I had my gym clothes and running shoes on and I was ready to get on the treadmill on Saturday, Jan. 15, when I saw the alert.
Shabbat services at a Texas synagogue were interrupted by an armed person who had taken some worshippers hostage.
We all have moments when we sensed that our reality shifted. JFK’s assassination when I was a junior in high school. The events of 9/11, when my daughter was on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 750 other American college students, another potential target for terrorists. Jan. 6, 2021, when American democracy began to crumble. And that Saturday at the Texas synagogue.
It certainly wasn’t the first, or the most, horrific act of antisemitism in the United States, but it paralyzed me because it seemed almost routine … a lone person terrorizing Jews in a place called a “sanctuary,” yet again.
These acts are happening over and over again — just like the bigger picture of hate, which, writ large, is genocide.
After the Holocaust, the world leaders’ mantra was “never again.” And then there was Cambodia. And Guatemala, Argentina, East Timor, Bosnia, Darfur, the Uyghurs, the Rohingya, the Tibetans. The list goes on and on.
The list of anti-Semitic “incidents” in the U.S. goes on and on. Of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S., 58 percent target Jews, despite Jews comprising only 1.9 percent of the U.S. population and just 0.2 percent of the population of the world.
Scholars say that antisemitism is the world’s oldest and most-enduring form of hate. As an academic, I understand the forms of scapegoating that occur. As a Jew, those acts damage the essence of my soul.
There are fine statements decrying this latest act of antisemitism coming from many organizations and individuals, including the United Nations General Assembly and President Biden. But these words do nothing. They don’t stop the hate and the scapegoating and the violence and the desire to lash out against this tiny minority as punishment for all the ills in the world.
There are some well-intentioned actions. The U.S. may finally pass the 2021 “Pray Safe Act,” which will provide information on best practices and available federal grants for security at houses of worship. FEMA will probably increase funding for its Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The project’s current annual budget is $180 million, which increased several times in recent years due to the rise in antisemitism across the U.S. The program allows houses of worship to apply for grants of up to $100,000 each for security measures such as fences, cameras, stronger doors and security personnel.
But stronger doors and higher fences don’t stop hate.
On another front, a genocide is happening right now, at this very moment, on the other side of the world — the destruction of the Uyghurs in western China. Again, there are fine statements and intended good actions.
Last month, the French parliament labeled the atrocities against the Uyghurs to be genocide, and the French parliamentarians applauded the Uyghur refugees who were in the room. The French have joined the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K. and the Netherlands with this pronouncement.
The U.S. has issued economic sanctions and forbidden diplomats’ attendance at the February Beijing Olympics. It has threatened pressure on businesses like Abercrombie and Fitch, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Gap, H&M and Nike that use Uyghur slave labor in their supply chains.
But the genocide continues — despite the pronouncements, applause and sanctions.
And the antisemitism continues.
Last month the New York City Police Department arrested a woman for harassing and spitting on an 8-year-old Jewish boy outside a Brooklyn synagogue.
[image_caption]Ellen Kennedy[/image_caption]
According to CNN, the woman approached three children outside the synagogue shouting “anti-Jewish statements” before spitting on the boy and walking away.
The children’s father told reporters that the woman said “something along the lines of Hitler should have killed you all.”
The 8-year-old boy replied to the woman that he would save his little sister. The woman then spit in his face and said, “We will kill you all. I know where you live, and we’ll make sure to get you all next time.”
That little boy’s world must have shifted at that moment.
Genocide and hate — “never again” means nothing when the hate endures.
World Without Genocide will hold a webinar on Feb. 23, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “China: Politics, Human Rights, and Law.” Register by Feb. 22 at http://www.worldwithoutgenocide.org/china. The event is open to the public at $10 general public, $5 students and seniors, free to Mitchell Hamline students and $25 for Minnesota lawyers for 2.0 Elimination of Bias credits. Teachers, nurses and social workers will receive “Clock hours.”
Ellen J. Kennedy, Ph.D., is the executive director of World Without Genocide, a human rights organization located at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, and an adjunct professor of law.
Whether it is Trumpian marchers chanting “Jews will not replace us” or local liberals telling us: “It is all about the Benjamins”, Both are equally reprehensible. It’s a lot easier to get MINNPOST heads nodding on the “Jews will not replace us” and excuses for “It is all about the Benjamins”. Again, equally reprehensible deserving an even handed response.
