Explosion of Anti-Semitism on the Left

By Rachel Alexander Published on April 29, 2019

There’s been a rash of anti-Semitic events in recent months, many of which have ties to the left. On Saturday, a gunman opened fire on a synagogue near San Diego on the last day of Passover, killing a woman and injuring three others. In his Manifesto, he criticized Trump for being a Zionist, Jew-loving and anti-white.

Last Thursday, The New York Times published a hateful cartoon of President Trump and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. In it, Trump is portrayed as blind, wearing a yarmulke and holding a leash attached to Netanyahu, who is depicted as a dog with a Star of David for a collar.

It was remarkably similar to old Nazi propaganda, see below.

Then there’s this: 

Nazi antisemitism

 

It took several days, but the NY Times finally apologized. We shouldn’t be surprised the Times would think nothing of publishing the cartoon.

The left and its comrades in the mainstream media have taken the Jewish vote for granted for years. Jews are one of the most reliable constituencies of the Democratic Party. A CNN poll last fall found that nearly 80% of Jews voted Democratic in the midterm elections. Only 17% voted Republican. Yet anti-Semitism on the left in the U.S. has increased recently, including in the media.

Treating People as Groups, Not Individuals

The Democrats have become notorious for treating people according to group identities instead of as individuals. So when one of their group constituencies inevitably clashes with another group constituency, the Democrats have to pick a side. When it’s radical Islam v. Jews, it’s an easy call. Since radical Islam is less compatible with U.S. values than Judaism, the Democrats side with the radicals. Leftists seem hellbent to tear down the U.S. and replace it with something drastically different. They especially want to destroy our Judeo-Christian heritage.

It’s become so bad that Sean Spicier, the parody Twitter account of former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, tweeted, “Luckily in this day and age it’s virtually impossible for anti-semites to stay anonymous, almost all of them have a (D) next to their name.”

“It’s all about the Benjamins, baby.”

The current wave of anti-Semitism gained momentum with the election of Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. to Congress. Both are radical Islamists who wear their anti-Semitism on their sleeve and unencumbered.

In February, Omar retweeted a post discussing how she and Tlaib were facing punishment from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for criticizing Israel. She added, “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby.” Benjamins refers to $100 bills, which feature Benjamin Franklin. It was direct use of the loathsome stereotype about Jews and money.

The phrase comes from a song with the same name by Puff Daddy, who sang about money and used the word Hebrews in one version of the song. Only after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ordered Omar to apologize, did she retract her tweet.

‘Dual Loyalty’

Tlaib sparked outrage when she tweeted in January that people supporting an anti-BDS bill protecting states which penalize Israel boycotters “forgot what country they represent.” Critics immediately pointed out that the “dual loyalty” accusation is a known anti- Semitic line. But she did not delete her tweet.

Some believe the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Omar and Tlaib is inciting violence against Jews. Highland Park, Illinois, Rabbi Evan Moffic warned on a Fox & Friends panel, “When Ilhan Omar said ‘It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,’ and she said Israel has ‘hypnotized the world,’ she’s drawing on these stereotypes that have murdered millions of people in the Holocaust, which just happened 75 years ago … it’s exactly because of that rhetoric.”

Hate crimes against Jews have been increasing in the U.S.

Hate crimes against Jews have been increasing in the U.S. Police reported a significant increase of them in New York City earlier this year in comparison to last year.

On October 27 of last year, a gunman attacked a synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 and injuring seven. He stated on a social media website that he opposed Trump, who he claimed was surrounded by Jews. He used an expletive to describe Jews and said they were an “infestation” at the White House.

Trump Blamed for Antisemitism

Yet predictably, the left accused Trump and the right of anti-Semitism. After the San Diego area synagogue shooting, CNN’s Brian Stelter blamed “right-wing message boards.” Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik claimed Trump had opened “the Gates of Hell.” Former Obama administration official Joel Martin Rubin said Trump encouraged anti-Semitism. And a CNN panel questioned whether Trump’s condolences after the shooting were sincere.

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This is bizarre since both synagogue shooters clearly stated they detested Trump and his favorable relationship with Jews. What’s more, Trump’s daughter is Jewish and has Jewish children. He’s so popular in Israel they are naming train stations in Jerusalem and new towns in Golan Heights after him.

The reality is, the left has a problem with pointing a finger at the right over the very things it’s doing itself. The left may claim it’s not anti-Semitic, but the incidents linking the left to anti-Semitism are increasing. Jerusalem getting booed at the 2012 DNC convention was the canary in the coal mine. The BDS movement against Israel, which has overrun many of our campuses, is another clear call of danger. Democrats are currently blocking anti-BDS legislation. 

Brandon Straka, the leader of the #WalkAway movement fleeing the Democrats, is now starting a #WalkAway plan for Jews.  Given the party’s growing open hostility toward the Jewish people, he will very likely have some success.

 

Follow Rachel on Twitter at Rach_IC. Send tips to [email protected].

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