I didn't know he was Jewish

I hate it when jews bring up the whole Exodus story and how they were enslaved too. So were black Africans.

ditto Ike

kirk douglas' birth name is actually Issur Danielovitch, he changed it because it sounded too jewish and american audiences wouldnt accept any non-white leading men (jews were not considered white at the time).

so yes, he does have experience with oppression. he was obviously just making a joke about asking from egypt.

Why does it bother you?

@Daria:

Sorry. I know my comment was a little "off subject." It's just that I've heard many jews say that when they compare their "struggle" to blacks. It's come up in many affirmative action and racism debates.

I think it's great that Kirk Douglas cares about the oppressed, but (sorry if I sound really negative, that's not my intention) who cares about an apology. Unless that "apology" is going to include some sort of reimbursment/compensation, what's the point. Let's get over slavery. It's already happened and we can't do anything to change the past. Let's just look foward and get black people back on track.

Love Kirk, but there is very little archeological/scientific, or historical evidence for the "exodus". It's a biblical "story" that way too many people accept as fact.

Solitaire, it's actually historic fact that is accepted by pretty much all historians.

No it's not.

Well, the Jews have supported blacks when other whites have turned their backs on us…so good for him.

I'm glad we finally have an apology, although it was not highly publicized.

I think it's fair to say that Jews supported blacks in general, when they were at risk from the same hostile forces. As Jews have progressed socially and economically, they have not been very supportive, collectively. In NYC, many are more openly adversarial and antagonistic than non-Jewish whites. In the entertainment industries, Jews have an abysmal record toward blacks.
An apology without reparations is hollow. The Japanese who were interned in WWII, while this country was at war with them, were given an apology WITH an average of $20,000/person. An apology to the continued race-based economic inequities toward black Americans is a joke.

The US is fortunate that African American's are even okay a government apology. Jewish people were enslaved more than 2,000 years ago but the rememberance of their slavery experience is so significant that it's observed as part of a religious holiday.

Here in the US, we are just 143 years removed from slavery, and black folk just need to "get over it. (What's that 3-4 generations?)

How much outcry would there be if black people were petitioning the AME/CME church to incorporate a rememberance of slavery as a holy observance?