We get it, you don’t like her. Win an election if it’s such a big problem for you. Last I checked, kinda big difference between literal Nazis, who continue to march and repeat the replacement line, and a sitting US Congresswoman, who apologized, but I get it, no opportunity for a drive-by potshot can be ignored.
It’s not just one comment that she made. It’s many comments.
And there’s the awful campaign flyer she sent out in the primary last time, accusing her opponent, a lifelong Democrat, housing advocate for the impoverished, and civil rights activist — of being a Republican in disguise, and saying that Jewish money was paying for his campaign. Do you think that’s anti-semitic? I do.
And there’s the issue of paying her new husband $1.3 million dollars for “PR work.”
And the ethics violation, charging a fee and expenses for giving a speech, and then having her campaign pay for them. Remember, the House committee found her guilty of ethics violations.
There were many good candidates who could get things done for Minnesota — it’s unfortunate that any one of the other 6 candidates who ran against her in the first primary didn’t win. They would have been better. She just seeks publicity for herself, but what has she accomplished for our citizens?
Maybe go to her website and/or the congressional websites and read about said accomplishments/actions/bills instead of glomming on to just chosen more salacious bits & pieces her opponents scream about. And always, always, always remember that the very worst thing any American can do is betray their country…thru treasonous acts like insurrection and sedition and election tampering and violent riots, all in a delusional demented attempt to retain power & authority for the rest of his psychopathic life. If this wasn’t all so out of balance to the point if being dangerous for us ALL, I might even chuckle at the absurdity of some folks’ personal attacks. Or should I say: blatant biases! Instead we are all so on edge and clenched to tightly awaiting the next blows to our cherished democracy we can barely breather or function…or think straight. Clearly.
It wouldn’t take long to read up on her accomplishments. I guess she did join with Republicans to try to defeat the infrastructure bill.
But the fact that she did other things doesn’t take away from the bigoted things she has said. Omar is the mirror image of Republicans like Greene and Boebert, and excusing Omar enables and empowers those kind of people and their traitorous behavior. Omar’s worst comments were about questioning the loyalty of Jews in this country.
I had a one-on-one interaction with her during the 2018 campaign. She is a bully of the first order and should not hold office.
She is a legislative performance artist no different than Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, just on the other end of the political spectrum. All not known for rolling up their sleeves and getting down to the people’s business. Look at Pamila Jayapal as an example of a true liberal progressive who knows she has work to do and is not hesitant to look for opportunities with the other end of her party’s political spectrum and the Rs to get there. No “red meat” statements from Jayapal that have no value beyond jazzing up their bases: The Omar / Greene / Gaetz stock in trade.
Again, they DIDN’T win, because they failed to engage the group within that district, progressives (betchya thought I was gonna say something else, right), who hold the actual political power. Kenwood and Linden Hills are very nice and all, but the limousines are carrying fewer and fewer passengers every year. You’re gonna have to mix it up with the rabble, and they actually expect that all the talk about supporting their interests is more than just talk.
Are you quoting Rep. Ilhan Omar with the “Benjamins” statement? She sure has caused much reactive talk.
I don’t follow your logic between anti-Semitism and those remarks. Are you implying that the “Benjamins” is an anti-Sematic trope, sufficient to name Omar as anti-Semitic for saying it?
It seems Palestinians have a legitimate gripe in that it is their land that has been bought, seized, or reserved with fencing. Apartheid remarks by Desmond Tutu (and Jimmy Carter) both got accused of being anti-Semitic for their observations (it is an Apartheid state).
We do not need to vilify all Muslims or simple observers of policy effects in order to advance better relations between historical enemies. As King would say it takes love to drive out hate.
Now we need to know how to do that in our thoughts and actions.
Lots of people seem to be unable to follow the logic when it comes to Omar’s repeated use of anti-Semitic tropes. No problem coming up with justifications for her comments, though.
Amnesty International just today called out apartheid in Israel. Lots of people seem to stick their head in the sand and pretend they have some great morality. In actuality they’re deflecting from apartheid.
Lots of people manage to criticize Israeli policy without repeatedly making anti-Semitic statements.
That’s the standard response from persons who wish to deflect from Israeli apartheid. That’s like the Fox giving the hens a script on how to complain in the hen house.
