PrintApril 14, 2004
''Outing'' as a political strategy
The ploy of 'outing'—— publicizing someone's religious heritage, sexual orientation, or ethnicity to discredit that person's beliefs or impugn his motivation —— is a disturbing manifestation of the increasingly polarized debates occurring in our nation over a range of issues. This phenomena has become an all—too—common tactic to attack an opponent, and has dangerous implications that have yet to be widely appreciated.
"Outing" has a long and sorrowful history in America and, has often targeted minorities, particularly Jews. In the 1930s, Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, and other isolationists accused American Jews who opposed Nazism of being motivated by concern for their co—religionists in Europe instead of the future of America. The horror of the Holocaust shamed into silence those who would cast aspersions on Jews for such a putative dual loyalty after World War II. However, as that generation passes from the scene, newer generations...(Read Full Article)
