Thank you for an insightful and important essay. Yes, Jews are often the scapegoats and have suffered tremendously in history, but we aren't the only ones. This administration, as you point out, has many groups in its headlights to demonize, and the nation should be aware of the widespread hatred. We must call them out on all fronts of their bigotry!
33
When you promote hate against one group you invite hate against all groups. Neither can you be the subject of hate yourself and not stand up to oppose hate against others.
Donald Trump became President no by appealing to the best in who we are but by appealing to the worst of what we are. He pandered to hate.
Every person in America who is part of a group that has suffered against hate - Blacks, Hispanics, Woman, Gays, Asians, Jews, workers, old or sick person, or whoever - that voted for Trump should feel a deep and lasting shame. Make no mistake, all of the reasons you might have told yourself why you voted for Trump, the only real reason that matters is you voted for hate.
Donald Trump became President no by appealing to the best in who we are but by appealing to the worst of what we are. He pandered to hate.
Every person in America who is part of a group that has suffered against hate - Blacks, Hispanics, Woman, Gays, Asians, Jews, workers, old or sick person, or whoever - that voted for Trump should feel a deep and lasting shame. Make no mistake, all of the reasons you might have told yourself why you voted for Trump, the only real reason that matters is you voted for hate.
29
Why do we care what Trump feels in his heart?
he became the president by pandering to racist and ethnic fears of white men and women, after Obama's eight year presidency
he has shown that he only cares for those who voted for him
so now there are victims of that hate?
I am sure that he feels that they are not his problem
he became the president by pandering to racist and ethnic fears of white men and women, after Obama's eight year presidency
he has shown that he only cares for those who voted for him
so now there are victims of that hate?
I am sure that he feels that they are not his problem
12
I agree that this is a wonderfully reasoned and timely reminder of what is at stake when the executive branch feeds hatreds that burble just under the surface of our society; under 45 those tensions and fractures in our social fabric have risen into the sunshine.
Listening to the professionals who testified in the two open sessions (the House and Senate Intelligence Committees), especially in remarks by Clinton Watts, it is clear that Putin's modus operandi is to sew discord in the democracies he is hoping to upend. Let us remember that after 9/11, President Bush emphasized that Muslims were not our enemy but al Qaeda is; President Obama reiterated that view many times. However, our current poseur in the White House feeds all the acrimony that has further splintered Americans from one another.
I will wait for the Congressional and FBI investigations to be completed but I won't be surprised if it turns out that there was collusion between the Trump family/campaign/administration and Russia. Given how Trump has vilified almost every ethnic/religious group that does not correspond to the Pilgrims' demographic, the damage he is doing is very real and will take a generation to repair. In the meantime, Putin is sitting in his gilded office in the Kremlin smiling and thinking to himself, "checkmate!".
Listening to the professionals who testified in the two open sessions (the House and Senate Intelligence Committees), especially in remarks by Clinton Watts, it is clear that Putin's modus operandi is to sew discord in the democracies he is hoping to upend. Let us remember that after 9/11, President Bush emphasized that Muslims were not our enemy but al Qaeda is; President Obama reiterated that view many times. However, our current poseur in the White House feeds all the acrimony that has further splintered Americans from one another.
I will wait for the Congressional and FBI investigations to be completed but I won't be surprised if it turns out that there was collusion between the Trump family/campaign/administration and Russia. Given how Trump has vilified almost every ethnic/religious group that does not correspond to the Pilgrims' demographic, the damage he is doing is very real and will take a generation to repair. In the meantime, Putin is sitting in his gilded office in the Kremlin smiling and thinking to himself, "checkmate!".
16
The worst thing about all this hate is the fact that 50 million voters are behind him. Without their support he would still be a crazy bigot that people could ignore. Administrations change but how do you resolve the problem of the deplorables? Also given how anti-abortion and anti birth-control they are, they will have more children then the enlightened liberals and the voter base will be replenished. Say hello to the "Honey boo boo" of society.
14
...and so the anti Trump campaign rolls on. Enough already.
