Many in Ilhan Omar's district are not big supporters of her. She is the poster child of the Minnesota DFL, the problem is that she has racist tendencies and is far from transparent regarding her background, marriages, and financial practices. She just cannot contain her desire to denigrate Jews. She has done this over and over. It will cost her eventually.
46
'“At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry,”
Just just read this, from Ilhan Omar, in another article here in the NYT. She's making a very valid, very broad statement about special interest groups and their purchased influence with our government. Is AIPAC one of these groups ? You bet. Who is turning this into, 'left-wing anti-Semitism' ? That would be you.
38
Wait. All this fuss is about a tweet saying that AIPAC monetarily supports politicians? It’s anti-Semitic to point out that an entity created to use its money to influence a pro-Israeli agenda is using its money to influence a pro-Israeli agenda? There had to be more said than that.
If not, no wonder the right mocks the left.
31
True, it’s hardly radical to point out that lobbyist money has pernicious political effects. The problem is, despite the fact that ALL lobbying serves the purpose of empowering certain groups, it is always and only the Jewish/Israel lobby AIPAC that gets mentioned. THAT is precisely what makes it antisemitic. The history of antisemitism is filled with accusations that ALL people and nations practice, but it’s often Jews alone who get accused.
26
she's a nutritionist from Minneapolis. it's not a big surprise that she's spectacularly unsophisticated. she's a newly elected freshman congressperson. why is she spending so much time on Israel. Doesn't she need to get funding for snow plows, or help spunky tv newswomen with patriarchal bosses, or single divorced mothers with snoopy supers or whatever it is they need in Minneapolis.
13
This rush by white women to denounce a Muslim women who did not make an anti-semitic statement is driving a wedge between those women and women of color. She, a policymaker, made a legitimate criticism of a major issue. She should not be held to some odd standard of extra sensory sensitivity. Perhaps NYT opinion writers should consider the hypercriticism historically lobbed at women prior to joining the rush-to-judgement mob.
30
Whoa, Rep. Omar is being villified for anti-semitism because: 1. Nearly 7 years ago, as a private citizen she said that Israel had hypnotized the world regarding its policies toward Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Well, in its characterization of its military rule of the West Bank that is exactly what it has done. Perhaps Rep. Omar should have said 'snookered.' 2. She tagged AIPAC for using money to influence legislators. Doesn't it? We progressives don't hesitate to criticize the NRA for doing the same thing. Pro-Israel lobbies, primarily AIPAC gave more than $14M to candidates in Congressional races last year, while gun rights lobbyists, primarily the NRA gave less than $4M. So instead of demanding Rep. Omar apologize for inferred anti-semitism, which she did without reservation, let's look at the substance of her remarks. And let's not let Israel's Far Right supporters--many of whom could well be called 'anti-semites for Israel'--reap the benefits of sowing distrust on the Left.
36
Tight rope. Nicely walked.
4
The considerable money contributed to the US by Saudi Arabia is not called "Moslem money" making clear just how anti-Semitic calling money contributed by Jews and Jewish organizations "Jewish money" really is.
31
Oh how I love all these gentiles who tell the world what is and what is not anti-Semitic. How can one explain to these gentiles (almost all of whom are progressive Dems) the sick feeling a Jew gets in the gut when we hear about Jews controlling money, media, etc.? Not very different from all the Whites who wonder "what's the big deal about blackface"? "We used to do it all the time". And I love this one: "I didn't know that the expression "Jewed them down" was anti-Semitic... we grew up using that expression all the time." Ms. Goldberg wrote an excellent piece that very well describes WHY these tropes are painful. Yet here we are in the comments with people totally disregarding what she wrote. Shame,
31
It is very telling that in less than one week of NYT opinion pieces there has been this surge in conflating anti-Israel policies with anti-semitism. First there was Marco Rubio (major AIPAC recipient), then there was Bret Stephens (former editor of the Jerusalem Post), and now there is Michelle Goldberg (unknown affiliations).
Nice try. But I will retain my belief that criticism of Israel and objection to AIPAC influence does not, in any way, constitute anti-semitism.
34
What I find REALLY anti-Semitic is Trump wrecking US strategy in Syria without talking to anybody (US) about it. Trump has done more than anybody but Putin to link Iran with their battle-ready clients Hezbollah on Israel's N border.
5
What should have been reported as an unequivocal rejection of Omar's anti-Semitic tweet (not her first) was twisted into yet another political debate pitting left against right, Democrats against Republicans. But Goldberg's most troubling comments appeared later, in her subtle suggestion that Democrats simply need to be careful about expressing anti-Semitic comments: "...it’s particularly incumbent on Israel’s legitimate critics to avoid anything that smacks of anti-Jewish bigotry."
In order words, just avoid saying it out loud so you won't lose your credibilility?
18
Michelle, she also wrote that she stands strong. WHAT is that supposed to mean? She only stated what leadership told her to say. Beyond that, she's still a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Don't be so fast forgiving her.
Now she's turning people who were her ally against her. Her future in politics might be permanently damaged. I sure hope so!
She's ignorant. As you said, Christians are pro-Israel for religious and political reasons. We just don't hear that often enough.
Michelle: #NeverForget ok?
13
Let me see if I got this right. The "president" mocks a woman running for president invoking the American genocide against Native Americans and so naturally we should look the other way and heap scorn on someone pointing out the obvious?
17
Omar seems unsophisticated.
4
Great, fine. But I’d like to see less Jewish sensitivity.
Politics is politics, is money is money. There’s no secret they are now attached at the hip. And every time someone points out that there’s a h. of a lot of money going to merely the political support of Israel, it is not an anti-Semitic remark. Yes, insinuating that Jews are hypnotic is anti-Semitic. Got the dif?
Why don’t we try to get as much money out of politics as possible instead of being shocked when it’s alluded to that some members of one sensitive group are doing it?
15
While it may be ok to criticize some of Israel’s actions - if you do not agree with them. It is another matter when someone criticizes a pro-Israel lobby in an Anti-Semitic or Jewish fashion.
Let’s be honest - being Anti Israel is fundamentally Anti- Jewish...
... and let’s be honest the BDS movement is not about Boycotting a particular Israeli institution, nor is it based on supporting Palestinian rights ( the PA and Hamas are totalitarian organizations who themselves use coercion and torture) ...
The BDS movement Is fundamentally about destroying Israel, the nation state of the Jewish people...
No other country in the World is openly subjected to Genocidal intentions ... except Israel ...
The Jewish People were subjected to Genocide even before Israel was established... and are even now today being subjected to Genocidal intentions by some members of the UN...
The difference is - now-the Jewish People in Israel can fight back ... and they will... no matter what their critics say or do ...,
14
Democrats need to get out in front of this growing left wing or national socialist ideology before it consumes them in the same way white supremacy and the tea party have destroyed what once was a mainstream albeit right of center Republican party. Whether it is hatemongers like Omar, Talib and Sassor who preach a virulent version of antisemitism or those who echo it out of ignorance like Ocasio-Cortez, democrats from across the spectrum need to vigorously denounce it lest they end up becoming part of the same hypocrisy as the republicans.
11
Representative Ilhan Omar has made several anti-Semitic remarks over the years...it's obvious what her true feelings are.
Is it a surprise?
18
So, we can be rightly concerned about lobbyists owning the government in every realm except when it comes to Israel? Disagreeing with an Israeli position does not make one an anti-Semite. It's shocking that Goldberg and other media operatives can't be honest about this and instead pile on to the nonsense.
I say this as a great supporter of Israel and someone who is highly suspicious of the Palestinians who elected Hamas to run their country. As a student of history, I believe that the Jews are right when they say, Never Again.
But it angers me to see this nonsense being hurled at this freshman class. The media is doing the same thing again, the same thing that gave us that disgusting, immoral, corrupt creature in the White House.
Time to grow up.
13
As far as awkward Minnesota politician quotes go, Ilhan Omar is no Jesse "The Body" Ventura:
“Whoever designed the streets (in St. Paul) must have been drunk. I think it was those Irish guys, you know what they like to do."
Governor Ventura may have had to apologize to the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Or not.
4
Criticizing the influence of AIPAC in Congress is like saying that the rain is wet, isn't it? The fact that M. Goldberg went to great lengths to demonize a female, Muslim US representative actually reinforces the claim of undue influence of Jewish lobbies in politics and mainstream media. And this is not a narrative, but a fact: in 2018, AIPAC alone doled out nearly $4 millions to its Congress "clients" through donors.
And for heaven' sake, we need to stop with this ideological blackmail that tries to conflate anti-Semitism with a healthy and necessary criticism of Israel's policies against Palestinians.
25
“It’s hardly radical to point out that lobbyist money has a pernicious political effect.”
Unless of course you are Republican Kevin McCarthy.
6
It would be great if Israel was disagreed with as England or France or Germany is. Unfortunately most of the smug opponents of Israel do so from an anti-Semitic position. They leave no room for Jews to oppose Netanyahu and his policies.
The issue that Israeli opponents like Congresswoman Omar ignores is why did the Palestinians blow their chance at a state when Clinton was president? Why do they have so little support among Arabs?
10
Calling out three billionaires by name, who combined, very widely and publicly pledged to spend $250,000,000 in 2016 to defeat Republicans is, if noted by a Republican, clearly anti-Semitic; check. Declaring Palestine from river to sea is a broadly open ended general policy statement meant to encourage nothing more than dialogue and thought on a topic of the day; check. But just too sure you don’t make any waves, Democrats should please refer to the Anti-Israel group, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice handy guide before hitting send. First you tie the pretzel then you untie the pretzel. Careful Ms. Goldberg, if you do these acrobatics in black face you may just find yourself with the Democratic Presidential nomination.
1
so this is an honest question:
1)The oil lobby influences policy through campaign contributions.
2)The gun lobby influences policy through campaign contributions.
3)The pharm lobby influences policy through campaign contributions.
AIPAC is a pro Israel lobbying organization.
Does it influence policy through campaign contributions?
If so, how is making that point anti semitic?
11
The union of evangelicals and the right wing in Israel is the apotheosis of cynicism.
6
How easy it is for the right-wing and very powerful Jewish lobby to equate criticism of Israeli policies with anti-semitism. How disappointing it is to find reputable news platforms like NYT uncritically accepting of this false equivalence. Judging from the multiple law-suits against PM Netanyahu corruption of the Israeli government seems to go right to the top. The appropriation of Palestinian land and the illegal Jewish settlements that mushroom on them are apparently not worthy of acknowledgment but relatively modest, and internationally widely shared, criticism of Israeli policies draws a storm of approbation down on this junior politician. One might expect that a people who have suffered as much historically as the Jews might behave a touch more ethically and compassionately. But just the opposite. One might expect that a nation whose very existence depends on the cynical expropriation of land by the colonizing British might have shown a little more concern for the well-being of the dispossessed. But just the opposite. Shame on all those news platforms and their pundits who line up to attack this politician. Shame on the spineless Democrats who, apparently fearing the scare-mongering, of lobbyists and their political opponents find it expedient to chastize one of their own. Grow a spine America.
8
In an interview with a journalist from the New Yorker, Steve Rosen (top AIPAC official) pointed to a napkin he was carrying, "“You see this napkin? In 24 hours, we could have the signatures of 70 Senators on this napkin”
This is like Omar saying 4 + 2 = 6 and people accuse her of being anti the number 4
9
You can be staunchly against Israeli policies and not be anti-Semitic.
It's worth noting that the Israelis subjugate a Muslim minority and treat them to harsh security protocols on a daily basis, and have recently been documented committing sweeping human rights abuses against the Palestinians.
In South Africa, this was termed apartheid. But no one assumes I hate South African whites if I call out the moral failings of apartheid policies.
7
Criticizing Israel isn't anti-Semitic, and see The Intercept for a detailed report of how an pro-Israel lobbying group boasts about using money to influence politicians.
https://theintercept.com/2019/02/11/ilhan-omar-israel-lobby-documentary/
7
“Evangelicals, a far bigger constituency than American Jews, tend to be pro-Israel for religious reasons.”
Yes but you know very well the pernicious influence of money on American politics and it’s not the Evangelicals who are donating the big bucks.
Sheldon Adelson, Paul Singer, Haim Saban, Norman Braman. These people are billionaires but are not Evangelicals.
See the recent Al-Jazeera expose of the Israel lobby which finally managed to be published despite the long effort to suppress it.
Quote:
Without spending money, Ochs argues, the pro-Israel lobby isn’t able to enact its agenda. “Congressmen and senators don’t do anything unless you pressure them. They kick the can down the road, unless you pressure them, and the only way to do that is with money,” he explains.
End quote. The person speaking is a founder of an organization which helps send young people to AIPAC’s annual conference.
https://theintercept.com/2019/02/11/ilhan-omar-israel-lobby-documentary/
6
This is just not getting it MICHELE. It is true. It is a fact that AIPAC is buying off these politicians including DJT. Where is the anti Semitic aspect of this. It’s a fact. I think You miss the point.
8
She is lying again. Her apology is not sincere. She lied to get elected in Minnesota. I gave her the benefits of the doubt and voted for her when I lived there.
See:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/11/surprise_ilhan_omar_lied_to_jewish_voters_in_her_district.html
4
Criticism of Israel is not the same as anti-semitism. By the way, it is the left-wing academicians in Europe as well as in North America who often figure in criticism of Israel.
3
AIPAC heavily lobbies politicians - from free trips to Israel to donations to their campaigns . Palestinians provide nothing . And yet the author takes Israel’s side ! Chutzpah
7
Welcome to the world of 'identity politics'.
Where the Democrats need to pander to Muslim-, Jewish-, Asian-, Latino-, and African-Americans...all at the same time.
And what about the test-based admission to New York City public schools...an Asian-, Latino-, African-American conflict?The Republican Party may not be doomed after all.
Or am I missing something here?
1
It isn’t just Republicans who are kneejerk supporters of Israel.
https://www.businessinsider.com/un-israel-vote-obama-democrats-2016-12
And Omar didn’t say that Jewish money controls the world. She said AIPAC money has a lot of influence on Congress on the subject of Israel. Well, duh. They say so themselves. Is Israel supposed to be the world? Would it have been antiCuban racism to say that Cuban- American lobbyists with rightwing opinions used to have great influence on our Cuba policy? Is Cuba the entire world?
7
"And the idea of Jews as global puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding, clearly does."
When Sheldon Adelson donates $35 million to GOP politicians with the explicit understanding that they will advance a pro-Israel agenda, what else would you call it?
Haim Saban has enormous influence in democratic fundraising circles - and his sole issue is advancing Israeli interests.
Are we as Americans simply no longer allowed to comment on the reality of this situation? We have to remain silent for fear of offending a foreign lobbyist group?
I've said it many times and I will say it once again: The NYT needs diversity on the editorial page. When issues like this arise, we need perspective beyond a conservative Zionist debating a liberal Zionist. Lets hear from marginalized voices that have been silenced on this issue. Ali Abunimah is an expert on the subject and not a single mainstream publication reached out to him today.
6
Many Jews in the Diaspora, including me, deplore many of the actions of current and previous Israeli administrations against Palestinians. (And in other issues as well.)
The Israeli government has, over the years, promoted the canard that Israel, and thus its government, represents, and enjoys the unconditional support of, all Jews in the world. I have heard some fervent Zionists proclaim that any criticism of Israeli or its government's policies is inherently antisemitism. (In fact, many Israelis oppose many of these actions.)
Many American Jews do in fact strongly support Israel, and do so with political contributions and actions: e.g., https://www.jta.org/2002/09/30/lifestyle/congressional-anti-israel-voices-muted The influence of the pro-Israel lobby is not an antisemitic illusion "trope" or not. Ask Cynthia McKinney.
On the other hand, there certainly is, and has been for centuries, a whole lot of old-fashioned just-plain-biggoted antisemities around. I guess that this has been augmented by by a new generation of antisemites, who know nothing of the Elders of Zion or HIAS or all that banker-cabal stuff, but who take exception of unacceptable Israeli actions against Palestinians, and who swallow the (not entirely imaginary) Israely-government line that these actions are supported by all Jews. or at least influential ones.
It seems a very fine line between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of Israel. I'm inclined to give Omar the benefit of the doubt.
6
once again,the further adventures
of Michelle Goldberg, intrepid
columnist for a major metropolitan
daily who fights the good fight for
diversity (read boycott, divest and
sanction)and finds no problem with
accepting a forced, fraudulent
apology from an anti semite
parading around as a Congresswoman
and is always finding an excuse to
bash Israel and side with the rabid
elements of the so called young turks
who will always find anything Israel
does an atrocity! it's long past time
that this show should be canceled.
2
We can all agree that anti-semitism is a scourge and that it's real. Kudos to congresswoman Omar for reiterating that in her apology tweet.
Yet there are echoes in this episode of the recent dust-up in the UK about anti-semitism in the labor party. Given the transatlantic links between brexiteers and the MAGA freaks here, the manufacture of opinion by Cambridge Analytica etc, and the unholy alliances between Biby and the world's fascist wannabes, is it a coincidence that McCarthy and the GOP pulled this trope out? I think not.
As to AIPAC: it does support a foreign government that defies the wishes of successive POTUS and violates the 4th Geneva Convention in the Occupied Territories while receiving ~$3 Billion/year* in US foreign aid. All while being a high income economy with a very strong military in possession of nuclear weapons, whose security is guaranteed by the word's foremost military superpower (as it should be).
Maybe the congresswoman was inelegant in her phrasing allowing the interpretation of anti-semitism to attach. That shouldn't distract from the larger message. Israel needs to finally allow a Palestinian state with continuous borders free of dubya's "facts on the ground".
https://bit.ly/2RW4GpD
1
Make this amateur resign.
2
To supporters of BDS, do you think its wrong for a country to round up a million people of a minority ethnic and religious group, put them into reudaction camps and send spies into the homes of others to check for signs of disloyalty to the state? Not something that Israel is doing, but what China is doing to the Uighurs. So where is your BDS movement against China? Too inconvenient to put down your Chinese assembled phone? If you end up needing one of the many lifesaving drugs developed in Israel, going to forgo the treatment? Hypocrites.
8
Much ado about nothing, and the Democrats were suckered once again.
1
This is simple!
The Palestinians, Hamas,Hezbollah, Iran and almost every other Arab country does not accept Israel’s right to exist. They have spent over 60 yrs killing or trying to kill Israelis.
Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East! Do these representatives think they could be in “ government “ in any Arab country. Do they think they would be treated with even a modicum of respect?
Before you criticize Israel, you should demand that her right to exist is not negotiable.
Until then, I think rep Omar should shut her mouth.
5
She has shown her anti-Semitic prejudice through many earlier statements and does not deserve to hold office. I do not believe her now with the tight lipped controlled statement. Pelosi should remove her from committees.
8
Do you really expect the 2 Muslim women in Congress to be fair to Israel or to Jews? The overwhelming majority of Muslims are not particularly those from Palestine and Somalia. They will say what they have to say when called out but essentially agree with mr Farrakhan.
5
Yes....that's the biggest problem with Ms. Omar's tweets. She just innocently and accidentally keeps tweeting tropes that could come straight from Elders of Zion. But by all means, let's not make too much of it - it could damage the image of the Democratic party.
5
Criticizing Netanyahu and his Likud Party is not criticizing Israel, and criticizing Israel is not criticizing Jews because they're jewish.
Criticizing people for their attitudes and behavior is fair game, and it is anti-semitic to suggest that because someone or some organization is jewish they are above reproach. It is a false trope that jews, jewish organizations and the state of Israel are all part of a monolithic gestalt that cannot be separated into distinct parts. Indeed, suggesting otherwise is falling into the anti-semitic trope that jews control the manifold forms by which anti-semitism takes shape.
4
Israelis will never admit that we committed the first two sins.
We declared half of Palestine to be Israel. And that just happened to be the half on the Mediterranean Sea.
And we prohibited the refugees to return to their homes, their own property.
And now many Israelis want to make Israel a Jewish state.
How would Jews here feel if Mike Pence made the US an evangelical Christian state.
6
AIPAC is a lobby, like the NRA.
Not all its supporters are Jews, and many Jews oppose Israel.
No lobby is above the right of the American people to question a lobby.
7
I don’t think that Omar is necessarily anti-Semitic. I think that she needs more exposure to other people of diverse backgrounds, with other points of view. But there is an anti-Semitic problem in the so-called progressive left. Tlaib lied her way to the House, garnering an endorsement and money from J Street after she stated that she supported a two state solution, and then turned around and supported a one state solution (read the destruction of Israel) after winning the House seat (by only 1000 votes). Self-promoters Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour both refuse to criticize the viciously anti-Semitic Louis Farrakhan. If you don’t call out someone’s anti-Semitism, or racism, then you are also guilty of the prejudice. The nonsense of Israelis being apartheid practicing colonizers goes back to Desmond Tutu, who was one of the earliest people to voice those lies. Israel is accused of being an apartheid state, yet has an Arab on it’s Supreme Court, it’s third largest coalition in its parliament is Arab, has Arab students attending its universities alongside Jews, and has Jewish and Arab medical personnel working together in some of its hospitals, treating both Jews and Arabs. Calling Israel an apartheid state is an insult to the Jewish parents who donated their child’s organs to an Arab child, so that child could live. Read some of Tutu’s remarks about Jews. His anti-Semitic quotes echo those made against Jews hundreds of years ago.
7
You wrote that you have no problem with denunciations of Aipac. So in what way could have Congresswoman Omar have criticized Aipac, and their use of money to buy influence, that would have been acceptable to you? I am guessing there is no answer to that.
2
My mother was an ashkenaze jew, my father is goy, so is my last name. I have been an unwilling witness of unhidden (no point hiding it when speaking to a Goy) antisemitism in the French society through my whole life.
With the "gilets jaunes" (yellow jackets) movement, antisemitism is openly resurfacing in France: "March against the Rich...who are..Jews!". Last Saturday, before a gilet jaune march, the word "jude" was painted on the screen of a jewish pastry shop in Paris. With the uncontrolled riots, this gives Paris a little flair of Berlin in the early 1930s....
Hopefully this flair does not spread through the atlantic...
5
AIPAC gives no political donations.
And AIPAC is a homegrown group of pro Israel Americans who have the right to advocacy, just like any other Americans.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, 73% of Americans are pro Israel.
Perhaps Congress is overwhelmingly pro Israel because the American people are overwhelmingly pro Israel - Not because of AIPAC.
5
Someone should use this example for progressives who are confused on this issue:
“Some African American communities have high rates of violent crime.”
This is a true statement. It should be followed as to why this is and how we can address it.
“Some African American neighborhoods are as dangerous as jungles filled with wild animals.”
While someone can play innocent and say it’s just a more colorful way of saying the first statement, the fact is this statement echoes racist tropes about African Americans. That’s the crucial difference.
3
I am glad Ms. Omar apologized. Her feelings about Aipac are not out of place, but Aipac is doing what other interest groups do in Washington; it influences the opinion of our government officials. Neither is Aipac behind some kind of Jewish world domination conspiracy. Clearly though, no one should be shy about criticizing Israel, where justified. Being appalled by Israeli policies toward Palestinians does not make one an antisemite. Similarly, and OBVIOUSLY, Ms. Omar having criticized Saudi Arabia's policies does not make her an anti-Muslim person. In the meantime, it appears Republicans are trying to paint Democrats as antisemites. It is all about their desperately wanting to get votes to win the 2020 election. In the meantime, Ms. Omar has been forced to shut up. It is politics as usual. As the French say, the more things change, the more they are the same!
Apology NOT accepted. When Jews say "Never again" it means quite specifically that we are not going to make our lives contingent on the phony benevolence of the Omars and Tlaibs of the world. We know all too well where that leads.
2
Please explain to me what is anti-Semitic about pointing out that AIPAC has a prominent role in determining US foreign policy in the Middle East. Isn't that obvious to everyone?
I am so tired of people branding others as anti-Semitic because of their criticism of the Jewish lobby. What makes it any different than criticizing the NRA or the UAW?
Billions of our tax dollars go to a state thousands of miles away each year. Shouldn't we all be allowed to have an opinion on that without being tagged with the anti-Semite stigma?
5
Is it possible to be anti or at least not pro Israel without being thought anti-semitic? And if so, how does one go about expressing it?
3
If i say "the Israel lobby is buying and paying for some of US's decisions concerning the Middle East (ME)", how different is what i am saying from what New York Times columnist Tom Friedman said in 2011? (this is what he said:"[the] standing ovation [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] got in Congress this year was not for his politics. That ovation was bought and paid for by the Israel lobby").
Given that Mr Friedman is a supporter of Israel and not someone who is willing to engage in Antisemitic (a/s) speech acts, isn't it rational to both believe that there is pro-Israel influence on US policy with regard to the ME and to also use the same expressions that Mr Friedman used? Ms Goldberg suggests that her problem is with the phrasing of Ms Omar's tweet (a phrasing that was no more provocative than Mr Friedman's phrasing). But then why doesn't Ms Goldberg suggest a way that critics of this particular aspect of the relation between Israel and the US can use to make their case in a non-a/s way?
Surely, critics of the (not just monetary) influence that pro-Israel activism has on US policy in the ME should be able to voice their concerns about the damage done to Palestinians due to US ME policy , and they should also be able to offer causal explanations for this policy, because causes hint to policy solutions. They can't do so if their speech is deemed a/s no matter how they phrase it.
Or is it that Jewish sensitivities take precedence over Palestinian interests?
4
What Rep. Omar should have said is that Republican support for Israel is not based on any particular affection for Israel or Israeli Jews but entirely in its constituents' apocalyptic belief that the existence of Israel is necessary for the return of Jesus.
What these pious "Israel supporters" seldom admit is that they also believe that when the Messiah does return, he will wield a flaming sword against his enemies, who they happily interpret as against Israeli Jews.
4
I would not let Rep. Omar off the hook so easily. She and other "progressives" need a history lesson in how the Palestinians turned down offers to have their own state twice because they wanted all of Israel, not just part. When they were given control of Gaza they used it as a launching pad for rockets into Israel instead of building a prosperous country living in peace with their neighbor. If someone knows these facts and still blames Israel for the plight of the Palestinians then I can only conclude that they do so out of antisemitism.
5
Ok, so the claim is that AIPAC does not influence votes and Congress would be just as pro-Israel without them?
So why does AIPAC exist?
5
What would be the media coverage like if the 3 Virginia gentlemen and this lady were Republicans?
I leave it to your imagination.
1
There was nothing "anti-semitic" in Omar's tweets
There is nothing "anti-semitic" about criticizing the huge and inappropriate influence of AIPAC on American foreign policy. And yes, AIPAC does pressure and give money to politicians.
There is nothing "anti-semitic" with supporting the BDS movement.
There is nothing "anti-semitic" about criticizing Israel or being against giving Israel billions of dollars in welfare.
There is nothing "anti-semitic" about being against Netanyahu and the actions of his far right government.
5
Democrats be smarter. Ms Omar, you are an inspiration, but be smarter.
Anti-semitism is as real as islamophobia. Why would you want to conjure the same feelings that Trump has invoked toward Muslims?
Above all, think hard before you tweet.
2
It might also behoove Omar to learn some history. Minneapolis was once called the most anti-Semitic city in the nation. Let's not go back there.
4
And would there be a similar uproar if the statement or tweet came from someone other than a Muslim?
2
What? McCarthy’s tweet highlighted the common denominator between the three men as billionaires! Being Jewish doesn’t give you access to buying a post - being a billionaire does!
