After my last post “It is not about a Mosque; it is about America”, many friends – who were impressed by what Keith Olbermann had to say – sent me private email messages asking whether Mr. Olbermann was Jewish. Such inquiry is reflective of the hope – for which many people yearn – to have more Jews speak out against Islamophobia and in defence of the principle of universality of human values and human rights, whether in the United States, Palestine/Israel, or anywhere else.
As to the specific question, I respectfully say to all my friends who asked: I do not know whether Keith Olbermann is Jewish or not; but does it really matter?
Monzer Zimmo
Ottawa, Canada
2010/08/20
Hope is the stuff from which life is made!
You have answered Monzer.
It really does NOT matter folks. I would venture to say to those that are still curious, that Mr. Olbermann is not Jewish. I am very satisfied knowing his view and would be just as happy if the view is that of a Jewish person.
He is not in fact Jewish; but his politics seem to elicit this very question from people of all different ‘faiths’. For those who really must know, he is a Unitarian.
(Transcrpit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25368154/)
Having said that, and considering the current state of American ignorance re their President’s faith (“OBAMA! MUSLIM! ISLAMIST! GET ME A HOT DOG!”), I wouldn’t be surprised if there are circles who secretly whisper “*olbermann!* *muslim!*”.
xox m
Note that the link I included above is to a transpcript of Countdown from June 2008. About 2/3 of the way down, the following bit of conversation takes place, which is where Olbermann’s faith is mentioned:
“BATEMAN: Wait. You don‘t want our announcement now. You‘re invited. You‘re invited. A big law passed in California recently. Hun? We‘ve got a two-fer with Portia and Ellen. We‘ve got a deal on the church and you‘re invited.
CROSS: It‘s Unitarian.
OLBERMANN: Good, I was raised in that faith. So there‘s just a lot of political talk, no actually religion involved. OK, that‘s going to get me in trouble with my ancestors. “