6
The reason 100 senators worried about Jewish concerns is that there are powerful fund raising organizations which collect funds from people of all religions and interests but gives them to politicians with an added demand for support of Jews and often, Israel. So, when Jewish graveyards are disturbed and Jewish temples and social centers get wonky calls, the organizations put on pressure. But when mosques and other churches and social centers are harmed or threatened then it doesn't matter to these organizers. This political culture is not the culture of the civil rights era.
5
Ms Goldberg says, correctly, that "anti-Semitism is only part of the tapestry' of the various strands of renascent bigotry in contemporary America; but she neglects to mention it is a very large part of religious bigotry in contemporary America. There were more victims of anti-Semitic bigotry than all others put together.
According to FBI 2015 Hate Crime Statistics, of the 1,402 victims of anti-religious hate crimes:
52.1 percent were victims of crimes motivated by their offenders’ anti-Jewish bias.
21.9 percent were victims of anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias.
4.3 percent were victims of anti-Catholic bias.
4.1 percent were victims of bias against groups of individuals of varying religions (anti-multiple religions, group).
3.6 percent were victims of anti-Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Other) bias.
3.4 percent were victims of anti-Protestant bias.
1.3 percent were victims of anti-Other Christian bias.
0.6 percent were victims of anti-Mormon bias.
0.4 percent were victims of anti-Hindu bias.
0.4 percent were victims of anti-Sikh bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Jehovah’s Witness bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Buddhist bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Atheist/Agnostic bias.
7.6 percent were victims of bias against other religions (anti-other religion).
https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/topic-pages/victims_final
According to FBI 2015 Hate Crime Statistics, of the 1,402 victims of anti-religious hate crimes:
52.1 percent were victims of crimes motivated by their offenders’ anti-Jewish bias.
21.9 percent were victims of anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias.
4.3 percent were victims of anti-Catholic bias.
4.1 percent were victims of bias against groups of individuals of varying religions (anti-multiple religions, group).
3.6 percent were victims of anti-Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Other) bias.
3.4 percent were victims of anti-Protestant bias.
1.3 percent were victims of anti-Other Christian bias.
0.6 percent were victims of anti-Mormon bias.
0.4 percent were victims of anti-Hindu bias.
0.4 percent were victims of anti-Sikh bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Jehovah’s Witness bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Buddhist bias.
0.1 percent were victims of anti-Atheist/Agnostic bias.
7.6 percent were victims of bias against other religions (anti-other religion).
https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/topic-pages/victims_final
20
In totality, the human race, collectively, must be compelled to reach the conclusion, that hate, bigotry, discrimination, xenophobia, racism-- and all other types of "stuff" which is cancerous to any society in which it exists -- must confront the reality, that the "thing" common to all of these bad things, is religion.
As long, as under the protection, of "religion's freedom" -- one is able to "hate" whatever they want, any time, any place, anywhere, "hate" no mater to "what" it's directed, will remain a fact of life.
Besides "religion being the opiate of the masses" -- religion is nonetheless cancerous at the same time.
And now the GOP has opportunistically, found its current, advantage, by capitalizing on this cancer.
As long, as under the protection, of "religion's freedom" -- one is able to "hate" whatever they want, any time, any place, anywhere, "hate" no mater to "what" it's directed, will remain a fact of life.
Besides "religion being the opiate of the masses" -- religion is nonetheless cancerous at the same time.
And now the GOP has opportunistically, found its current, advantage, by capitalizing on this cancer.
9
I'm not sure what crowd Michelle Goldberg runs in or what media she consumes, but I don't recognize the "we" she scolds for treating "coded antisemitism [as] more taboo than open Islamophobia."
Did she not notice the hundreds of thousands of people (or more) who took to the streets to protest Donald Trump's anti-Muslim travel ban? Or the mass mobilization of thousands of lawyers -- quite a few of whom "happen to be Jewish" -- who rushed this country's airports to defend individual travelers, almost all of them Muslim, free of charge?
If you want to make the obvious and valid point that there are populations more vulnerable to Trump's hateful policies than Jews, I don't think you need to claim that denouncing antisemitism distracts us from denouncing Islamophobia or xenophobia.
