi blitzkrieg" to bring about a "better understanding" between the U.S. and Germany.
Second, Hersh details Joe Kennedy's anti-Semitism. According to Hersh, Harvey Klemmer, one of Kennedy's embassy aides, said that Kennedy generally referred to Jews as "kikes or sheenies." Joe Kennedy also allegedly told Klemmer that "individual Jews are all right, Harvey, but as a race they stink. They spoil everything they touch."
Hersh also draws on German documents describing meetings with Joe Kennedy and the German ambassador, stating that Joe Kennedy "understood our Jewish policy completely" and "himself mentioned that very strong anti-Semitic feelings existed in the U.S. and that a large portion of the population had an understanding of the German attitude toward the Jews."
I don't know how many Americans had this "understanding." And I'm not suggesting or inferring that President Kennedy or any of the other Kennedys shared Joe Kennedy's sentiments. I don't believe they did.
But I do know many Americans didn't hide their anti-Semitic feelings in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and even into the early 1960s. It wasn't that long ago, and is something we should not forget. And it has not disappeared. Anti-Semitism still exists, although much of it is now below the surface and not socially acceptable. My high school basketball coach used to continually tell me - the team's only Jew - that some of his best friends growing up were Jewish.
This is not to minimize the progress that's been made in the last 40 years in civil rights for all minorities, including Jews. Driving prejudice underground and making it socially unacceptable, publicly and privately, has been one of our country's greatest recent accomplishments.
But more needs to be done. Twenty-five years ago, the Jewish chancellor of the University of California was under consideration for the presidency of the University of Minnesota. He ultimately withdrew his name when some questioned whether Minnesota was ready for a Jewish university president.
An uproar followed. Shortly thereafter, my dad got a call from some legislators asking him if he was interested in serving on the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents. After talking it over with my mom, Carolyn, he said yes, and was subsequently elected. He was one of its first Jewish members. Progress? Yes. But we must remain alert. If we don't, anti-Semitism can rise again.
Marty Latz is a Valley attorney and negotiation consultant.
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