Can I be defending Sarah Palin? Gulp. I think so. I have to believe the outrage over her usage of "blood libel" was totally contrived. Are Jews really offended? Of course not. I seriously doubt Jews feel any particular ownership of the term "blood libel." Do they regard diaspora or ghetto or pogram as exclusively theirs? Or holocaust? No, and why should they? After the Tuscon shootings, Palin was virtually accused of having blood on her hands, a far-fetched charge given that there's no indication that Loughner was in any way influenced by her. So, from her point of view, it was a "blood libel." So I agree with her. Except for the timing of her video, her tone, her poor-me perspective and virtually everything else she says or stands for.