That isn't a serious argument. In fact, it strikes me as the sort of silly idea columnists come up with when they're blocked and the deadline is coming. Folks I know can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Did she not notice the hundreds of thousands of people (or more) who took to the streets to protest Donald Trump's anti-Muslim travel ban? Or the mass mobilization of thousands of lawyers -- quite a few of whom "happen to be Jewish" -- who rushed this country's airports to defend individual travelers, almost all of them Muslim, free of charge?
If you want to make the obvious and valid point that there are populations more vulnerable to Trump's hateful policies than Jews, I don't think you need to claim that denouncing antisemitism distracts us from denouncing Islamophobia or xenophobia.
That isn't a serious argument. In fact, it strikes me as the sort of silly idea columnists come up with when they're blocked and the deadline is coming. Folks I know can walk and chew gum at the same time.
16
I don't argue with your perspective. I've heard the dog whistles and read the alt-news. Without placing emphasis on one people or another, isn't it extraordinary how divisive this president is? I've never heard so many of my fellow citizens attacked with crude name-calling and disparaging remarks. Our president seems to be contemptuous of the people: Jews, Hispanics, Muslims, women, reporters, scientists, Democrats, Republicans, the poor. What a contingent of rich, condescending, petty, and small club members he represents and admires.
10
Yes, some ugly stuff has come out of the woodwork since the new president was sworn in, as if these bigots feel safer under our current Administration. But, Ms. Goldberg is wrong to dismiss anti-Semitism; anti Jewish activity has increased, and still eclipses other racist behavior or violence. Which isn't to dismiss written, verbal, or physical assaults on any group.
On a lighter note, my son has two neighbors, one with a sign Black Lives Matter (the family is white), and the other with a sign Respect Religious Freedom. So far, the signs, nor those neighbors, have gotten into an argument. The upshot-all American lives matter. Yet, immigration always needs to be processed carefully. Not just because of potential terrorism, but some would be immigrants aren't capable of mainstreaming enough to make it in this country, and we don't need their next generation waking up to be jihadists, or simply drug fueled, illegally armed gang members.
On a lighter note, my son has two neighbors, one with a sign Black Lives Matter (the family is white), and the other with a sign Respect Religious Freedom. So far, the signs, nor those neighbors, have gotten into an argument. The upshot-all American lives matter. Yet, immigration always needs to be processed carefully. Not just because of potential terrorism, but some would be immigrants aren't capable of mainstreaming enough to make it in this country, and we don't need their next generation waking up to be jihadists, or simply drug fueled, illegally armed gang members.
3
'All 100 senators signed a letter calling on the Trump administration to take swift action against the anti-Semitic bomb threats. There has been no similar political urgency in demanding protection for other harassed minorities."
I couldn't agree more. Of course, AIPAC didn't circulate a letter seeking condemnation of violence against other minority groups. I wonder how many of those same Senators would sign a letter calling on Bibi to take swift action against the continuing violent attacks on Palestinians in Israel?
I couldn't agree more. Of course, AIPAC didn't circulate a letter seeking condemnation of violence against other minority groups. I wonder how many of those same Senators would sign a letter calling on Bibi to take swift action against the continuing violent attacks on Palestinians in Israel?
6
One way anti-semitism stands out from all other hatreds: Anti-semitism is the only hatred that is tolerated on the left.
23
Thank you for the fine article. I agree with the author about the current nativist anti-Islamic attitudes and propaganda: they raise a stench reminiscent of historic anti-semitism.
6
Not only Jews but also other races including Muslims should be respected and treated equally in the society. The government must guarantee everyone this equality. If the government does not make effort for this fairness, people do not feel easy and do not support such a government.
Having a discriminator-in-chief in the White House, seemingly oblivious to the harm his 'generous' uncontested allowance of open bias and prejudice is generating, is giving license to formal abuse of, until recently, unspoken taboos and hate crimes. Trump's willful ignorance about its effects is dangerous, and demeaning to anybody that may look or think differently. That the stupid idea of supremacy is still alive, based on the color of one's skin, is abhorrent. This, we must fight heart and soul, its adherents despicably thoughtless, impregnated by fear and hate our vulgar demagogue fans.
1
Do the people who engage in conspicuous handwringing and wailing and gnashing of teeth every time a low-life does something like use his feces to paint a swastika or KKK or slur on a bathroom wall not understand how gratifying their reaction is to such low-lifes? Or is it that they don't care -- they are too busy burnishing their progressive credentials?
