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Insulting Jews Everywhere—A Call to Congress
Dear Members of Congress,
You should be embarrassed by your lack of courage regarding the anti-Semitism resolution that has been proposed, and apologize to Jews everywhere. How could you even think of changing the resolution to include every single group discriminated against? I am insulted and disgusted by your decisions to consider these changes, since you are either politically stupid or historically uneducated. Let me explain why:
First, to equate anti-Semitism with any other group that is discriminated against is ludicrous. We are not just talking about discrimination: we are talking about centuries of murder, torture, isolation, hatred, marginalizing and rejecting the Jews. Centuries. Every other group in America pales historically in comparison in several ways. Tell me about the centuries of hatred against LGBTQ communities; explain how blacks in this country were victims of hatred in the United States more than 500 years ago (since they weren’t a slave population in this country before then).
Second, Judaism is one basis of the founding of this country. Its values, morals and ethics have become the basis of Christianity and Islam. Isn’t it finally due some public support in our times by condemning those who would destroy or marginalize us?
Third, anti-Semitism is alive and well in almost every country in the world, whether you are talking about Europe, Asia or Africa. Jews have often been the scapegoat of choice for 4,000 years, by nearly every religion and every civilization. Unlike many other groups, I speak as a Jew who refuses to speak about being victimized; instead, I speak the truth. I acknowledge the anti-Semitism I’ve experienced, and I choose to rise above it, rather than blame all of society for this treatment. I don’t expect special favors, reparations, or any kind of compensation. I will take care of myself, thank you.
But when societies begin to show signs (including the U.S.) of increased anti-Semitic activity, I become concerned. Individual anti-Semitic acts are one thing; organized groups determined to spew their hatred on Jews, just because they are Jews. must be called out. These other groups that have been named have plenty of advocates, at political, cultural and educational levels. Where are the champions of the Jews?
I was comforted and proud that the U.S. was going to make a stand against anti-Semitism, as we see growing polarization, groups segregating themselves and aligning against Jews in particular. I understand that the resolution has no legal power. At the same time, we would be making a statement not just to Americans but to the world that we will not stand for anti-Semitism. Other groups have already spoken out for their constituency. Who will speak out for Jews?
I still hope that when the resolution is finalized and announced, politics are put aside. That extremists are discredited. And that wisdom, justice and compassion reign. That we condemn only anti-Semitism for this resolution.
Please don’t disappoint me.
P.S. Don’t bother to mention Ms. Omar; just censure her and remove her from committees. I don’t want her scapegoated in this resolution and thus make her a martyr.
Published in Culture
I’m not trying to pester you, Mark, but what would be a stronger argument? Maybe just focusing on the need to make the resolution just about anti-Semitism and not bring the other groups into the argument. If that’s your point, I can see where you’re coming from. I’m not convinced yet, but I’ll mull it over. If I’ve misunderstood, let me know that, too.
The argument is simply this – by restructuring the resolution into a generic condemnation of “hate”, they are sidestepping that this whole exercise was prompted by Rep Omar’s anti-semitic remarks and thus the need is for the Democratic Party to address their own internal issues by addressing anti-semitism and not sidestepping it by creating this mush of a resolution. This is not about Jewish history nor about any other group that has been subject to prejudice; keep the focus on Rep Omar and the need for the Democratic Party to address its growing anti-semitism problem. If I were talking with someone who wanted to know why this is important that is what I would stress.
I think Omar and Tlaib should be given as much prominence as AOC. They are not particularly nice women. They say horrible, hyper-partisan things and accuse their critics of being bigots in the pocket of those rich rootless cosmopolitan supporters of Israel who control the banks and media. They are walking refutations of the notion of opening our borders to peoples and cultures who clearly do not seek to assimilate. I want them to be the face of the Democrat Party.
The Party has already gone after AOC for egregious campaign finance violations which never would have come to light if she had not said that establishment Democrats should be primaried. If the Trump Administration is smart, they will give her a slap on the wrist at the FEC and the DOJ will look the other way so as to keep her in the House, ethically sullied but still loud and intensely stupid.
The Party failed to go after Omar for being an overt anti-semite–imagine if a Republican from a Red State said anything like that–and I am thrilled that they wimped out on that.
I think a lot of gentiles will be appalled by the new anti-semitic face of the Dems but the masochism of Jewish progressives is probably invincible. They will be among the last to give up on the left.
Yep. Wish I’d thought to write my OP that way. That is the larger issue. Thanks so much, @gumbymark
Wow. Awesome points, @oldbathos. The arguments to keep these people around so they can keep stepping in it is a new one for me. But I think you are correct. More, please (Dems)
Your bottom line in the PS is spot on. If the Dems were serious they’d remove Omar from committees as the GOP did with King.
This is a gross statement, but being a Jew, I’ll take some liberty. To me it feels like the Jews are lining up to walk, voluntarily, into the ovens. Aligning with those that long for your destruction is suicidal. The Jews have done much to enrich mankind in many different ways…philosophically, scientifically, culturally, morally…but they also are associated with some very destructive ideas. Marxism/Communism. Many religions preach helping your fellow man, as does Judaism. Doing so to the point of your own destruction, however, is obviously counterproductive.
