Newsline

National Security , Newsline

Liberals’ Anti-Semitism Problem Isn’t Going Away

Posted on Friday, February 15, 2019
|
by Outside Contributor
|
23 Comments
|
Print

liberals anti-semitism antisemitism problemAnti-Semitic conspiracy theorist and Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar—someone who had previously argued that Jews hypnotized the world regarding their “evil” deeds—recently claimed that Americans only support Israel because of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s “Benjamins”—and then retweeted a person pointing out that she might as well call all Jews “hook-nosed.”

Though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who put Omar on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, offered a condemnation of Omar’s comments, many progressives jumped immediately to her defense.

Some of them implored Omar to stop deploying these ugly “tropes” because they undermine what is a completely reasonable position toward the Jewish state. (Omar has since apologized, promising to avoid using insulting stereotypes when peddling her anti-Semitism.)

The problem is that “anti-Zionism”—the predominant justification for violence, murder, and hatred against Jews in Europe and the Middle East—is a growing position on the American left.
Though Omar embraces the worst caricatures of this ideology, it’s her core contention regarding the Jewish state—not her clumsy “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”-style insults, which are just a manifestation of her underlying position—that is most consequential.

One of the dishonest arguments regarding Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who we recently found out wrote a piece for a publication of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, is that they are merely being “critical of Israel.” Yet no serious person has ever made the claim that being critical of Israel’s policies is anti-Semitic.

Israel has had both left-wing and right-wing governments over the years. And like governments in any liberal democracy, they can be corrupt, misguided, or incompetent. Millions of Israelis are critical of their own nation’s policies every year without any fear of repercussions. Israel isn’t Iran or Turkey, countries that most of Israel’s critics never disparage.

But the best way to gauge whether people are merely being critical of Israel’s policies or they are being critical of the existence of the Jewish state is to use Natan Sharansky’s “3D” test:

1) Do they engage in “delegitimization” of the nation’s existence as does every supporter of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement?

2) Do they engage in “demonization” of the country as do people who claim that Israelis hypnotize the world for evil and that they go around murdering children for kicks?

3) Do they engage in “double standards”—for example, having an obsession with Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee while ignoring illiberalism found throughout the Islamic world and ignoring such things as Muslim concentration camps in China?

The second myth pushed by Omar’s defenders is that Israel dictates American foreign policy with its shekels. The first part of this argument is absurd when one considers that over the past few years, the American government passed the Iranian nuclear deal—which Israel saw as an existential threat—and the American president has embraced the idea of withdrawing troops from Syria.

Most of the time, the United States sides with Israel because most of the time Israel’s ideals comport with our own.

Then, of course, there’s a significant difference between contending that you disagree with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s positions and contending that the lobbying group bribes Americans with lots of Benjamins.

For starters, it’s a lie, because the American Israel Public Affairs Committee doesn’t give any money to politicians. And as Emily Zanotti and others have pointed out, the lobbying organization with all its supernatural ability to hypnotize lawmakers, spends about $3.5 million on lobbying for Israeli policies in a good year.

“It barely even cracks the top 50, is dwarfed by the beer wholesalers,” Zanotti writes. “In contrast, Planned Parenthood’s PAC spent $20M in 2016.”

Although it might be tough for progressives to understand, many Americans still prefer Israel over Hamas, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Iran for reasons other than money—e.g., a shared understanding of liberalism, theological reasons, historical ties, political realities, and practical geopolitical reasons.

I do concede that contemporary progressives may not embrace these values anymore. For many decades, however, polls showed widespread support for Israel. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s success is predicated on that support.

Some of Omar’s defenders also engaged in a little whataboutism by pointing out that Republicans have had their own anti-Semitic problems. I’m sure they have.

But I hate to break the news to people: Being critical of billionaire activist George Soros, who happens to be Jewish but holds positions on Israel that are generally in line with Omar’s, is not automatically anti-Semitic—no more than attacking Sheldon Adelson is necessarily anti-Semitic. Omar’s Jewish stereotypes were aimed at all defenders of Israel.

It will be interesting to see how the Democratic Party’s presidential hopefuls react to Omar’s comments. Their positions have increasing currency in the activist wing of their party.

On this issue, there is a big rift opening between young and old. That does not bode well for the establishment or Jews.

Share this article:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
23 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MmeMoxie
MmeMoxie
5 years ago

We The People must truly be aware of the real dangers of Anti-Semitism! Anti-Semitism is alive and well within the USA. However, we now have it with US Reps in our US Congress and there inlays the danger … Corruption of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights … All of the things that make up what the USA truly is.

Ilhan Omar is not being honest in the US Congress. Freedom of Speech is for being able to express various opinions about our US Government … It is not meant to slander individuals or groups of people, like Israel and the Jews. Omar is truly evil since she believes anything that the radical Imans of Islam are telling her. Her hatred of the USA, Jews, Christians and anyone who is not Muslim is obvious. In my opinion, Omar is a disciple of Satan. I rarely use Biblical terms to describe individuals … But Omar definitely fits that description.

Pelousi … Has finally shown her true colors … She doesn’t care one wit about any of the US Citizens in the USA and those Abroad … She is just as evil as Omar for simply not care about much of anything … Except for the power she wields as Speaker of the House!!!

James Kelly
James Kelly
5 years ago

“Liberals’ Anti-Semitism Problem Isn’t Going Away”

It will as soon as we get rid of all the liberals.