Such incidents have been allowed to bring whole campuses to a standstill. They bring out hundreds of students in sackcloth and ashes. Grief counselors and reporters descend on the campus. The victim groups revel in their victimhood -- and quite often when a perpetrator is unmasked he or she turns out to be a member of the group "victimized' by the outrage.
All of this because of simple doodle or graffito or email or poster or daubed threat! This is sheer lunacy!
Goldberg misses the real moral of this story. It is "Don't feed the animals". Let's give these episodes the contempt they deserve by publicly ignoring them and by getting on with our lives.
Such incidents have been allowed to bring whole campuses to a standstill. They bring out hundreds of students in sackcloth and ashes. Grief counselors and reporters descend on the campus. The victim groups revel in their victimhood -- and quite often when a perpetrator is unmasked he or she turns out to be a member of the group "victimized' by the outrage.
All of this because of simple doodle or graffito or email or poster or daubed threat! This is sheer lunacy!
Goldberg misses the real moral of this story. It is "Don't feed the animals". Let's give these episodes the contempt they deserve by publicly ignoring them and by getting on with our lives.
5
Just because Trump has a daughter who converted to Judaism does not mean that he is not an anti-Semite.
Either way, the author's central argument that all hate is hate and that all peoples are worthy of acceptance and respect is not diminished.
Either way, the author's central argument that all hate is hate and that all peoples are worthy of acceptance and respect is not diminished.
5
This hate is different because it is "now" and it is tacitly (if not expressly) endorsed, celebrated even, by the POTUS.
It not "out there". It is here. It is us.
I realize now that my whole life I assumed (took for granted) that America would always move forward, albeit 3 steps ahead - 2 steps back up - but always forward. The truth would prevail. Love and tolerance would prevail. America was still the beacon. Always the beacon,
My god, we have a POTUS that espouses sexual assault, that spits out hate, that denigrates "others." He lies. Like a dirty, filthy rug.
Will truth prevail? Are we a beacon? I am not so sure .I am ashamed. For us.
It not "out there". It is here. It is us.
I realize now that my whole life I assumed (took for granted) that America would always move forward, albeit 3 steps ahead - 2 steps back up - but always forward. The truth would prevail. Love and tolerance would prevail. America was still the beacon. Always the beacon,
My god, we have a POTUS that espouses sexual assault, that spits out hate, that denigrates "others." He lies. Like a dirty, filthy rug.
Will truth prevail? Are we a beacon? I am not so sure .I am ashamed. For us.
7
This piece, unfortunately, starts with a conclusion and is built to support that conclusion. The data and arguments are internally inconsistent and it is inflammatory without factual basis. Too bad.
7
I am extremely proud of Jewish groups, communities and individuals for being some of the loudest and most stringent in standing up against Islamophobia and hate in N. America and Europe.
And as for the Trump government getting upset with being asked to condemn instances of hate perpetrated by the far-right, maybe they should remember they demand the same of every Muslim the world over. It's not as if the KKK and the alt-right haven't endorsed and supported Trump every step of the way.
And as for the Trump government getting upset with being asked to condemn instances of hate perpetrated by the far-right, maybe they should remember they demand the same of every Muslim the world over. It's not as if the KKK and the alt-right haven't endorsed and supported Trump every step of the way.
6
It's so easy to separate us by gender or race or religion. Sadly the people that are committing these offenses don't really know why they hate anyone. They have been fed a load of garbage by the fake media , Trump and all his minions.
Watching Sean Spicer and stupid Bill O'Rielly this is week is a perfect example of the ignorance that is running rampant in this administration. It's so easy for old white men to be this way no one even notices anymore. It should not be the norm anymore!
Watching Sean Spicer and stupid Bill O'Rielly this is week is a perfect example of the ignorance that is running rampant in this administration. It's so easy for old white men to be this way no one even notices anymore. It should not be the norm anymore!
3
We live in a nation in which hate is divided up into strata by the administration. This shows how low we have descended under the white nationalists who have taken a sledge hammer to the country we used to live in.