Progressive Jews can assuage their fears for the moment by thinking Omar hates Israel for the same reason they do, that with Likud in charge, they see Israel as a Red State and Netanyahu as akin to the governor of Texas. That won’t be as easy to do if Bibi loses his election or is ousted by scandal, and the progressive Jewish Democrats discover Omar’s hatred for Israel hasn’t declined one iota under the new leadership, unless the new leadership is willing to commit national suicide by giving into all of the Palestinians’ demands.
I think that Progressive Jews are heavily inclined toward oikophobic hatred of Jewishness, whiteness, Westernness and Americanness which hatred is deemed evidence of personal enlightenment. They revel in her contempt of their own demographic. It is a personal narcissism festival characteristic of educated lefties in general and is generally not susceptible to the reality of external events.
Great as usual Susan!
This issue to me goes much deeper than just name calling and is far more serious. Jews in America, and really everywhere, need to wake up to what is really happening here.
The Progressive Democrats have shown their true colors, and their unwillingness to truly support “equal protection” under the law enshrined in the Constitution where every citizen is treated equally under the law. The Progressive preference for Social Justice thought demands that certain groups and individuals in these United States be treated better than others on one hand while on the other that certain groups and individuals who are viewed as somehow political bogeymen in some circles like Jews are now be treated far worse, with less and perhaps no rights under the law.
Ilhan Omar’s and many others of her radical Muslim ilk’s history is not just one of name calling for rhetorical or political purposes only anti-semitism, it is one of calling for violence against Jews. Those calls for violence have already turned into a hateful reality under a number of instances. The number of those hateful violent attacks against Jews will only grow and could grow by quite a bit if leaders of both parties cannot simply and unequivocally in no uncertain terms condemn Anti-Semitism and violence against Jews, which apparently the Democrats are clearly unwilling to do .
The Democrats unwillingness to simply and clearly in no uncertain terms denounce Anti- Semitism is giving the haters of Jews everywhere great aid and comfort, for it is really a wink, wink, nudge, nudge that in crunch time the Democrats in power will look the other way and will try to make excuses like they are for Ilhan Omar, when future violence against Jews happens. Jews had better look out. Terrible times may be ahead.
Susan, may I have your permission to send this to my Congressman (even though I know it will be ignored like my other attempts to reach him)?
Thanks for this excellent post.
Sincerely, Jim
Of course! Thanks for seeing it as worthy! And of course, I’m a Floridian, too!
I like this article by Jonathan Tobin.
Oikophobic, now that’s a word you don’t see much–like never. I was listening to a podcast with John Hinderaker from Powerline Blog and a Minnesota resident. He said the district that elected Omar to Congress has a very large Jewish community. Guess who’s not surprised? Me.
What about former presidents Bush and Clinton? (I am not mentioning Carter because he is a well known Jew hater.)
Or the Republican senators? except for one or two.
Silence all around.
When the chips are down, you learn who your friends are and so it seems that Jews have very few of them.
There are a few, @yehoshuabeneliyahu, but this article tries to disparage those who have. Keep in mind that the mainstream media might not advertise this kind of information since it doesn’t help the cause of the Left.
From Bret Stephens:
“As the criticism of Omar mounts, it becomes that much easier for her to seem like the victim of a smear campaign, rather than the instigator of a smear. The secret of anti-Semitism has always rested, in part, on creating the perception that the anti-Semite is, in fact, the victim of the Jews and their allies. Just which powers-that-be are orchestrating that campaign? Why are they afraid of open debate? And what about all the bigotry on their side?
The goal is not to win the argument, at least not anytime soon. Yet merely by refusing to fold, Omar stands to shift the range of acceptable discussion — the so-called Overton window — sharply in her direction. Ideas once thought of as intellectually uncouth and morally repulsive have suddenly become merely controversial. It’s how anti-Zionism has abruptly become an acceptable point of view in reputable circles. It’s why anti-Semitism is just outside the frame, bidding to get in.”
We are already hearing that Omar is really the victim here. a bigger victim in fact than any Jew in the new”hierarchy of hurt” and therefore absolved from criticism.
From Democratic House Whip Jim Clyborn via Hot Air:
“Her experience, Clyburn argued, is much more empirical — and powerful — than that of people who are generations removed from the Holocaust,” ““I’m serious about that. There are people who tell me, ‘Well, my parents are Holocaust survivors.’ ‘My parents did this.’ It’s more personal with her,” Clyburn said. “I’ve talked to her, and I can tell you she is living through a lot of pain.”
You know Nancy Pelosi also said of Omar remarks ” weren’t intentionally anti- Semitic”.
In the reasoning of our betters we really have got to get with the fashionable program and give Ilhan Omar a break here because in the new ‘hierarchy of hurt” she definitely merits uniquely special treatment, particularly since she and other new minority Islamic women members of Congress are the new face of the Democrat Party they should be promoted and cherished not vilified, no matter what faux pas they utter. It’s the new way and we should sit down and shut up with any criticism.
