GDANSK, Poland—Mitt Romney ended his trip to Israel on a controversial note, angering Palestinian officials by suggesting Israelis have been more economically successful because of their culture.
"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality," Romney told a group of Jewish donors at a Jerusalem fundraiser that netted more than $1 million for his campaign.
The Republican candidate told supporters he began noting "enormous disparities" between neighboring countries during his time in the business world and cited a 1998 book, "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations" by David Landes, which studied why some countries did better than others.
"He says if you could learn anything from the economic history of the world it's this: Culture makes all the difference," Romney told supporters. "And as I come here, and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."
Romney's comments didn't sit well with key Palestinian leaders, including Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who told the Associated Press that Romney's comment was a "racist statement."
"This man doesn't realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," Erekat told AP. "It seems to me this man (Romney) lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people… He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority."
The Associated Press's Kasie Hunt was the first to report on Romney's remarks during the fundraiser, which was open to a small pool of reporters and took place just before he left Israel for Poland. Shortly after Romney's arrival here, a campaign aide issued a transcript of Romney's remarks, in which he also mentioned economic disparities between the United States and Mexico and Chile and Ecuador—which had not been noted in initial reports of his comments.
His words come just a day after the former Massachusetts governor met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, in what a senior Romney aide, speaking on background, described as a friendly meeting. The aide said the pair's discussion largely centered on economic development—which is notable, considering Romney's remarks on Monday.
But Romney's comment on culture wasn't the only thing that angered Palestinian officials. On Sunday, the candidate called Jerusalem "the capital of Israel"—wading into a contentious debate in the region, as both Israelis and Palestinians have claimed rights to Jerusalem.
"We have taken up arms in defense of our liberty, our property, our wives, and our children; we are determined to preserve them, or die." - Captain Moroni - 'Address to the Inhabitants of Canada' 1775
With the high level of Israeli interference in the Palestinian economy, it is clear that this must be one reason, if not the primary reason, for the disparity.
I pray this guy never becomes president. The results may well prove more disastrous than the W years.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist
I'm no longer undecided. I've always said that my biggest concern with Romney was foreign policy and, wow, did this foreign excursion of his ever seal the deal for me.
Was the purpose of Romney's trip to piss off as many foreign powers as possible whilst making Obama look like a brilliant statesman?
“We look to not only the spiritual but also the temporal, and we believe that a person who is impoverished temporally cannot blossom spiritually.” Keith McMullin - Counsellor in Presiding Bishopric
"One, two, three...let's go shopping!" Thomas S Monson - Prophet, Seer, Revelator
Drifting wrote:Was the purpose of Romney's trip to piss off as many foreign powers as possible whilst making Obama look like a brilliant statesman?
If so, then it was a roaring success. I'm not all that excited by the prospects of a second Obama term, but this trip sealed the deal for me. I won't vote for Romney.
GDANSK, Poland—Mitt Romney ended his trip to Israel on a controversial note, angering Palestinian officials by suggesting Israelis have been more economically successful because of their culture.
"As you come here and you see the GDP per capita, for instance, in Israel which is about $21,000 dollars, and compare that with the GDP per capita just across the areas managed by the Palestinian Authority, which is more like $10,000 per capita, you notice such a dramatically stark difference in economic vitality," Romney told a group of Jewish donors at a Jerusalem fundraiser that netted more than $1 million for his campaign.
The Republican candidate told supporters he began noting "enormous disparities" between neighboring countries during his time in the business world and cited a 1998 book, "The Wealth and Poverty of Nations" by David Landes, which studied why some countries did better than others.
"He says if you could learn anything from the economic history of the world it's this: Culture makes all the difference," Romney told supporters. "And as I come here, and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things."
Romney's comments didn't sit well with key Palestinian leaders, including Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who told the Associated Press that Romney's comment was a "racist statement."
"This man doesn't realize that the Palestinian economy cannot reach its potential because there is an Israeli occupation," Erekat told AP. "It seems to me this man (Romney) lacks information, knowledge, vision and understanding of this region and its people… He also lacks knowledge about the Israelis themselves. I have not heard any Israeli official speak about cultural superiority."
The Associated Press's Kasie Hunt was the first to report on Romney's remarks during the fundraiser, which was open to a small pool of reporters and took place just before he left Israel for Poland. Shortly after Romney's arrival here, a campaign aide issued a transcript of Romney's remarks, in which he also mentioned economic disparities between the United States and Mexico and Chile and Ecuador—which had not been noted in initial reports of his comments.
His words come just a day after the former Massachusetts governor met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, in what a senior Romney aide, speaking on background, described as a friendly meeting. The aide said the pair's discussion largely centered on economic development—which is notable, considering Romney's remarks on Monday.
But Romney's comment on culture wasn't the only thing that angered Palestinian officials. On Sunday, the candidate called Jerusalem "the capital of Israel"—wading into a contentious debate in the region, as both Israelis and Palestinians have claimed rights to Jerusalem.
That Palestinian and Arab Muslim culture, more broadly, represent failed cultures and cultural models, and that the open, liberal democratic model of Israel is far, far superior (as are any such similar models) to the barbarism, poverty, tribalism, honor and "blood and soil" culture of the Palestinian territories and the Arab Muslim world in general is inarguable, to any sane or rational observer.
Why this is even controversial at all in the West is clear evidence of just how far the West has decayed intellectually and morally under the weight of its "progressive" elites over the last several generations.
Last edited by Guest on Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father [in Heaven] and how familiar his face is to us
- President Ezra Taft Benson
I am so old that I can remember when most of the people promoting race hate were white.
It's no gaffe. Islam is a 7th century serf/slave culture, not a legitimate religion, and so yes, Israelis are far and away superior culturally to the Palestinians. The Palestinians could possibly break that cycle and advance economically IF they stopped terrorizing their neighbors. But since that is part of their culture, it's quite unlikely to happen any time soon. Romney's come down on the correct side in this conflict and the only way for this conflict to end is for that side to be supported exclusively.
Last edited by Guest on Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Droopy wrote:That Palestinial and Arab Muslim culture, more broadly, represent failed cultures and cultural models, and that the open, liberal democratic model of Israel is far, far superior (as are any such similar models) to the barbarism, poverty, tribalism, honor and "blood and soil" culture of the Palestinian territories and the Arab Muslim world in general is inarguable, to any sane or rational observer.
Why is this is even controversial at all in the West is clear evidence of just how far the West has decayed intellectually and morally under the weight of its "progressive" elites over the last several generations.
The merits of Romney's position are largely irrelevant. The point is that Romney showed very poor diplomatic skills. Only a select few like Dick Cheney and John Bolton think it is a good idea to practice foreign policy this way. Karl Rove and Krauthammer, on the other hand, are shaking their heads at Romney right now.
Why is this is even controversial at all in the West is clear evidence of just how far the West has decayed intellectually and morally under the weight of its "progressive" elites over the last several generations.