Hate is hate, and it results from fear whether we are penning up Japanese-Americans, burning crosses, banning immigrants. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls once the hate ball gets rolling.
Hate is hate, and it results from fear whether we are penning up Japanese-Americans, burning crosses, banning immigrants. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls once the hate ball gets rolling.
4
Haters are having their first big field day since Reagan's campaign in 1980. The targets then were the poor, minorities, gays, pot smokers, students, and liberals. We are still suffering the effects of his administration's misrule: young people suffering years of debt from the draconian, high interest student loan scam; the years spent gloating over the new disease that was killing gays and drug users, instead of recognizing that a worldwide crisis in public health demanded research and action; the successful attacks on organized labor and the resulting drop in wages of all workers; a right-wing Supreme Court that has been the gift that has kept on giving; a permanent alliance between the haters of the "populist" right and those with great wealth and the desire for more of the same.
It is not too soon to see in some detail how this new generation of haters will further immiserate all Americans and destroy the credibility of American leadership on the issues facing the world's people.
It is not too soon to see in some detail how this new generation of haters will further immiserate all Americans and destroy the credibility of American leadership on the issues facing the world's people.
2
Throughout our history, there's always been a group that it's ok to hate and discriminate against. Irish, Blacks, Jews, Catholics, Mormans, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Hispanics, gays. Americans like to have a group to look down on, it makes us feel good about ourselves. We are a nation of bullies--one look at Twitter, Facebook or the comments section of any news site will show you that. We elevate bullies to positions of authority, we admire their bravado and "straight talk." With Trump leading the way, Muslims are the group to hate at present. It's the American way.
1
President Trump, despite what the liberals say, is not responsible for this hate. Thank you.
The fear caused by the young American teen--apparently located in Israel--was no less at the time the bomb threats were called in to the Jewish Community Centers because he was eventually identified as a person who may share a common religion. One of the centers which received bomb threats was located less than 4 blocks from my former home. During the many years I lived there, several bomb threats occurred which made us all more attentive, but not discouraged from using what is a significant activity center for our neighborhood of diverse religions, bringing people together to vote, swim, learn and talk.
Whatever the young man's motivations, he interrupted the plans of many people the day he called in his threats and for some, he brought back memories of open "religious and ethnic bigotry" that appears to be coming back under Trump. Our neighborhood was also a host for several years to children from Ireland who needed a summer respite from the violence of "the Troubles". Those summer visits were a wake-up call to many residents that violence between Protestant and Catholic Irish was as real (and as senseless) as violence between people of different skin colors, between Muslim sects, between African ethnic groups, between nations where the only difference was a border drawn on a map by a bureaucrat thousands of miles away.
Why is this hate different? It is not. Resist the use of white supremacist thinking, symbols and phrases by Trump and his supporters.
Whatever the young man's motivations, he interrupted the plans of many people the day he called in his threats and for some, he brought back memories of open "religious and ethnic bigotry" that appears to be coming back under Trump. Our neighborhood was also a host for several years to children from Ireland who needed a summer respite from the violence of "the Troubles". Those summer visits were a wake-up call to many residents that violence between Protestant and Catholic Irish was as real (and as senseless) as violence between people of different skin colors, between Muslim sects, between African ethnic groups, between nations where the only difference was a border drawn on a map by a bureaucrat thousands of miles away.
Why is this hate different? It is not. Resist the use of white supremacist thinking, symbols and phrases by Trump and his supporters.
2
That the U.S.A elected a so called man president who won by overtly courting hate is really disturbing.
But the right has been remarkable in being able to mine hate from so many people for so long.
Imagine the difference in our national discourse if fox network dropped the references to hatred toward the left and just distilled the conservative point of view. The effect would be immediate.
The Dali Lama has said that if every 8 year old was taught to meditate war would be obsolete in a decade.
Alas!
But the right has been remarkable in being able to mine hate from so many people for so long.
Imagine the difference in our national discourse if fox network dropped the references to hatred toward the left and just distilled the conservative point of view. The effect would be immediate.
The Dali Lama has said that if every 8 year old was taught to meditate war would be obsolete in a decade.
Alas!