Yes, NPR had the story from Amnesty International.
[excerpt]
“”The Israeli government is committing the crime against humanity of apartheid against Palestinians and must be held accountable,” the organization said as it released its nearly 280-page report.
Amnesty said Israel has embraced laws and practices that “are intended to maintain a cruel system of control over Palestinians, have left them fragmented geographically and politically, frequently impoverished, and in a constant state of fear and insecurity.”
Amnesty is the latest rights advocate to accuse Israel of operating an apartheid system, joining former President Jimmy Carter, Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.”
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1077291879/israel-apartheid-state-amnesty-international
So many people so enjoy bloviating on and on about how terrible Rep Omar is, and yet when it comes time to beat her in an election, trot out the same failed centrism that hasn’t come close to even making her worry. Are you expecting a miraculous demographic shift or something? I wonder who the lucky winner will be THIS time?
Its a function of her safe district. Remember, Omar was actually the worst-performing congressional candidate in the country. No Democratic candidate in the country had a bigger drop off in votes from Biden than Omar did. No one in a competitive district could get away with her behavior.
Except Trump.
She still trashed the AIPAC (and Republican) propped candidate who was given millions.
Again Pat. There’s LOTS of Democrats in the 5th district. What makes it “safe” for Rep. Omar, but not for any of your preferred candidates. Please be specific. I’d hate to think you’re harboring resentment toward a certain ethnic group, while arguing against discrimination of another.
That was also Omar’s response when people called her out on her hateful comments – claiming it was because of her race and religion, instead of what she said.
Again: go to her website &/or to congressional sites. She’s actually done a great deal in her position, both in MN and DC. Far, far more than many others and esp many REPs who spend their days badmouthing her & others and jumping thru hoops trying to get social media attn and to drive their base into violent insurrection.
She is whip smart, attractive, female, went thru a great deal in her land of birth, and has excellent wordmanship…in her second language. This makes her a big threat to so many in Congress. Yet their reactions are just to call her names and revile her. Small people w small minds and no character or integrity behave that way.
She can’t be too smart if she keeps making anti-Semitic statements. And Omar hasn’t accomplished anything, and she hasn’t tried to – she is a performance artist just like Marjorie Greene or Lauren Bobert. Like them, Omar will get stripped of her committee assignments when the Republicans take over.
Omar is a gift to Republicans. In outstate Minnesota, Republicans don’r run against Democrats. They run against Omar and the nonsense she says. The people who are threatened are Democrats in swing districts who have to distance themselves from her.
Democrats tolerating Omar enables the Republicans to tolerate their insurrectionists. Omar is an enabler of that behavior.
I don’t see the antisemitism either. Omar needs to stand strong. Instead she keeps making bold statements only to take them back.
Wait a minute, so we can’t criticize the $3.8 BILLION in military aid we give Israel and $8 BILLION in American loan guarantees we provide Israel to ENABLE them to commit atrocities to Palestinians without being called anti-Semitic? Never mind the fact that Israel gets our aid, in part, due to some creepy end-times fantasy that the religious right believes in–and by the way, donates to politicians to support hastening the Second Coming of Jesus. If the term “Benjamins” bothers you, what shall we call that money then, bananas? If Omar had said “it’s all about the bananas” would she not have been anti-Semitic even though she was still referring to aid we give the Israeli government while they illegally expand their territory, and political donations from end times fantasists? The government of Israel is NOT the Jewish people and vice-versa.
I guess the House D leadership was way off base when they made her apologize.
“Within hours, Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the leadership issued a joint statement calling Omar’s “use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters” deeply offensive and insisted on an apology.”
The total and complete inability to allow ANY criticism of one of your own is mind numbing. The “what aboutism: here is at ridiculous levels. Just accept Omar at her words:
“The Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar “unequivocally” apologized on Monday for comments that suggested American support for Israel was fueled by political donations from a pro-Israel lobby group – a remark condemned by House Democratic leaders for raising “antisemitic tropes and prejudicial accusations”.
“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes,” she said in a statement posted on Twitter. “My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole.”
