OPINION:
A columnist for one of Puerto Rico’s largest circulation newspapers, El Nueva Dia, wrote in a recent piece that the reason the country is still struggling, post Hurricane Maria, and its citizens, living in disastrous conditions is because of Jews in America.
Yes, that is what Wilda Rodriguez put forth in a piece titled, “What Does ’The Jew’ Want From the Colony?”
Newspaper editors issued a quick apology after the piece ran, saying they didn’t intend to further any type of anti-Semitic statement and that just because they publish something doesn’t mean they necessarily agree. But that doesn’t exactly soften the bite of what Rodriguez wrote.
She suggested that it’s “Wall Street types,” rather than politicians in Washington, D.C., who run the government and dictate U.S. policy. And in her mind, guess who heads up Wall Street?
“In the end,” she wrote, the Forward noted, “Congress will do what ’the Jew’ wants, as the vulgar prototype of true power is called.” Rodriguez also added, “No offense to people of that religion.”
But how not to take offense?
“More than 20 years ago, the Israeli paper Ma’ariv had an article in Hebrew that explained how the Jews control Washington,” Rodriguez went on. “For Israelis, recognizing Jewish power over Washington is not an offensive statement. It is the victory of the Diaspora.”
And Jews are now punishing Puerto Ricans because they’ve not repaid their $70 billion in debt, she suggested.
“That we could get away without paying would be fatal to Wall Street morale,” she wrote. “The punishment needs to make it clear to the debtor world that Wall Street cannot be manipulated.”
Interesting theory — off the mark as it is. Thing is, Puerto Rico has been run by leftist-leaning politicos who care more for lining their personal pockets than caring for the citizens who cough up taxes to pay their salaries. Doubt the truth of that statement?
“Puerto Rico to Pay Christmas Bonuses Despite Storm’s Toll,” blared one November 2017 Bloomberg headline.
And from Breitbart: “Puerto Rico Pays Gov’t Employees $100 Million in Bonuses After Asking for $94 Billion in Federal Disaster Relief.”
And from the Daily Caller: “The federal oversight board that publicly complained late last month about small Christmas bonuses for Puerto Rico’s government employees is squandering millions of dollars to pay lawyers who charge hundreds of dollars per hour and to hire lobbying firms and public relations firms. … Taxpayers in Puerto Rico are directly paying the salaries for oversight board employees. Puerto Rican taxpayers are also directly funding the entire $60 million annual budget for the oversight board, which Congress created in 2016 to manage Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy debt repayment.”
The fault of the Jews?
Hardly. Puerto Rico’s problems seem more like they’re squarely rooted in Puerto Rico’s government — its corrupt, self-interested, spendthrift progressive-minded political system. Blaming Jews is a scapegoat argument.
Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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