Why is it anti Semitic when Ilhan Omar says AIPAC is destructive but it’s fine with these very same people when Ted Cruz disparages JStreet or when Trump lies about the ADL? The other little secret is that AIPAC is now a majority evangelical Christian organization. So people may disagree with Omar’s characterization of AIPAC as destructive, but since AIPACi is no longer a Jewish organization, the criticism can hardly be characterized as anti Semitic.
4
If even Israelis are “divided” on some Likud policies why can’t Democrats be as well?
Ms. Omar blundered into a well worn trope she may or may not have been aware of but it’s true that Aipac is well practiced in blurring the line between criticism of some Israeli policies and “anti-semitism.”
1
I am sorry. It is about the Benjamin. There’s nothing anti-Semitic about it. The only people complaining about it are the recipients
3
@Michael B. English(who is surprised to read some of the comments here)
Yes sir. But you are talking of people who support the AIPAC, a dubious organization that does not represent Jews who have a conscience. These people call Noam Chomsky an antisemite and Netanyahu a hero. Lost causes.
I am proud of my ancestors like Spinoza and appalled by the behavior of the horrible people who make up AIPAC and the Israeli government alike. People like Pelosi, well they have to be re-elected and they need the cash. It hardly matters if it comes from Well Fargo or Facebook, or AIPAC.
Ilhan Omar did not do anything wrong.
5
There is Israel and Israeli citizens, many of them Jews. And then there is Benjamin Netanyahu and his politics. Are we,
U.S. citizens, allowed to believe and say that they are two different things? Do Israeli citizens equate anti-Netanyahu and antisemitic? Does AIPAC?
2
It’s not anti Semitic to point out the obviously strong role of AIPAC in influencing members of Congress to enact policies that are damaging for Americans and global histice. People are getting very tired of the anti Semitic accusations “defense.”
3
So the congresswoman’s sin is that she helps the right. Marvelous. It is time for those who call themselves liberals to realize that the Democratic Party has become the house of antisemitism. When the leader of the party supported the “fact” that Jews have no connection to Jerusalem- that’s antisemitism. When it takes more than 5 minutes for the leaders of the party to condemn one congresswoman and not mention the other one- that’s antisemitism,too. The great riddle is why do Jews still vote for them? The answer can be found less than 100 years ago in Germany. US Jews have not learnt the lesson.
3
What is wrong with the proposition that AIPAC influences the views of politicians when it comes to Israeli actions in violation of international law? Has Congress ever voted in support of UN Security Council Resolution 242? If not, why not? Has Congress ever voted to say that settlement building in the West Bank is illegal under international law. If not, why not? Are most settlers not virulently racist towards the Palestinians? Does AIPAC not support settlement and occupation? Yet politicians of both parties accept money from it. Let us please be clear and rational on what constitutes being anti-illegal-Israeli policies and anti-semitism.
2
Shadowy groups that buy influence may be an age old anti-Semitic stereotype, but is also an accurate definition for our corrupt system of lobbying in the US. Isn't it AIPAC's fault for participating in a system that actively affirms one of the world's worst stereotypes by buying influence in Washington? After all, they brag about the influence they have purchased from Washington lawmakers, but of course they are not the only ones to buy such influence. People can read all about AIPAC in this 2006 study called "The Israel Lobby." http://mearsheimer.uchicago.edu/pdfs/IsraelLobby.pdf
The American people are pretty woke about lobbying in generally, especially that of Israel, so the Democratic Party might want to get with the program and stop threatening those who dare to speak out.
2
Some people are telling us that money, and lobbying with that money, is a long-accepted fact of life in Washington. Sure there is the oil and gas lobby, the pharmaceutical lobby, the health care lobby, and a miriad of others. All of them chewing away at the concept of democracy.
HOWEVER the AIPAC lobby stand out not only for its excessive wealth but for the fact that it represents a FOREIGN GOVERNMENT.
Clearly a major part of American foriegn policy is not "Made in the USA".
2
Wouldn’t it be nice if our elected officials would give us the single payor healthcare and state of the art infrastructure that Israel has courtesy of the massive amounts of aid we shower on them.
While our country is supposedly secular, our whole policy toward Israel is influenced by the myths and fairly tales of religion. Sad in this modern day and age, we let religious fanatics and the voices in their head dictate policy.
3
We have have two years of atrocious right wing tweets. I ask has protest stopped them. We see Sheldon Adelson buying GOP allegiance to Israel. How exactly is she wrong and why is pointing out that Israel like so many other pays to play. What I find troublesome in the knee jerk cry antisemitic anytime anyone, especially Muslims, criticize Israel. Boycotts because of atrocious Israeli policies in the West Bank and widescale land appropriation based on biblical babble does no make one antisemetic it makes one human. American Jews need to take a much more critical view of Israel and maybe they will see what everyone else sees. Biblical colonialism.
2
I can't help but be reminded of an earlier diatribe by this columnist against one Senator Al Franken, leading the outcry demanding his resignation. Will the histrionic PC over-reactions ever stop?
1
If anyone ever doubted anti-semitism is alive and well in progressive America, just read the comments to this story. It thrives on the left!
5
All this will be depressingly familiar to Europeans, and it's surprising that Americans weren't prepared for it. Many Islamic politicians in Europe have been pushing anti-Semitic tropes for years, and often doing so with the tacit support of the radical left. There's a good article about this by Mehdi Hasan, a committed Muslim who works for al-Jazeera and who called out ant-Semitism among British Muslims in The New Statesman (link below). It's a sad truth that, whetever its benefits and moral justifications, multiculturalism can also bring with it multiracism. Not everyone who moves to a new culture will leave his or her prejudices behind.
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2013/03/sorry-truth-virus-anti-semitism-has-infected-british-muslim-community
4
Critizising the policies of the country of Israel is not anti-Semitic. If that were the case there would be many Jews who are themselves anti-Semitic.
1
"For the last two years the mainstream liberal establishment has been endlessly bleating about the need to elevate women of color to positions of leadership; then the first Black Muslim and first Somali American ever to get elected to Congress begins taking the leadership for which she was elected, and it turns out they actually meant they just wanted women with dark skin who will advance the status quo of the white imperialist patriarchy." ~Caitlin Johnstone
“No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them” ~Elie Wiesel
"There are some who want us to be outraged when crimes are committed against their kind but wish us to remain silent as they commit crimes against others." ~Teodrose Fikre
Bravo for the new voices in Congress who may actually represent the people, not the corporate state. I only wish Omar had never apologized. We need her and others to rock the boat. In fact, we need a new boat.
2
I feel her apology is insincere - driven by the recogition that as a freshman congresswoman, her anti-Israel views got her in trouble with the more senior members of the House. Her feelings and views haven't changed one whit - she just apologized to get herself out of hot water, politically. She can't be a vocal Palestinian supporter and pro-BDS activist one day and then an ally of Jews the next.
4
Granted Kevin McCarthy is a buffoon. But his tweet about Soros etc was not anti semetic. It’s no different when someone tweets about the Koch’s. And guess what Omar’s tweet was also not anti semetic.
1
Why, pray tell, are Tom Steyer, George Soros, and Michael Bloomberg beyond criticism merely because they happen to be Jewish? By starting out this piece with a smear of Kevin McCarthy, Ms. Goldberg is trying to make political points rather than giving a thoughtful piece on antisemitism. She gives Rep. Omar the benefit of the doubt that she is not willing to give to Mr. McCarthy.
Rep. Omar belongs to a religion with a long history of antisemitism If she really wants to overcome it, she should be staunchly pro-Jewish. Instead, she has shown her true colors. This was not a one time slip up. Her non-apology apology is a day late and a dollar short.
1
McCarthy’s comments on buying elections were ill advised. But Michelle forgets her left wing colleagues pummeling Sheldon Adelson, for, well, buying elections. But unlike Ms. Omar, McCarthy is a friend of Israel, and stands against BDS, which seeks the dissolution of the Jewish state. To compare the two is to distract from the Democratic party’s increasingly intimate dance with anti-semites and terrorist sympathizers. That Michelle’s main interest here is not soul searching over her party’s moral descent, but making sure the cons don’t get a win, is disappointing. But not surprising.
"Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right."
What a strange argument to put forward: that's the least of my concerns about anti-Semitism.
2
So, if I have this correctly, AIPAC does not have strong monetary influence in US Congress, and does not work essentially as a Pro-Israel lobby, is that right?
1
Just think about the irony of this columnist and many others like her railing against Trump and demonizing him at every opportunity in the liberal media -- the vitriol has been unimaginable, and this columnist has been one of the harshest stone-throwers -- when the fact is, as it's becoming increasingly clear, it's actually Trump and the Republican party who may save Jews from this new leftist menace. I don't know whether Tom Steyer has calmed down a bit from his "Impeach!" hysteria, but some of the Jewish columnists in this paper have probably softened their rhetoric. If not, they probably will pretty soon. Forget Michael Bloomberg or Howard Schultz -- even Bernie Sanders may soon find himself in the crosshairs of this new identity-politics party.
The term / meme / code / trope "anti-Semitism" is an inaccurate if conventionally accepted euphemism which as used here again excludes from consideration the equally Semitic Muslim peoples, and can more accurately be rendered as "anti-Zionism," a distinction perhaps clear even to West-Bank developer Sheldon Adelson, (All-about-the) Benjamin Netanyahu as well as their US elected lackeys.
1
It’s quite unfortunate when a new high profile member of Congress is either (a) clueless about anti-semitism, which resulted in the killing of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, suggesting she’s a poorly educated person or b) actually anti-Semitic, which is even worse. In both cases she represents the ignorance of the left of basic history, leading to simplistic and sometimes extreme and unhelpful outlooks on the world...uhh quite similar to the president.
1
The term / meme / code / trope "anti-Semitism" is an inaccurate if conventionally-accepted euphemism which as used here again excludes from consideration the equally Semitic Muslim peoples, and can more accurately be rendered as "anti-Zionism," a distinction perhaps clear even to West-Bank developer Sheldon Adelson, (All-about-the) Benjamin Netanyahu as well as their US elected lackeys.
I find it surprising and depressing to see MIchelle Goldberg, the sole Times supporter (I think) of BDS, to pile on the Omar shaming.
I just don't see it. Saying that AIPAC is raising and spending money to strengthen American support for Israel is not subscribing to the Protocols of Zion. But I've been there and I've seen it. I've seen Schumer and Nadler go livid at town halls when constituents question their position on BDS.
If we progressive American Jews can't question this influence, who can?
Rather than shame Omar for having the guts to treat AIPAC to the same amount of honest inspection that you ask regularly from the NRA, you should ask Peolsi and the fellow democrats why they throw Omar to the wolves and offer as their first legislation a bill criminalizing domestic BDS support.
2
By apologizing for her obvious antiSemitism Congresswoman
Omar, to use the term in its one accurate sense, what's
"politically correct." Needless to say none of this expresses
her real feelings both toward Jews and, needless to say,
about Israel, of whose present policies George Soros is not a supporter. One might also suggest that her own ignorance
about Israel greatly distorted both the meaning and fairness
of the M's Goldberg recent column. And just for the record this writer is no rightist but for half a century remains a firm opponent of the occupation as well as of those here who support it both there and here.
1
We can criticize any country, including our own, quite freely. However, it is political suicide to criticize Israel for its flagrant disregard of human rights.
What exactly is it that drives this fear if not the well funded Israeli lobby?
3
Ms Goldberg, I'm disappointed you got swept up in this hysteria. If criticising Israel is not to be equated with anti-semitism, then surely criticising a pro-Israel lobby group is also not to be equated with anti-semitism. AIPAC does not brand itself as a Jewish lobby, but as a pro-Israel lobby, which uses money to influence U.S. policy in favor of Israel. Neither Greenwald's nor Omar's tweets make a reference to Jews, only to Israel and Congress' slavish support of Israel. Equating Israel with Judaism is wrong and offensive to all Jews who don't support Zionism.
2
I read Omar's comments. My take ? She was slamming the widespread practice of special interest groups buying influence in our government. Does AIPAC fit right in ? You bet. That's 'anti- Semitic' ?
1
I would honestly agree with you if it there wasn't such a force in American politics that tries to destroy and undermine anybody who questions the correctness of Israel.
So what do you call the overarching nuttiness of the call to boycott Alice Walker (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/arts/alice-walker-david-icke-times.html)
Or the fragmentation of the Women's March (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/23/us/womens-march-anti-semitism.html)
Or maybe even Jeremy Corbyn (though he appears to have invited that one himself:
(https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/05/opinion/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-corbyn-antisemitism.html)
There comes a time when it is possible to get sick of saying "Criticism of the vile ultra-Right Wing government of Israel and the despicable treatment of Palestinian population" does not constitute anti-semitism. When to an incredibly sizable percentage of the population, it still clearly does.
AIPAC exerts undue influence on members of congress of both parties. That has been common knowledge for decades. Why is criticism of AIPAC suddenly a "trope"? I'm not even sure what that word means. A cliche? Politics is the art of mastering cliches. What you are saying in your column is you better pick the right cliches girl.
"Omar ... has also come under attack for supporting the (BDS) movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights."
BDS seeks much more than "Palestinian rights". It seeks a one-state solution in which Arab Muslims assert dominance over other groups through their large majority and 'democratic' means.
BDS leader Omar Barghouti is closely allied with Hamas, which has stated its goal to create a single state stretching from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean, under a legal system based on Islam. It is all clearly stated in their 2017 charter if you read it very carefully, paying attention to things like the definitions they have created.
If you support this goal, then by all means support Reps. Tlaib and Omar. But don't labor under the illusion that BDS wants anything less than to create a Sharia state covering ALL of what is now Israel, Gaza and West Bank.
Statements by BDS regarding its intentions:
https://electronicintifada.net/content/one-state-declaration/793
Hamas 2017 charter:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-2017-document-full
2
Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the House Democratic leadership rebuked Omar and called on her to apologize for her “use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters.” It was a depressing fall from grace for someone who just weeks ago was being feted as a path breaker, a refugee from Somalia who, alongside Tlaib, rose to become one of America’s first two Muslim congresswomen.
http://www.siyasat.pk/tajzia-sami-ibrahim-kay-sath-11th-february-2019-t142807.html
Especially in these devisive times we should obey some rules. First, we should never denounce a whole ethnicity, even by just pointing out analogies. It was plain wrong with the nazis, muslims feel insulted when it happens to them.
Second, every party should clean up it own closet with vigor. Don't let those, who have overreached, who have mongered fear and hate, get the chance to hide from the backlash. Don't sacrifice a correction of a wrong opinion to partisan unity. No one should be untouchable. Once politicians get along with a shady attitude, they will find allies, get a party inside the party, and in time will segregation turn against their own party. This is what basically happened to the republicans.
Third, there is a need for reaching over the aisles, to find a common ground. The only one who should be excluded from coherence are those who stand for discord, no matter for what reason.
In all, intolerance and tolerating intolerance is the undoing of any society. The democrats have to stand ground against strife, or they will oppose many americans, and rightfully have to.
This even should imply Ilhan Omars dismissal.
1
Seems Ms.Goldberg is more concerned about conservatives using Omar’s anti-Jewish rhetoric for political advantage than the fact that an Anti Semitic woman has a seat in US Congress.
5
“[T]he Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights.”
The phrasing is so jejune. The author knows full well these so-called rights don’t exist a priori, so there’s nothing in existence to “secure.”
1
I’ve been trying to formulate what really bothers me about this uproar and it is this—
Americans as a whole, with some exceptions, simply don’t care that much if we or our allies oppress or kill innocent people. This is why the Saudi Lobby is so influential. Both Obama and Trump supported their genocidal war in Yemen. Money alone wouldn’t do it. It’s the apathy that makes the money of any lobby go so far. It’s why Americans were outraged about the Russian bombing of Aleppo, when little was said about our bombing of Raqqa and Mosul. And yes, it is why the Gazans are kept in a giant cage and shot when they protest and four NYT columnists defended the shooting last year without any qualms whatsoever. Was that a cause for moral outrage? No. The idea that it is okay to gun down unarmed Palestinians is perfectly mainstream.
But Omar tweets about AIPAC and “ Benjamins” meaning 100 dollar bills and not an ethnic group and the outrage that is missing when we or our allies are committing war crimes becomes front page news. And people nod and say that these young congresswomen just don’t understand how to behave and will have to learn from their betters. Yes, they have such fine examples to follow.
Incidentally, a link about AIPAC’s own view of itself.
https://theintercept.com/2019/02/11/ilhan-omar-israel-lobby-documentary/
2
I don't think Rep. Omar has gotten a fair shake in all of this.
I think it's hypocritical for progressive politicians to praise Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for breaking down the ease of corporate or foreign money's corruptive influence in politics during a recent committee session, yet pounce on Omar for pointing out an instance of a lobbying group spending large amounts of money for political influence.
This is not Omar promoting some "globalist illuminati of Jewish bankers" dog-whistle conspiracy nonsense that gets trafficked around on the racist right. All she did was point out exactly what AIPAC does, by its own admission - their slogan is "America's Pro-Israel Lobby."
Criticizing Israeli governmental policies or lobbying actions within our own government is not inherently anti-Semitic, and it can't become a controversy every time those lobbying actions include making legal donations to politicians.
2
George Orwell was a stubborn individualist, a brave man and a great writer.
He also strongly disliked Jews and Zionism -- notwithstanding his having many Jewish friends.
He was, nonetheless, uncommonly honest when examining his feelings about Jews..
In his great essay “Antisemitism in Britain” (1945), he writes:
“… the starting point for any investigation of anti-Semitism should not be “Why does this obviously irrational belief appeal to other people?” but “Why does anti-Semitism appeal to me? What is there about it that I feel to be true?” If one asks this question one at least discovers one's own rationalisations, and it may be possible to find out what lies beneath them.”
Read Ms. Omar's tweets and the bitter denunciation of Israel that appear regularly in the Times editorial and comment sections, and ask yourself how many of these people have ever bothered to ask themselves Orwell’s second question.
http://orwell.ru/library/articles/antisemitism/english/e_antib
2
“But at a moment when activists have finally pried open space in American politics to question our relationship with Israel, it’s particularly incumbent on Israel’s legitimate critics to avoid anything that smacks of anti-Jewish bigotry. “
When exactly did those activists prie open that space to criticize Israel and its demeaning, criminal mistreatment of Palestinians and illegal Israeli settlements? It does appear that the second Omar’s support of the divestment support became public, she was toast and everything she said would be construed as anti Semitic. She is being sacrificed for that exact totalitarian obedience to US official party line -both parties- that Israel can do no wrong. Where is the anti semitism in saying Israel has hypnotized the world? I would only modify that statement to say the U.S., not the world. Israel under Netanyahu isn’t a synonym for Jewish. Thank you, Ilhan Omar, for your bravery, for which you will soon be pilloried because your statements about Israel will be thrown into the same anti Semitic loonie bin-pot as right wing conspiracy theories about Soros and Bloomberg being behind climate change.
2
We must not shut down honest discussions over how money is driving legislator's votes whether it's for guns or Israel but pulling the second amendment or antisemitism card to effectively divert attention from the root problem destroying American democracy and its moral code. And it's time to stop being so politically correct that the message is lost because it is "All about the Benjamins!" What's at stake are our first amendment rights of free speech. If you have any doubt, take a look at the Israel Anti-Boycotting Act, that would make it a crime for companies to boycott Israel for any reason, which over 20 legislators including Pelosi and Schumer are trying to sneak into law. Now that's what I call scary.
3
She sure doesn't have New York values. She should have tested the waters of being critical of Israel by complaining about traffic deaths, greenhouse emissions, or water supply. I'm happy that she is independent. How many of us would do as Voltaire suggested we do, to our deaths defend a person's freedom to speak ... as a muslim with a point of view different than the Democrat machine.
This split is not a Republican invention. The Islamic world is highly Anti-Semitic. There is an increasing demographic of Islamic and Palestinian citizens who have an anti-Israel AND an anti-Jewish background. This is not a surprise.
How it plays out in the Democratic party and in the United States as a whole may presage how it may play out in the world at large. Separating legitimate grievances from prejudicial education will not be easy nor trivial.
American Jews by-and-large are highly Democratic and this will not change, because the pro-Israel lobby among the right-wing Christian Republicans is highly strange- it sees the Jewish state as a precursor to Second Coming and a kind of End-of-Times involving a great deal of violence. It can be regarded as its own kind of Anti-Semitism.
1
Goldberg mentioned an article in the Forward (a Jewish publication) to bolster the opinion that Omar was wrong to criticize AIPAC. I think it is much more to the point to quote Peter Feld's opinion in this Forward article "No, Ilhan Omar Is Not Anti-Semitic For Calling Out AIPAC", an opinion shared by a very large proportion of Jews,
https://forward.com/opinion/419117/no-ilhan-omar-is-not-anti-semitic-for-calling-out-aipac/
2
I wouldn’t want someone to be offended. Which part isn’t true. AIPAC is turning itself into a self fulfilling prophecy.
1
What's more insulting to the American People is pretending to send Kushner to the Middle East to solve the problem. The
corrupt Kushner family (just do a little research) have investments
in the illegal settlements. How tone-deaf do you think the world is? Trump admires Netanyahu who gave him the great advice for the wall building and dropping out of the Iran deal. Oh and Adelson wrote a little check. Facts are not anti-semitic.
2
This discussion lacks nuance and the comments by NYT readers as well as those of Ilhan Omar are very disturbing. The Jews - the Benjamins- are not synonymous with Aipac. Jews are not a monolithic entity- there is no unified single position adopted by all Jews and no international Jewish conspiracy. There is an organization called J Street which probably represents more Jewish voters in the US than Aipac and it's position on Israel is not too different from that of Omar. Calling the Jews the Benjamins- as if we are all one tribe and our allegiance is only to that tribe- is, I'm afraid to say- antisemitic. Criticizing Israel's disenfranchisement of millions of Palestinians and abandonment of a 2 state solution is consistent with the values of many Jewish Americans and in fact a significant if not yet winning coalition of Israelis. Please - dear NYT readers and democrats- exercise the same care when you talk about Jews as you do when you talk about any other ethnic or religious group.
2
Jews have a long history that adjoins so many other cultures ( of which they are symbiotically part of as well) .....but we have now reached a point where it has become impossible to discuss needless civilian deaths if they involve children ( because the blood libel) , can't discuss undue influence through money ( because of lender caricature) , can't discuss the strange way right wing anti-Semitic people have strangely begun to 'show' adoration for Israel ( Jewish conspiracies).
There seems to a metaphor police to stop any discussion.
2
Some commentators here don't see how problematic it is to single out AIPAC as an example of the problem of money in politics in our country. Do some research. This is from the Center for Responsive Politics showing the top lobbying spenders in 2018. https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?indexType=s&showYear=2018
You can search this list back to 1998.
AIPAC isn't on this list.
Here is a list of organizations making largest campaign donations in 2018. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?id=
AIPAC isn't on this list either.
Yes, money in politics is a huge problem. But I think we should focus first on the lobbying and money in politics that affects the USA and its people.
AIPAC is powerful because there are many Republicans who are not Jewish and Evangelical Christians who support Israel no matter what Israel's policies. How about Ms. Omar focusing on them?
2
The problem with the BDS "movement" is the same problem that the "English Only" movement had 25 years ago: what on the surface appears to be a legitimate concern is, in fact, a dog-whistle for anti-Semites or racists.
"English Only" purported to be to make English the official language of the US, but was actually a white-supremacist shadow movement, aimed against Latin Americans and Asians.
So the BDS movement, on the surface a legitimate criticism and action against the excesses of the current far-right Israeli government, is actually a front for the anti-Semites who want to destroy the State of Israel, not merely pressure the government. And a government that SHOULD be pressured!
We Jews have had to live with millennia of accusations of being these secret malicious money-lenders, ignoring the fact that Jews couldn't join guilds, own land, practice trades and could only engage in money-lending, from which Christians were forbidden. Later, Jews were simultaneously blamed for Communism, Anarchism, and Capitalist Usury, despite them all being opposed to the other two!
Yes, Israel has problems and isn't pure as driven snow, and legitimate criticism is valid. But recycling memes, tropes, and flat-out LIES is no more acceptable from Rep. Omar than it is from Rep. Steve King.
1
Has anyone in the Democratic party called for Omar's resignation yet? Or are yesterday's anti-Semitic tweets somehow really less offensive than than Northam's moonwalking in blackface thirty years ago? Really? Interesting double standards in play here.
2
"...asked who Omar thinks is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel, she responded, “Aipac!,” meaning the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the United States’ most prominent pro-Israel lobby. "
Of course they do; how many of their donations go to the Irish Police Retirement Fund?
What exactly is the mission statement of Aipac?
I'm genuinely confused myself.
Omar & Trump: Birds of a feather.
OTOH, I regret that it's getting harder to be an adamant opponent of Israel's policies without being labeled an anti-Semite.
How easy would it be for Omar to spend as much time condemning China's racist policies against their Moslem Uighur minority?
How easy would it be for Omar to spend as much time condemning Indonesian Christians for burning Moslem women and children to death in their mosque?
How easy would it be for Omar to spend as much time condemning Erdogan for his repression of Christians, Kurds and Jews in their native country of Turkey?
Dan Kravitz
The BDS people do not, as the author suggests; "seek to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights". They seek to use economic pressure to destroy Israel. They say so openly.
As for Congressman Omar, I'm sure there are many things her constituents need, none of them will be fulfilled by pushing Anti-Semitism and obsessive Israel hating. Also, as a democratically elected Muslim, she should be out promoting democracy in the Muslim world instead of trying to stir up hate against the only democracy in the middle east. Perhaps she can talk to the Muslims who were elected to the Israeli Knesset for pointers.
1
Seems some democrats have decided that the whole spectrum of socialism must be tried, even the end reserved for fools.
1
Whenever necessary to take the heat off current unpopular events or pave the way for planned unpopular events, the Israel-AIPAC team goes into action. Typically it takes the form of public distraction creating anti-semitism furor, recalling holocaust memories, or pushing the Iranian "existential threat". The media plays along and public gets duped on the sidelines.
We must resist such distractions to focus on the truth.
2
While her comments were certainly critical of the Jewish lobby, I don't see how the rise to the level of anti-Semitism. She is well within her rights to express her opinion. To say she is dealing in 'tropes' is itself a trope of identity politics and the politics of grievance. Trump spouts bigotry on almost daily basis and Republicans turn a deaf here. Meantime Democrats keep turning on their own. What's the House leadership rush to hush (since we seem to be dealing in nothing but chants and rhymes these days)? Simple, the benjamins.
1
There is something wrong when criticizing the Israeli govt and supporting Palestinians = “antiSemitism”. Conflating criticism of Israeli settlements and Israeli govt with “antiSemitism” seems manipulative and toxic. This makes Jewish people worldwide less safe.
2
what seems lost in the uproar is the fact that she spoke the TRUTH. " Follow the money (aka Benjamins)" is the operative phrase. Her detractors "doth protest too much, methinks"! the label "anti-Semitism" is overly used to paint any deserved criticism of the Jewish influence in American politics AND the horrific Israeli treatment of the Palestinian people. so it is altogether unsurprising that Ms. Goldberg would reach her foregone conclusions and use the Jewish "race card".
2
I am not concerned with what Omar said about AIPAC.
I'm concerned about her support for BDS, which is closely aligned with Hamas.
Both actively seek the elimination of the state of Israel and the suppression of the Jews, though now they claim to want to achieve it by using the 'democratic' means of an overwhelmingly Muslim majority based on the "right of return" of people who have been out of the country for as many as 4 generations.