This regression is all over the world again, for a wide variety of reasons. It is by no means just a USA problem, nor is it just Trumpians vs liberals here, as you suggest. A good # of Trump siders, led by his side kick Bannon, have spread far & wide here and in the Eastern European block working to spread their white nationalist/fascism movement. Their intolerance and hatred spreads easily in areas where populations & subsets are oppressed & struggling to survive. In the USA we have that type as well, particularly in the red states where REPs have ‘led’ thru lies and fears for 40+ years. Who no longer bother w policies or programs or offer anything to lift up their constituents. With the DEMs the issues have more to do with the ever-increasing corporations making ever increasing profit$ few share w their employees while desecrating the earth and making many ill. So they, too, struggle mightily ongoing. The imbalance has become just intolerable. Short version.
And the anti-Semites on the left are not just limited to people like Omar in this country. Jeremy Corbyn, the former head of the Labor party (who has since been kicked out of the party) had the same issues. He was loved by progressive left, but a nightmare for British Jews.
There’s a certain element of the Democratic Party that has been just as comfortable with Israeli apartheid as right wing evangelists. They will tell you how horrible Trump is/was etc. etc. However they put on complete blinders to what say Netanyahu or the current Prime Minister Bennett states.
Say for example Mr Bennett openly states There will be no equal rights for Palestinians. That part of the Democratic Party has absolutely no problem with such racism. Meanwhile they harp on Trump and name Voting Laws for John Lewis, while implicitly supporting the exact things that Trump supports in another country and the exact opposite of what John Lewis stood for stateside.
Much of the problem came from the church, which blamed the Jews for the fate of Jesus. And Martin Luther didn’t help, either.
But just as Jews are an outsize-target of prejudice they have made an outsize positive contribution to society and culture.
Comparing “Jews will not replace us” to “it’s all about the Benjamin’s” is incomprehensible. The former is anti-Semitic while the latter is about the influence of lobbyists. Not even close in scope and morality!
The influence of lobbyists? When you say things like that, do you know anything about the history of anti-Semitism? The claims of dual loyalty? The tropes about greed and money?
Edward, you just teed this one up, man. The apologists for Omar’s anti-Semitism are coming out of the woodwork.
No Pat, there’s nothing , absolutely nothing anti-semitic about pointing out the corrupting influence of AIPAC and other such related entities. Just as the NRA they’re a political group. I’ve seen such where the same groups trot out tropes about Palestinians all the time. And of course not one peep from their supporters.
If people want to deflect from apartheid, they should be more honest.
Again, lots of people can make those points without engaging in anti-Semitism. Just not Omar.
She is inherently incapable of doing so? Or she has shown an unwillingness to do so in the past?
I don’t know if she is capable. If it was one instance, I wouldn’t worry, but its been over and over.
When someone says anti-Semitic things repeatedly, maybe that is just who they are.
Saudi Arabia is a brutal dictatorship. Is that Islamophobic. Yes or No ?
Israel practices apartheid on Palestinians. Is that anti-semitic. Yes or No ?
Show me one statement that points out Israeli apartheid that isn’t called anti-semitic by the ADL and AIPAC. I’m asking for just one Pat.
Neither of those is anti-Semitc. But I am talking about the things Omar has said.
But the ADL and AIPAC consider one of them to be a hate crime. Can you guess which one ?
We are SURROUNDED by anti-Semitism. It’s all over the place. And you find it where it doesn’t exist, Pat. What do you think PACs do? Talk nicely to politicians to convince them to vote for stuff that doesn’t overall benefit Americans? We send BILLIONS to Israel despite that government doing things that we normally punish other governments for (annex Crimea -> sanction Russia; threaten to annex the West Bank or Gaza strip -> send aid to “protect” Israel). I will give you that Omar was being anti-Semitic by suggesting that American Jews have dual loyalties. And, honestly, she should be looking at the dark money coming from various American Christian groups to hasten end-times in Israel, rather than only focusing on AIPAC as a source of money lining politicians’ pockets for further aid to Israel despite violation of US policy. But the “Benjamins” remark is just plain fact, not anti-Semitism.
Omar apologized for the Benjamins comment, which wasn’t fact or even coherent opinion – it was just an expression of hatred toward Jews.
Part of rampant anti-Semitism all around us is the excuse-making for Omar’s bigotry. She is the Marjorie Taylor Greene of our party. She is a national embarrassment.
“Edward, you just teed this one up, man. The apologists for Omar’s anti-Semitism are coming out of the woodwork.”
