Originally Posted By Anacon Growing up in Los Angeles in the 60's and 70's Jewish families I knew of would not take their children to Knott's Berry Farm. We would ask to go but were told that the Knott family supported the Nazis during World War II. I have looked around and have never seen anything that mentions the Knott Family was anti-semitic. Can anyone shed some light on this?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Because I apparently have no life and I'm naturally curious, I thought I'd consult the Googles and I found this: "As the county grew in population and economic power, far-right anti-Semitic and racist elements still found succor within prominent institutions, such as Knott's Berry Farm. In this case, recalls marketing consultant Bob Kelley, it may have been more a matter of indifference and ignorance than outright active anti-Semitism. Walter Knott, Kelley says, was himself not anti-Semite and even had Jewish secretaries, but he tolerated a fundamentalist-run bookstore that openly sold anti-Jewish tracts. Eventually, Kelley and other advisers persuaded Knott to shut down the bookstore." Perhaps that's where the rumor began. More here: <a href="http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/item/beyond_the_orange_curtain_19970912" target="_blank">http://www.jewishjournal.com/a...19970912</a>
Originally Posted By DlandDug Walter Knott was virulently right-wing in his politics, but a real populist when it came to his dealings with the public. I have never seen anything to suggest he was anti-semitic.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost And even if he was...is this pertinent to today. It's the past. Can't be changed, doesn't influence today's attitudes and is totally irrelevant. Would have been at the time, now it doesn't amount to anything more than gossip.
Originally Posted By CDF2 I believe Walter Knott was either a supporter or member of the John Birch Society, an organization which had been created by a conservative group of senators and other politicians in the late '50s to supposedly take a stand against communist influences in the USA. As with any such political group, its possible that the motives of the John Birch Society may have been seen as exclusionary to a great many ethnic or religious groups that did not fall into line with the JBS philosophies or stated positions.
Originally Posted By walnutshot What makes this pertinent today is that i saw a Knotts Berry Farm billboard off the 5 freeway with a cute lil girl flying a playful plane ride. Hidden behind the cuteness yet displayed for all to see and only few to realize is that this is a picture of a white blonde haired girl flying a red and black wwii replica biplane complete with iron crosses. tell me they don't still carry their disturbed view of humanity, why else would they put up advertisements with such symbols displayed for all the sleeping masses. yes, keep the masses off track from their true purpose ingesting sugar and desperately seeking pointless entertainment.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros The red World War I biplane with black iron cross is a recurring visual in the Peanuts strips, where Snoopy frequently portrays a flying ace. Without any other knowledge of this billboard, I would assume that they were trying to reference that, since the Peanuts gang is heavily represented at Knott's Also from the description, it sounds like the type of aircraft that was used in WWI, which was prior to the prevailing anti-Jewish sentiment in Germany
Originally Posted By monorailblue <<tell me they don't still carry their disturbed view of humanity>> Since the Knott family doesn't own or operate Knott's Berry Farm, I'm not sure how ads created and place by Cedar Fair Parks tells you anything about members of the Knott family.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <"As the county grew in population and economic power, far-right anti-Semitic and racist elements still found succor within prominent institutions, such as Knott's Berry Farm.> There is nothing far-right in anti-semitism.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip They were strange times and difficult to judge by today's standards. I've also read the Walt Disney had extreme political views, but never worried about it too much.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Although one can be left wing or centrist or even apolitical and still be anti-Semitic, organized Anti-Semitism has found its most common refuge in far-right movements over the years; even if they're not the same thing per se, there is certainly plenty of overlap.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "There is nothing far-right in anti-semitism." Jerad and Amanda Miller would probably disagree.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh Are they the sort of people you believe are authorities about such matters?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Every right-wing Tea Party supporter I know in this area (and believe me, there are plenty of them) STRONGLY supports Israel, the Jewish cause, and believes that Obama has paid far too little attention to the U.S. relationship with Israel. Anti-Semitic? I don't think so!!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Are they the sort of people you believe are authorities about such matters?" I don't know. You tell me since you seem to know so much about the subject and claim that antisemitism has nothing to do with right-wing conservatism.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I'd bet it's not entirely inaccurate to say that while not all far right republicans are anti-semitic, pretty much ALL anti-semitics are far right wing.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <I don't know. You tell me since you seem to know so much about the subject and claim that antisemitism has nothing to do with right-wing conservatism.> They aren't. They didn't understand the first thing about what it means to be right wing.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <I'd bet it's not entirely inaccurate to say that while not all far right republicans are anti-semitic, pretty much ALL anti-semitics are far right wing.> No, they aren't.