I am concerned that Rep. Omar supports BDS and in consequence Hamas, which continues to keep marital rape legal in Gaza and continues to kill gays.
I am concerned that ANY US representative supports organizations that kill gays and legalize rape, regardless of that representative's party affiliation, ethnicity or gender.
BDS statement on a one-state "resolution":
https://electronicintifada.net/content/one-state-declaration/793
Hamas 2017 charter:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-2017-document-full
1
Omar already apologized. She is certainly a lot more open to criticism than...oh, I don’t know, the Israeli government. I still remember the entitled outrage when Obama administration had the audacity to abstain from a non-binding UN resolution against Israeli West Bank settlements. How dare the US President not know he was Netanyahu’s cabana boy? There were quite a few accusations of antisemitism by self-identified supporters of Israel on that occasion, too.
“Jews are depicted as shadowy figures with a lot of money, top-level access, ready to betray the nations of our residence (and our neighbors) in service of an unseen authority.”
When Palestinians face the radical and illegal settlement politics of Netanyahu in t h e i r country, every word of that still sounds terribly true. Only that the authority is well seen.
Omar is an antisemite and a Palestinian apologist, and on top of that, terribly immature. The best that can be said of her is that she is ill-informed. She was rightfully called out by the Democratic leadership, and she rightfully apologized for her disgraceful behavior.
And to those who naively believe that the pushback by the Democratic leadership against Omar's antisemitic Twitter comments will damage the progressive movement -- I beg to differ in the strongest possible terms.
1
Calling this anti-semitism is outrageous.
Let's walk through this logically
1. Do lobbyists influence votes? Of course
2. Do powerful lobbyists influence votes even more? Of course
3. Is AIPAC consistenly rated as one of the most powerful lobbying groups? Yes
4. You would have to be a stone cold fool to conclude that AIPAC does not influence votes.
Is there a group representing Greek, Italian or Somalian interests as powerful as Aipac? Was there ever a prime minister of a country that lectured congress like Netanyahu ? Give me a break Michelle, many liberal progressives are tried of the right wing of Israel influencing our leadership and political establishment. It’s not antisemitism, it’s reality. America is proud of its Jewish citizenry, we would not be America without the contributions of every nationality. Maybe Bibi should apologize also.
Why can't we admit that Rep Omar is correct in her analysis of the strange US/Israel relationship?
We know that the AIPAC is perhaps the most powerful lobby in Washington (the only contender for the title would be the NRA). And we know that their checkbook lobbying can deliver; how else to explain how Israel, a prosperous country of little over 6 million people is year in and year out the largest recipient of US foreign aid. They make it OK for Israel to have a massive atomic weapons stockpile, but evil incarnate for Iran to wish to develop a atomic energy capability, even 'tho it is a member of the IAEA while Israel refuses to join. It is horrible for Syria to have a arsenal of chemical weapons (and for the record I think it is), but no one ever asks about the size of Israel's stockpile of similar weapons.
Yes, virtually every member of Congress receives a little check from the AIPAC; and what a good investment it has been!!
1
Dem. Congresswomen Tlaib and Omar as well as Rep. McCarthy should know how well Arabs are treated in Israel as opposed to so many Arab regimes (i.e. Syria, Iraq, Lybia and list goes on!). Come to Israel and travel between Hadera & Afula on Hwy. 65 and see for one’s self how Arab-Israelis live far better than most Arabs in Arab nations! “The Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Abba Eban
2
"But at a moment when activists have finally pried open space in American politics to question our relationship with Israel, it’s particularly incumbent on Israel’s legitimate critics to avoid anything that smacks of anti-Jewish bigotry."
It is quite easy to avoid anything that smacks of anti-Jewish bigotry - When you aren't a racist. But when times are tough and opposing concepts are balanced on the edge of a knife, that's when your true feelings slip out. Oopsie.
2
While the public issue here is about racism and policy, I want to take aim at use of Twitter. Elected officials, stop using this horrible means of any communication other than "yes" or "no"! One, whatever you twit (yes, twit!), the few words used can be misinterpreted or twisted into any alchemist's formula. One cannot make any statement of any intelligent thought or policy on this platform. Ninety-nine percent of the time, all it does is multiply confusion, misinterpretation, and misdirection. That is why it is the tool of choice by word predators who want to see the communication plane crash it causes. The Twitter-in-Chief knows this and that why he uses it with such frequency. He creates a hurricane daily while spouting complete ignorance. Elected officials, ban the use of this communication Hydra from your toolkit if you wish to communicate intelligence.
2
America should start from the position of being Israel's #1 advocate for the very reason of creating a post-holocaust homeland for Jews. Secondarily, Israel is the closest thing there is to a democracy in the middle east.
Yes, Israel was created to the detriment of the Palestinians. And like Christians and Jews who can point to to the Bible for justification for their support, so can Muslims point to the Koran for the same.
So why jump down the throat of somebody playing the same obtuse game? Come on people. Diversity comes with different voices. Deal with it.
No less than 3 NYT opinion pieces in the space of 1 week conflating criticism of Israel with anti-semitism. First Rubio, then Stephens, and now Goldberg. This seem to be part of paving the way for Kushner's soon-to-be announced "peace" plan, which is bound to require loads of conflated Israel-semitic sympathy.
2
So only Israel, in the context of the Palestinian State/Would be State is under the microscope.
The corruption of The Palestinian leaderships, their bigotry, genocidal calls for Israel's destruction, play no part in their lot, eh wot? Promulgated hate for Israel from childhood in the greater Muslim world, seems to have impacted the congresswoman, as witnessed in her comments/tweets. Particularly it'd seen in her ugly inuendoes projected on AMERICANS of the Jewish faith exercising their support for Israel through totally transparent and accepted organizational activities as something sinister.
I am cynical in the sincerity of her apology, which was probably
by driven by political expediency.
I would think her attendance in a civics course to prep her for the congressional and political processes of the United States of America would serve her very well in her political and personal future.
1
I'm generally supportive of the congresswoman and Ms. Goldberg and in this particular case I feel they're both right. I am an ardent Democratic and have been that way for a long time but I am very tired of the reflexive cries of outrage at every perceived slight of any group that's part of the Democratic coalition. I'm Jewish and I find it hard to dispute that Israel throws a lot of money around Washington and to say that it is not meant to gain influence is ridiculous and everyone in that town knows it. And yet one Jewish congressman after the other parades in front of a camera to cry Anti Semitism. Take a breath and get the full picture. Same deal in Virginia with possible racism and sexual misconduct. Can you blame Americans who live in the middle of the country for rolling their eyes? They elected a racist sociopath as President instead of holier than thou Hillary so for whose benefit are all these expressions of offense? Not the voters Democrats need to win the election I say. Zero tolerance for anything but proven malicious and criminal behavior is trap.
124
I wonder if you will be as happy to accept her next apology or the one after that? You may want to remember the adage "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me".
8
You write:
" ' The Protocols of the Elders of Zion', the early-20th-century Russian forgery .."
Contemporary research demonstrates that The Protocols are not of Russian manufacture. Rather, the earliest versions, 1902-3, "contain pronounced Ukrainian features..." [Kellogg, The Russian Roots of Nazism, p. 58].
A couple comments:
(1) Anti-Jewish violence in the Russian Empire was concentrated in Ukraine. More than 95% of the pogroms occurred in Ukraine, not Russia.
Thus, it fits that The Protocols is a Ukrainian product, rather than Russian.
(2) This is not the only recent overturning of a standard anti-Russian claim about anti-Jewish violence.
Revisionist Israeli historians and cothinkers abroad, mainly Jews, have determined that, contrary to a century-old canard, the Tsar and his ministers did not arrange for and direct the pogroms of 1880-1914, but were in fact strongly opposed to them. [cf. The Jews in Poland and Russia, vol II, Polonsky, p. 5].
Local authorities, acting on their own, were indeed involved. But, the local authorities were Ukrainian, and not Russian.
1
michelle goldberg subtitles this piece, "Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right".
well, yes, it is that.
but that's not the primary reason to oppose it. (or is it, michelle?)
it's also just wrong. you know, being anstisemitism.
what is dismaying, disgusting, and infuriating, is how so many progressives don't seem to mind getting a little antisemitism on them when it's coming from a unicorn like ilhan omar—and anyway, jews are too white and too privileged to be complaining about anything.
also: you write that "Progressive American Muslims and Jews should be natural allies".
yes, they should be. and they would be, too if it weren't for the "progressive" muslim half of that equation, whose ideas about jews and israel are too often represented perfectly by people like ilhan omar.
i am a progressive. i agree with many of omar's ideas (on domestic issues). i'm not a fan of israel's policies regarding settlers in the west bank; i don't like netanyahu, and i don't support israel's recent nation-state law.
i worry about the right-wing drift in israel—as i am worried about that trend happening all over the world.
but i'm also a jew and a zionist. i support a two-state solution, and completely support israel regarding gaza, syria, hezbollah and iran.
and i know an antisemite when i see one.
17
As soon as she got a national platform she used it to attack Israel.
Enough said about her agenda.
32
Progressive Jews certainly have a dilemma: Israel is a “human rights violation” but anti-Semitic “canards” about Jewish money and power make them uncomfortable.
Actually the opposite is true.
Jews have money and power disproportionate to their 3% presence of the population, largely in Hollywood, and on Broadway and Wall Street. And there are so many Jewish doctors and lawyers - and journalists!
Jews didn’t get there by causing a plague or through some religious ritual; but through hard work, focus, drive, motivation and talent. It’s all true!
On the other hand, Israel is not a human rights violation. It is 20% Arab, who have equal voting rights, and serve in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) and the Supreme Court. Freedoms of speech, religion and sexual preference are guaranteed.
But what about the settlements and that “apartheid wall”? What about the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza? What about the occupation?
What about them?
Palestinians have turned down offers for their own state in 1937, 1947, 2001 and 2008; preferring instead airline hijackings, blowing themselves up in crowded malls or buses, random kinfings, attacks at the Munich Olympics and on the cruise ship the Achille Lauro, and thousands of missiles launched at Israeli cities.
But what about those 6 million refugees claiming a right of return because an ancestor allegedly once lived in Palestine?
They don’t want a country side by side with Israel; they want Israel.
32
Omar, Tlaib--avoid short soundbites of anger--that's #45's domain of failure.
7
It is incredible how easily Omar’s flat out antisemitism is justified and dismissed by my fellow liberal Democrats. Omar is an anti Semite, plain and simple. Call it what it is. I hope the Republicans do hound her out of the House. We certainly don’t have the guts to do so.
28
Oh, OK: when Russians and Arabs - of any nationality, including British, Saudi and Israeli - attempt to buy American politicians whom we all agree are more often for not are for sale to the highest bidder, it is "collusion," but when Jews do the same, it's "anti-Semitic." What a farce.
16
Sorry, but it is about the Benjamins. Omar spoke truth to power, and got kicked in the teeth for it. AIPAC practically owns the US Congress.
22
It seems no one is safe from begin called an anti-Semite when Israeli policy is criticized.
22
AIPAC is an acronym which stands for American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Repeatedly writing "Aipac" demonstrates such a profound lack of even the most basic relevant knowledge that it renders anything else written dubious - at best.
5
All verbs lobbed at Israel are anti-Semitic. 'Hypnotize' conjures up imagines of "occult Jewish power" (as if those kinds of images are even really part of modern American consciousness). No verbs from the verb tree may be picked and flung at Israel- even the benign "pays", which certainly could be civilly against other transgressors, implies dark "Jewish money".
So, the verb tree is bare when it comes to Israel. Her history of suffering, which is quite real, doubtless, has immunized her against all rhetorical attacks. And don't even think about using any adjectives.
What rot! Reasonable discourse is impossible if all criticism is framed as personal.
22
I disagree. Jewish people are far less vulnerable these days than Palestinian people are. It is not incumbent on the legitimate critics of Israel to check every word they say to avoid the slightest sign of anti-Semitism, it is incumbent on the defenders of the Israeli government to stop using bogus charges of anti-Semitism as a smokescreen to conceal and legitimize the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people.
As far as I am concerned, those who would accuse Ilhan Omar of anti-Semitism are no different than those who accused African-American civil rights activists of wanting to rape white women. It must be understood: allegations of anti-Semitism against those who sympathize with the Palestinians are being made in bad faith and do not deserve to be believed or taken seriously.
Oppressors always lie. They always smear their victims and those who try to help them, because they know perfectly well that a full and honest accounting of their actions will inevitably lead the world to turn against them. Those who hate Palestinians, and want to be able to continue oppressing them, use false accusations of anti-Semitism because it's the best weapon they have. Decent people who are aware of the dark history of anti-Jewish persecution always want to ensure that the bad old days don't come back. But the Holocaust ended 75 years ago. The home demolitions, checkpoints, land thefts and segregation of West Bank towns are happening now. America needs to stop being complicit in it.
21
This is yet one more example of how Democrats shoot themselves inn the foot.
11
Another classic case of "shooting themselves in the foot" or more bluntly: The Democrats "---ing up a free lunch". So pathetic. Trump is the gift horse to them yet, by some miracle they can't seem to get their act together. Left wing anti-Semitism from a left wing
Muslim American. Can't get any worse. What were the voters in Minnesota thinking? Seems like the cold numbed their brains on Election Day. As the Dems try to dig themselves out of this hole, they'll just dig themselves another. On and on. Does anyone use common sense anymore?
10
Michelle appears to be more than willing to overlook the obvious anti-semitism in the Democratic Party in order to maintain cohesiveness. How generous of her. I am not. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have all demonstrated their alignment with those who hate Jews. I have walked away until Democrats clean their own house.
21
Omar was pushing the same themes found in the false and anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Of course her comments were anti-Semitic
20
People who are “islamiphobic” are generally intolerant of intolerance. That’s a far cry from baseless anti-Semitism.
5
I'm Muslim & I find Omar's words offensive in every way possible
131
I think the congresswoman's awkward pronouncements are infinitesimally less damaging than the apartheid regime in Israel and the way the American right pays homage to that system. Does anyone remember how John Behner and his house grossly insulted our president and half of America by entertaining the thug Israeli Prime MInister to address congress? Yes, anti-Semitism lives, but it really angers me to watch how Israel gets off scot free with its human right abuses assisted by a mendacious America.
18
In situations like this its about time the NYTimes allows an opposing opinion to be written. Come on keep it balanced.
Second, the editors should of never allowed this article to be published because she apologized. The NYTimes continues to stir a bees nest by publishing it.
Quite frankly, Omar was right. It's about time the Senate and Congress admitted Aipac via its members has a very large influence on their policies. The U.S voting in United Nations is a clear case in point.
14
"Gift?". Me doth believe you imagine to much.
1
I think most Americans have had it with Israel.
16
Outrage over Ms. Omar’s comment is based upon a false premise. It’s hard to know where to begin. The antisemitic trope that Jews use their money to control the world is entirely different from the proposition that AIPAC, an organization aimed to further Israel’s interests- that’s in their mission statement- does so using money (thus the name- American Israel public affairs committee). First of all aipac is not commensurate with Jews. Second, aipac literally exists to promote Israel’s interests, particularly within the United States. So how is it antisemitic to say that this group is doing what it was designed to do? To draw an analogy, there is certainly an Islamophobic trope that all or most Muslims are violent. Is it islamophobic to point out that ISIS, a group comprised of a small subset of Muslims uses violence to further its aims?
18
How about an honest portrait of anti-Semitism and where it exists in our country.
It is my understanding that anti-Semitism goes hand in hand with the racist ideology that has found a champion in Trump.
10
Many years ago I was somewhat of a Zionist. I believed in Israel. Since the right wing of Israel has been in ascendance and they have turned to apartheid to excuse their need to control all of the "Biblical lands" I have lost all of that zeal for their state.
But I am not an anti Semite I am anti apartheid. Anti Israel until they find a path towards securing the rights of the Palestinians.
I don't understand how a Semite woman can be called anti Semite because she voices her views of Aipac and Israel. Maybe her biggest mistake was not including Adelson and the koch bothers and leaders of the evangelical right as members of the cabal of money she was tweeting about.
14
It's possible to criticize Israeli actions without being antisemitic: People do it all the time, in Israel as well as elsewhere. But it's tiresome to have non-Jews explain why antisemitic stereotypes, imagery, and dog whistles really aren't antisemitic at all...and why the real problem is Jews' thin skin. Of course, African-Americans, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and others have to deal with this sort of thing all the time, but at least those folks can normally expect support from people on the left. Jews are increasingly being defined as natural enemies by the left, just as they long have been by people on the far right. We're in dangerous territory.
12
I wonder what Ms Michelle Goldberg thinks about the American Slaves that were offered 40 acres and then having it taken away by the US Congress. Comparing it to anti-Semitism?
2
Conflating criticism Israel and AIPAC influence in Congress with "anti-semitism" simply does not hold water.
Ms; Goldberg, this is an insult to our intelligence.
10
Funny how people like Kevin McCarthy have little to say as Trump uses crude caricatures of Muslims, immigrants and people of color, but suddenly have sensitivities when Israel comes up...
7
This op-ed is utterly ridiculous.
Criticizing Israel does not equal anti-semitism.
Criticizing lobbyist groups is not anti-semitic.
Criticizing the US support of Israel is not anti-semitic.
13
No.. The real gift to the right is this sort of bad faith, intelligence-insulting pretending that any and all criticism of Israeli policy is tantamount to anti-Semitism.
9
“Is it good for the Jews?” was a common question in my Jewish community in the ‘50s. Today the question seems to be “Is it good for Israel?” Playing the anti-Semitism card whenever Israel is challenged displays that change.
When someone suggests that Jews control the world through an evil cabal, my antenna twitch. It happened this past election period here in Connecticut.
But when someone suggests that a set of very rich Jews are using their “Benjamins” to stifle discourse critical of Israel, it sounds truthful to me.
7
As a (very secular) Jew, I had zero problem with Rep. Omar’s critique of AIPAC, which is widely recognized as a seemless extension of rightwing politics, US & Israeli. Interestingly, it IS all about the Benjamins- including Benjamin Netenyahu. “Netanyahu” is Hebrew for “a somewhat smarter trump”. This whole thing stinks of PC-gone-wild, which naturally has been harnessed by the wretched Republicans to help Democrats inflict damage on themselves. The jive never ends.
8
Does anyone know Omar's stance on Islamic Jihad, which I define as the killing of infidels?
9
Anti-semitism is indisputably on the rise around the world.
Criticism of Israel is not anti-semitism. Jews who oppose Israeli policy on Palestine are not "self-hating Jews."
Suggesting that money influences politicians should not be controversial, or a surprise. That includes money from AIPAC.
5
She is abhorrent. Anti semitism is such a part of the fabric of her culture, that she doesn't even realize it is inappropriate. God help us.
13
Get real, Michelle. Just like the gun lobby, the pharma lobby, the healthcare lobby, the military-industrial lobby, the auto lobby and others that give huge sums of money to politicians in exchange for favorable treatment, they don’t call it the Israel lobby because it’s housed on the ground floor of a hotel.
If you can’t grasp this, you shouldn’t be writing for The Times.
7
Ilhan Omar’s comments were directed to AIPAC influence, not Jewish influence. This, I fail to see how criticizing the Israel Lobby’s power over Congress is anti-Semitic.
8
This is absurd .
AIPAC is an extraordinarily powerful Lobby that uses political contributions ( money ) to effect their agenda .
We level the same accusations against the NRA , the Healthcare Lobby, the fossil fuel industry and on and on and don’t carve out a special exemption from criticism for them .
Ms. Goldberg is supposed to be a nominal Left voice at the Times and this piece is proof that that designation is all relative at the decidedly center/right paper of record
4
"Consciously or not." Yes, folks, you can be an anti-Semite even in your id. Even when you say things that are facts on the record, established by reputable scholars like Mearsheimer and Walt, who say unequivocally that the Israel Lobby (including AIPAC) "rewards or punishes politicians largely through an ability to guide the flow of campaign contributions." There it is. On page 16 of their famous book, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy." Alas, in the mouth of a woman and a Muslim Member of the U.S. Congress, the same idea is some kind of horrid hatred of Israel and accordingly of Jews. That's what the term "anti-Semitism" really means in our current discourse. It's time to ask who are the real bigots in American politics today. Someday the whole truth is going to be known and acknowledged, by the whole American people. The process for this reversal is underway. This episode will be just one marker along the way in that direction. Meanwhile, I'm not hating this lady, just like I don't hate my Jewish great-grandfather.
3
If you want to breath clean air and want to live in peace in USA ,do not say a word which may remotely appear critical of AIPAC. Even if you you are the most fair person and have nothing against any faith specially Jews ,saying any thing critical of Israel will be painted anti - semitism with
onslaught of unstoppable attack from this well funded & untouchable lobbying firm . American foreign policy is mostly decided unquestionably by AIPAC for all Middle East and beyond . All new congressmen & women no matter from which party ,should be given an introductory class about how to secure their future election by not eating this forbidden fruit !
6
When will it be OK to criticize Israel's policies and not be called anti-semitic.?
The two are being conflated.
10
How often do you come across the word “malign”? I haven’t seen that word in print possibly in months. And now two days in a row in articles about Israel? Someone read Bret Stephens’ article.
2
Ms. Omar should be the ambassador to Syria.
1
Since they spend very comparable money lobbying the Congress, I want Michelle Goldberg to go through her own piece and replace every instance of Aipac with NRA, and see whether there are any old, occult, Russian forgery, isms involved at all.
This firestorm for the last 2 weeks of Democrats having their buttons pushed by Republicans or the Right, and going viral, explosive, self-destructive, and cannibalistic on their own has got to stop. Unless and until the Democratic Party and the left of center Press stop their purity tests, public hangings, and babbling about tropes that only they are aware of, this lifelong Democrat is going to leave and vote for somebody else.
Enough is enough.
4
The Jewish power to hypnotize the world, as Ms. Omar put it, is the plot of Jud Süss — the most successful Nazi film ever made. In the film, produced by Joseph Goebbels himself, Josef Süss Oppenheimer, an 18th-century religious Jew, emerges from the ghetto, makes himself over as an assimilated man, and rises to become the treasurer to the Duke of Württemberg. Silly duke: Allowing a single Jew into his city leads to death and destruction.
After seeing the final cut of the film, in August 1940, Goebbels wrote in his diary: “An anti-Semitic film of the kind we could only wish for. I am happy about it.” And no wonder: It premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received the Golden Lion Award. By some estimates, more than 20 million people saw it.
Since then, the myth of the wily Jewish manipulator of those in power continues to persist in various forms. During the Iraq War, it became common to blame Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz and Doug Feith — Bush administration figures who happened to be Jewish — for a military campaign that had been ordered by George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. In the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump blamed “globalists” with names like Lloyd Blankfein and George Soros for America’s economic woes.
Words from another source who I wish I could remember her name but who pointedly understands the pernicious, vile nature of the remarks of Ms. Omar. Ms. Omar knew the true meaning of what she said. There is no excuse and no apology.
13
Reps Omar and Tlaib, who flaunts her Palestinian birth and in 2006 wrote for Farrakhan's paper, have run in anti-Semitic and anti-Israel circles for so long that it is almost impossible for them to hide their views in their tweets, statements ,and actions.
Europe and America are experiencing an enormous rise in anti-Jewish actions. France's interior minister reports a 74% rise in 2018 there. England's Labour Party head, Corbyn, has long had associations with Jew and Israel haters and his party is now torn apart over this and his anti-Semitic statements.
The massacre of 11 Jews who were praying in their Pittsburgh synagogue last September led to a wake up call here but now that has been replaced by anti-Jewish and anti-Israel actions and statements from "progressives".
2017 was the first year that anti-Jewish actions were reported in all 50 states. 2018 was worse as is 2019.
The recent Woman's March in Washington, DC was taken over by anti-Semites who refused to repudiate the Black Muslim hate of Farrakhan and his supporters ( anti-Jewish, homophobic, and anti-feminist).
These sentiments used to come from the right. No more. Now "progressives" are leading the pack.
If this were happening against blacks, Hispanics, gays, and other groups I doubt the NY Times comment section would have so many writers defending those who make such statements.
Jews are different. We have always been good targets.
We are used to such attacks.
We know how to respond.
And we will.
15
The majority on this board regurgitate the idea that the Israeli government is ‘mistreating’ the Palestinians.
The Palestinians are killing and maiming Israeli citizens through terrorism, have fired thousands of rockets at civilian targets, teach their children that Israel is to be wiped off the map etc
If Canadians were doing the same things to us Americans, how would you expect your government to respond ?
And don’t answer ‘negotiate’ or ‘peace’. The Palestians have made clear they want ALL of Israel. Hence their slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”
15
Of course, Ilhan Omar is antisemitic, that or you have to believe she is incredibly stupid to not know better by now. Omar has been repeatedly making antisemitic statements and then denying such intent since well before she joined Congress. Like Asop’s scorpion, Omar simply can’t help herself. The latest statements were not isolated, she has a clear and documented history of such statements.
Just because the Republicans waited ten years to sanction Steve King, does not mean the Democrats should delay action. For those who those thought Kavanuagh unworthy for alleged despicable actions in high school and those who now call for the removal of Virginia’s governor alleged black face, how do you not demand similar for Omar, who does not deny the statements, and who was clearly on notice that she was perceived as antisemitic, yet continued(s) to repeat classic antisemitic tropes?
16
Goldberg's tepid condemnation shows not the least bit of offense at Omar's caustic hatred but simply sees it as an impediment to propagation of Goldberg's own political agenda. The forms of expression used by Omar properly belong in Der Stürmer or on the Stormfront website or on an Islamic terrorist's jihad hit parade. It could not be any clearer that Omar's contrition is non-existent, as is Goldberg's sense of outrage at blatant anti-Semitism. The Democratic Party should look at itself closely. It's the bin Ladens, Baby.
12
Not every critique of Israel is anti-semitic. Not every critique of AIPAC is anti-semitic. The congresswoman did nothing wrong. Every response to her seems to equate her simple response, “Aipac!” to a reference to “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” yet she, in fact, made no such reference. It seems to be Goldberg and Omar’s other detractors, not Omar herself, who equate the lobbying group to the Russian forgery. Gives one pause.....
5
So many comments supporting BDS fail to recognize BDS for what it is.
BDS seeks the destruction of Israel, nothing less. In its own words.
Here are quotes from three of the movement's founders:
Omar Barghouti, founder, BDS: “Definitely,
most definitely we oppose a Jewish state
in any part of Palestine.” (Separately he
clarifies that “Palestine” means all of Israel.)
As’ad AbuKhalil, California State University
Professor of Political Science, BDS leader
and activist: “The real aim of BDS is to
bring down the State of Israel…this should
be stated as an unambiguous goal.”
John Spritzler, author, BDS leader and
activist: “I think the BDS movement will
gain strength from forthrightly explaining
why Israel has no right to exist.”
That is what BDS and its supporters truly seek: The extinction of Israel. Support for BDS is, plainly, antisemitism.
17
Hard to understand why a refugee from Somalia is carrying water for the Palestinians. I reject Islamophobia; I expect members of Congress to reject anti-Semitism. Her comments suggest she was not ready for prime time.
13
I will stop disliking Israel the second they elect a left wing leader and stop destroying human rights. I feel much the same way about China, Russia,the US, Brazil and about 80% of the world governments though so I feel as if I am not being anti semitic in my dislike.