Thanks Pat: The commentariat far exceeded my expectations. You’d think I went on PowerLine and called Matt Gaetz a pervert for the number and intensity of responses.
Thanks for the reasonably moderated MINNPOST comments section. Before I was banned from PowerLine (PL Moderator Scott Johnson: “Let’s just say you have worn out your welcome”) My death was called for on a regular basis. I do miss it though…
You better explain “incomprehensibility” to Omar who offered a formal apology for saying it:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/11/ilhan-omar-antisemitic-tweets-house-democrats-apology
“The response came after members of House leadership, including the speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and majority leader, Steny Hoyer, called on Omar to “immediately apologize for these hurtful comments”.
“Legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share,” they said in a joint statement. “But Congresswoman Omar’s use of antisemitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive.””
Again the horror of “Jews will not replace us” and a quick flurry of Omar excuses: As predicted.
I feel like saying it’s “just about lobbyists” is kind of whitewashing centuries of false accusations that Jews secretly manipulate the levers of power to their own advantage by controlling powerful people with their money…
What do lobbyists do? It’s kind of their job to use money to influence people in power. It’s as true of AIPAC as it is of the NRA. Notably, Christian Zionists now lead American Jews in pro-Israel lobbying donations. Omar should probably make sure she really understands where and why all the pro-Israel money is going to so many politicians. BUT…This is looking for bigotry where none exists. She’s right to call out that money unduly influences politicians to act and vote in ways contrary to the best interests of their constituents and Americans as a whole. Israel gets aid that it uses to do things that the US condemns (and often sanctions) other countries for doing.
Meanwhile, Kevin McCarthy (who wanted to punish Omar for the “Benjamins” tweet) also accused Soros, Steyer, and Bloomberg (3 Jewish Americans) of trying to buy the 2020 election. Where’s the outrage and continuous accusations of bigotry there? Or are we just so used to McCarthy and the GOP’s bigotry that it doesn’t matter that they OPENLY and INTENTIONALLY use anti-Semitic (and other bigoted) tropes to rile their base.
Rachel – One factual correction: you have the sequence backward. The incident began with McCarthy announcing his intent to take action against Omar (and Rashida Tlaib) for their criticism of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. Her tweet that it was “all about the Benjamins” was specifically characterizing McCarthy’s motivation for this performative threat. In other words, McCarthy, whose chief role as minority leader is to keep the funds rolling in to party coffers, was making the threat because he calculated that this would serve the party’s donor relationships (while also, of course, deflecting the actual anti-Semitism saturating his party and demonizing the Muslim congresswomen of color: a three-fer). As you’ve noted in your comments, powerful Republican donors or donor arrangers with strong interests in protecting the Israeli power structure include not just AIPAC but evangelicals, military/intelligence industries and others who have no interest in the welfare of actual Israeli people or actual Jewish people. Her tweet clearly was about the corruption of the Republican caucus and, specifically, the moral vacuity of McCarthy (a Baptist, just to note).
It need not be said again that Omar, wearing the largest target in the Congress, should have developed the discipline long ago to articulate her thoughts in sentences, paragraphs even, and not in hip, dismissive tweets. But enough said in a comment thread that has nothing to do with the article itself.
Thank you for the correction and the commentary. One disagreement – I don’t think that this is not a worthwhile topic to discuss. It IS related to the original article (see the last few sentences) and every time anti-Semitism gets mentioned, there’s a dogpile on Omar. Yes, she should learn to be more thoughtful in her choice of words, and yes, I believe that she has said anti-Semitic things (intentionally or not), but lots of noisy (and supposedly intelligent and thoughtful people) are fabricating offenses that she didn’t actually do. It’s not just the Republicans that are treating her badly based on bigotry. The only difference is that I know the motivation of Republican politicians is probably mostly cynical (using the bigotry of their base to gain/hold onto power/money). What, exactly, is the motivation of progressives/liberals? Pure bigotry? Or is it the same motivation as the Republicans?
My faith in my fellow supposedly liberal brethren has been severely challenged, in many ways, over the past few years. Herding cats indeed, and it posits poorly to our future as a nation, when the supposed opposition to the enemy that is ever growing conservative fascism is more interested in picking nits amongst itself, than joining the lines against the ever deepening maelstrom. The disappointingly human impulse towards self preservation runs deep within too many, it seems.