Soon we will be told that we should be proud that Omar has established this new beach-head of sorts and this new foundation in Congress on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to fight Islamophobia – the true intolerant hate speech that haunts the world – and to fight the real battle against those despicable haters like Netanyahu and Trump who have contained the spread of the religion of Peace.
What the heck is he talking about? I want to be sure I understand. Omar’s pain over the recent criticism is greater than children who are brought up by Holocaust survivors? Seriously?
Not all follow-on children from Holocaust survivors have difficult upbringings, but many do. Good grief.
I think that takes in the hyper-left of the Jewish Democrats, to where they barely have any connection at all to their religion. Militant progressive Jews who’ve been championing the Palestinian causes have been around at least for a half-century, and in the U.S., really sprouted after Labor lost its 30-year control of the Israeli government in 1977. But them you’ve got the ones like Schumer who want to keep one foot in secular liberal politics while retaining their reform Judaism. They don’t hate their religion, but are more and more headed towards a moment of truth, where they will no longer be able to kick the can down the road on anti-Semitism within the Democratic Party, because the anti-Semites are going to have the power to overtly dictate party positions (as opposed to now, when people like Schumer or Pelosi are attempting to appease them to keep their voting block, while they figure out a way not to allow the Omar types to gain any more influence).
Thanks, @jon1979. Essentially they will have to choose between one religion or the other: Leftist ideology or some version of Judaism.
Actually, Omar derives enormous pleasure from the media’s spotlight upon her.
Karol Markowicz’s op-ed in the Observer kind of goes through the problems facing liberal Jews who do value their religion with the current climate on the left. They’re losing the general consensus of the Democratic Party to growing anti-Semitism and they don’t know what to do about it, in part because due to their support of the special interest group identity politics strategy, they can’t bring themselves to the direct confrontation that will be needed.
They’ll have to concede that some special interest groups aren’t worth pandering to, no matter how many votes they might harvest (where both Omar and Talib are in states that went narrowly against and for Trump in 2016), and the Dems’ leadership is trying to figure out a way to avoid that break. But they’re going to have to deal with the problem, if they don’t want the Democrats to go the way of Labour in England.
Anti Semitism–special interest groups…what about the Black Caucus?
An excellent op-ed, @jon1979. I liked his closing statement:
If you’re an American Jew, you’re not actually on the front-lines of this fight. You’re not in Israel, conscripting your children to the IDF. You’re not in Europe fearing for your physical safety. You’re in the same place as a conservative at a NYC cocktail party. No one will kill you for your opinion. You don’t owe anyone your silence to make them more comfortable.Your words are literally the least you can do. You must be braver, you must speak up. The worst that will happen is you will lose an acquaintance or a bad friend. If not now, when? If not you, who?
Can I add on to this particular offshoot? I honestly loathe resolutions of this sort. We’ve been calling it virtue signalling for the last several years, and I don’t remember what it was called before then if anything (though it’s surely existed for a long time). If Omar did something wrong then she should be punished. Losing her committee assignments would be a great step. It happened to King and I don’t even think that King deserved it. Whatever, I can deal with that, but the raft of resolutions I can do without.
You’re right, of course. They mean nothing, in some ways, because they have no power. Still . . .
Another angle: imagining a Republican congress responding to a perceived or real infraction by an individual by passing a generalized resolution, I also imagine being angry with the Republicans for doing so. Rep. Soandso was taped beating his wife? Why pass a resolution against wife abuse? Isn’t it obvious? What does that have to do with being Republican? Rep. Doe praised the Bell Curve? Ok, one can take the Bell Curve seriously without being a racist. Why should we pass a resolution acknowledging that it might even be a question?
Another thought, if I may. Remembering Black Lives Matter I also remember being offended by the implications. It was premised on so many flawed assumptions. I thought that All Lives Matter was a true and good response. Was I wrong to disregard the unique historical experiences of black Americans? Were the Dems correct in saying that All Lives Matter was only a deflection away from real issues our side has with racism? I was offended at the suggestion of either. Of course I don’t disregard slavery, Jim Crow, and the recent-enough real experiences of black people in America; of course I don’t think our side has a problem with racism so therefore we weren’t deflecting anything. I thought that All Lives Matter actually highlighted how non-identitarian we were compared to them; I thought it highlighted how little I think of current claims of widespread structural racism.
Do we think that most Dems really are antisemitic? If so, then keep plugging away asking for them to answer for it at the very top of our political system. If not, then wouldn’t they tend to respond similarly to how I responded to Black Lives matter?
@susanquinn, fresh idiocy from Paul Krugman:
They will never see it coming. (sigh)
Soooo, in response to anti-semitic comments by one of their own, Democrats are putting together a resolution that doesn’t really condemn anti-semitism itself but instead is more a general “We hate hate” type statement. And they are doing that in order to get the anti-semites in their caucus to vote for it. Is that a fair explanation?