3
The ever-ready cloak of anti-semitism cannot hide the transgressions of the Israeli government. If it smells bad, it IS bad. Omar is doing her part to stop US complicity in human rights abuse and violations of international law. She must NOT be silenced!
3
This tropes and memes business is another way to suppress legitimate speech. It does this by shifting the point away from something’s being true or false (the relevant issues) to the irrelevant issue that people who were truly anti-Semites have said it.
I say “A is B.”
Speaker Pelosi says, “You’re an anti-Semite.”
“How does my saying A is B make me an anti-Semite? A is in fact B.”
“Doesn’t matter. Some anti-Semites used to say A is B and it was not true. It’s an anti-Semitic trope.”
“Oh, then should I lie and say pro-Israel supporters in the US do not give money to politicians to get them to vote on bills supportive of Israel?”
“No, what you should do is not talk about it."
4
"Speaking on CNN, Steyer, who had also been sent a mail bomb, described McCarthy’s tweet as a “straight-up anti-Semitic move.”
I don't understand this. McCarthy is not supposed to criticize these men because they are Jewish?
And I, and probably the great majority of Americans, had no idea that Steyer was Jewish.
1
Please advise the acceptable format(s) for voicing criticisms of Israeli policies.
2
John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt of the University of Chicago have written about the "The Israel Lobby & U.S. Foreign Policy. Why can't Ilhan Omar echo similar sentiments?
2
"Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right"
How about something simpler...
"Left wing anti-Semitism is evil and shameful and anyone who calls themself a progressive should repudiate and reject anyone who trades in anti-Semetic tropes."
10
She's young and ignorant and needs to be educated before she opens her mouth, after all what goes around comes around.
Her well written apology, ( most likely not by her ) rang false.
9
It’s the politicians who are subordinate to the Jewish lobby that should apologize to the American people. For putting their interests above ours. For sending them billions of dollars worth of aid and weaponry to persecute Palestinians. For derailing UN resolutions. For passing unconstitutional laws that target free speech. For sending just enough aid to Palestine to prevent an economic embargo from becoming a full blown humanitarian crisis. For showing up at AIPAC conferences and pledging undying loyalty to Israel. For hurting the USA’s credibility in the Middle East. For allowing Adelson, an unelected billionaire, to dictate US foreign policy. For allowing Netanyahu to meddle in domestic US politics in a partisan manner.
4
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused George Soros, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg of trying to “buy” the upcoming elections for Democrats, but was not accused of anti-Semitism. McCarthy deliberately invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic platitude to describe three billionaires political involvement, while Omar provided facts. AIPAC's influence on policy is tremendous, and has used its financial and political power to 'buy' Congressional support for Israels aggression against Palestinians and their land. Omar did not accuse any lawmakers of religious corruption. Congressional supporters of Israel are financially corrupt and their violence is nationalist based. Americans should repudiate their leaders support of Israel's nationalist ethnic aggression, which the good voters of Omar's district have done.
2
Excellent piece Michelle. Thank You. This should be required reading for anyone confused about the difference between fair criticism of Israel, and actual anti-Semitism.
@MissMyrtle2
1
"Consciously or not, Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs."
Ms. Goldberg, is it possible that Congresswoman Omar was not conscious when she made her most recent remarks? Certainly nobody should be held accountable for remarks made when they are not conscious!
2
Ms. Goldenberg, you're a little late to the party.
1
Its a gift to republicans because it has the entire democratic party conspicuously obeying a powerful lobby that has little to do with most constituents lives or concerns. They all look like puppets and losers while simultaneously acting the part of vile thought police. Included in the loser bag is Omar for apologizing. Pathetic.
1
Not buying it. She tweeted "AIPAC" in a valid criticsm against the group's lobbying efforts. That's not "invoking a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs." Here's a question to Ms. Goldberg: what does it take to be a "legitimate" Israel critic and not be accused of anti-Semitism? Congresswoman Omar should not apologize and Democrats should unite behind her.
3
After being reminded of the main tenets of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion... -- well, does anyone else think Ms. Goldberg's synopsis sounds like the current occupant of the White House?
1
Oh, maybe you should be more vigilant about calling out racism against whites in general instead of only taking offense when the threat hits close to home.
3
"(Aipac doesn’t make direct contributions to candidates, but it does rally donors on their behalf.)"
Oh for crying out loud Michelle - That's the same thing!
5
Sigh. This is why journalists have no credibility anymore (spoiler alert: Trump didn't invent that; he just exploited it). Goldberg has built her career on being super-lefty and super-progressive and has probably even herself written a thing or two in the past about the need to call out the bad actions of the current Israeli government and protect Palestinians from human rights abuses and apartheid. Yet here she is, joining the chorus of those who falsely equate stating the obvious-- that AIPAC is very influential with respect to US foreign policy-- with anti-Semitism. This is why people say Dems don't really stand for anything; they move any way the wind blows 'em.
That paragraph thrown in in an effort to save herself is absurd. It moves from rightly explaining the comment that was made and how ACCURATE it is to lumping in this accurate statement with centuries worth of anti-Semitic lore to which it decidedly *does not allude.* As far as I know, Omar never said JEWS have an outsized political influence on anything. She said AIPAC does. AIPAC does not equal all Jews, or even all Israelis.
4
As a jew I find very odd to be calling someone anti semitic for criticizing Israel, I certainly don't support Israel's policies. I feel no connection to Israel since Rubin was assassinated and the far right took over and turned Israel into a new version of South African apartheid. Maybe the problem with Omar is that she is a muslim. If she was't would people so alarmed??
4
The issue is not just in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. At various times and places throughout history, non-Jews have accused Jews of doing all kinds of shady, secretive things and then blamed the Jews for everything that went wrong in their lives. Countless numbers of Jews have been attacked, had their lives destroyed and been killed as a result.
That's why Jews are so sensitive to statements like Congresswoman Omar's, particularly when they come from a U.S. government official. Anti-Semitic statements may sound like no big deal to non-Jews. But to Jews, they are a drum beat. The beat may be faint right now, but it's building. Historically, it has come from the right in the US. But now it is coming from the left as well. Stereo.
Look at what's happening in France and elsewhere in Europe. Jews are afraid to wear Stars of David. They need armed security guards at synagogues and other Jewish institutions. And many of them are fleeing their countries. In 2019. In Western Europe.
So when a US Congresswoman says Jews are evil or that they have hypnotized the world or are buying off American officials, it's cause for concern.
12
Everyone "uses their money to manipulate global affairs." For better or worse, this is how the world works; and it takes place irrespective of religion. I don't agree with Rep Omar politically, but I truly do not see - despite reading various NYT pieces - how her comments were anti-Semitic.
3
Let me remind everyone that the person who attacked the synagogue in Pittsburgh "criticized President Donald Trump for being a "globalist, not a nationalist"[76] and for supposedly being controlled and surrounded by Jews ". Moreover, BDS is not a benevolent movement . Below are the statments of the founder:
================
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) is the organization spearheading the international boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel. It does not recognize Israel's right to exist, opposes the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, and works to boycott and isolate Israel.
The BDS National Committee is a coalition of 28 Palestinian
organizations and associations. Foremost among them is the Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine (PNIF), itself a coalition of 12 Palestinian factions, including the designated terrorist organizations PFLP, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The BDS National Committee has a cultural-academic arm, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and
Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). PACBI employs tactics of harassment and intimidation against artists, actors and other cultural figures who maintain ties with Israel
10
Michelle,
The Hypocrisy of the Republican Party is so obvious and yet opaque. In the name of "Religious Freedom" we are turning this Secular Nation on it's head. But the reality, is that it is not the Jews. But the Evangelist's mission to dominate political policy with their religious ideology. For example, Hobby Lobby, Colorado Baker, "Merry Christmas" and Abortion, these are all to implant their religious dogma into American law.
2
As a Jewish American who has always voted for Democrats, and as someone who abhors Netanyahu and the current Israeli government and its treatment of Palestinians and who favors a Two State solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict I am sickened by the anti semitic smears this new Congresswoman has spewed forth for several years.
Where is her outrage against the murders of 600,000 Muslims by the dictator in Syria?
Where is her outrage about the imprisonment and torture of Muslims in Egypt who protest their government.
Where is her outrage about the imprisonment of female activists in Saudi Arabia for protesting for their right to vote and drive a car?
Why do Muslim countries get a pass when their violation of human rights and civil liberties of Muslims far exceeds anything Israel has ever done?
People support the boycott and divestiture movement without understanding what its policy is and what its supporters want. The BDS movement does NOT support a Two State solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. They do NOT support the State of Israel living side by side in peace next to the State of Palestine. The membership of this group is filled with people who maintain the most hateful stereotypes about Jews.
Israel is not going to disappear and the anti-semites will never win. Instead, unless my party puts an end to this anti-semitism American Jews like me who detest the current leader and government of Israel and its policies are going to cast our votes elsewhere.
10
"(Aipac doesn’t make direct contributions to candidates, but it does rally donors on their behalf.)"
Oh for crying out loud Michelle- That's the same thing!
3
Why is the Times claiming Omar made an "unequivicol" apology? Go to the post to read the "but" that begins her third sentence of this NOT unequivicocal apology. LOL! But & unequivocal are oxymorons. But, as a Dem, she's already off the hook. Such hypocrisy will frighten away all centrist & thinking Dems - as it should. What a sad joke.
8
Really? This is a good discussion of the issue? Goldberg acknowledges that AIPAC plays a "malign role" and that it raises money for candidates that support its awful position on the apartheid state of Israel. That's basically what Omar tweeted.
What is really laid clear here is that even liberals are so afraid of being called anti-Semitic that they play into the trope that any criticism of AIPAC or Israel, if not said in precisely the right words, opens one to the anti-Semite charge.
Perhaps Omar has things to learn about the history of anti-Semitism. But the US has a lot to learn about the ongoing Israeli brutality toward the Palestinians, which the Times rarely notes. Why doesn't Goldberg spend her precious column inches telling the stories her newspaper won't, rather than giving credence to the same old false equivalence between anti-Semitism and criticism of Israel?
2
I know an anti-Semitic dog whistle when I hear it. This was not that.
4
When you denounce Aipac, you are denouncing American Jewish citizens exercising their freedom to support Israel, as they see fit. The Jewish people have been accused, all over the world for centuries, of controlling the world, secretly, using their ill gotten banking wealth. It is this accusation, that Jews, alone,are controlling politicians, which is anti Semitic. If Ms. Goldberg wants to criticize Aipac's politics or support sanctions in support of Palestinians, that's fine, but when the right, or righteousness of the American, Jewish, citizens to contribute to Aipac's support of Israel or its political stance is called into question, it is simple, straightforward anti Semitism.
9
"Progressive... Muslims"
It's ironic how critical the development of such a demographic is to peace among nations.
What I find far more distressing is the volume of comments making the exact same hateful error. Yes, there is a lobby. No, it isn't Jewish.
Could we please agree that if we wish to criticise Israel it should have an Israeli flag on it?
AIPAC is not the Jewish people. It is a lobby arm of the Israeli government. Israel is not the Jewish people no more than the U.S. represents christianity. To allow Israel to hide behind the antisemitic wall is a disservice to Jewish people around the world. And you, Michelle, are helping to perpetuate the myth that all Jewish people arouind the world are totally in line with the government of Isreal, THEY ARE NOT. Does that make anti Israel Jews antisemitic because they call our the government of one country that happens to be majority Jewish? It would be like believing that ALL Americans are true trump believers and will just sit down and shut up when the U.S. does bad things, like ALL governements.
4
I think its notable how many Republicans will get away with anti semitism if it's against left wing targets. Israel does not really care if you attack Soros using anti semitic tropes. they'll so it themselves (see Netanyahus son).
But if you're a Muslim...I mean the blurb about AIPAC literally has quotes about how they're the biggest reason for close links to Israel, and how they fundraise for pro israel candidates.
It's perfectly fine to accuse the Saudis of corruption though (for now).
If aipac isn't forming PACs and donating money to pro Israel politicians they are bad at their job.
The trope is not that Jews use money to control the world. it's that American politicians are for sale.
2
Seems as if criticizing Israel has been confused with being anti-Jew. Ain’t necessarily so.
6
I'm sorry, but she's not an anti-Semite. She's an anti-Zionist. Isn't anyone allowed to point out the difference between the racial identity of a people and the nation-state which has purloined that identity for its own purposes? Or if she is indeed an anti-Semite she should be ashamed of herself, but it still doesn't invalidate the fact that the Palestinian people are being neutered and destroyed for the most narrow-minded of reasons. When will our common humanity be acknowledged? The Earth is sacred and belongs to all of us.
4
It's not "all" about the Benjamins. In fact "it" -- AIPAC's power -- is mostly about slandering Israel critics as anti-semites, which is what the anti-BDS bill just passed by the Senate does, and what Pelosi, et. als.' public denunciation of Omar aims to do. What keeps legislators at every level, and a lot of ordinary Americans, in line on the pro-Israel policy is the terror of being labeled an anti-semite.
6
Excellent piece, Michelle Goldberg, that covers this delicate issue with balance and good sense. As opposed to a recent simplistic nytimes piece by David leonhardt on AOC and Jeremy Corbyn where it is clear that mr leonhardt has not researched his topic enough to conclude one way or another if Corbyn is a bigot; he is not, although his handling of antisemitism in the Labour Party has been a disaster all round and his failure to disassociate from past links with certain very unsavoury pro Palestinian groups. More generally Corbyn is pathetic on brexit and mounting any kind of effective opposition which the UK sorely needs
What is grating is that the blatant double standard that the left has developed in which they will not hesitate to bend over backwards to denounce any actions or statements that even touch the fringes of any possible interpretation of anything that might even slightly graze racism or sexism, but when it comes to anti Semitism they are silent or they attempt to justify it as legitimate criticism of Israel.
it's not really all that complicated. It is not anti semitism to criticize the current government of Israel. It is not Anti Semitic to support a negotiated peacefull solution recognizing a right of self-determination for in their own respective homelands.
The fact is that their only one Jewish state. It is Anti-Semitic to declare that the Jewish people are not entitled to their one and only State (the so called One State solution) and it is antisemitic to demonize Israel as uniquely heinous actors(Israel is like the Nazis, or just as bad as Apartheid S.Africa) when even at its worst it is far more tolerant and democratic tham other Countries which are far worse in terms of the rights and freedoms, of which the Israel bashers are always silent(Syria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea etc )
It is also Anti-Semitic to condone whether by silence or wink and nod phony condemnation of acknowledged Anti Semites like Louis Farrakhan or Jeremy Corbin, another example of Left wing hypocrisy.
7
What Ms. Goldberg and others here should understand, and given the intelligence I don't get why they wouldn't except that facts are filtered through their closed minds, is that BDS wants the elimitation of Israel. Why not read about the founder? Why would a Jew support in words and/or deeds, such as that?
And please, ask yourselves why Omar singles out Israel. Why does she even have the time for this vs. attacking any other lobby here in the U.S. (thousands)? Has she nothing else to focus on in her first weeks? Guess there's always time to criticize anything to do with Israel or Jews. She's obsessive.
6
What a week it’s been for the Democrats! They’ve given us racism, rape, anti-Semitism, and a laughable plan to abolish free market capitalism and replace it with a centrally planned economy where all voluntary interactions are banned
5
Can we just say antisemitism is evil & wrong and not worry about what party it helps or hurts in elections?
Does everything have to be partisan?
3
Yes, Omar needs to be more thoughtful about her comments and tweets that possibly promote long standing anti-Semitic tropes about Jews.
But our President goes to Charlottesville after a woman is murdered and says there were “very fine people” who chanted “Jews will not replace us.”
A very different standard for the white man and the black woman.
4
"Conciously or not, Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money . . ." No she didn't. Omar explicitly called out Aipac not Jews. But Ms. Goldberg falls into the trap of equating Aipac with Jews in general. This is a boon to Aipac which desperately wants to depict itself as the face of American Jewry even though it is not.
"the idea of Jews as global puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding, clearly does." - Those are your words not Omar's. Again criticism of Aipac's use of money to influence politicians is NOT the same as Jews in general using money to control the world.
Money in politics is a real problem and must be confronted and can't be brushed aside with broad and vague accusations of antisemitism.
3
Screaming anti-semitism at anything that is not pro-Israel is silencing. Pure and simple.
5
And yet, and yet...when it comes to AIPAC it really is about the Benjamins. Representative Omar, as a young woman and a Muslim, is a soft-target for the Israel lobby, hence the pile-on.
5
Both major U.S. political parties shamefully worshipping AIPAC in lieu of endless swag.
6
"The idea of Jews as global puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding, clearly does."
Hmmm... Out of context, but you said it best!
4
I believe in calling out any and all forms of anti-Semitism.
However, I don't believe that simply because you are Jewish, you should be the benefactor of UNCONDITIONAL support.
Something that no one, and I mean no one, should be given. To do so, is to set aside all moral judgment. After all, it was precisely that moral vacuum that allowed the Nazi's to commit their atrocities against the Jewish people in the first place.
No one should be above judgement by virtue of their faith alone. No one.
5
We are ridiculously oversensitive. Now it's improper to mention jews and money in the same breath. Absurd!
6
Zionists in Israel are European refugees. Palestinians are a Semitic people. Zionism is antisemitic. Zionists are yet another wave of European refugees trying to justify genocide against indigenous peoples. As the United Nations has voted, Zionism is racism.
5
"Consciously or not" Ms. Omar was speaking like an anti-Semite? Omar, a hard lefty involved with BDS? Please, Ms. Goldberg. Drop the faux naivete'.
5
You are wrong. You are wrong and I assume prejudiced because you should have been standing up for someone that never used any language that indicated that any culture was better than the other. Her aim was at a lobby. Let her speak freely about lobby's that spend millions to affect our government. Let her speak about a Religious Government flying the Star of David as their symbol who are harming innocent Palestinians. Shame on you for 2 reasons. First, defaming the noun "trope" as as a synonym for a slur. And Second for stopping her from denouncing a lobby used in the name of religion to effect a secular government's foreign policy. I want to know who is being bought. Let her speak. We shall not advance as a democracy without free speech. She is pointing to an evil that has to do a process of government. She is NOT calling ALL Jews shadowy rich manipulators of the world. Democracy is weakened by people like you that chase down and beat off dissent just cause it names a religion that are buying politicians like the mafia used to do. Let her speak. Bring lobbying to light. Justice even though the heavens may fall. No, better yet you should apologize for saying "shut up" you Muslim because you will show divisiveness by not toeing the party line. Shame. Let her speak. Encourage it. Do we not have a First Amendment to protect her. Shame on you for seeking revenge for free thought. No body was slurred!!
5
Omar's tweets aren't a gift to anyone. She is sick. It's depressing to realize that she is in Congress.
I am a conservative Republican, and I am 100% certain that most liberals and most Democrats realize that what spews out of this woman's mouth is absolute garbage.
The sick far-left and the sick far-right are mirror images of each other. If you listen to Omar's nonsense and the Nazi nonsense, you will quickly realize that most of what they say is the same
9
It;s not as if APAC and Israel were meddling in our elections and politics like Putin. Oh, wait
https://theintercept.com/2019/02/11/ilhan-omar-israel-lobby-documentary/
2
"Do you know who my father is?" Baby Bibi.
"Do you know who my uncle is?" Mr wonderful himself.
Little wonder the times rarely opens comments about Israel. What a waste.
We will now hear Trump via Steven Miller hammer Muslims right out loud in the 2020 run.
Stop being such cowards. We are winning. Run up the score.
1
just waking up to progressive anti-semitism, michelle? what rock have you been living under? and please, can you address the elephant in the room without starting right off the bat with a false canard about kevin mccarthy? he has nothing to do with this. omar's bile, her anti-semitic screed, is her own and no one else's. and she is among the people that the left ordain as the future of the democratic party. so please, own it; it's yours (libs), and no one else's.
4
If Omar (and Tlaib) weren't anti-Semites, but only Moslems worried about other Moslems, they'd point out how Armenia occupies part of Nagorno-Karabakh, and how Burma is "ethnically cleansing" (expelling, with murder to accelerate their departure) the Rohingya, and China is persecuting the Uighurs.
Instead, they attack Israel, whose occupation of disputed territory began in a defensive war and is necessitated by 50 years of continuing terrorist attacks from that territory. Armenian Christians, Burmese Buddhists and Chinese Communists can do much worse, but get a free ride. That's called bigotry; in this case, anti-Semitism.
8
So who can criticize AIPAC, or Israeli lobbyists or how about the leader of that country who in fact attacked an American President in a joint session of congress. Ilhan is right to call out the evil of that apartheid state and their lobbyists. Chuck and Nancy should sit down and listen.
2
Well, here we are. This just in: there is power politics at work here, and everywhere, all the time. Omar has shown herself to be noisy small fry, she picked a fight with one of the biggest gorrillas in the tree and she is going to get flattened for it. She has no power base and mistook the enthusiasm of the folks back home as a universal mandate and started mouthing off before she even knows where the congressional coffee machine is. This is idiotic. Goldberg is right, this just plays right into the hands of the far right... who are already conflating Omar's critical misfires as questioning Israel's right to exist. I hope that Pelosi has a process for sitting down with every one of these rookies and Explaining The Situation to them. Did Omar "do something wrong" as the 'Truth Tellers' among us bleat? It. Doesn't. Matter. This is a tactical self-own with no upside, Omar has no idea what she's doing and just gave away a tiny bit of 2020 support for nothing.
3
I worry about the hi number of inexperienced neophyte legislators we democrats have brought to power on the rejection of the radical right wing do nothing obstructionist republicans... but please, let's not get carrried away here. I hope our new freshmen dems learn quick and act smart. Most of all, I hope they're smart enuf and not too full of themselves to follow and learn from Master Pelosi. This is a once in a lifetime oppty to reshape the US. Let's not blow it.
1
"Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel"(Twitter11'16/12). Forget the PD 'apology.' These are her true thoughts.
9
This whole thing is ridiculous and stupid.
"Evangelicals . . . tend to be pro-Israel for religious reasons; some believe that the return of Jews to their biblical homeland is a precondition for the rapture and the second coming of Christ."
And when the Parousia finally arrives, what fate do the evangelicals anticipate for the Jews? Conversion or a mass tipping into Hell. Which kind of suggests that many on the Israel-supporting Christian right are not exactly what you might call pro-semitic.
Tricky business, mixing religion and politics. Probably why the Founding Fathers wrote it out of the Constitution. Too bad the Republicans are effectively writing it back in.
2
Being critical of Israel is not anti Semitic. I am really tired of corrupt politicians pulling this anti Semitic card. The government of Israel is basically creating a apartheid state. Not any cent of my taxpayer money should be given to these creeps, I don’t care what ever fantasy religion they follow.
2
I'm not sure how pointing out that AIPAC spends money to influence American politics for the benefit of the state of Israel is anti-Semitic, seeing as how it's obviously true. How is this controversial?
Ms. Omar is the latest casualty in the Pro-Israel lobby's favorite game: smearing anyone who dares to criticize the state of Israel as an anti-semite. Are you critical of AIPAC's efforts to apply political pressure to influence members of congress? You're an anti-semite. Do you think that the Gaza blockade is inhumane? You must really hate Jews. Do you think that Israel's illegal settlements are unjust and that they should not be expanded? You may as well be a Nazi, buddy.
Americans are not allowed to have an open and honest discussion about the state of Israel, and no, it's not because Jews control the government or the media. It's because various US interests, be they political, religious, economic, military or otherwise- are intertwined with the interests of Israel at the expense of the Palestinians. The US is willing to overlook any violation of human rights committed by the state of Israel, just like they do for Saudi Arabia.
2
Like the Labor Party in Britain, the fringe left here has got an anti-semitism problem. And like the extreme right in many European countries, our fringe right has a problem with people with brown or black skin. But the fringe right also has its anti-semites. The White Supemacists are wildly anti-semitic and have found a comfortable resting spot in Trump’s Coalition of the Chilling.
And make no mistake about the Evangelicals’ “love” for Israel. They don’t love the Jews. They just want them to control Israel as part of their “End of Days” narrative, when Jesus returns to Israel, the world ends and they go to Heaven. I am Jewish and live in the south, and am often told by “well-meaning” Christians that I am really nice but it is a shame that my children and I are going to Hell unless we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Which makes it so disturbing when Jewish billionaires like Schwartzman, Adelson and the Goldman Sachs crowd line up with the GOP, the same party which couldn’t muster the moral courage to truly denounce what happened in Charlottesville and whose president said that “very fine people” were involved in it. So long as they get their tax cuts they really don’t seem to care much that their party has been overrun by vile hate-mongers who truly hate them for being Jews. Ironically and unfortunately, their willingness to look the other way so long as they get their money only feeds the haters’ stereotypes.
1
Calling out AIPAC for their influence on US politics is no different than calling out the NRA and oil lobbies.
Nor is Israeli apartheid any different than the South African version. They've blockaded the Palestinians and murdered them in cold blood, as we saw last year in Gaza. www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000005933727/israel-gaza-medic-killed-rouzan-najjar.html.
As a Jew, this is a disgrace upon our people, whose history otherwise stands four-square against such fascism. Albert Einstein and other Jewish notables wrote the same thing 70 years ago in these very pages. archive.org/details/AlbertEinsteinLetterToTheNewYorkTimes.December41948/page/n1
Today there’s a resurgence of anti-Semitism, as people link Israeli crimes against Palestinians with ancient lies about the world's 14 million Jews joined in evil harmony.
Israel is making it easy for them. Its systemic apartheid has destroyed the sympathy the world once had for its hard-won existence.
Resolving its war with the Palestinians once and for all, obviously a multipolar issue -- including accepting a Palestinian state – would go a long way to defanging SOME of the tropes that feed modern anti-Semitism.
2
The following comment I made last night to this column was approved and had about 600 recommends this morning before it was mysteriously deleted by the NYT's this morning. No explanation was provided. Here it is again:
"Consciously or not, Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs."
It is a FACT that all special interest lobbyists use money to influence Congress. That is why they exist. And unless you have been living under a rock, the rich and powerful control virtually every policy coming out of Washington. That is not a rant, but a fact. And the People are sick and tired of it.
Just because AIPAC is aligned with promoting Israeli policy does not mean it is exempt from criticism for spending money to influence Congress. And it is a FACT that AIPAC has been very successful in muting any meaningful debate on Israeli/Palestinian issues in Congress. And today's muzzling by Pelosi et al. just drives home the point.
The lesson--never, ever, criticize Israel for if you do, you are an anti-semite.
4
Both U.S. Rep Llhan Omar and Michelle Goldberg, as recent immigrants, may be unaware in this debate of our modern Anti-Semites, American Nazi party founder George Lincoln Rockwell, Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the Canadian-American priest Rev. Charles E. Coughlin. But their history shows the psychotic language of Anti-Semites trapped in categorical social abstractions of Jews, blacks and Asians, and, indeed, all of their targets of hate, which they cast as vile human cartoons. In this debate then we must avoid the same categorical trap, and qualify our statements about groups of people.
It’s not that there are “Jewish puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding...” but that there are “some Jews” (AIPAC, Israeli-American Dual Citizens) using some “financial savvy” (Sheldon Adelson) to make “some Gentiles” (Sen. Marco Rubio, Pres. Donald Trump, U.S. Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy) support violations of Palestinian human rights.
Most anti-Semites are trapped in a vicious categorical logic just as are racists, expressed in actor Liam Neeson’s confession of wanting to kill “any black man” based on the accusation of a rape by a black man.