Rachel – Yes, I agree that the symbolic meaning of Ilhan Omar is an important topic. But its relation to an article about anti-Semitism and genocide is extremely attenuated, and I’m weary of those who get a text alert every time the word “anti-Semitism” appears so they can race in and counterbalance the organized proto-genocidal nihilism that defines one of our major political parties with something something Ilhan Omar.
I would agree that McCarthy and Omar are both hateful bigots.
With reference to Ms. Kennedy’s last sentence, it is not that the hate “endures.” It is that the hate “is cultivated.” All those who seek to destroy aspirations toward democracy in order to claim and rule by power, in our nation and everywhere across the globe, operate by the same method: divide the people by cultivating hate by some against the rest. It seems a third of the people, everywhere, are ready to give license to their fears and resentments by suspending their reflective and moral capacities and hating whom they are told to hate. All such cultivation of hate is proto-genocidal, and it is occurring in front of us.
Whoopi Goldberg, trying on her daytime show to explain her view that the Holocaust was not based on racism, got lots of criticism, hate mail and “pushback”. (Colbert show I didn’t see the View).
She tried to explain that skin color does not expose Jewish ancestry in the same way — the Nazis needed to mark them (but presumably would not need to “mark” a person of color.
These topics are fraught. It would be better if we could try to cultivate understanding when someone triggers our outrage rather than needing to express it quick with retaliation.
Black people have a legitimate gripe– they are judged in seconds by their skin color. We could afford a little decency in noticing the Jewish experience cost millions and millions of innocent lives. So did those of others who found themselves under the bootheel of White Supremacy/ Colonial Power.
Thanks for being the arbiter or who has legitimate complaints.
Goldberg said something horribly bigoted and inaccurate, and is lucky she is only getting suspended. The comments she and Omar have made arent’t fraught – they are hateful and bigoted.
Goldberg did say stupid things. Jews were, indeed, recognizable as a race in Germany. Some might have gotten away with “Aryan” looks for a while (though the Germans were pretty good at keeping records, and anti-Semitism wasn’t limited to the Germans at the time, so they had help). Some used the lack of apparent Jewish features to resist (currently reading “The Light of Days” by Judy Batalion, portraying the acts of heroism of Jewish women in the ghettos). Even now, in the US, where the majority of the population is still white and the majority of Jews also have light skin, people will comment on a “Jewish appearance” to people with certain features (including family members of mine, despite no apparent Jewish ancestry). Anti-Semitism is based on a number of different things, and an apparent race is part of it. Whoopi was uninformed. As someone who has a perspective on racism that most of us don’t, it was particularly foolish of her to suggest that the Jews were not/are not victims of racism without having done some research (as she would expect white people to do on anti-Black racism before spouting off). I doubt that she said what she said as a hateful thing. But it was bigoted and rooted in ignorance.
I actually just said, “Black people have a legitimate gripe– they are judged in seconds by their skin color. ”
It is a truism.
And Jews are often easily recognizable, but your point was to discount the Jewish experience.
Did you read watch or hear Whoopi’s statements, both on her show and on Colbert?
The Nazis first attacked the Jewish businesses, the prominent Jewish leaders. Later they forced Jews to wear a star identifying them (and distinguishing them from other white skinned dark eyed people.) The Nazis needed to identify who was Jewish and they went to great lengths to find out which people were, in fact, Jews.
Now I’m not saying “all Jews look alike”, nor am I agreeing with you that their identification can be visual.
I’m simply saying Whoopi Goldberg is not a hateful person, and she was explaining why she thought that it was not about “race”, but rather white people against white people. (Religion?)
Skin color is how Blacks are identified. They know it and you should too.
STOP. Neither of them is hateful or bigoted. Hear what others say. Ask for clarity if you don’t understand. Ask them to re-word. Give folks the benefit of the doubt and engage in real back & forth dialog before coming out w guns blazing to mow them down. This is the new American passtime and it is childish, disingenuous and frankly despicable. It’s a wonder anyone is still willing to be on camera anymore. And frankly there are a lot of truly evil, power & authority grabbing types who are saying and doing far, far worse!! Go after them instead. Because their intent truly is to divide and conquer…and destroy.