This is an outstanding article, one of the best to fight against "tribalism" now. Anti-Semitism often accompanies other forms of xenophobia and racism. Trump and his acolytes have stoked up terrible prejudices which have led to some murders. Netanyahu buddying up with Trump and Bannon does not care about anti-Semitism or Jews (and of course he shares the same anti-Arab prejudices as the people in power now in the US).
I don't fear Jews bowing up buildings in this country or breaking in my home.
The hate is well placed.
The hate is well placed.
2
This is a stretch. For years the Republican party has been the biggest supporter of Isreal. They traditionally gave the most defense money to them and they were the only party that embraced Netenyahu and defended Isreal from the Iran nuclear deal. So I dont know were this idea of republican anti-semitism comes from. If any party has fought against Isreal it would be the Democrats. I can agree on other types of bigotry, but anti-semitism is definately not a republican ideaology.
1
With respect to the notion that Trump is not antisemitic. Even if look *only* at facts presented in this article (e.g. refusal to directly mention Jews as victims of Holocaust) and parse them slightly differently, you can easily arrive at conclusion that Trump is antisemitic. But moreover the primary supporting argument for idea that he is not antisemitic is somehow Ivanka's conversion.
To be sure I agree that Trump loves his daughter no matter what, but there I see a case of deeply narcissistic blood running way deeper than religion than any proof of lack of antisemitism.
And what about the beloved son-in-law turned Swiss-army-knife of policy Jared?
Well, Richard Nixon had a beloved national security adviser turned Secretary of State - Henry Kissinger, - and we all know how totally non-antisemitic Nixon was (NOT!).
To be sure I agree that Trump loves his daughter no matter what, but there I see a case of deeply narcissistic blood running way deeper than religion than any proof of lack of antisemitism.
And what about the beloved son-in-law turned Swiss-army-knife of policy Jared?
Well, Richard Nixon had a beloved national security adviser turned Secretary of State - Henry Kissinger, - and we all know how totally non-antisemitic Nixon was (NOT!).
4
As the author points out Trump and the right wing that he represents has always seen race as a fluid signifier-meaning non-white.
So in Trump's world Muslim means non-white. It deans't matter what country a person is from or what their ethnicity really is. Whiteness is a political category tied to expected privilege, power and having both religious and cultural significance.
The people cheating us with bad trade deals happen mostly to be Chinese or Japanese or radical Islamic terrorists--all non-white. And to remind us of this danger, we now have a federal department keeping track of crimes committed by these non-white illegal immigrants.
While the media did note Trump's racism, it did so timidly and without seeing it as an ideological stance, not just a campaign device. Trump very carefully avoided singling out America's traditional racial scapegoat, African Americans because he didn't have to. The shrill note of the dog whistle for them was a given.
But the challenge is what now? What now that so much pent up racism has been legitimized? I think the answer is to lead our conversations about policy with a racial frame. We have to face who we really are as a country, warts, racism, anti-semitism and all before we can change it.
And note how earlier attacks on Jews couldn't put them into a despised racial category, so instead labeled them as communist. White America is afraid and fear stoked by a demagogue is very dangerous and we are just beginning to see its effects
So in Trump's world Muslim means non-white. It deans't matter what country a person is from or what their ethnicity really is. Whiteness is a political category tied to expected privilege, power and having both religious and cultural significance.
The people cheating us with bad trade deals happen mostly to be Chinese or Japanese or radical Islamic terrorists--all non-white. And to remind us of this danger, we now have a federal department keeping track of crimes committed by these non-white illegal immigrants.
While the media did note Trump's racism, it did so timidly and without seeing it as an ideological stance, not just a campaign device. Trump very carefully avoided singling out America's traditional racial scapegoat, African Americans because he didn't have to. The shrill note of the dog whistle for them was a given.
But the challenge is what now? What now that so much pent up racism has been legitimized? I think the answer is to lead our conversations about policy with a racial frame. We have to face who we really are as a country, warts, racism, anti-semitism and all before we can change it.
And note how earlier attacks on Jews couldn't put them into a despised racial category, so instead labeled them as communist. White America is afraid and fear stoked by a demagogue is very dangerous and we are just beginning to see its effects
1
Every day there is something in the news about hate – hate in politics, hate in religion, hate in the color of someone’s skin – hate generated from what people do to other people. We all know what it is. We all have experienced it. We all know how it can eat away at the soul.