But whether it’s “the Muslim,” “the Arab,” or “the Jew,” as objects of hate, bigots always generalize, and worse, many opponents of bigotry often commit the same mental error as the bigot, and nothing changes.
How is this anti-semitism? It's time to divorce the idea of thinking Israel and Jews are the same thing, because they are not. The Jews are a great people, Israel occupies a million Palestinians against their will.
252
Even as an admirer of Rep. Omar, I would say that her public statements on Twitter have been reckless as to the boundary between legitimate criticism of the policies of the Israeli government and odious tropes which have tormented Jewish communities for millennia. Sinister stereotypes about wealthy, rootless, cosmopolitan Jews pulling strings and influencing the state in their interests were a justification for the persecutions of Jews in Europe and elsewhere, and part of the narrative of the Holocaust. While we should not take seriously the criticism of those on the right who criticise Omar with one breath and with the other vilify 'globalist' George Soros, dissemble on Nazi rallies, and associate with men like Viktor Orban, it behooves Rep. Omar as a congresswoman to be more cautious about her posts.
That said, no things are simple. It is a savage irony that Reps. Omar and Tlaib are facing such heated criticism over quotes relating to Israel, when that state employs a different but equivalently malicious set of stereotypes about them and their coreligionists to justify repressive policy. If you are to object to the elision between Israeli policy and the actions of diaspora Jews, on principle you should consider also the extent to which hateful blanket presumptions about Muslims justify official policies of collective punishment and colonial domination in Palestine. Rep. Omar is right to speak out against the latter, but she must be careful and precise in her wording.
2
There is nothing anti-Semitic about discussing the power of the Israel lobby in US politics. AIPAC exists to influence state power. That is what its own people brag about and the voting record of politicians on the AIPAC take suggests their boasts are not empty. While it is true that Christian Zionists play a large and growing role in providing popular right-wing support for Israel, that still does not explain the central role AIPAC plays in the legislative process. Ilhan Omar was not wrong. She doesn't need to apologize for anything.
6
After 911, especially, but always, to criticize US policy was labeled "unamerican." As if a crime
But we know better. And we keep keeping on. To call out and question our government for actions against our collective understanding of the constitution is what makes us a viable free state
So why not the same treatment for Israel?
Why is one labeled antisemitic for questioning the increasingly undemocratic government of Israel?
I am not "unamerican" when I say that I am against my government's position on almost everything
as i am not "anti-semitic" to say the same thing of Israeal
If you hitched your spiritual star to an imperfect reality- well, that is your own cookie to crumble.
Horrific past notwithstanding, most of us are just trying to get through the present
Plain as day-
Anti Isreal is not antisemitic
just as
Anti USA is not antiamerican
NEVER APOLOGIZE for wanting more justice and hope for more people
8
One of the worst kinds of the anti-Semitism is putting a sign of equation between all the Jews in the world with any lobbyist organization.
Equating the people with the professional lobbyists is extremely insulting idea. If you want a bad image, that the best shortcut. There is no lobbyist organization is this world I would like my fellow Americans to be equated to.
I would prefer to Jews to be treated in the equally dignified way!
2
I am anti-Semitic and I totally disagree with congresswoman Omar’s tweets.
2
“Prejudice helps bind the modern right together, but unchecked it can rip the left apart.”
By the same token, prejudice also helps to bind the modern left together. Nothing helps to galvanize a movement like a common enemy. Jewish history is filled with examples of this strategy used against Jews in numerous countries around the world. Except Israel.
7
George HW Bush paid a price in 1991 when he stood up to AIPAC and was against Israel building illegal settlements in Palestinian territory.
This is a quote from time:
The Times of Israel states: “American presidents have since been cautious to avoid paying for challenging Israel like that — for using their leverage — and none really has, especially not in their first term.
2
She's a member of Congress now. Tweeting hip hop lyrics is no longer a good move. Please just grow up.
12
Decrying AIPAC’s stranglehold on our foreign policy is not anti-Semitic. It is calling out a truth that must be called out. I am an American who has lived and worked in the Middle East for over forty years, from Iraq to Morocco. This past month I was in Baghdad, Tripoli, Tunis, and Amman.
Several years ago, I asked our erstwhile NY Congressman, Tim Bishop, why our foreign policy in the Middle East was so ignorant, so broken. Was it the arms lobby? Was it oil? Israel? Who wrote the playbook? Tim was forthright: He could barely remember calls from weapons sellers, much less oil. But AIPAC was the SINGLE MOST persistent lobbying group, more than Big Pharma, the NRA; anyone. Tim said that I could quote him. Meanwhile an AIPAC offshoot sent our NY State Assemblyman, Fred Thiele (NOT a congressman) to Israel on the propaganda junket. So powerful are they that they are paying those who MIGHT join Congress on these junkets. Perhaps Ilhan Omar could have chosen her words more carefully; I am not a politician. But decrying the sickening influence of the right-wing AIPAC on our foreign policy is not anti-Semitic, it is patriotic. I am grateful to Ilhan Omar for speaking the truth when so many are afraid to do so, fearing AIPAC’s terrifying clout.
4
OMG, Rep. Omar stated a fact about AIPAC using Benjamin's to influence. That's not anti-Semitic. That's stating that this lobbying group has USED their influence for bad things. Geez. She shouldn't have to apologize. She is not in the wrong.
7
It’s not so much what Representative Ilhan Omar said, but how she phrased it. For example: African-Americans can use the N-word publicly, but for anyone else to use it is perceived as racism. Representative Omar’s concerns about AIPAC are a valid point of argument in a democracy; the issue is that she is Muslim, and the Muslim world for the past century has been led in a viciously, violently Anti-Semitic campaign, let alone a consistent genocidal call for “Death to the Jews.” I have no reason to doubt that Representative Omar is speaking as a representative of The State of Minnesota and the United States of America, or that her concern for the power of AIPAC or the power of “Benjamins” is a valid political concern. But, as one writer in these comments has offered, Jewish Representatives should have a Muslim voice on their staff, and Muslim Representatives should have a Jewish voice on theirs. And, as another commentator suggested, a Jewish/Muslim Congressional confederation might be in order, especially in the face of Republican devisive tactics.
3
Leadership is bringing to
light inconvenient facts.
The freshman Congresswoman did exactly that, with nothing embellished.
Simply because Evangelicals are weirdly obsessed with Israel, seeing their precious end times unfolding in the Levant, doesn’t mean money and power - Benjamins - haven’t influenced everyone else in catering to right-wing Netanyahu’s Israel’s every whim.
This essay, much unexpectedly for me, betrays the columnist’s biggest weakness and bias.
1
Have you considered the possibility that many support Israel because it deserves to be supported, as explained in Bret Stephen's recent column?
10
Representative Omar did nothing wrong. There was no invocation of a trope. The only reason Pelosi raked her over the coals immediately is because of political convenience, not for any moral reasons. All this has shown is that Democrats have no backbone and that any criticism of Israel can be silenced by screaming "antisemitism."
3
" consciously or not Omar invoked a poisonous anti semitic narrative "- I would hope that a member of congress is conscious of the weight of their words.Stop making excuses she is a virulent anti semite and that quite frankly should have no place in Congress or anywhere.
9
Manhattan is an island and they say that it's not really part of the USA. It's diverse - way diverse. Just walk down Canal Street if you don't believe me. And it's wonderfully diverse. Part of that diversity is Jewish life, Jewish culture, and the Jewish religion. That's wonderful too - and it's pervasive - woven into the warp and woof of the fabric that clothes NYC (literally and figuratively).
Everyone's a Jew in New York more or less. Chinese people can speak Yiddish. Why not? They live right next to Orchard Street. But in my opinion as a gentile, a goy, there is one tie that binds all Jews - notwithstanding the exceptions that anyone can point out: Jews support Israel. Which is to say, "the existence of Israel" which lives on sufferance to the US in a sea of trouble. Maybe not supporting Netanyahu. But Israel itself - the idea of "an Israel"- Zionism.
But today and yesterday, America's foreign policy towards Israel, the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, is a little shaky. FDR - we - didn't do so hot during the Holocaust. Now things are looking pretty good with the evangelicals and the Republicans, but that can change. And Israel has got some real problems with their own policies: the subjugation of a people, the settlements...
The Wall
1
After Saturday comes Sunday
2
Israel is becoming a racist Trumpistan and there's much to criticize. But anyone associated with the BDS movement is allied with people who seek the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state. Of course there are fine and good people active with BDS. As our current President noted, there were fine people marching with torches in Charlottesville too.
Criticizing Israeli policies is an act of American friendship. Cozying up to BDS and trafficking in lies about George Soros is to be allied with anti-Semites.
I wish Ilhan Omar well. America needs Muslim voices and the voices of American Muslim women in particular. I hope she can come to truly understand why criticizing Israel is fine, why advocating for Palestinian rights is fine, but supporting BDS is not.
1
For Israel haters, try to see things in context.
My people, the Jews, have lived in the Middle East for around 4,000 years -- long before Mohammad was even born. Under Islamic rule, we were a dhimmis subject to Muslim law, with no rights other than those granted by the Muslim rulers. Anti Jewish pogroms, looting, and riots were common -- although not comparable to the humiliation and eventual holocaust in the Christian world.
The tiny state of Israel (around the size of New Jersey) was established by the United Nations in 1948 to give the Jews rights to our own nation and to defend ourselves, not as subjects of Muslims or Christians. The Muslim nations' reaction was to declare war -- a war which they lost, and Israel was established as a democratic state. Despite being surrounded by enemies who to this day demand its destruction, as in the Hamas charter and speeches by leaders of Hezbollah in Lebanon , it has built a modern nation with a European standard of living. Arabs in Israel have full rights as Israelis, serve in the legislature and as judges, vote, own property, etc., etc.
Does Israel do what it sees as necessary to defend itself from its enemies in the Muslim world? The answer is yes. And when it defends itself, is it viciously attacked (as by many of the commentators here)? Yes it is. For those commentators, Jews have no right to defend themselves -- unlike every other nation and people.
Do I call that attack anti-Semitism? Yes, because it is.
13
One must be able to distinguish between political acts of a state and religion. They are not synonymous. It is possible to oppose the policies of Saudi Arabia, such as the treatment of journalists, without attacking Islam. It is possible to oppose the policies of the Vatican, such as the protection of priests who prey on children and nuns, without attacking Catholicism. It is also possible to oppose the policies of Israel, such as violations of territorial sovereignty through occupation and blockades of the West Bank, without attacking Judeism.
I am all for opposing anti-Semitism and I recognize that Jews have been demonized as being wealthy, international elite. This was used against them in the rhetoric of the Nazis. And the use of baseless tropes should be condemned.
However, when there is a legitimate basis to question a Political Action Committee that acts to mobilise resources and influence in our politics, just as with the NRA, to support questionable actions of a state. I don't believe that questioning Aipac is inherently anti-Semetic. It is well documented that Aipac lobbies for pro-Israel policies and encourages members to donate money to pro-Israel candidates. It is valid to oppose those policies—and the lobbiests behind them—and the actions of a state without condemning the faith.
Again, we must distinguish between statehood and religion. If we don't, then we suppress important debate and concerns about violations of international law.
2
Thirty-four percent of Americans feel that wearing blackface is absolutely fine on Halloween. trump’s virulent racism is behind his desire to build a wall on the border. Public policies that promote disinvestment, discrimination, and defunded schools directly affect people of color. Police gun down unarmed black people willy-nilly and we barely bat an eye. But say anything that supports the Palestinians or points out how Israel violates Palestinians’ human rights and swift action is taken to condemn alleged antisemitism.
3
I'm disappointed that the NY Times is not providing the space for a real debate on Israeli policies towards Palestinians and the role of PAC financing in perpetuating the apartheid we see happening in the West Bank and Gaza. It's like the Democrats (and the author of this piece) have a fixed action pattern without really turning on their critical thinking caps. How simplistic to condemn her responses as anti-semitic. What is so anti-semitic about criticizing a regime for terribly oppressive policies against a marginalized people and the role of US PAC-funded policies? And enough already with the "they want us dead" line. By now it's a self-fulfilling prophecy that has been created in the region. Israel has squandered the best years to truly cultivate peace in the region - all thanks to US dollars. How can we move forward if debate is silenced by screaming "anti-semitism" on any legit critique? Omar should not back down, in my opinion. She should educate and contextualize her words. Twitter is not the place. I might start with an op-ed in the NYTimes.
3
This article misses the point. Omar’s anti-Semitic tweets are wrong because anti-Semitism is wrong, regardless of whether Omar’s abhorrent actions are a “gift to the right.” Ms. Goldberg must know better than article reflects.
10
Rep. Omar gored the fat flanks of supporters of the 51st state. Yet if she suggested that the NRA buys influence in congress she’d be the toast of the blue media estate, including Ms Goldberg.
1
"And the idea of Jews as global puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding, clearly does." smack of anti-Jewish bigotry.
It strikes me that any financial elite consortiums using their financial "savvy" (read bribery and corruption of politicians, disinformation to voters) to influence the public in the direction that benefits them always invokes a negative reaction among the perceived non-beneficiaries. Both McCarthy and Omar criticize the financial elite on the opposite end of the conservative-liberal dimension to themselves. That fact IS important. Omar appeared to be responding to McCarthy's invocation of Jewish financial elite.
Ms. Goldberg pretty much states that Aipac buys influence. That is not heresy, that IS what PACs do in one or more forms. It is difficult to untangle the reality that wealthy jews do this from the anti-semetic trope that Jews are somehow more wrong for doing this than any other financial elite group doing this. From my perspective Any financial elite group doing this is wrong.
Wealth IS power. The only peaceful counter to wealth is political power. In the US that means a real and uncorrupted democracy. I'm happy to shut down (politically) my Soros et al if conservatives shut down their Koch machine et al. Let's just have a real, fair and uncorrupted democracy and let the chips fall where they may, shall we? Respecting the constitution goes without saying. Because that is what the constitution is saying.
1
Please Ms. Goldberg explain how Congresswoman Omar she invoked a poisonous antisemitic narrative by saying follow the Benjamins or bringing up AIPAC, I don't see it and neither do many others. If she had been talking about another group that did not have ties to Israel would she be criticized for that, probably not. Something to think about the next time you put pen to paper.
2
Yes. Rep. Omar's comments referenced, perhaps subconsciously, more likely inadvertently, anti-Semitic tropes. She apologized. We should take her word for the apology.
Now, if you are done being offended, let's talk about two things: 1) the undue influence of Israel and it's policies on US policy and 2) the fact that every time I call for an inclusive democracy, with full right of return and just compensation for the internally displaced in Palestine I am called a holocaust denier, or worse?
1
Michelle Goldberg infamously teamed up with right wingers to help force Al Franken out of office, citing a "grope" that the world no knows never happened.
Apparently when the right needs someone on the elitist left to target a politician from "the inside", they know exactly who to call.
1
Might we not let poor lil ole "trope" lay down its burden for a while?
Y'all sound like you're reading from the same Talking Points sheet.
The traditional cliche is "canard". But there are many fresher words:
For example, synonym.com suggests, for varying contexts:
irony, personification, synecdoche, simile, prosopopoeia, metaphor, zeugma, oxymoron, figure, image, figure of speech, rhetorical device, conceit, hyperbole, kenning, metonymy, exaggeration.
There are some real zingers here, but hurry: I'll grab them off soon.
Ilhan Omar's tweet was poorly worded and crude, but I do not believe it was anti-Semitic, as opposed to being more a function of the pernicious influence of social media. Our politicians need to get off of twitter.
However, the outrage generated by one tweet as opposed to the deafening silence about decades of Israeli human rights abuses underscores the power of the Israeli lobby.
1
She has no reason to apologize. She was 100% correct about AIPAC and its influence, more like control, over our Congress and policy. The elected leaders are now trying to outlaw free speech to by ending citizen's right to join the BDS movement. We forget that Palestinians are a domestic people, but the false anti-Semitic trope is wielded like a club on anyone who criticizes Israel. Shame on Pelosi and the cowardly Democrats who have attacked a truth teller.
2
Politically awkward tweet—but is she wrong?
2
This is a thoughtful critique. With one exception. Ms. Goldberg takes at face value her colleague Bari Weiss' grossly unfair denunciation of Ilhan Omar which is built entirely on one word in one tweet. "Hypnotizing" is not an anti-Semitic word unless ones needs it to be that. It shows how far to the right the New York Times is on Israel that even Ms. Goldberg would not challenge this.
Welcome to the World of the twenty-first century where it won't be that easy to confuse the different forms of anti-semitism or to systematically use the term to keep the truth at bay. The old way's of doing things have crossed that river and are not coming back. It is time for the media to be far more honest with the people, because honestly, there is not that much time left for them either to get it right.
How absurd. Everyone knows that policy on Israel is driven by campaign contributions directed by AIPAC, not to mention its threats of retribution etc. Then one lowly freshman rep says it and the media goes insane, proving the awesome undue influence that AIPAC and its satellites have on American political discourse.
One day soon, when the younger generation is in power, they will laugh at a time when donors associated with Israel was in charge of US Mideast policy. Not now though.
1
The issue I want to raise is a general one. Arabs are as semitic people as Jews are (also Assyrians)!
When one uses the term Anti-Semitism, it should include the Arabs as well!
Traditionally , anti semitism is used against Jewish people. The correct term should be anti-Jewish NOT anti-semites. Otherwise it will include all Arabs and Assyrians!
(Historically, Jews descended from Abraham, via Isaac. Arabs also descended from Abraham via Ishmael).
1
Why do we allow pro-Israel political groups to bribe our politicians? Why do we allow pro-Any Nation's political group to bribe our politicians?
Making this about a Muslim Woman criticizing a Jewish Nation state is simply a distraction from the real issue, political corruption.
Michele, I understand why the politicians want to try to change the subject, I expected more out of you.
Coordinated attacks by the left and the media on Koch brothers is a fair game, as they should be under 1st amendment, but going after Soros, who is far more effective is instantly labeled antisemitism. This may give Soros some tactical cover but is a poor strategy since it makes antisemitism charge just another political card to be thrown on the pile. One ear in-the other ear out.
2
Twitter allows, and promotes, electronic verbal diarrhea. Must I mention exhibit “ A “, occupant of the Oval Office ? Think before you tweet, Kids. It’s not that difficult.
1
Ms Goldberg: you claim Omar Ilhan "..has also come under attack for supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights." Your statement about BDS is false. BDS does not seek to apply pressure for Israel to relinquish occupation of the West Bank - BDS regards ALL of Israel as occupied, to be given up to the Palestinians. This goal is evident in the BDS charter and the statements of its founder, Omar Barghouti. In other words, BDS is the latest incarnation of the Arabs' goal of driving the Jews into the sea. By soft-peddling the reality of BDS, you are gifting the hard Left ammunition based on a lie.
Ms Omar's sin is not calling out AIPAC for lobbying to influence US policy - all lobby groups do this. Neither is her sin that she is critical of Israel - lots of us are, just as we are critical of many countries, including our own.
Recently she 'chuckled' when she heard Israel referred to as a democracy; she felt it was more like Iran.
Ms Omar's first sin is that as a Congresswoman she hasn't educated herself about history or the realities in the Middle East, yet feels OK to spout off about it.
Her major sin is that by supporting the malign intent of BDS, she supports anti-Zionism, the denial of the right of Jews to their own land, ie, the destruction of Israel, the expulsion or deaths of Jews. By this she reveals her profound prejudice. She is a shame to us Democrats.
8
Perhaps the American public should be educated about the goals and processes of AIPAC. Transparency is more powerful than outrage.
Many of the opinions stated here fine tune, shave, moralize, deflect or whatever you want to call it Omar's tweets. Trust me 98% of the voting populace don't play that game and they are not buying the Omar or Talib apologies because they were forced to apologize. What these two said or tweeted stand on it's own merit. Same for OAC. Keep it up and the voters will react accordingly at the right time to these new faces and viewpoints of the Democratic Party.
5
In America any criticism of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians is called ' Anti Semitism'. As a Jew I am appalled by the brutality of the Israeli Military against the Palestinian People. There is no excuse for killing unarmed civilians protesting when their land is being stolen from them.
Does Ms.Omar tweet about muslim on muslim violence in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen or Iraq? No.
Does Ms.Omar stand up to Sunni on Shia violence or prejudice in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar? No.
The middle east is aflame with muslim on muslim violence, and she portrays Israel as the bad guy. Bias is plain and clear.
6
This article is a backwards tribute, Omar means exactly what she says in public, let alone in private. She is the voice of Mondoweiss & The Intercept. Instead of a faux apology, let her dig her own grave & keep twittering
3
the way to think of it is like blackface. there is nothing wrong with the color black, putting on costumes, or faces -- but when you put it together with our nation's history, you get something deeply offensive. given the hate the Congresswoman has spewed before, no one can doubt the baiting, knowledgeable use of defamatory tropes, and trafficking in hate. She was elected to office and her constituents have to deal with that, but committee assignments are not a matter of right and her should be stripped. Even her apology was a non-apology apology. She used the very same tweet when all eyes would be on her do to her trafficking in anti-Semitism to liken AIPAC to Democratic policy anathemas.
1
Sorry, but I miss the point why you definer her as a "Progressive American Muslim". Apart from supporting the "BDS movement", Omar (a professional politician!) thinks that Aipac is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel. What is progressive about that?
2
Why are you surprised by this? Why is anyone? Omar is anti- Semitic, anti-Israel and she makes no secret of it. It's who she is. You can chastise her all you want and she can issue grudging apologies when she feels forced to but that's not going to change anything about how she thinks(or votes).
So, my question to the Democrats; if this was a congresswoman issuing tweets that were homophobic, racist in terms of bigotry against blacks or Hispanics etc, what would you do? Would you just say "not nice", accept their grudging pleas of ignorance and move on, lather, rinse, repeat? I doubt it. Somehow, when it comes to Jews though, that doens't seem all that important. Omar must go!
6
So you are saying that pro-Israel groups like AIPAC do not use money to influence US policy toward Israel? Clearly they do. But it’s not “all about the Benjamin (Franklins)”. AIPAC genuinely believes that driving Palestinians off their land is a good thing. They are happy to see Palestinians suffer. Money is just a tool that we all use. If we use it to oppress others, that’s the real issue.
Let the congresswoman condemn Syria first, whose Assad has killed more Muslims combined than all those who have fallen in wars with Israel. And if she's venting against lobbyists, let her direct some choice words against the NRA, too.
Now let's see if some Reform Temple will invite Omar to a Passover seder; she'd probably accept. The follow-on question: would Ms. Goldberg be happy to sit next to her?
1
Bad indeed, and unrepresetative of Minnesota’s fine character. Omar is anything but rigressive and democratic! Extremism, personal animus, and fang-bared,’naked anti-semitism are indeed deplorable character traits in a newbie representative, whose highest goals shoukd be to serve and promote the interests of the constituents in their district.
Omar defeated Phyllis Khan, a well-respected membrr of the MN state house from 1973 through 2016 LARGELY due to the support of the numerous Somalis in that district. The best possible response to Omar’s ill-timed and offensive tweets would be removal from foreign relations committee assignments sooner rather than later. Her district contains one of the nation”s largest Jewish populations: hence her tweets are unrepresentative, ungrateful-and insulting. Her manner is unbecoming to the office she holds. Furthernore, it is embarrassing to her constituents for the ill-considered tweets she spouts tobe condemned by Speaker Pelosi.Pelosi and her team did the right thing!
This rant exposes Omar as using the office as a platform foe her persinal viess ans not as a representative of the broadet voices of her constituents! Enough!
5
Members of congress listen carefully to what AIPAC wants. Having the first item on the agenda of our nation's laws be to make it a crime to criticize another country, Israel, is very strange. How does that benefit US citizens? We can complain and refuse to buy Chinese goods but BDS is a crime when Israel is concerned.
If money is not what it is about then how about publishing the amount each congress person receives from pro Israel pacs?
For example Ted Cruz received more than $340,000 while Robert
Menendez of New Jersey received $548,000 in 2018. I would say this is a lot of money. This doesn't include trips to Israel.
2
After all the fireworks, reality quickly comes back. This lady is having a very bad start, not so much because she is right or wrong, but by ignoring the political realities of the country she leaves in. Not helpful to her party.
Another illustration that the notions of “first moslem woman” in congress, or “first openly gay woman” or “first native woman” etc. are stupid and repulsive...
The Elephant in the Room, of course, is Zionism, and all that follows.
2
One of the worst kinds of the anti-Semitism is putting a sign of equation between all the Jews in the world with any lobbyist organization.
Equating the people with the professional lobbyists is extremely insulting idea. If you want a bad image, that the best shortcut. There is no lobbyist organization is this world I would like my fellow Americans to be equated to.
I would prefer the Jews to be treated in the equally dignified way!
I think Omar could have chosen her words better. But this American Jew supports her overall sentiments -- what the state of Israel is doing to the Palestinian population is, literally, criminal. Note I said the state of Israel, and not "Jews." Because it is absolutely possible to criticize Israel as being something separate from the global Jewry. This seems to be getting lost on people who are so quick to decry any and all criticisms of Israel the country and its policies.
5
I'm Jewish, in fact I'm Israeli, and you can put me in the camp of I don't understand the uproar on this particular comment. From what I found, AIPAC donated $15M in 2018 and is made up on 100,000 members. Are all those members Jewish? My guess is not. I don't think this had anything to do with Jews using their money to manipulate anything. The point I believe she was making, as AOC made earlier in the week, was that policy makers are taking donations from PAC's and then introducing policies based on those donations.
5
A “Left-wing, broadly anti-Israel,” group is a legitimate voice for human rights?
Where is any nuance or understanding of democracy?
Can we assume that expressing disagreement with,and distaste for, Donald Trump and his policies makes a foreign national anti-American?
Many Israelis find American policies towards Native American people racist and despicable.
This is not a “what about,” but an expectation of an understanding that a particular focus on Israel, to the exclusion of state violations of human and political rights elsewhere is at best naive and at worst anti-Semitic.
1
"And I certainly have no problem with denunciations of Aipac, which plays a malign role in pushing American policy in the Middle East to the right." You should have stopped right there.
2
I am Jewish and I do not understand what this Congress woman did that was wrong. Context counts. Let's get to real news.
4
And so it begins...the Dems never disappoint along their bumbling path, seemingly intent on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
2
Michelle, I generally love your reporting and find it very adept at navigating complex and sensitive issues, but on this one I have to disagree. I'm an American Jew, and perhaps due to the fact that I'm from a younger generation, I really do not find this offensive and it's quite clear that darker insinuation was not her intention.
I think this is a complicated situation because the trope of Jews using money to influence policy is actually taking place. Obviously not 'the jews' as a whole, but largely one wealthy jewish person in particular, Sheldon Adelson, and one particularly potent lobby, AIPAC. I find it dubious at best to say that without their funding and clout mainstream congressional representatives would be such staunch defenders of Israel.
It seems that representative Omar is trying to call this out, which due to the fact that this was a trope from the centuries in which we held no real power at all is being paired with anti-semitism. But in this day and age it's undeniable that Sheldon Adelson's campaign contributions and the weight of the AIPAC lobby have brought the US government substantially to the right on Israeli issues. To the point of literally pushing laws to silence protest, and the active silence on repeated human rights abuses.
1
A lobby is an organization created to influence politicians in their favor. In the 21st Century United States influence equals money. The NRA, the oil industry, Big Pharma, etc. all buy influence where they can. So, through parties at one remove, does AIPAC. To carve out an immunity from criticism for this one major lobbying group using anti-semitism accusations as a shield is what is truly despicable. It is disrespectful of Judaism and dishonest.