I do not disagree in any way with what the author said about religious based hate. I found it interesting that she failed to use the word Muslim in connection with the religion based hatred and genocide against a Chinese ethnic group. In the U.S., birth Muslims and Jews are both targets. The most massive case of genocide in the U.S. , Canada and the Americas has been against indigenous people. When talking about bigotry and genocide, it is very important to be inclusive. Arguing who has it worst does not go far enough – it is all bad and needs to eliminated, with those who commit crimes against humanity punished.
The author’s speciality is about talking about everything and everyone else. Except Palestinians. It’s a stretch to call World Without Genocide an honest unbiased entity. It’s a sham organization with a political agenda.
Is your point that any article pertaining to ant-semitism must be preceded by a litany of complaints against Israel?
You accuse the author of deflection and then deflect away from the topic of the article.
Did you read my statement ? I point to her entire body of work. I pointed to the entire corpus of work of World Without Genocide. Have you done your work on their “research”.
Not one, i repeat one article is about Palestinians. What exactly do you wish me to conclude. That i apply instead for membership to the Progressive Except For Palestine organization ?
Valid point. I wonder if the exclusion of the plight of Palestinians is actually intentional. And if it’s intentional, whether it’s because of politics, or whether it’s because what’s happening to Palestinians doesn’t fit the definition of “genocide” (and all other examples that are included can be easily distinguished from the situation of the Palestinians). Honestly, I’m not going to do the wading through the work of World without Genocide to find out. The points she makes in the article are valid, too. We all applaud the idea of stopping genocide and hate crimes, but we (as countries), generally, do little to prevent it (we do things AFTER the fact, but a genocide must occur first). In fact, with respect to Israel, we openly provide aid that enables the government of Israel to do things that we supposedly condemn when other countries do it.
Raj, do you have proof that such an omission is intentional?
Brian, her track history more than proves it. For example, her institute criticized Ilhan Omar for opposing Armenian Genocide resolution. That resolution is nothing more than an AIPAC whipping post to go after Turkey.
If all one writes about are AIPAC talking points, i need no more proof.
“That resolution is nothing more than an AIPAC whipping post to go after Turkey” Really? It’s not a resolution recognizing genocide?
When Turkey and Israel were best buds.
“The Turkish government has been joined by the Israeli Embassy and its Washington lobbyists in a battle to stop the US Senate from establishing a national day of remembrance for Armenian victims of massacre and deportations during World War I.”
https://www.wrmea.org/1989-december/israel-lobby-joins-turks-to-oppose-armenian-remembrance-resolution.html
When Turkey and Israel are not anymore best buds.
“Jewish lawmakers, as recently as 2007, were not in favor of designating the Armenian Genocide as such, yet today they do. What changed over time is the crumbling of the Turkey-Israel alliance”
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/jews-didnt-support-the-designation-of-the-armenian-genocide-why-now-666433
And voila Ms. Kennedy and her institute “discovers” Armenian Genocide which has been around for what 100+ years!
Thanks. Now it makes sense. Or doesn’t make sense. Pretty depressing.
I’ll admit I have a slippery at best hold on the concept of irony even on the best of days. So when a bunch of people show up with a boat load of hate and hostility responding to a commentary condemning hate and hostility… I want to call that ironic, but somehow it seems inadequate.
If there was ever a non-controversial commentary about something we should ALL be able to condemn and agree upon, this article would certainly rank among the most likely. Yet right out of the gate the very first comment jumps in with a disgusting accusation based on false equivalence. Omar is JUST like Hitler? Sure.
This is another sickening example of “moderate/centrist” extremism from the same cadre of intolerant extremists that always show up to inject their hostility and hatred into sooo many conversations. That fact that THIS display of hostility is being injected into an attempt to discuss and promote tolerance and compassion is unfortunately predictable. And we have to note that this fetid example of hostility doesn’t emerge from the “right wing”, it ALWAYS flows off the fingertips of the erstwhile champions of “reason” and “compromise” around here. These attacks on Omar (and others) are a perfect example and reminder that people standing next to the Fascists in the room are NOT liberals or progressives like Omar, but rather the “centrists/moderates” like ones on display here. The toxic “moderate” Democrat contribution to our ongoing crises of division and polarity may or may not be “ironic”, but is MUST be noted.
With “friends” like this we literally don’t need Fascists.
