this controversy involved a member of national review editorial staff named joseph sobrante, who had devoted a number of his syndicated columns to attacking not just the state of israel, but also the jewish people in general and judaism as a religion. accordingly, a letter of protest was sent to a long list of prominent conservative intellectuals, and in sharp contrast to the liberal intellectuals connected with the nation, all of the conservatives, every last one of them, join in expressing outrage at the sobrante anti-semitic writings. in spite of the fact that none of the clearly anti-semitic sobrante teachings had reviewed in national review itself, the letter was also sent to its editor, william f. buckley, jr. but whereas the editor of the nation had responded to a similar letter, by denying that vidal piece is anti-semitic or even preposterously anti-israel, buckley wrote an editorial associate his magazine from sobrante on this issue. and admonishing him to begin respecting the unwelcome -- the welcome structure of taboos concerning israel and the jews. what emerged from his