5
Honestly, this entire topic is little bit confusing and confused. Jews have been smeared for millenia, so pointing out anything negative about Jewish people is going to run afoul of a historic stereotype. While anti-semitism is alive and well, we are also seen anti-muslim sentiments.
I am reading this piece as Michelle Goldberg telling the Omar to," Know her place." [This time white on black rascism]. As the Michelle Goldberg wrote, "it’s particularly incumbent on Israel’s legitimate critics to avoid anything that smacks of anti-Jewish bigotry. " Legitimate, huh? Seriously, was Omar really trying to say that Jews hypnotize people and that they are pulling the strings of global capital? This interpretation is far-fetched to me.
It seems to me that everyone is taking everything that everyone else says, at its worst. Or to put it another way, we are all assuming the worst.
2
So, the central problem here is that this incident is bad for Democrats politically, not that anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world and a member of the United States House of Representative is encouraging it? Of course Republicans are hypocrites and their condemnations ring hollow, but Oman is not the victim here. The real concern should be for Jews who look to the right and see anti-Semitism conspiracy theories, then look to the left and see... a different version of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
9
Forget about Israel for a moment, I'm worried about her views on abortion, birth control, women's rights, and the rights of homosexuals since these aren't exactly strong beliefs under Islam. We've fought for these things for a century.
11
Perhaps Omar's tweet should begin a conversation on our relationship with Israel and not close it.
Last week, the senate passed Senate Bill 720, the Anti-BDM bill which forbids Americans from boycotting or organizing boycotts against Israel as a form of protest against some of their unsavory activities. What other nation would we legally ban our citizens from exercising their free right to protest against?
Despite the fact that the US gives Israel, almost 4 billion a year in aid and liberally sells them weapon systems, we hold them to no account on some very bad behavior, and become crazed if anyone does. Israel is a country that can afford a lavish cradle to grave social welfare system with free Healthcare and education that an American could and should envy, and a very humane and liberal aborton policy.
To hold Israel to account is not anti semitism anymore than holding China to account is prejudoce against Asians. No other nation is afforded the over solicitous treatment that the US affords Israel- all while continuing to support and arm it lavishly with tax dollars that seem in such short supply here these days here.
Maybe we should listen to what Omar is really saying here and cease our pair knee jerk defense of Israel as a way to shut this conversation down.
5
There is a word for what Ms. Omar did and it is not anti-semitic. It is Stupid. Capital intended. Being a new member of Congress and handing the opposition your political power on a silver platter is a rookie move. Ms. Omar should receive the same "applause" from Ms. Pelosi she gave to Trump. I see the term "one and done" in her future. I am sure her colleagues will all be scrambling to go to her district and support her on the campaign trail in a year or so. She will have no one to blame but herself. The question for all the other newbies in Congress is are you smart enough to keep your mouth shut and your twitter finger in it's holster? Or are you so caught up with yourself that you think nothing you say will matter ? Why did you work so hard to get elected and then toss your success on the political trash heap just weeks into your term? At least we didn't have to wait 20 years or so to see the real Ms. Omar.
4
Her initial comments were honest and at least show the tiger’s true anti Semitic stripes. The coerced apology was survival
15
The congressman said what she thought and clearly meant what she said until she felt the sting of Nancy Pelosi. She should lose her position on her committee. She is against Israel, America's strongest friend and ally and the precious people of Jewish faith in this country. This is just the beginning of her agenda...
9
Racism and sexism must be deplored everywhere, but false equivalents make our struggle more difficult. Criticizing a right wing lobby that supports bad Israeli policies is NOT the same as the sexist and racist remarks (often anti-jewish) spewing from right wing GOP supporters.
In short, the author of this article has done what she accuses the Representatives of doing--abetting the wrong side.
3
I still haven't seen anywhere that bad Omar tweet. I guess it exists, but it seems that commenters are too busy to supply the basis of this kerfuffle.
Shameful.
This column is a gift to the right.
Three men in Virginia politics are smeared and are asked to resign for alleged past infractions, yet Rep. Omar gets a pass on her discriminatory record with an apology. Total hypocrisy!
6
Criticism of Israeli policies is not inherently anti-Semitic. Nor is anti-BDS legislation constitutional. We’ve got bigger fish to fry.
3
This is simply a sexist attack on a proud democrat. It’s another “Just not that woman” argument.
1
I have thought a great deal about Sen. Omar's tweets, one of them based on anti-semitic tropes that stuck in her mind and may be part of her belief system. Sen. Omar struck a nerve by linking AIPAC to Jews-at-large. Like Baptists, Catholics and Protestants, the Jews in America are varied. We belong to Reform, Humanistic, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Orthodox, as well as Hasidim, and each one of us apply our own unique interpretation towards how we practice our religion and study Torah. For many Jews AIPAC holds little import in our lives and believe that Israel can and must do better for the Palestinian people. We are the Jews who work hard in our own communities to change this current administration, working hard against the hatefulness of separating families, we welcome refugees into our communities and help them settle into their new homes. AIPAC, I fear, was perhaps a code for things Sen. Omar found distasteful about Jews. Just as I find it horrifying when Muslims are attacked, I thought her remarks to a wide swarth of American jews quite painful and ignorant. My hope is that she will take the time to get to know Jewish communities in districts that she serves. I expect she will find very good, very community-oriented people who don't subscribe to AIPAC. In Ithaca Muslims and Jews gather together to worship. We are a nation of immigrants with the diversity that makes us such a wonderful country. Sen. Omar owes it to us to get to know the people she malign.
5
I agree that "Progressive American Muslims and Jews should be natural allies". But sadly, the progressive Muslims show over and over that they don't really want to be our allies. After Ilhan's tweet, I am done apologizing and defending them, although I am very sad about it.
3
Odds are, Ilhan Omar is against the war crimes and repression of Israel, not against the Jewish religion. Her observation is an accraute one - it bothers many Americans to see Israel treat the Palestinians with such immoral disrespect. It is obvious that Israel has more power, so it is up to them to draw down the conflict. Victimhood over the past is no excuse. Adults are expected to be responsible for their actions in the here and now!
1
This is not about anti-semitism but more about what the liberal left and by extension their use of the Democratic Party as their platform. This radicalism by their rising stars will eventually lead to them condemning Israel as an imperialistic example of how they have kicked out the Palestinians. To all Jews, be careful of what you think the Democratic Party is and what they will do within the next 10-20 years in terms of policy towards Israel.
6
As is pointed out in this piece, this is not the first time Omar has made scurrilous comments about Jews. And, as is her past pattern, she again apologized for her remarks. But rather than excuse her behavior, as does Ms. Goldberg, perhaps we should recognize it for what it is--the musings of someone who holds antisemitic beliefs. This is the same candidate who, while running for office, proclaimed to Jewish voters at synagogues around Minneapolis that she would never support BDS, only to reverse her position after winning the election.
14
In 2007 I attended the national AIPAC Convention at the Marriot Marquis in NYC. The buffet before dinner was the most extravagant I'd ever seen and John Edwards roamed the room. I got to shake his hand and talk for a few minutes. Hillary Clinton was the featured speaker. Before beginning her address she told a story: She'd had to fly up from Washington for the evening and important legislation was on the floor (I think it was minimum wage). Republicans kept stalling the vote and Clinton had to be on a plane out of DC by 6PM to make the engagement. She praised her staff as the most astute in Congress and sent them out to query Republicans on when the vote would take place. She said, as efficient as they were they could not get an answer. So she called the President of AIPAC and told him unless Republicans released a timeline for a vote she would have to cancel. He told her he would get back to her. Ten minutes later he called back and said the vote would take place before 5pm. She laughed and said that just shows you, when AIPAC wants something done it happens. AIPAC has more influence than the best staff of a US Senator. The audience applauded and laughed along with her. I was appalled.
Later she began to speak about Iran and seemed to be taking a strong militaristic stand of confrontation. The audience loved it. At the last moment she pivoted and endorsed the pursuit of diplomacy. The audience began to boo. I began to applaud as loudly as I could.
307
Everyone tweets now. Omar tweets, AOC tweets, Michelle Goldberg reports her own tweeting in this article. Tweeting does not promote in-depth dialogue, it only fosters the most superficial of exchanges.
I was excited about the new Congress, but their superficiality and immaturity is starting to get on my nerves. That goes for NY Times reporters as well.
Can we return to an era where we consider the repercussions of what we say, without using short tweets that cannot be nuanced and substantiated with facts?
These new representatives are wasting their platforms by acting impulsively. The public is wasting its energy on outrage and bogus controversy.
Grow up and keep your own counsel until you are ready to go public with a well-considered argument for something of substance--pro or con.
Then let's go forward and have a discussion. Spare me the constant flow of mea culpas. I have better things to do with my time.
5
The wording of Representative Omar's tweet did not help clarify the position that many have against many of the current policies of the Israeli government. It IS appropriate to argue that money from a lobbying group influences politicians and that is certainly true in the case of the government of Israel and many of its US supporters. Furthermore, Ms. Goldberg is wrong when she states that Christian Evangelicals only support current Israeli government policies for religious reasons, rather than financial ones. There are extensive financial connections between some of these evangelical churches and various supporters within Israel.
But context matters very much. Ms. Omar could have put it in the context of other lobbying as well and avoided the probably unintended evocation of anti-Jewish myths.
Context matters very much. If some said that the collapse of the Roman Empire was the beginning of the backwards "Dark Ages", one might quibble but not be offended. If someone said the same thing about Obama's election, that would clearly be racist. Same words -- very different meaning. Ms. Omar failed to grasp that, but that error does not even begin to approach the level of bigotry displayed by many of her critics.
When people express confusion as to the offensive nature of Omar's comment, it echos Megan Kelly's confusion about the offensive nature of blackface. You may not understand it, but it is nonetheless offensive. The many Jews offended by Omar's comments should not have to defend why they are offended any more than people should have to defend being offended by Megan Kelly's comments. In fact, attempting to justify Omar's comments as "true" and "not anti-Semitic" intensifies the offense.
4
If the BDS movement ONLY sought to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights, I don’t believe most people would find it problematic. The organization offers no peaceful solutions for this conflict other than a boycott of Israel. If they were truly concerned about Palestinian rights, they’d be questioning the fact that Palestinians, after 70 years, are still rotting away in refugee camps in countries like Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. They have been denied basic human rights, educational and employment opportunities and no possibility of becoming citizens of the host countries. In the Syrian civil war, thousands of these refugees have been either starved to death or simply slaughtered. For an organization to claim that they are concerned about Palestinian rights and to totally ignore this reality is very telling.
10
"NRA uses money to influence politicians to prevent gun control"
"The Pharmaceutical industry uses money to influence politicians to keep drug prices high"
"The fossil fuel industry uses money to influence politicians to keep the energy market dependent on them and to reduce environmental regulation"
"The financial sector is using money to influence politicians to deregulate banking"
"The Israel lobby is using money to influence politicians to suppress criticism of Israel"
One of these statements is evocative of dark medieval tropes that no decent mind should ever entertain. Which one is it? You guessed right.
So now, that it is established that criticizing or even mentioning AIPAC lobbying spending is forbidden, they can continue with their lobbying spending unencumbered.
1
Notice how Goldberg's main focus is on how racism from within the Democratic Party affects the Democratic Party. That's like parents reacting to the news that their son is a serial killer and obsessing exclusively on how their child's infamy will affect their lives. No true concern about any victims and so forth. Just morbid self obsession and maybe, on a good day, an expression of fake concern for any injured parties and self introspection about their role in creating a monster.
3
Michelle, in this column and others you mention that BDS “seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights” those rights according to BDS stem from UN Resolution 194 from 1947 which referring to the Palestinian right of return is clear in para 11 “Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property”. BDS insists that all Palestinians go back and ignores compensation. BDS does not believe any of this is negotiable and in fact on its site the word peace and negotiation are left out. BDS is not about pressuring Israel to negotiate it's about replacement state. It is really about time that BDS supporters understand what this is about.
The concept of Israel being flooded by Palestinians who would in most cases not be able to return to their homes without evicting the people there now is fraudulent. Are we in America ready to return America to the remnant Indian population? After all we came here invaded and stole their land. The Jews were indigenous to Palestine and bought their land from the Arabs. Has anyone thought of forcing the Chinese government to return Tibet to the Tibetan people via a BDS like campaign? Of course not only Israel is subjected to these absurd standards.
7
Ms. Goldberg insists that criticizing Aipac is justified, but accuses Omar of invoking anti-Semitic tropes by doing just that. If merely pointing out that Aipac uses its money and influence to sway American politics generates accusations of anti-Semitism, how exactly is one supposed to criticize Aipac without being accused of bigotry?
It seems that people arrived at separate conclusions about the meaning of the (admittedly flippant) tweets. Those of us who see Rep. Omar as a reliable and principled progressive found it easy to believe that she was merely criticizing the corrupting influence of lobbying money in American politics. However, those who view any criticism of Israeli policy as anti-Semitic clearly had a less benign view of what the Congresswoman was trying to say. I can't help but feel that the rush to interpret Rep. Omar's remarks in the least charitable way possible is tinged with Islamophobia.
Ms. Goldberg makes a valid point that leftwing critics of Israel should educate themselves about the history of anti-Semitism, and be careful and strategic in how they construct their arguments. But at the same time, we shouldn't let bad faith actors mischaracterize and smear progressives with spurious accusations of bigotry.
If the last few weeks have taught us anything (the Covington high students, Virginia governor clustercrap and now this), it's that Democrats should take a breath. Omar was spot on in her critique (don't be tricked into thinking it was anti-semitism. It is not.) and, sadly, because Dem leadership reflexively threw her under the bus and forced her to walk back her statement, we missed an important opportunity to have her give a broader explanation and educate people on this important issue.
It's time we took a hard look at what is happening in Israel and what we are doing to support it. Like a friend whose drinking has gotten out of hand, what's needed is a serious conversation in this country about enabling our dear friend, Israel. Support is not the same as a blank check and blind allegiance.
I commend Omar's bravery in starting this conversation. It's long overdue.
1
I took the trouble to read the Wikepedia article on Ms. Ilhan Omar , as a way of even partially understanding a person I know nothing about . I was trying to figure out how the fine citizens of the 5th Minnesota Congressional district elected her as their representative .
Here is what I mostly learned and concluded .
First , she has been leading a very confusing personal life , giving birth to three children while not exactly being married to two man ( though not simultaneously , it seems... ) . Highly unusual for a Muslim woman , to say the least.... .
Second , she is quite a sophisticated and experienced political operator , and obviously very ambitious . She has been involved in various aspects of Minnesota politics for quite some time now , and - to her credit - with obvious good success .
Third , given the above , it is hard to phantom how such a person , smart and knowledgeable , could err so embarrassingly in coming out with obvious anti - Semitic utterances . It was not because Ms. Ilhan is a neophyte or naive ( though she is now on a bigger national stage) . It is rather something much deeper .
That person has an in-built bias , whatever its origins may be . Her statement " I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me..." is as utter hogwash as one could ever come across .
People of the 5th Minnesota Congressional district - please pay attention . The problem is really yours !! .
9
Ah, the irony. No one in the course of history has been more imperialistic, aggressive, and punishing in their pursuit of supremacy and dogmatic influence than those who subscribe to Ms. Omar’s ideological belief system. Perhaps a history lesson and a little self-reflection would do Ms Omar some good.
8
It's now become an argument and moral stance of convenience for Muslims to accept without much thought all sorts of denigration when it comes to Jews or Israel. We're somehow expected to fall in line with this monolith of a political view. The consolidation and impenetrability of the hate and extremism associated with views on the conflict in Israel has been fomented by Arab Muslims who aim to hegemonize their views with Muslims of different backgrounds. They've largely succeeded, which is why it's important for Muslims (Arab or whoever) to push back and voice their concern about corralling us all into what they see as the only way to understand this conflict.
3
I do not believe that pointing out the oppression of the Palestinians by the Israelis is anti-Semitic, and its tiring when such criticism is met with the claim of anti-Semitism. Disdain of a country's political policy is not an attack on the worthiness of those people as people. It is not about what they are, it is about what they are doing. No one should be evaluated for what they are, only for what they do.
Winter for Omar
In Washington
Boycott, divest
And sanction too
The Dem producers thank you, Mel Brooks.
Maybe Michelle Goldberg is part of the problem of left-wing anti-Semitism by being evasive about BDS. Just saying that the BDS movement, seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights is not the whole truth about BDS. One of the main goals of BDS is to ensure the Right of Return of Palestinians to Israel. This will put the end to Israel as Jewish state by changing demographic and making it in its majority Palestinian state.
8
a more significant question is what fraction of the democrat base generally align with her anti-semitic thoughts. My guess a substantial fraction align, and closet anti-semitism is rampant among the left wing of the democratic party. She is exposing an unspoken truth which previously was rarely addressed, but suspected by many who observe the democrats from an unbiased distance. The remaining centrist democrats should ponder whether they are positioned in the correct political party.
4
I was waiting for this to happen.
2
Nobody has ever suggested that I am anti Jewish. In fact, my Jewish roomates in college played games misleading me about who was Jewish and who wasn't since, being from the west coast, I was unfamiliar with the concept. That doesn't keep me from being extremely anti Isreal just as I am anti Russia and anti Saudi Arabia. Many of us are qanti Isreal without being anti semetic.must be allowed to be anti Isreal without being accused of being anti semitic.
1
All Cultures instill values.
As Richard Rodgers expressed it in “South Pacific”:
You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.
Senator Robert Byrd was active in the KKK and erased that stain with his actions when America’s culture evolved away from the white supremist racism he had been taught.
Whether congresswoman Omar can evolve away from the antiSemitism she was taught by her religion and culture in her Somali childhood remains to be determined. Like Senator Byrd her evolution or her failure to evolve will be judged by her words and deeds. Her unequivocal apology is the first step.
1
There is an element that people weren't supposed to say anything against any black person, or Jewish person. Then, along came O. J. Simpson, Harvey Weinstein, and Bill Cosby, and the powers that be decided that not all black people, or Jewish people, and certainly, not all rich, Black or Jewish people were decent human beings. So, the arena of critical thought, along with criticism of policy, especially for those who are of Muslim background, and have roots in the middle east, is still a difficult terrain to navigate. Yet, we must remain honest, adults, and not tribal people in regards to all serious discussions that must be had on many issues in this country. We all know how even immigration is fraught with danger if you say the wrong thing, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, however, true it may be. The same can be said about any subject, class, gender, race, religion, etc. We need to not too harshly come down on all those who have spent their time to run for office, no matter who they are. It looks like the state of Virginia is finding that out, and trying to sort it out with the voters in their state, rather than the whole country, which is what should happen, actually!
1
So what is worse, espousing antisemitism, racism, and misogyny today or embracing blackface thirty-five years ago? Why are there no calls for Ms. Omar and President Trump to resign? Hopefully these incidents can be teaching moments for the political establishment. Forgiveness, redemption, and consistency in adhering to principles are in too short supply in our increasingly divided and self-serving nation.
1
Ms Goldberg gave this as a classic racist description of Jews: “Jews are depicted as shadowy figures with a lot of money, top-level access, ready to betray the nations of our residence (and our neighbors) in service of an unseen authority.”
And she's correct that this is a horrible, and racist description.
At the same time however this would be a fairly accurate description of AIPAC from many people's perspectives:
-Has and spends a lot of money to further their goals
-Has top level access to politicians in both political parties
-Could be considered to support policies which are more beneficial to the state of Israel than they are to the United States.
What I wrote above is a valid criticism, is not anti-Semitic, and should not be considered as such. And frankly if I write the above criticism and the first place one's mind goes is to think that its a racist critique, then the problem is *in the mind of the person drawing this false conclusion*.
Additionally to make the assumption that the above critique is prejudicial *because the person making the critique is Muslim* is to go even further and engage in a form of reverse prejudice itself.
So yes, many people here should be very careful about how they interpret and speak about this particular incident and others like it else they're in danger of treading into prejudicial waters.
I wish people *on all sides* would give this more deep thought than it seems to be getting.
'nuff said.
1
Here is a thought exercise: how many elected political figures who support the Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions movement in the US and the UK have NOT been accused of antisemitism? As of today, the answer is basically none. If you support BDS, sooner or layer you will be made to dance the dance that Omar has been dragged through today.
First, an accurate, provable statement that leaves room for interpretation will be held up as concrete proof of antisemitism. Next, in the blink of an eye you will be threatened simultaneously by multiple authority figures who hold direct power over you with ostracism and ruin. Then, once you have been sufficiently cowed, you will be given the chance to repent, with the stern admonishment that you will be on probation for the rest of your career. Finally, when it is almost (but not quite, never truly) over, writers like Michelle Bloomberg will be waiting to grind in the message one final time.
Tow the line, little Muslim woman who dared speak truth to power, or we will ruin you.
It is, of course, an easily verifiable fact that AIPAC and other pro-right wing Israeli (and yes, Jewish) lobbying groups exert a huge influence on US policy, flowing vast amounts of money both directly and indirectly to both major US political parties, whose leaders are eager to receive it and even compete for it. But don't take my word for it. Do some research. I believe Mr. Greenwald himself has made a twitter reference to a few articles on the subject.
1
Anti-Semitism is real and destructive. Israel's anti-democratic policies toward (1) its Palestinian neighbors, (2) Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent, and (3) liberal, Jewish Israeli citizens is real and destructive. All congressional communications should be respectful and factual. It is quite appropriate to highlight the money poured into our political system by donors such as AIPAC. It is not appropriate to paint all Jews as anti-democratic. Many of our most important advocates of justice for ALL are Jewish American citizens. Elevating the discussion makes the truth easier to hear and remedy.
As constituent in Ms. Omar's district, I do not accept her apology. I fear that she is increasingly a prominent voice in the Democratic Party.
She seems to parrot Kremlin propaganda at every turn. For her, Mr. Maduro is a legitimate leader in Venezuela despite the 10% of the population that fled and the support of the opposition by the majority of Western countries. For her, every US foreign policy decision is a result of a vast conspiracy of US-based corporations to subjugate the world. In that Kremlin-perfected narrative, there is also the notion that the root of the problem is the Jews, who control the corporations, the media, and the governments. This worldview has long history and widespread appeal. I bet many of the commenters will find some of it appealing as well.
It is funny how the far right and far left find so much in common with the Kremlin propaganda machine.
7
As a Jew I find it disturbing that any criticism of Israel's policies or of the financial and other influence of Jewish-Americans in support of a foreign country is construed as antisemitism. It is not appropriate to raise the issue of religion when discussing donation and lobbying on domestic issues. (What is the religion of the Koch brothers? Of the financial backers of the NRA? But when the religion of the donors and lobbyists is directly connected to the country they are supporting it is reasonable to identify the connection. Congresswoman Omar did not posit a global Jewish conspiracy to rule the world, only an organized effort on the part of some American Jews to influence American foreign policy towards Israel, a country whose policies many American Jews do not support.
I find the framing of this episode to be too bizarre. It may be simplistic to say AIPAC's disproportionate power in this country is simply a matter of money. But, is tit anti-Semitic? Possibly in some way it might be, or more likely be seen to be.
I find it wonderful to have a public questioning of AIPAC and it's disproportionate role as lobbyist in our country. The more people know about AIPAC's activities, the less they will tolerate it.
I can see why many on both sides of the aisle would want Omar shut down as quickly as possible. I believe they fear being called out for their moral cowardice in the near future.They have had free reign to make ridiculous pro Israel policies for years, that support internationally illegal activities and do not advance American people.
We are a society that needs free speech and public argument. Last year on the Israel- Gaza border 120 people were shot dead (Shot.Dead. Not attacked with a possibly racially associated slur) by the IDF while demonstrating non-violently.
Our our representatives still working out their devastatingly worded response?.
2
Tempest, meet teacup. Ilhan Omar said things that her political opponents -- especially those with their radar attuned to statements by women in Muslim garb -- quickly labeled as totally anti-semitic. At least Omar had the intestinal fortitude to apologize for what she said. When will our "conservative" brothers and sisters do the same?
It is sad that many who claim to care about civil rights, like Ilhan Omar, may apologize yet refuse to absorb a fundamental truth that anyone can be bigoted. Further, as already widely pointed out, this isn't Omar's first time peddling anti-Semitic canards.
Ms. Goldberg, with this piece you're an outlier on the ascendant left of the Democratic Party. As a civil rights attorney it's deeply disturbing reading what the left is writing and saying. Omar is treated as a great redeemer who, in another insidious canard, is persecuted by Jews. The left doesn't cares about anti-Semitism, unbothered that one the first people to praise Omar was David Duke thanking her for taking on "the most powerful political moneybags in American politics."
The left sees this as a sort of great victory for truth, but it's a prescription for Trump's reelection. No, not because of Jews. There aren't enough of them in the first place, and they have no numbers at all in swing states. It's a canary in a coal mine. If the left doesn't wake up and keeps taking extreme, and yes bigoted, positions, it's going to alienate non-Jewish moderates, and Trump will win again.
Finally, it appears you were wrong when you recently wrote, "Anti-Zionism Isn't the Same as Anti-Semitism, American Jews have nothing to fear from the new congressional critics of Israel." As Emma Green just wrote in the Atlantic, those like Omar make having a "nuanced debate about Israel" impossible by "perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes."
4
Don't the Kurds and Pakistanis use the same/similar firms to lobby on their behalf as Israel and its supporters in the US do?
If so, then shouldn't the Kurds and Pakistanis be gleeful at American policies with regard to them?
But look at them: one group (the Kurds) we permit to threaten and dismember virtually every major country in the Middle East, and the other (Pakistan) we continue to shower with military and economic aid even as it actively supports the Taliban who kill our soldiers and undercut our objectives in Afghanistan.
So see, lobbying and money just do NOT work. Not in America. No sir. Bad Congresswoman. Learned your lesson yet?
2
Great column, Ma. Goldberg—thanks. Kevin McCarthy’s hypocrisy is indeed breathtaking.
Scrambling to defend the indefensible.
1
So let me understand the comment about having elders school her in how, what and when to venture off course?
Nothing like voting in a grade school student to administer a college curriculum. What were these voters hearing, seeing and thinking?
Let’s all learn from this is Pelosi’s answer is another example of the diarrhea that spews from her mouth. Embracing and urging Omar on is a sign of weakness, dependency and political capitulation. However, veteran pols know how to align with emerging trends and abort with descending trends in a heartbeat. It will be fun to watch these comedic bumper cars in the coming months.
1
Fear of a smear hides the truth.
Stripping Rep. Omar's committee assignments would be the PROPER response. But Democrats are too anxious not to offend Muslim minorities, many of whom hate the American principle of fair play.
This woman clearly has a lack of assimilation to American traditions, and she is dreadfully ignorant of history involving treatment of the Jews in WWII and throughout world history. At minimum, she should be required to take REMEDIAL COURSES in history and sensitivity as a precondition to saying on these committees.
7
I guess I'm stupid. I really don't see the connection of being an anti-Semite by calling out a lobbyist group that pours millions of dollars of money toward supporting pro-Israel policies, whether these policies are right or wrong.
I think we need to be able to differentiate between a religious group (Jews) and a country (Israel). The modern State of Israel is a country where the majority of the population consists of Jews. So, if I criticize Israel (as a country), and its policies; if I criticize a lobbyist group that supports Israel's policies (right or wrong), that's politics, not anti-semitism. Similarly, if I criticize the United States, that doesn't make me anti-Christian.
