Jones' "Jewish" Joke: gratuitous, tasteless and bespeaking a mindset that is not objectrive.

Jones Apologizes for Jewish Joke Ben Smith - National Security Adviser James Jones has apologized for telling a Jewish joke last week at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Though Jones' audience didn't take offense, the joke drew questions about its content. Jones' statement Monday said: "I wish that I had not made this off-the-cuff joke at the top of my remarks, and I apologize to anyone who was offended by it. It also distracted from the larger message I carried that day: that the United States commitment to Israel's security is sacrosanct." ****In fact, it speaks to a bias that Israel and Jews do not deserve such a commitment.****
****Jones' joke: A Taliban lost in the desert and dying of thirst spots a Jewish merchant at the top of a sand dune. "Please give me some water." "I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY WATER BUT I CAN SELL YOU A TIE." "You lousy #4%43! I know why my people hate you." "WELL, DESPITE YOUR VITUPERATION, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A RESTAURANT TWO MILES TOWARD THE SUN AND THEY HAVE PLENTY OF WATER." Two hours later, the Taliban crawls back, "Your brother says I need a tie to get in."
Now, although an old joke that can be told with various ethnicities, one must ask why Jones told it as he did. It plays to several stereotypes: Jews won't help a man in dire extremis, Jews are tricky, collusive and work together against the interests of non-Jews. As a matter of fact, the insertion of "your brother" is novel to Jones, in my experience.Is Jones an anti-Semite? He wouldn't think so; most genteel anti-Semites don't. ****