Hate can be a difficult, often impossible, thing to conquer. How do we cope with this hate in our daily lives?
My lodestar is someone who has suffered unimaginable hate in their life and has witnessed the worst in us, only to maintain the wisdom and courage to look to the best in us. If only we all could be so strong.
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.”
– Coretta Scott King
Hate can be a difficult, often impossible, thing to conquer. How do we cope with this hate in our daily lives?
My lodestar is someone who has suffered unimaginable hate in their life and has witnessed the worst in us, only to maintain the wisdom and courage to look to the best in us. If only we all could be so strong.
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.”
– Coretta Scott King
2
blacks of course have always had to put up with this and worse. too bad that isn't mentioned
4
In the season of Passover you are working in Ma nish ta naw.
I recently read Eli Weisel's "Night". It should be required reading in high school. When anyone can suggest that the eradication of millions of Jews in Europe was fabricated, we have lost part of our humanity.
5
Any mildly ambitious tinpot dictator knows the sine qua non is an insular palace guard and a looming threat. Even a half wit Russian puppet has the presence of mind to recognize the value in keeping the mob stirred up with the wink and nod suggestion their lives won't ever be great again unless the homefront is purified of the "others" and until then you should be very afraid.
2
There is a quiet hate among some Trump supporters, a quiet hate that emanates from all social and religious groups. I always wonder why on Sunday "TV Church" Evangelists say so little about this. The tendencies of certain individuals to be suspicious is, for some, innate, related to anxiety, or introversion. The media is complicit in flaming these tendencies, and my guess is that some crimes seem more urgent based on Media bias, or frank lies. It seems odd that while Corporations are given the same rights as people (Citizens United), people do have the same rights to insist on humans moral standards for Corporations. Trump is a media star. Media organizations such as Fox News and Breitbart should hold their heads in shame, but we know that they have none.
1
"On March 23, a Jewish teenager was arrested in Israel, accused..."
Once again, an arrest is made, everyone automatically assumes that the arrested person is guilty. In this instance it seems as if the right person may be in custody, but that people automatically assume that is so always disturbs me. There was an incident in NYC years ago re some guy assaulting women on the subway. A CCTV pic of someone who looked like the perp was found and a guy who looked exactly like the suspect was arrested, except he was 100% innocent. However that arrest will stay with him forever, and many will always believe he was guilty, merely because he was arrested.
Our so-called standard of 'innocent until proven guilty' is once again shown to be a fantasy. The worst offender? The media. Always on the alert for the lead on a story, i.e. grab the most eyeballs, they do not make but token efforts to protect the possibility of innocence on the part of the accused.
Off-topic? Yep, but to me it is the most important issue being faced.
Once again, an arrest is made, everyone automatically assumes that the arrested person is guilty. In this instance it seems as if the right person may be in custody, but that people automatically assume that is so always disturbs me. There was an incident in NYC years ago re some guy assaulting women on the subway. A CCTV pic of someone who looked like the perp was found and a guy who looked exactly like the suspect was arrested, except he was 100% innocent. However that arrest will stay with him forever, and many will always believe he was guilty, merely because he was arrested.
Our so-called standard of 'innocent until proven guilty' is once again shown to be a fantasy. The worst offender? The media. Always on the alert for the lead on a story, i.e. grab the most eyeballs, they do not make but token efforts to protect the possibility of innocence on the part of the accused.
Off-topic? Yep, but to me it is the most important issue being faced.
Apparently you haven't heard. Hate is never going to go away. It's been with us since the beginning of time and it will never go away. Life isn't a soft drink ad.
3
"To be an American Muslim or a brown-skinned immigrant and know that people like this are in power must be terrifying."
To be an American Caucasian and know that people like this are in power is, indeed, absolutely terrifying.
To be an American Caucasian and know that people like this are in power is, indeed, absolutely terrifying.
5
The de-Americanized communities started with the Middle-passage. Trump and Bannon are all about white wealth and hate poor people of all colors. Nevertheless, antisemitic or black lynching symbolism cannot be tolerated regardless of the current hatefulness regarding Islam followers. All types of hate are equally dangerous and "empire" destructive.