And I hate to say it, but I think it must be said: This constant, predictable, and excessive level of hostility really does seem to be reserved for a Muslim woman of color and others like her. From HRC to Klobuchar white women (with the possible exception of Michelle Obama) seem to deserve unyielding loyalty from all moderate Democrats, but for certain women of color from AOC to Ayomide Ojebuoboh and Omar, hostility and derision are the instinctive and predictable reactions.
When we can’t have a rational conversation about antisemitism and the Holocaust because “moderate” Democrats drag us into a swamp of their own hostility and hatred… we need to notice that.
Its pure deflection to blame the comments on race/gender/religion. This is a piece on Anti-Semitism, and no Minnesotan has had more controversy about Anti-Semitism than Omar. It is her own comments that have made her the Democrats equivalent of the Republican hateful nutcases like Marjorie Greene.
Ojebuoboh was criticized for being a bald-faced liar, and then people dug up other instances of her lying. It was what she said that was terrible, not who she is.
“Its pure deflection to blame the comments on race/gender/religion. This is a piece on Anti-Semitism, and no Minnesotan has had more controversy about Anti-Semitism than Omar.”
Yes, thank you Pat, I’m sure Ms. Kennedy appreciates you’re stepping and explaining what her article was REALLY all about. Despite no mention of Omar whatsoever she clearly wrote an article that is ALL about Omar, thanks for re-orienting us towards the TRUE focus of that discussion. And I’m sure the entire Jewish community appreciates the reminder that they can all ignore the actual physical threats, vandalism, and assaults hurled at Jews by actual Nazis, and white supremacists and focus on the REAL danger that is Omar. Surely they can relax the physical security measures that protect them from attack now that Omar’s controversial speech is the only threat they face? What a relief eh?
No… the deflection here is your attempt to turn a discussion about bigotry and hatred into a personal platform for you own hostility.
Omars supposed anti-semitism is nothing but a dodge to avoid talking about Israeli apartheid. For example if anyone asks the ADL about Palestinians their response…. you guessed it….”anti-semitism”. And of course the Democratic Party happily plays along. Its only Trump that’s evil, despite the fact that its members support the exact same thing (in Israel) that Trump advocates stateside.
In agreement with you Raj:
Reverend Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s esteemed leader in the Truth and Reconciliation Hearings that brought down Apartheid (without the predicted “bloodbath”) by referring to the People’s requirement that if people came forward with contrition and admitted their crimes against South Africans, the People would be obligated to meet criminals remorse with forgiveness.
A 2oth century giant among peacekeepers and clergy is rare indeed and on the level of Mandela and MLK for his contribution to a better world.
But when the little smiling Tutu mentioned years later that Israel was an Apartheid state, he (and Jimmy Carter who agreed), they were BOTH labelled anti-Semites. Both demonstrably religious men live(d) with love in their hearts. Neither has ever condemned the Jewish people. Both knew the truth.
Israel needs a Truth and Reconciliation Hearing that includes the Bedouin removal and the division of the Palestinian lands if they want to build a democracy in the ME.
In the years before the Civil War it was MN leaders that made plans to remove the indigenous Minnesotans. A trader told the local tribes to “eat grass” when their promised money didn’t arrive from D.C. The uprising ensued and the braves who went to war we defeated and punished.
Apartheid leaves wounds that require Truth and Reconciliation Hearings for all the survivors of it. That’s all of us in Minnesota too.
So, whenever this subject comes up there ends up being a discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and what if any relationship exists between criticism of Israeli policy and antisemitism. I personally have been a supporter of a two state solution and tend to view the Israeli governments agenda over the decades as being one of colonization. It’s always looked to me as if the Israeli program is one of establishing something similar to a our Indian reservations here the US for Palestinians. Long story short, I don’t think that will work. I don’t think my point of view is anti Semitic or promotes antisemitism, some disagree.
My point here however is to remind everyone that it’s a mistake to organize discussions about antisemitism around the current state of Israel and the conflicts with the Palestinians. Nazis built the death camps decades before Israel existed, and various and extensive massacres and attacks on Jews such as the Russian Progroms predated the Arab-Palestinian-Israeli conflicts by hundreds of years. Point being- there’s no reason to assume that antisemitism would disappear should peace break out in the Middle East. Bigotry an hatred will find a way even when convenient excuses disappear. Maybe we can keep this in mind whenever someone wants to talk about hatred and bigotry and antisemitism and we start veering off into Israeli or Palestinian politics?