Do you know anyone who says “Anglo-American heritage” in a sentence? What could possibly be the purpose of saying that other than to pit Americans against each other? For the chief law enforcement officer to use a dog whistle like that is appalling. Best NO vote I ever cast.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) February 12, 2018
Here’s the offending paragraph from Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ speech to a convention of sheriffs that so outraged Senator Schatz (D-Hawaii):
I want to thank every sheriff in America. Since our founding, the independently elected sheriff has been the people’s protector, who keeps law enforcement close to and accountable to people through the elected process. The office of sheriff is a critical part of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement.
Who is Brian Schatz?
Brian Emanuel Schatz (pronounced /ʃɑːtz/; born October 20, 1972) is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Hawaii since 2012. Schatz was appointed by Governor Neil Abercrombie to replace Senator Daniel Inouye after his death. …Brian Schatz was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, along with an identical twin brother, Steve. He is the son of Barbara Jane (née Binder) and Irwin Jacob Schatz, a cardiologist and native of Saint Boniface, Manitoba. The family is Jewish.[3][4]
He’s lived in Hawaii since he was two, went to Punahou School, came back from Pomona College and taught school at Punahou, and got appointed to the U.S. Senate right after his 40th birthday.
In other words, life has been very, very nice to Senator Schatz.
But still … Schatz just can’t help himself being triggered by the fact that the word “sheriff” comes from “shire” (like in The Hobbit) and “reeve.” It makes him angry to hear that America has an “Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement.” That somebody else’s ancestors launched America is racist. That his ancestors didn’t found America just seems downright anti-Semitic.
Schatz’s resentment is reminiscent of that of the folks in Beverly Hills who are mad that their great-grandfathers had to found Hillcrest Country Club all the way down on cruddy Pico Blvd. because the founders of Los Angeles Country Club had already bought up the land on posh Wilshire Blvd.
While Senator Schatz is furious over mention of “Anglo-American heritage” …
CONGRESS CELEBRATES JEWISH AMERICAN MONTH AT SENATE GATHERING
WASHINGTON, May 24, 2017 – …Members of Congress who marked Jewish American Heritage Month at the Senate Russell Office Building were Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ; Sen. Sherrod Brown; D-Ohio; Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.; Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont.; Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.; Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hi.; Rep. John Faso, R-N.Y.; Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, D-Mass.; Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill.; and a driving supporter of the Jewish American Heritage Month, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.
And from 2013:
Jewish American Heritage Celebrated In The Capitol
… Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, Congressman Brad Schneider of Illinois, were all introduced by Master of Ceremonies Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President of the New York Board of Rabbis, highlighted the theme of the Congressional Tribute, which is to commemorate Jewish American Heritage in honor of Jewish contributions in business, government, military service, political life, health and science.
