Strange Affinities (updated 7/16/2009)

Persons or groups of persons sometimes ally themselves with others who have historically mistreated them. I have two examples in mind -- the Jewry's affinity for liberalism and the blacks' for Islam. I have been puzzled and perplexed for a long time as to why so many Jews ally themselves with the left. In the 20th Century (and perhaps before) it is the left that has visited the very worst devastation upon them. And it is ironic that Jews have been prominent in the early stages of evil and totalitarian regimes, i.e., Soviet and German styles of fascism. Those very regimes, once they achieved power, systematically set about purging, killing and imprisoning Jews.
As to the blacks and Islam, I'll treat with that subject in a later posting.

For readers interested in the question posed I recommend three interesting articles. The first, European Left Is More Dangerous for Jews than the European Right, by Soeren Kern at Brussels Journal points to the fact that European Jews a militantly anti-right, while it is the left who are virulently anti-Semitic. To all appearances there is some form of cognitive dissonance --denial -- at work; a failure to recognize the world as it is.
The next two articles were posted at Gates of Vienna.
The second article, Road Rage: Ode to Madness for Politically Incorrect Russian-Jewish Choir, by Lev Lakritz is a lighthearted lament. A Soviet emigre in the 70's, newly-arrived in America, recognizes that the left is his enemy, but drops his guard against liberalism. The result is that -- over the years -- public schools and university have indoctrinated his children in ways similar to those used by the Soviets in earlier generations. Mr. Lakritz' article is entertaining and instructive, but a number of readers took him to task for implied elitism and glib generalizations. The comments may be as instructive as the article.
The last article, Critique of the Culture of Kevin MacDonald, by Takuan Seiyo is more scholarly, and it covers just about all the ground regarding the Jewry's attraction to the left. When you've read it some questions may remain, but you'll know the ground.

Two links added to update this post: See Abraham M. Miller, PJM, and this by Lauri B Regan at American Thinker on Alan Dershowitz.