I know all about Israel's history and how modern Israel came about. I'm a supporter of Israel and its people. But I don't necessarily support Prime Minister Nentanyahu's policies or behavior. And I'm sure a lot of Jews would agree with me.
1
As a jew, I see nothing wrong with criticizing Aipac on their use of funds to influence policy in the U.S. And frankly, I am tired of their positions having so much apparent sway in Washington when many Jews strongly disagree with their positions.
And it is not just the republicans that Ms Goldberg mentions who they influence. Many democrats are reported to
participate in their trips to Israel, where they are fed a one-sided view of conditions there. And no, use of funds by Aipac to support its efforts is not the only reason why congresspeople support Israel or its policies...but it is one of them.
Clearly, antisemitic tropes around money and influence are abhorrent and must be condemned. But organizations like Aipac or the NRA actually do influence policymakers through their funds. We have to be able to distinguish between money as some false and special tool of Jews from legitimate criticism of Aipac or any other powerful lobbyists, Jewish or not. To fail to do so only plays into further harmful politics.
1
The sub-hed reads: "Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right." There is no such thing as left-wing anti-Semitism, definitionally. You can't be anti-Semitic and left. Omar's statement's were perhaps careless and unaware of all the various "anti-semitic tropes", but they were not anti-semitic. She was stating facts. There appears to be an emerging consensus that anti-Semitism is rising in America, and in extremis, there's an anti-Semite behind every bush.
From someone pushing 70, who's lived all over the Midwest, is related to many Jews, and many self-described hillbillies, this strikes me as patently false. Which is not to say that anti-Semitism still exists, nor that it's not become more toxic with the rise of the alt-right groups and media. But rather that it has become far less prevalent over the past half-century as multi-cultural tolerance has grown.
On the other hand, Americans objection to and even disgust with the brutality of the Israeli government and IDF, and with the overt racism of significant portions of Israeli society, has certainly increased.
Is the false sense of increased anti-Semitism connected to the true sense of anti-Israeli sentiment? Is part of this arising from a perceived need, conscious or unconscious, to rally the troops, as it were, in defense of Zionism? I think it likely, but maybe we need a better level of discussion of this, than the hysteria that so often marks the issue.
Hey Michelle, I'm over here rolling my eyes. The massive response from the media that a comment as benign as "Israeli funded PACs have too much sway on American politics" is anti-Semitic proves that not only do the PACs have too much sway, but the media also suffers from the same problem.
I do not blame Jewish Americans for trying to keep good relations and pro-Israeli policies in the American mainstream. Israel is unquestionably an ally and a significant one in a contentious part of the world. But the reaction and calling anything that is counter to Israeli talking points "anti semitism" is crazy. My family is Iranian, we have a lot of family in Iran, and none of us could care less about there being pro or anti Iran policies in our Government. Criticizing the Ayatollah is obviously not a signal that you are racist towards Persians. Same goes for Canada, Germany, China, etc...
Lastly, Ms. Omar should realize that the image of a muslim in a headscarf criticizing Israeli influence in politics requires more tact than she offered, but what she said is completely true.
2
I do love how you make Kevin McCarthy the primary villain here and make Omar out to be just a naive little lamb who accidentally stumbled into controversy. Did McCarthy write the tweets in question? Whether or not McCarthy had a valid criticism or was just playing cynical politics against her is besides the point. We need to judge Omar's words on their own merit. In this case, she deserved the criticism she got. Remember that plenty of it came from her fellow Dems too. Her most recent tweets are bad enough, but they are made worse by sitting firmly within the context of her previous tweet: "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel". This tweet heavily reeks of a particular strain of rampant anti-Semitism that we see all throughout the Muslim world. It is hardly 'Islamophobic' to point this out. Omar herself refers to the need for 'Allah' to defeat Israel's 'evil'. Her stance against Israel is based in a well-documented religious hatred, not based in rational policy. We all know that this kind of religious hatred of Jews, as sanctioned in the Quran, is very real and widespread and that it drives much of the anti-Israel aggression in the Middle-East. Plenty wish to see Israel completely destroyed. If you find what I am saying horrifying, please educate yourself. It is indeed horrifying. The horror is not in my shedding of light but in the subject revealed. Read the Quran and the Hadith you with understand.
6
If Omar can apologize, so can Al Franken!
4
"deepening this country’s embattled commitment to multiethnic democracy"
Sorry, but you lost me at "multiethnic" and "democracy."
1
Representative Omar has tweeted anti-Semitic comments at least twice. Her apology does not seem sincere. God only knows what she says in private about Israel, Jews, and on other subjects. Pelosi was too soft on her. Omar should be stripped of her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Moreover, Rep. McCarthy should also be vilified for his anti-Semitic comments. Not sure Pelosi can do anything to bring down the Republican leader, but give her a chance and hopefully she will.
6
While the Twitter Mob is attacking Ms. Omar for the mere perception of being insensitive to Jews West Bank and Gaza Palestinians are being actively collectively punished and institutionally marginalized by a country whose sole existence is tied to military aid supplied by the USA.
Ms. Omar's statement not only condemns Israel but also the American political system that equates money with speech. There is nothing illegal about the activities associated with Aipac. By promoting Israeli policies at the expense of Gaza and West Bank Palestinians there is nothing moral about there activities either.
The power of the Israeli lobby and Aipac in Washington D.C. is illustrated by how quickly both Democrats and Republicans have joined to condemn Congresswoman Omar for the awkward if not arguable truth that large sums of money are coordinated and directed toward US politicians on behalf of Israel.
Ms. Goldberg and Congresswoman Omar would be more credible if they also called out Palestinians, and Muslim countries, for their abhorrent acts. Where is the condemnation of acts of terror perpetrated on Israeli citizens, Palestinians handing out candy in the streets to celebrate these acts, the Palestinian government naming streets after those who perpetrate them and paying a stipend to families of those who pepetrate them, of the horrific discrimination against LGBTQ in the Muslim countries, the condemnation of the Palestinian government for not accepting peace offerings with land in 2000 and in 2008? Goldberg and Omar cannot maintain their righteous indignation without at least some criticism of the other neighboring Muslim countries who have no elected leaders, or if they were, seem to rule for life. Omar points to apartheid in Israel, but she cannot point to apartheid in neighboring countries for the simple reason that Jews are not allowed to reside in those countries. Let her and Ms. Goldberg at least make an attempt at even-handedness when there is so much to condemn.
As far as Omar's use of anti-semitic tropes, she cannot help herself; clearly, this is embedded in her. She should just admit that she was born and bred with this view and can't seem to get over it.
Finally, Goldberg writes: "Plenty.......love Israel because it's a nationalistic, pro-American power in the middle of the Middle East." Strange statment. Should the US not support pro-American countries?
4
We have a lot of pc protected groups in the USA. That’s great, and we should all treat these groups like African Americans, Muslims, Native Americans, Gays, Jews, and others with respect.
One cannot claim membership as a Muslim and refugee deserving of protection on one hand, then attack with slurs members of a different group.
1
Maybe Ms. Goldberg should read "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy," authored by two reputable scholars, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt. Both of them were heavily criticized, and yet what they argued was and is common knowledge amongst students of US foreign policy. Representative Omar was simply voicing a well known fact.
2
Good piece. Omar should have been more tactful in her remarks, but the blowback suggests she is right: She said AIPAC is influential, and it is now so powerful that to even suggest that the Israel lobby (chiefly AIPAC) is influential is now to be called anti-semitic. Mearshimer and Walt learned that a few years ago.
Interesting that even on liberal CNN and MSNBC, the premise has generally been accepted that Omar's tweets were anti-semitic.
1
Again, no matter how many times corrected, the false statement in the exact same words, echoed by opinion writers at the Times: "the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement ... seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights" with no description of what those alleged "rights" might be.
So again, the correction: The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in fact seeks to provide millions of multi-generational descendants of Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled Israel at the direction of their own leaders as the Arab world prepared to destroy the newly formed state of Israel in 1948, with a "right of return", an alleged right not granted to any other descendants of refugees anywhere else in the world. And this "right" would make Jewish Israelis a majority in their own, ancient homeland.
As to Ms. Goldberg's belief that "Progressive American Muslims and Jews should be natural allies", they unfortunately already are in fact allies in their common goal of delegitimizing and eliminating the only Jewish majority state in the world.
5
Do we hold Islamophobia and Antisemitism to the same standards? On January 18th the POTUS tweeted that "prayer rugs" were found near the United States' southern border in order to incite fear about dangerous Muslims immigrating into the United States. Where was the backlash to these unfounded claims? Yet when a Muslim woman, who has been a victim to Islamophobia herself, tweets about concerns of United States' controversial policy and foreign relations in Israel, she is immediately attacked as being anti-Semitic.
This raises two questions:
Why do we see two incredibly different standards placed on the POTUS and Ilhan Omar?
Do we live in a political climate where we can question the politics and ethics of the nation of Israel without being labeled "anti-Semitic"?
323
In the early 80's I made several short visits to the Emirate of Ras Al Khaima where we were exploring for oil. The Emir didn't speak English so we communicated via a translator. On one of my visits, after work I met with several of the senior people: the Crown Prince, fluent in English as he was a graduate of the American University in Cairo, his younger brother, a graduate of Michigan State, the Emir senior London adviser. The discussion turned to Palestine and they all complained about the US attitude. I asked why they didn't lobby the Europeans to be more involved. One of them said: "as long as the Israelis have the US Congress in their pocket, no one else matters". A couple of weeks later I saw Itzak Shamir being questioned about Europe's attitude and his response was; "as long as I have the American Congress on my side, the rest is not important". He used, accurately, "Side" rather than "Pocket".
1
Someone enlighten me. Exactly how is saying that a political action committee uses money to achieve influence anti-semitic? PACs exist only to use money to achieve influence. This seems like a non-controversy.
And why is everyone so eager to allow rhetorical fashion ("she shouldn't have used that meme!") to be used as an excuse for intolerance of speech?
Signed,
Perfectly willing to be proved wrong
1
The operative question is: for whose benefit is Omar's tweeting? She is NOT / NOT helping the Palestinians, not one iota. A Palestinian contact told me yesterday that Omar is viewed by the Palestinians as a political liability, a loose cannon whose pronouncements and support for the BDS movement is actually setting back Palestinian interests. Evidence to my mind that the Palestinians understand American politics, better even than some of our own small town "politicians."
3
Who wrote the headline? My thought went immediately to my kids’ book ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day’ and so I wondered if Goldberg would be unequivocal in her condemnation. Sadly, no. The headline’s allusion to a funny children’s tale was spot on.
1
Twitter is no friend of of people in general. When do politicians, “celebrities” and general loudmouths learn that off the cuff, quick public reactions aren’t good ideas? The only thing this so called public forum did for anyone is making its owners rich. Her opinion will always be questioned now, and she only has herself to blame.
5
This famous quote comes to mind:
“One question, among many raised in recent weeks, had to do with whether my financial support in any way influenced several political figures to take up my cause. I want to say in the most forceful way I can: I certainly hope so.”
Charles H. Keating, Jr., who contributed $1.3 million to five US Senators
3
I find it ironic that people who criticize Arabs are never called anti-Semitic. Both Jews and Arabs are Semitic peoples. We need to turn the conversation to civil rights.
Ms. Goldberg presents arguments that enlighten. The ongoing conflicted knee jerk reactions to the Israeli-Palestinian "problem" do nothing to resolve the differences. There are legitimate arguments on both sides of this issue. Often, it doesn't really matter what you say. Just mentioning the problematic behavior on either side is enough to start an a argument or be labeled an anti-Semite. Unfortunately, the history of both sides is little understood and has been thoroughly muddied by the press for many, many years.
I hope Ms. Goldberg continues to enlighten.
6
@Elizabeth
Very reasoned comment. We also need to have a discussion on these issues, where there is not constant false equivalencies interjected to shut down said discussions. It is a chicken and egg thing going on, as to who did what or started what.
The only way to get things done (peace - a two state solution) is for the U.S. interject itself in between and demand that all parties negotiate in good faith while disregarding all that has happened up to now.
Just a thought.
1
The issue seems to be far more empirical than one of of sentiment because, after all, the flow of money is fairly easy to trace.
So first you ask about , and then measure, the sum of moneys involved in contributions to a lobby group and that which is spent.
It would seem as if the young congresswoman erred by failing to do the math; my bet is that the sum is substantial.
Or are Americans of Jewish faith seriously denying the money/influence nexus as such?
Also, of course, one must consider the amount that American Jews give to Israel as individuals. Ditto the 4.5 billion dollars stipend given to Israeli 'defense'.
So in a larger sense, it might be said that she's on to something that her senior colleagues prefer to deny: the origin of support for Israel has a lot to do with lobbying--which is ultimately based on money...
1
I wish I could be invited to my high school reunion. I said something that offended someone once.
Perhaps reach out to the people you’ve offended. It must have been really bad if you are not invited back, I have personally never heard about someone being disinvited to their high school reunion. I understand being too ashamed to go. What did you do? It must’ve been pretty bad. Here’s how to do it. Own your mistake. Apologize for what YOU did. Ask for forgiveness. Be grateful for it when it’s granted. Move forward.
I totally understand the concerns of anti-Semitism and how political statements like that of Rep. Omar meant to highlight the disproportional and unelected power and influence some lobbies have over our politics, can feed into old anti-Jewish tropes, and one certainly needs to be vigilant against such things. However the response to Rep. Omar does seem totally disproportional. There are several congressmen and senators out there who have no trouble trading in Islamophobic tropes, and actually use that as a strategy to gain votes and support, but no one seems too concerned with them, no one is writing letters or opinions to criticize them or censuring them in Congress. For efforts to combat anti-Semitism to be effective and genuine, all forms of bigotry in Congress and rest of our political scene need to be addressed equally forcefully, including the raging and ubiquitous Islamophobia.
6
"Personally, I’m happy to accept her apology."
Omar's apology yesterday was one of a several she has made on this subject in recent years. She sees these apologies as the cost doing business--the business of advancing her agenda on Israel--and treats them accordingly.
8
Suggesting that a government that is lobbied and paid off to support a State that routinely behaves illegally does not make the person who suggested it guilty of being against the people of that State - but does allow those who are lobbied and the State involved the opportunity to hide behind the outrage they create.
3
This is most certainly a very good learning moment for Representative Omar and the rest of us. Rarely do we get a chance to learn from each other and move forward. It appears that Ms. Omar has had such a moment.
Moving forward, I hope that Representatives Omar and Tlaib use there unprecedented positions in Congress to shake things up. Yes, the Netanyahu government is corrupt and it is his hold on power that that is most likely keeping him out of the courts (sounds familiar). But just as Israelis can't oust Trump, Americans can't oust Bibi. That will be up to Israelis.
But were these two women can have an impact is in helping Palestinians and Israelis search for that elusive peace two-state solution. Hopefully the next Israeli elections bring in a new government. And hopefully our own 2020 election will do the same. And then maybe, these two women can use their influence in government to encourage peace.
2
All politicians — indeed everyone — should read the JFREJ report you mention. Before I read this I was thinking, yesterday, on hearing about this story, that I hoped Omar would read it. Thanks for including it in this piece.
1
Criticizing the human rights violations of a country, and suggesting that special interest groups play a role in the continuation of policy in support of that country is not anti-Semitism.
This is using identity politics to suppress dissent and maintain the status quo of cruelty towards the Palestinians.
4
I'm happy to see Omar rebuked. I think there is better reason to believe she's far more than just critical of Israel. Why a Somali is anti Israel is likely for religious reasons. It's not a surprise. Really, it's too predictable.
Omar is a great example of someone who gets elected by people who largely think the way she does, and many who might not but who are more concerned about her as a symbol of "diversity is strength" or something other cliché- a bad reasons to vote for someone.
She will, if she wants to continue to be elected, need to tone down her back- and front-door antisemitism. She's also been an apologist for Muslim terrorists and their sympathizers.
The criticism of Omar has real substance. The criticism of Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appears to be more typical as politically expedient, but not really credible. Suggesting that McCarthy is engaging in antisemitism is a real stretch. Few would privately characterize his rhetoric that way, including on the left. It is definitely not a stretch to make the assumption with Illhan Omar.
It would be nice to see such nuanced criticism applied more broadly, rather than the unsubstantiated jabs at the opposition that target legions of the uninformed.
6
Simple question -
Can we be done with this whole incident?
Time to stop the conversation - she apologized - let's move on to more pressing concerns.
1
The members of the Democratic party will destroy it by vying the self righteous, narrow-minded, virulent left supporting Omar against the truly progressive, but reasonable minded Democrats preferring results over platitudes and just feeling self-important and superior.
Over time, a third party in the middle of reasonable, well-informed Dems and Republicans who do not make "the good the enemy of the perfect," not interested in dictating how one should think, act, or feel (like the far right and far left do), will emerge, if we are lucky.
5
Even a whiff of this kind of language from a republican would result in howls of outrage across the land - and across the NYT comments section above all. It is astonishing that readers afford filigree justification to Omar's comments even while accusing the right not just of racism but of the kind of tribalism that gives Trump and his menagerie a free pass. Just because they can't bear to believe that someone with protected characteristics - a woman, a Muslim, and a Democrat - might not be pure as spring water.
The story here is that a left-wing Muslim congresswoman harbored and peddled standard anti-semitic tropes. Those tropes are rife in the Muslim community as well as, increasingly, on the left in general. See the case of Naz Shah in the UK, or the blowup over Labour antisemitism, for another example.
This pattern should surprise nobody. And no surprise, either, that the left is precisely as tribal as the right, precisely as unwilling to acknowledge facts right in front of their face if they contradict their ideological beliefs. And least of all a surprise that anti-semitism simply takes on whatever mask is available in the moment.
Being a Democrat does not get you a free pass - it doesn't even imply you're more virtuous than the others.
13
I'm confused. Is it opposition to racism and prejudice in general that motivate Rep. Omar's colleague-critics, or, is it just a hyper sensitivity to anything that may be construed as anti-semitic, specifically? It's curious to me that her use of the term "Benjamin" has sparked such an outcry because of possible anti-semitic applications when associated with an organization that is well-known to grease the troughs of those politicians who are only too eager to gobble up THOSE Benjamins and then eagerly "defend by deflecting" that organization from the dire existential threat posed by one of only two Muslim legislators, both women, in a crowd of 535. Why the communal clutching-at-pearls? You'd think that if these people were really opposed to prejudice and racism in general, to the unfair but widespread depiction of an ethnic group and to the perpetration of demeaning ethnic tropes, they'd be protesting the name and logo of Washington, DC's NFL franchise on a daily basis. But then again, no Benjamins in taking that moral/ethical stance, is there? DC loses nothing to Holly- or Ballywood for acting, song and dance; depending on who's paying for the music.
1
Reading the remarkably tone-deaf and thoughtless responses to a very thoughtful article, I am struck by the fact that it is both necessary and hopeless.
Yes, criticism of the Israeli Occupation is warranted, even necessary. By the same token, repeating tropes from the PROTOCOLS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION is not.
Rep Omar sees the difference. Too bad her defenders do not.
3
Minnesota once boasted it had a proud tradition of being represented by progressive politicians including Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Not any more. Ilhan Omar in in way over her head in Congress.
8
The dems would be wise to stop using the language crafted by the right of what it means to criticize "Israel." The left main objections are to the far right wing policies and pro-settlement actions by the Likud and the powerful Israeli right - the natural counterparts to the far right republicans here in the US. Focus criticism on the Likud - and link them to US republicans and their increasing extremism. Donald Trump loves to think that criticizing him is Anti-American, and we know to avoid that trap. Why is that analogy lost on the left in discussing Israel?
1
Hmmm... in office a couple of weeks and already catching fire for antisemetic tweets? Here's some advice: stop tweeting, it's not that cool. Use the power of your role as a leader in this country to create positive change through actions and policy.
3
Dear Ms. Omar,
Thank you for your courage in the fight against the corruption of the US Congress. Thank you also for your fight for Palestinian rights. Please do not abandon your principles under the interogations and pressures that will surely fall upon you.
3
"Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right."
It sure is.
I posited the same thought in Bret Stevens column a week ago and it was met with deafening silence. People on different sides of this issue have gotten so "dug in" that they can't even bring themselves to confirm or even acknowledge the statement of an irrefutable fact.
This "left-wing" anti-semitic "base" if you will feels like it is metastasizing after many years of relative dormancy. While it will never garner the sheer numbers of Trump's vaunted "base" of racists and dead enders, it does have similar, troubling aspects to it, and represents an existential threat to party cohesion.
While I don't envision a mad rush to the exits by Jewish dems, this is undeniably going to pose a vexing problem for historically Jewish democrats and the leadership of the party to prevent this from becoming an irreparable breach.
I've never viewed the right's support of Israel and Jews in this country as sincere. It's always been completely "transactional", not based upon any moral underpinnings, and as such I would never trust their offers of support.
As was cited in the article, Kevin McCarthy's statement of support was as laughable as it was cynically hypocritical.
This is going to get much worse before it gets better, if it ever does.
2
AIPAC, like every other lobbying organization, gathers and spends money to influence our government. It's silly to argue otherwise.
Our political leaders are very protective of their funding sources. Because AIPAC has supported politicians on both sides of the aisle, they get bipartisan protection, and Ilhan gets biipartisan rebuke for criticizing them.
But us regular civilian Americans are sick and tired of our government being owned by the NRA, the Chamber of Commerce, various industrial lobbies and groups like AIPAC. We were brought up to believe that we live in a democracy.
2
I want the Twitter accounts of every individual who holds public office cancelled. This is no way to have public discourse. Then I want a full and rigorous debate about the merits of unprecedented measures included in Senate bill S-1, just passed there and headed to the House.
This package of bills compromises the free speech rights of American citizens for the benefit of a foreign country by penalizing boycotts against Israel. That's not acceptable no matter what the foreign country.
Another measure included would make it a law -- an American law -- that taxpayers transfer nearly $40 billion to Israel over the next 10 years. This binds two administrations beyond the current one.
And, by the way, AIPAC spent $3.5 million last year lobbying for these bills as reported yesterday in the Washington Post.
3
How naïve to say that Ms. Omar's tweets were not anti-Semitic. She knows actually what she is doing, and she has the same goals as others who speak for Hamas or Hezbollah: that the Jews be driven into the sea. Her fellow congresswoman Ms. Tlaib says the same. She too had been called out for anti-Semitism. The two ladies represent constituencies that are largely middle eastern or Somali and those constituencies espouse " freeing Palestine" from the Jews. Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat leadership condemned Ms. Omar's comments for being exactly what they were and that is blatant Anti-Semitic tropes. And, to blame Trump for it, is a bit much. We can blame him for almost all else negative, but these two member of the House are the ones who hold beliefs and state them which are antithetical to all America stands for, and these ladies are the source of this cancer, not Trump. The last thought here is that Ms Omar is not finished with her tweeting. She will continue and she will bring along others to her anti-Semitic cause including her colleague the now somewhat influential AOC.
10
How sad that the head of the Dems, Pelosi, slammed the new congresswoman for her criticism of AIPAC and her so-called "anti-semitic" tropes. Omar has rightfully called out the way PAC money in politics plays so large a place in creating policy--in this case, policy toward Israel. I support the boycott. And what I see as the intent behind Omar's critique. I reject any implication that, in doing so, I myself am anti-semitic. We need to frame better responses to what is going on in the Middle East and to question Israel's missteps and beyond. In general there is too much PAC money of all kinds ruining our democracy, holding congresspeople hostage.
5
She's young and inexperienced. But, this is not surprising in light of the rather insular community in which she has grown up and lives. She's been saying things like this and tweeting them for a long time, so nothing much new here. But, as a Member of Congress who represents a district with a significant Jewish population, she needs to understand that she is not the elected official of only her friends and family. She must represent her entire district. And, she needs to support her party's line. Her remarks could have been phrased differently and have been less impulsive. Or, as many of us have said to the President, just don't hit the send button. This event may engender more discussion among with her constituents on a face-to-face basis. She also needs to learn that politics is still personal, despite Twitter and Facebook.
167
Yes, she is young and inexperienced. Experience does matter….Young Congressional representatives without prior experience in government would really benefit from mentoring relationships. And everyone everywhere it would benefit from the demise of Twitter.
44
Ms. Goldberg should do more research into the influence of money in U.S. politics, and pay more attention to the treatment of Palestinians by Israel's government. The U.S. government has a history of financially supporting governments that treat their citizens and neighboring countries and/or peoples poorly. This is yet another example.
1
Michelle Goldberg draws an important distinction between criticizing AIPAC as a highly influential lobbying organization and doing so by invoking anti-Semitic memes.
By invoking the memes, Omar miss-stepped. She has apologized for the themes and imagery that she employed.
Yet her criticism of AIPAC is on target and not anti-Semitic: AIPAC lobbies vigorously to win US support for Israeli policies that many of us deplore, including by investing millions of dollars in American political campaigns and attacking, including with charges of anti-Semitism, American opponents of the Netanyahu administration's policies.
That's fact, not meme, not myth. So long as Omar does not stray into anti-Semitic stereotypes, she should not feel afraid to speak out.
291
The hyperbolic reaction to this situation only serves to convince me Omar's underlying point is correct. That, much like the NRA, the pro-Israel lobby is so powerful in Washington that politicians will trip over each other to denounce any comment that might upset their political benefactors in the harshest possible terms.
The word of the day in Washington is "trope," as this is the term the critics have found to characterize the congresswoman's tweets as "anti-semitic," despite the fact that she made no actual anti-semitic remarks. But as long as we are using this word, what about the "trope" of assuming that any comment made by a muslim legislator regarding the influence of AIPAC on foreign policy must be anti-semitic?
It's time to stop this nonsense of defending the policies of Israel, the country, by attacking any critics as being anti-semites. In a supposedly secular country, religious hypersensitivities should play no part in a robust policy debate.
4
In essence, Goldberg is saying here that Omar should have known to capitulate, in some presumably "reasonable" way, to one degree or another, to the pernicious trope (and it is the real trope in this room) intoned by right-wing conservatives that criticism of Israel is tantamount to anti-Semitism. The trope is nonsense and it should be rejected out of hand every single time it is advanced, without the slightest accommodation, as the brazenly dishonest, fringe view which it is - a proposition, by the way, with which many Jews agree. In this respect, it is to good see Michael B. English's comment on this article getting the recognition it deserves. Omar indeed had nothing whatsoever to apologize for, and any suggestion that this sordid episode somehow represents her fall from grace is downright inane. Omar should ignore it with all the contempt it deserves, and continue to tell the truth.
200
OoofDah. Once again I learn of how much I don't know and through the reference to the content of the article and the "...guide to help progressives understand anti-Semitism..." cited in the article am better informed and aided to express my opposition to our country's support of what I have learned from reading and personal contacts over a 40 year period to be oppression. Although I have never seen Jews as doing the oppression my knowledge of how to not wander into anti-Semitic territory is now improved, I hope. Thank you.
1
"Evangelicals, a far bigger constituency than American Jews, tend to be pro-Israel for religious reasons."
That may be true, but are Evangelicals funding a powerhouse lobbying group to sway opinions about Israel?
I don't know if they are or are not, but if they were, and if I called that out, and disagreed with those same Israel policies, does that mean I would be spouting anti-Christian rhetoric?
1
I’m beginning to think the Democrats want Trump to win.
4
Yes they are and the left cannot help themselves from giving that gift.
They truly are not even close to as smart and diabolical as the right. They don’t know the game, they shoot from the hip and apologize later.
The right has both Cortez and Omar in their sights.
