[Marxism] "It's Kristallnacht Two!"

[Paul Flewers]

Re the Counterpunch piece, one woman interviewed said that 'It's
Kristallnacht Two!'. Kristallnacht was a pogrom staged by the Nazi state
against Germany's Jews; this is a shakedown of rich people who knew that Mr
Madoff was not quite kosher. A most inapt term, and insulting to the victims
of the Nazis' violence, comparing them with the willing greedy victims of a
gross shyster.

As Cockburn writes: 'Of course many of them thought Madoff's famous model
was dubious. After all, how could the laws of financial gravity be defied,
year after year, producing an unending yield (for the fortunate) of 10 to 12
per cent annual returns on capital invested. But the thought came with a
knowing wink, that Bernie was scoring these huge returns, by being in the
know, running on the inside track, using insider knowledge.'

There will be innocent victims, but they won't be the ones who invested
directly with Madoff, it will be, for example, those who rely on pension
funds whose managers gave funds to him to invest.

There is a bright side, however. Tony Greenstein, a prominent anti-Zionist
campaigner I know, sent the letter below to the Jewish Chronicle (London),
pointing this out. Will it get printed?

Paul F

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sir or Madam: 
  
Daniella Peled and Anshel Pfeffer (Jewish Chronicle 18.12.08, 'Madoff
scandal: charities lose $1bn') are unduly pessimistic. It is incumbent on
the 'JC' of all papers to look on the summer side of life. 
  
You should remember that old saying that it's an ill-wind that blows no
good. It seems that Bernie made off with a sizeable chunk of the funds of
some of the most detestable Zionist organisations. Hadassah, the Women's
Zionist Organisation has apparently lost nearly 20% of its endowment and
another Zionist organisation, the American Jewish Congress no less than
two-thirds. Who knows what other supporters of tyranny and occupation have
been affected? 
  
It could well be that Bernie Madoff has done more singlehandedly to bankrupt
settlements in the West Bank than all the Palestine solidarity organisations
put together. Is there no one who is prepared to launch a fund to ensure
that Bernie at least enjoys a few home comforts when he is forced to do
porridge in the American gulag? 
  
Indeed I can think of no one since Yehoshua Leibowitz who is more worthy of
being awarded the annual Israel Prize. 
  
And even better, no one can now assert that there is a world Jewish
conspiracy aimed at defrauding Gentiles when it is clear that the primary
victims of Mr Madoff's pyramid scheme were themselves Jewish! 
  
Your obedient servant, 
    
Tony Greenstein