Jim H
Jim H
5 years ago

Once again, it’s mostly buried by the MSM. This Minnesota Somalian gets the gender pass, race card and nothing will happen to hurt her future. Our Country is beyond repair.

Pinokeeo
Pinokeeo
5 years ago

Lets forget about the Christian connection with the Jewish people.I have found in my life them be the most educated and community active people I have met.I have done service work to many.When Hitler went after them it was for their money but he went to evil by killing them.A lot of German people did not know what was going on in Germany during this time because like us in the USA were to busy working and taking care of the family.Woirking in the mechanical,electrical trades most of my life and working for 14 different companies I have found out that my attitude and respect for others got me through life.I had lost respect for some but I know where it comes from to disrespect.Money is the root of all Evil and it will get worse till our end.The future of our country will be States going on their own and separating from the United Principal we have and then the fighting will start.Look at the Middle East to see what we be like in the future.

Martha Beimer
Martha Beimer
5 years ago

Òur nation is a nation built on principles which the left is tearing down one by one. Freedom of religion is not a minor one of those principles. Anti Semitism is wrong. If that Muslim woman can hold a seat in out government and rail against Jews; she is fomenting hatred. She is tearing subtly at the fabric of our nation.
Another thing she was saying was about a military action in a Muslin nation in which children were killed. Not that the loss of one child is acceptable but she will rail against us for that tragedy while defending rhe Democrats heinous ideas that killing unborn babies by the thousands is perfectly fine. Two faced duplicitous and evil, she needs to go back to a Muslim nation and there she could be covered head to toe with cloth…unseen unheard and stop tearing at the wonderful nation which affords her the priviledges she has lived in and used.
Contempt for her is not a large enough word. Freedom to persue our own faith path is essential to the USA. She has the right to persue hers of course but not at thr cost of my country or any other faith.
I am , by the way, a follower of Jesus Christ., hoping to be living for Him. I am not a racist. I am not a hater of any group.
I am an American. God bless America.

We need the wall.

RICHARD M COOPER
RICHARD M COOPER
5 years ago

Seems too late for our country as we have come to know it. Dems have become a socialist party and the Republicans have no idea how to govern. Our laws apply to some but not all and the DOJ is capable of considering overthrowing the wishes of the electorate. We are becoming a third world country.

ONTIME
ONTIME
5 years ago

The germans entertained the national socialist party that the nazi used to unleash hell and havoc on a major scale around the world…Democratic Socialist is what the DNC wants to be recognized as, those two words are totally incompatible, oxymoron…I suggest they refer to themselves for what they appear to be, DNCommunist Coastal Party with a symbol using Francis the Talk’n Jackass…They certainly do not have the smarts of Francis the Talking Mule…..

Steven
Steven
5 years ago

American Jews have no right to complain. For decades they have been overly supportive of the Left, consistently voted liberal, and fought like tigers for non-Whites. They are getting exactly what they voted for.

juniper
juniper
5 years ago

Hamas, PLO and Iran are liars. They agree to anything because they have no intention of following through. Their lies are legend. We must always guard against racism against Jews or any one else, lest we have a Holocaust involving Mexicans, Indians or anyone else. Also, the government gives Planned Parenthood money and they can afford to spend $20 million on lobbying. They don’t need our money.

stevenJacobs
stevenJacobs
5 years ago

Jewish people and their “values” have created this problem. ENJOY!!!

Dennis D Henning
Dennis D Henning
5 years ago

Illhand should be deported immediately and her district investigated for voter fraud and corruption. If a moslem does those things to promote Islam then its ok, any acts done to promote Islam are ok. All moslems seek to be like Muhammed who was the perfect moslem. Muhammed was a pedophile, rapist, murderer and so forth. This is the perfect moslem. America is being dragged toward the black hole of Islam, thats why king obo and the DemonRat party brought so many here. And who is it Islam hates, Christians and Hebrews. There is no such thing as moderate moslems. All believe in Sharia and in doing whatever is needed for global Islam. the entire ideology is 180 degrees from Our Republic.

Todd Taylor
Todd Taylor
5 years ago

American has always stood with Israel; they are our only genuine ally in the Middle East. The Bible reminds us that: “Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, And whoever curses Israel will be cursed.” Numbers 24:9 Let us continue to stand with Israel.

Gerard J Cecchettini
Gerard J Cecchettini
5 years ago

Why the jewish people continue to support and vote for the Progrssive Socialist Democrat Party (for that is what they have become) is beyond me. They hate Israel. They hate Jews even thought some of them including some of their leaders are Jews. All I can say is WALKAWAY. #WALKAWAY.

If you think that because you remain in that party that your safe, think again. There were Jewish groups that supported Adolph Hitler thinking that they would be safe. They weren’t after he had complete power.There were even Jew who fought in the Germany military while their people were being mass murdered back home.

They don’t want you to forget the Holocaust but it appears they haven’t learned the lesson of history.

Todd Taylor
Todd Taylor
5 years ago

I stand with my Israel!

Daniel Penny
biden and harris speaking in black and white
A row of supercomputers running simulations of quantum cryptography algorithms to test their efficiency and effectiveness
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden walk across the South Lawn of The White House on July 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)

Stay informed! Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter.

"*" indicates required fields

23
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

Subscribe to AMAC Daily News and Games