Laughable. Young, inexperienced girls will lose this election for us.
Again.
3
This just goes to show that you cannot paint with a broad brush in politics, and everyone has an agenda. Even the “victims”.
AIPAC is a political advocacy organization that supports the Israeli Occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people. It attempts to help elect pro-Israeli politicians in the US and influence US policy. Part of its efforts involve endorsements which hope to stimulate campaign donations. All legal activities, and calling out its role in American politics is not antisemitism. And every thinking adult understands that money influences the behavior of elected officials.
1
Thanks for this thoughtful article Michelle Goldberg!
1
Omar's "hypnotized' tweet was awful.
But pointing out the influence of AIPAC is not anti-semitic.
It is, however, deeply impolitic. Especially since Omar is Muslim.
If any other elected representative pointed out the influence of any other well known lobbying group, this would have passed by without a thought.
1
Ilhan Omar states on her web site platform- "End sanctions and embargoes against countries, which ultimately only hurt the working families of those countries."
So, why does she support BDS and the efforts of its supporters to isolate working Israelis and academics from contributing their skills and efforts? Is it because Jews are different? Because Israel is different? I think the answer speaks for itself.
Sadly, until Palestinians and their allies on the left (including Michelle Goldberg) respect Israel the same way as they respect others, they will only feed into the right wing Israeli narrative that there can be no peace and that their only response can be occupation and force.
4
Let's cut directly to the core issue. AIPAC has a large influence in the US Congress, at least according to Mearsheimer and Walt. It is very well documented. Personally, I know a number of people who get emails from AIPAC to 'send a check to so-and-so' in some Congressional race.
Second, the Project for a New American Century suckered Bush/US into Iraq, it is still trying to foment a war with Iran, and it is loaded up with pro-Israel people like Bolton and Wolfowitz. Netanyahu is quite pleased. They continue to do extreme damage to the USA (my country!) by supporting the Medieval destruction of Yemen and cutting off the fingers of journalists.
This is all legal, very legal. I believe that lobbies, all of them, should be illegal. Industrial, political, extra-national, business lobbies. A senator or congressperson should represent their constituents, the actual Americans who pay taxes but are seldom represented, and no one else. What's wrong with that? This is not anti-Semitic any more than it is anti-gun lobby and anti-tobacco lobby.
4
Where are the calls for her resignation. If a Republican had done this, the media would have called for his or hers resignation. But because this woman is a Democrat she gets her wrists slapped. Clearly there is a double standard. Which sadly is not surprising.
4
Ms. Omar may want to reflect on the history of Muslim countries before she denigrates others.
Are there any Muslim countries that tolerate other religious beliefs?
Answer: few if any.
9
For American Jews to support current Israeli policy without condition is to invite criticism of an irrational bias. There should always be room for critique of the Right. To suppress issues with Netanyahu and the Likud party is to deny not just healthy dissent but freedom of expression itself. Is that the lesson to learned from the Jewish historical experience?
2
Perhaps Ms. Omar should not twitter about Israel or Palestine without asking Ms Tlaib, who is clearly the smarter of the two, for advice first. She is not doing much of a service, causing all these distractions from the really important human rights issues here. And as to one of her earlier tweets: Please leave God out of it.
Just look at the comments of your readers and any other real news paper articles on this subject.
They overwhelmingly disagree with you. Nothing she said was racial in nature.
2
Michelle, I too would be happy to accept Omar's "apology" -- if I believed she meant it. But in that same apology you quote, Omar continued, "At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry." In other words, she lumps AIPAC in with other organizations that she clearly considers evil. I don't think any of us should be fooled by her hollow words.
6
Enjoyed a well balanced and nuanced article. I do think it a stretch to see any link between the Jewish tropes and the Congresswoman's actual words. AIPAC is obviously supported primarily by Jewish money, but I agree that should not be considered any different than Irish American support for an Ireland independent of England, American Poles support of Polish independance, etc. I disagree with the Congresswoman if she thinks otherwise. But AIPAC's policies and existence are fair game. Those policies and that role as a lobby can be disputed. Good also is the irony of Kevin McCarthy as a crusader for political correctness. Need to see more of that.
Omar and Tlaib are only the most recent examples of the democrats problems trying to develop an inclusive and coherent message despite catering to anyone complaining of victimization by social oppression. The Jewish vote is not as consequential as the Hispanic, African American or LGBQT vote. Jews are about 2% of the electorate while Hispanics are 24%, African Americans are 14% and the LGBQT more than twice that of Jews at 4.5%. When there are conflicts between their factions, they do what the rest of the world does, they cut deals to minimize the damage and the minority loses out. American Jews have voted democratic in a large majority ever since FDR despite a long history of being sold out by the leadership of the party that seeks to retain the fealty of oppressed mentalities. Notable episodes that illustrate this soft tolerance for antisemitism among party leadership includes Jesse Jackson's embrace of Farrakhan, Sharpton's op-ed apology for fanning the flames of antisemitism with his rhetoric, pressure on Joe Lieberman to meet with Farrakhan during the VP run and most recently the leadership of a Women's march. I don't understand the Jewish loyalty to the democratic party.
2
Would someone please delve into Somalia's history with regard to Human Rights? PLEASE!
At this point we are dealing with a textbook case of hypocrisy.
5
Can we do a Al Franken do over? Since his resignation, we have, at the least; Kavanaugh - Sex assault, Northam and Herring - Racist and Fairfax - sex harassment. All stayed in position or were elevated. Times are changing. Society is either becoming desensitized or so politically driven that the acts committed (or in some cases alleged to have been committed) will be allowed to slide.
2
The new democratic leaders are not the seasoned players as in the congress. They will make mistakes and learn along the way. But l like that not being so politically correct is stirring people to talk and do something about the issues. Has Israel not committed atrocities on the palestinians, why shouldnt others be mad?
@Gene
I am amazed at how good Israel is to the Palestinians. Israel delivers hundreds of truckloads of food & supplies to Gaza every day even though Gazans persecuted Jews for centuries & have fired thousands of rockets & mortars at innocent Israeli civilians. Israeli doctors treated 180,000 Palestinians last year. Israel even treats members of Hamas in Israeli hospitals.
2
So is criticizing the effect of AIPAC money on our elected representatives off the table? I'm an American Jew, but despise the Netanyahu government, the repressive occupation of the West Bank, and the building of settlements. I believe that America's unequivocal support of Israel has hurt our nation, and that perhaps if we had a more even handed approach peace would be closer at hand. So what language am I permitted to use, that won't be deemed anti-Semitic? Even more so, what language would a Muslim-American be permitted to use?
3
@Gary
On Dec. 2, 1947, just days after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to partition historic Palestine into Jewish and Arab-ruled sections, the Ulama or chief scholars of Sunni Islam of Al-Azhar University in Cairo– the leading university of the Arab World– issued a fatwa calling on the world’s Muslims to launch a Jihad to destroy the incipient Jewish state. It was reiterated by the Ulama, in April 1948, days before the Egyptian Army and three other Arab armies attacked Palestine, giving the campaign a “religious imprimatur.” The fatwa was reissued later that year.
“It was clear the Arabs had lost the war,” Morris said, but reissuing the Fatwa signaled it was meant “to stand for future years, for future generations, for whatever bout there will be against the Jews.”
As noted in his book and repeated at the conference, Matiel Mighannam, a Lebanese Christian woman who headed the Arab Women’s Organization in Palestine, affiliated with the Arab High Command, told an interviewer: “The UN decision has united all Arabs as they have never been united before, not even against the Crusaders.” She added that a Jewish state had no chance to survive and “All the Jews will eventually be massacred.”
4
I am disgusted and shaken by this whole incident. Omar was making a simple statement warning about the outsized influence this very wealthy and powerful lobbying group exerts on the votes and policies of congressmen and women. I can barely express the absurdity of reading any "antisemitic tropes" into such a reasonable and irrefutable statement.
This at a time when every Dem in Congress, including all candidates so far, have been speaking out loud and clear about the anti-democratic, corrosive danger of dark money and influence peddling in the wake of Citizens United decision. But suddenly, if Aipac is the org in question, it suddenly becomes antisemitism? Aipac, like every other lobbying firm in DC, spreads a ton of payola around DC and the statehouses in order to buy support and votes. DUH. They would be the first to admit it. What else does the suddenly aghast Democrats think the organization exists for?
Of course Omar was 100% factually correct, and her pithy observation is simply an obvious fact of life in today's politics. Somehow it's OK to complain about corrupt lobbyist vote-buying when it's from the NRA or Pharma or the tobacco lobby, but when it's Aipac this is suddenly a "hurtful stereotype and caricature"? Puh-leeeze. This pearl-clutching, sputtering faux-outrage is disgusting, and an embarrassment to the party; and it makes me very queasy about the prospects of this Dem majority actually doing the right thing when push comes to shove.
Dark days ahead . . .
2
If folks like Bloomberg, Steyer, and Soros were not using their huge amounts of money to influence elections, I could see the antisemitic angle. But they are and do, so it makes perfect sense to call it out. This pathological need that some have to throw around accusations of racism, antisemitism, sexism, etc. every time anyone on their side of the political process is challenged is laughable, and a little sad.
1
Being anti-Trump does not mean being anti-American. Let's keep this in mind when throwing stones.
Goldberg has it wrong regarding BDS and has it wrong about Omar's walk back. BDS from its origin has an agenda designed to isolate Israel among all world nations and eventually eliminate it. (See comments from its founder Omar Barghouti). BDS sounds good to the far left, with its use of sanctions to trade for rights for Palestinians, but its Western supporters ignore the part that their goal is to eliminate Israel as a nation. I think Goldberg gladly ignores that part, and wears her Jewish background as a badge of honor to do so, but it is intellectually dishonest.
Further, if indeed Israel were to be forced by the BDS into a treaty, with whom should they negotiate? Hamas whose charter calls for her elimination? Abbas who refuses to sit with Netanyahu or any other Israeli leader? Since dead Palestinians for having the courage to call out terror (and who faced their demise by groups like Hamas)? Goldberg is naive.
Rep Omar has a long history and that history plays a role into her current comments. You don't erase years of dabbling with anti-Semitic diatribes with a single tweet, particularly after a series of inflammatory anti-Semitic statements. If she is to be believed, she has a lot of work to do, but I doubt she will ever come around to the American Government's support of Israel as an independent free nation.
7
In the blessed days before Twitter, the freshmen in the House kept their head down, stayed quiet and learned. I miss those days now that they can all tweet to their heart's content and inevitably make fools of themselves.
3
Rep. Omar spoke the truth. The backlash alone proves the power AIPAC and its fellow pro-Israeli lobbies holds over congress as they have for the past 30 or so years.
What's unfortunate is how easy criticism of Israel's vast and overwhelmingly well-funded misinformation campaigns in the United States can so easily be warped to resemble criticism from actual anti-semites.
Whether it's part of the pro-Israel lobby's decades-in-the-works strategy or just coincidence, it is alarmingly effective and leaves the U.S. unquestionably backing another country much to the detriment of American foreign-policy interests, its reputation in the international community and at great cost to American taxpayers through billions of dollars in annual military aid.
@Magicwalnuts
What does Hamas want to do after it defeats Israel?
When the rocket attacks first began against Israel, a senior Hamas leader, Dr. Yunis Al-Astal, published an article in the Hamas journal, Al-Risala, where he compared Hamas’ al-Qassam rockets to the Manjaniq catapult which the Prophet Muhammad used against the Jews of Khaybar. The fall of Khaybar, he explained, opened the gates of the Byzantine Empire to Muslim conquest and was the first step towards the fall of Constantinople. Now, the fall of Israel, he said, would open the gates of Europe to Islam and lead to the fall of Rome.
Hamas MP and cleric Al-Astal proclaimed in 2008, “We will conquer Rome, and from there continue to conquer the two Americas and even Eastern Europe” (Al-Aqsa TV, April 11, 2008)
It’s in our interest to have Israeli soldiers fighting Hamas over there rather than needing to have American soldiers fight Hamas over here.
1
I appreciate the automatic sense of alarm that any discussion of Israel may cause many Americans for any number of reasons. You mention Ms. Omar's response to the writer from the Jewish publication, "Aipac!" as though the statement itself is damning within that context. It's not. It's almost charismatic in its simplicity and sincerity (and representative of many American Jewish sentiments). Also, you seem to take issue with the timing of Omar's statement, "but at a moment when..." as somehow obtuse. Your estimation, here, is also incorrect. Entanglement in violence abroad cannot be a basis for good faith efforts to build domestic peace. Just as the moment to talk about guns is now, the moment to re-visit many American diplomatic relationships is now, as well. Finally, it's as though you've quietly chosen to elide the fact that AIPAC and the Religious Right have a somewhat nebulous relationship serving economic evangelism on the one hand and religious messianism on the other. clever you.
I agree with Representative Ilhan Omar. Glad someone had the guts to say it.
I have always wondered what the real meaning of anti-semitism is. I had a friend who told me she would never visit Israel because of political reasons. She insisted she was not anti-Semetic pointing out her many Jewish friends. Ww would often discuss the issues. Mine being pro and con of Israel policies yet believing Isreal had the right to exist no matter what. It is a highly emotional issue on both sides To this day I wonder . Was this person being anti semitic?
1
It was sobering to read the comments on the original story about this matter and see so much Israel hate, even from Jews. "I'm Jewish but..."
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Ilhan can apologize, but we now know what's in her heart. For Americans not so familiar with Islam's customs, especially the covering of the hair, the point is about modesty. Her Hermes or Hermes-lookalike scarf, jewelry, and nail polish indicate a lack of belief in the custom, hence a politician like all the rest, ie, do what it takes to get elected. She doesn't cover her hair, she's not so popular in her district.
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So, no passes for her on the religion thing, no going overboard with Trump hate to defend Muslims. It's doubtful that's her foundational religious belief. She just learned to hate Israel from it.
5
Goldberg is fundamentally right about Omar, but at the same time proliferates anti-Semetism with the misconception that the BDS movement is about Palestinian rights. She writes in this article "...BDS movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights." In that statement Goldberg becomes part of problem in the rise in anti-Semitism. This is a perfect example of how propagada is proliferated by ignorance. BDS supporters may be supporting BDS in support of Palestinian rights, but the BDS movement, at is foundation and at its leadership level, is about the destruction of Israel.
8
Denigration of the ethnicity or religion of Jews is anti-Semitism. Criticism of the politics of governments and organizations is not. Omar's comments are clearly the latter. The notion that she invoked anti-Semitic tropes is a defensive smokescreen. If she criticized the lobbying of the NRA that would be ok, but if she criticizes the similar lobbying of AIPAC it's an anti-Semitic trope Nonsense. There is nothing inherently racist about criticizing the fiscal policies of Jews or any other religious or political or national group.
232
AIPAC, like the NRA, uses money to buy influence. That's a fact. It's not anti-Semitic.
Shame on Dems for suggesting legitimate criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic.
3
And yet Kevin McCarthy has nothing to say as Donald Trump continues encouraging white supremacy. Talk about a double standard!
1
What Omar said was not meant to be anti-semite. She was merely pointing out a fact. Omar is just not playing the politics of Washington, where we are suppose to pretend that lobbying groups DO NOT control policy outcomes. Mrs. Goldberg, anyone who knows anything about anything in politics knows that is exactly the purpose of groups like Aipac. And anyone who has been paying attention knows that they are in fact a very effective and influential. What they do not do is represent the sentiments of Jewish peoples around the world toward Palestinian people, but rather represent powerful international interests that do have an impact on the what happens in this part of the world.
Your sensationalist miss-characterization of Omar's remarks (never mind in the front page of the NY Times), which obviously had nothing to do with her sentiments toward fellow jewish people around the world, but rather with the annihilation of Palestinian people under the politics of a few but very powerful interests, is what makes these politics poisonous.
It is too bad that Goldberg and the NY Times feel that in order to attract readers they need to turn to this sort of tabloid like "journalism"
2
@Luz
In 2017, 39,000 Syrians were killed, 96% by Assad’s forces, but no one called that the annihilation of the Syrian people. So if Syria’s killing 39,000 Syrians isn’t the annihilation of the Syrian people, then how can Israel’s killing 89 Palestinians in 2017, most of whom were attacking innocent Israelis, be called the annihilation of Palestinian people?
5
MICHELLE you say "Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs."
You are fully aware that Omar said "AIPAC" not "Jews" yet you chose to claim "anti-semitism". This linkage I do not accept. You are also aware that she previously referred to "Israel" and not "Jews".
What Ms Omar said about AIPAC is 100% true. It is public knowledge with the actual stupendous amounts paid into Congress readily available on the internet.
2
Representative Ilhan Omar’s tweet was inappropriate and wrong. She has every right to criticize Israel and AIPAC, but her tweet crossed the line, whether intended or not, by drawing on the anti-Semitic trope of Jews controlling the world with their money and power. She was right to apologize quickly.
However, let’s look at the blatant and absolute double standard when in comes to the response from Democrats vs Republicans to bigotry, racism, hatred. Where are the apologies from Trump for advocating Muslim Ban, lying that American Muslims in NJ celebrated the 9/11 attacks, stating that Islam hates the West, for attacking a Muslim American gold star family, for saying most Mexicans coming to this country are rapists, drug dealers, murderers, the racist Birtherism about Obama, that there are good people among neo-Nazis/KKK, retweetig white nationalist tweets, anti-Semitic tweets about Jewish globalists, 18 lies a day, regular and constant racist, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, sexist, bigoted, hateful tweets/statements. No apology ever needed.
Pompeo, Bolton, Miller, Bannon, Gorka, Cruz, Rubio, Cotton, DeSantis - and so many more Republicans in power - are open and blatant Islamophobes. Not only no apology, but insistence that their Islamophobia is justified/critically required and/or Islamaphobia does not even exist. If you expose them, it’s out of control PC.
But attacking Rep. Omar’s tweet is not out of control PC. And her apology had to be instant.
3
Sigh. This is why journalists have no credibility anymore (spoiler alert: Trump didn't invent that; he just exploited it). Goldberg has built her career on being super-lefty and super-progressive and has probably even herself written a thing or two in the past about the need to call out the bad actions of the current Israeli government and protect Palestinians from human rights abuses and apartheid. Yet here she is, joining the chorus of those who falsely equate stating the obvious-- that AIPAC is very influential with respect to US foreign policy-- with anti-Semitism. This is why people say Dems don't really stand for anything; they move any way the wind blows 'em.
That paragraph thrown in in an effort to save herself is absurd. It moves from rightly explaining the comment that was made and how ACCURATE it is to lumping in this accurate statement with centuries worth of anti-Semitic lore to which it decidedly *does not allude.* As far as I know, Omar never said JEWS have an outsized political influence on anything. She said AIPAC does. AIPAC does not equal all Jews, or even all Israelis!
1
Gee, Michelle: Is that what you really care about - that this calumny was a "gift to the Republicans?" What about her older comment about Israel "hypnotizing" the world?
It must have have hurt to come this far!
1
It's hard to condemn people on the right for peddling conspiracy theories about George Soros when those on the left do the same with the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson. Is it anti-semitism because the rich man in question is a Jew? Nobody says it's anti-WASP when people criticize the Koch brothers. Ms. Omar was hardly quoting the Protocol of the Elders of Zion.
Aipac tries to influence American voters and American policy. Russia tries to influence American voters and American policy. The point: trying to influence American voters and American policy has nothing to do with anti-Semitism.
Jews do not have a copyright on "semitism." Semitism refers to a language group, not a religion or a nationality. Maltese is a Semitic language and Arabic is the most widely spoken Semitic language on earth.
Israel proclaims itself to be a "Jewish and Democratic state." Why is is the Jewish and Democratic state of Israel considered to be secular but the Islamic Republic of Iran is considered to be theocratic?
Judaism is a fine religion but it is no better than any other religion. Jews are fine people but they are no better than goyims.
The only reason criticisms of Israel are interpreted as being anti-Jewish is because "secular" Israel makes that point ad nauseum. Israel deserves to be criticized, and criticized harshly for its bigoted treatment of Palestinians. This does not imply or insinuate that the state of Israel is illegitimate or should be given back to Palestinians. Please accept that.
Lastly, Ms. Goldberg, it is you who wrote "Consciously or not, Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs." Ms. Omar did not say that. You invoke anti-Semitism when Omar's criticism was of the Israeli lobby Aipac.
1
STOP. Just stop. Repeating this narrative is tiring.
Being critical of Israel is NOT antisemetic. If anyone meddles in our elections the most, it's Israel, not the Russians. AIPAC influence should be criticized.
And criticizing billionaires with political aspirations (why are they taken seriously by the corporate media as candidates anyway, just because they're rich???) who just happen to be Jewish isn't antisemetic either.
1
Maybe stop othersplaining to our new Reps? They got elected. We did not. Not mature enough. Not black/white enough. Enough pedantry.
Ms Goldberg: you state Omar Ilhan "...has also come under attack for supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights." Your statement is a falsely benign portrayal of BDS. BDS is not an economic sanctions movement that seeks merely to oppose the occupation of the West Bank - BDS regards ALL of Israel as the occupation. This is in the BDS charter, and it has been stated, including by its founder, Omar Barghouti.
BDS' goal is to grant the Palestinians all the land between the Jordan River and the sea - in other words, all of Israel. Along with Hamas and Hezbollah, it's the latest incarnation of the old Arab goal of driving the Jews into the sea. Do you not know this? By falsely representing the deeply malign goal of BDS is, you offer a gift to the hard-Left.
Ms Ilhan's major offence is not that she accused AIPAC of using funding to influence opinion - all lobby organizations do so. Her offence is also not that she might be critical of policies of the current Israeli govt - many of us are.
Her offence is that she supports BDS, that is, she wants to deny Jews a right to our own land - she is anti-Zionist, and that is what makes her anti-Semitic. Evidently she doesn't know the history of the Jews' ancient connection to the land of Israel, nor that the occupation came about because of the failed 1967 attempt to destroy Israel - which is what BDS now seeks to do.
5
Ms Goldberg: you state Omar Ilhan "...has also come under attack for supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to use economic pressure to secure Palestinian rights." Your statement is a falsely benign portrayal of BDS. BDS is not an economic sanctions movement that seeks merely to oppose the occupation of the West Bank - BDS regards ALL of Israel as the occupation. This is in the BDS charter, and it has been stated, including by its founder, Omar Barghouti.
BDS' goal is to grant the Palestinians all the land between the Jordan River and the sea - in other words, all of Israel. Along with Hamas and Hezbollah, it's the latest incarnation of the old Arab goal of driving the Jews into the sea. Do you not know this? By falsely representing the deeply malign goal of BDS, you offer a gift to the hard-Left.
Ms Ilhan's major offence is not that she accused AIPAC of using funding to influence opinion - all lobby organizations do so. Her offence is also not that she might be critical of policies of the current Israeli govt - many of us are.
Her offence is that she supports BDS, that is, she wants to deny Jews a right to our own land - she is anti-Zionist, and that is what makes her anti-Semitic. Evidently she doesn't know the history of the Jews' ancient connection to the land of Israel, nor that the occupation came about because of the failed 1967 attempt to destroy Israel - which is what BDS now seeks to do.
2
You only need to look at OpenSecrets (dot) org to know that Oamr's tweets were true: AIPAC and its friends *DO* direct a huge stream of money that flows towards our elected officials.
This is not to say that they're the only folks doing this; the NRA/ILA is famous for this as well as are other groups. So it's not a question of "Jews control all the money!"; no one said that and no one believes that. But it is absolutely true that the defenders of Zionism are one of the bigger influencers of our government. Omar's crime was to speak aloud this well-known truth so now she must be punished.
And I'm sure it's just a coincidence that one of my U.S. Senators, Maggie Hassan, last week voted for the despicable S.1 "punish BDS" bill after receiving (according to one report) more than $294,000 in money and equivalents directed by pro-Israel groups. In any honest country, it would be called bribery, a blatant quid-pro-quo. But here in America, it's just business as usual and don't let anyone dare speak about it.
She was right about AIPAC, just said it wrongly.
"And the idea of Jews as global puppet masters, using their financial savvy to make the gentiles do their bidding, clearly does."
I not sure I see how what Omar said has anything to do with this narrative. She was criticizing Israel which is a country not a religion and most people (especially young people) don't know anything about Jewish conspiracy theories.
"Left-wing anti-Semitism is a gift to the right."
Wrong again. Left-wing anti-Semitism is the normal state of affairs.
1
Arab suffering is real and can not be ignored. But that does not negate the overall good of Zionism. If you had great illusory hopes that Israel would be some sort of ultra-democratic super kibbutz – well too bad, so sad. You’ll have to live with your disappointment and disgust that it turns out Israel is not some utopian beacon for mankind. I find it laughable that there is an expectation that anything short of perfection must be labeled as utter failure in is some sort of zero-sum game of nation building, because “Jews should know better”.
Now the view that Israel and Zionism is vicious is almost universal on the left because of the crumbling of their own adolescent illusions. It’s become a psychosis really, turning on Israel with a rage, a single-mindedness, and a hatred with an enthusiasm not explainable by any actual events. The false comparison of Zionism with apartheid is the expression of that hatred.
Yes, Israeli policy and history deserves criticism, protest, analysis, and opposition. This is not the same thing as deciding that Israel must be annihilated. Given the context of recent history (not to mention the 20th century) and the fact that Israel is surrounded by autocratic regimes I’m not surprised that Israel has failed to live up to the expectations of the cosmopolitan left. Maybe some day things will be better.
2
Israel is the only functioning democracy in the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Arab citizens have a legitimate right to vote. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where women are treated as free human beings. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where every person has the freedom to practice their religion. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Jews are allowed, they have all been kicked out of every Moslem country.
Somehow, Michelle forgot to mention those little points about Israel.
2
Many oppose the influence of lobbies for the NRA, Saudi Arabia, the pharmaceutical industry and others. But, anyone opposed to the influence of AIPAC is immediately labeled an anti-Semite.
"Consciously or not, Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs... Personally, I’m happy to accept her apology. "
Really Michelle? " Consciously or not"? Who are you kidding? What apology was that? "I'm sorry if anyone was offended..." Where in that statement do you see an apology?
I take it you and your fellow opinion writers have no problem with her being on the Foreign Affairs Committee? She is such a righteous and fair minded person?
2
We have Candace Owens with an atrocious opinion from Trump's side of the aisle, a Fox News commentator. This is a statement that should be condemned.:
"“I actually don’t have any problems at all with the world ‘nationalism’,” Owens said, echoing similar comments made by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) last year which led to his own party stripping him of his committee appointments. “Whenever we say ‘nationalism,’ the first thing we think about — at least in America — is Hitler. He was a national socialist, but if Hitler just wanted to make Germany great and have things run well, OK, fine.”
“The problem is, he had dreams outside of Germany,” Owens continued. “He wanted to globalize, he wanted everyone to be German, everyone to be speaking German… to me that’s not nationalism. In thinking about how it can go bad down the line I don’t really have an issue with nationalism.”
This Jew stands with Representative Ilhan Omar. Everything she said about PC and Israeli influence in our country is true.
Compare Northam's apology and Omar's. I believe the former; the latter not so much.
2
We cannot allow Soros, Steyer and Bloomberg to buy this election!”
Hmm, but we can allow Adelson, the Kochs and the Mercers to buy it, so long as they're buying for the republicans, isn't that right, Rep. McCarthy?
Expect to encounter more and more of this undisciplined behavior in the social-media era as America's "millennials" enter politics, Twitter accounts at the ready.