3
See the reportin by Jane Mayer* on the biggest funders behind the Trumpists, the reclusive hedge fund manager, Robert Mercer, and his daughter. They actually believe that those people who are not wealthy and white ARE NOT PEOPLE, and therefore are not worth paying attention to.
Their delusional system is amazing. And it fits exactly with the delusions of Trump, Bannon and their close coterie.
Recommended to read, watch and listen to: in The New Yorker, Democracynow.org and NPR'S Fresh Air.
Their delusional system is amazing. And it fits exactly with the delusions of Trump, Bannon and their close coterie.
Recommended to read, watch and listen to: in The New Yorker, Democracynow.org and NPR'S Fresh Air.
3
It isn't only Jews, Muslims, Mexicans, women, et cetera that Trump hates; it's also Democrats.
He still uses "Democrat" as an adjective to please his fellow Republicans. "We couldn't get one Democrat vote, not one," he whimpered about the failure of Trumpcare.
The so-called president hates/insults/grabs/demeans/belittles/mocks/derides MOST Americans.
He still uses "Democrat" as an adjective to please his fellow Republicans. "We couldn't get one Democrat vote, not one," he whimpered about the failure of Trumpcare.
The so-called president hates/insults/grabs/demeans/belittles/mocks/derides MOST Americans.
1
i disagree with islam on nearly every issue, but muslims should be left alone and they should leave others along. religion should be tolerated and should never be pressed upon anyone unless they join up willingly a an adult. if you hate a religion you only trick the neutral into defending it when you attack. Islam doesn't mean "peace": it means "submission." let muslims submit and let others refuse to do so, but quit the attacks- violence further demeans humanity beyond its general love of ignorance. Be smart and be peaceful.
1
The Irony of it all is lost on how tragic and dangerous for so many to such an extent, this threatens to destroy the Nation.
I would say divide the Nation but that's long happened. Now it risks all furnaced with the hate, prejudice, vilification and divisiveness between Americans against themselves and each other as Red , Blue, Liberals, Conservatives, Poor, Middle class, White Black, Brown, South, North, Country and City is added the usual culprits between the other tribes within the tribes that make more division of thinking, suspicion of motives, discord and anger between Christian , Atheist, Muslim, Jew, Immigrants, Mexicans and all those who speak in foreign tongues (a language other than English), practise difference ways and by inference, must not think or have the same values, feelings, reason and reasoning than what each and all the others believe, think or know (ergo: think they know)
And almost all of them, some slightly, others greatly, and even others deeply in their core beliefs, Share ONE thing that unites almost all of these divisive "Tribes of Plenty" (Plenty of divisiveness...) and the many individuals within...so many share in common...is Fear.
Paradoxically, what so many Share is the greatest Engines of Disunity that drive people even further apart and against each other.
Fear is the mindkiller.
The Common thread that's the common threat to All.
We need to remember 2 ideas:
In Common Cause, for the Greater Good.
They/These can Unite us all.
I would say divide the Nation but that's long happened. Now it risks all furnaced with the hate, prejudice, vilification and divisiveness between Americans against themselves and each other as Red , Blue, Liberals, Conservatives, Poor, Middle class, White Black, Brown, South, North, Country and City is added the usual culprits between the other tribes within the tribes that make more division of thinking, suspicion of motives, discord and anger between Christian , Atheist, Muslim, Jew, Immigrants, Mexicans and all those who speak in foreign tongues (a language other than English), practise difference ways and by inference, must not think or have the same values, feelings, reason and reasoning than what each and all the others believe, think or know (ergo: think they know)
And almost all of them, some slightly, others greatly, and even others deeply in their core beliefs, Share ONE thing that unites almost all of these divisive "Tribes of Plenty" (Plenty of divisiveness...) and the many individuals within...so many share in common...is Fear.
Paradoxically, what so many Share is the greatest Engines of Disunity that drive people even further apart and against each other.
Fear is the mindkiller.
The Common thread that's the common threat to All.
We need to remember 2 ideas:
In Common Cause, for the Greater Good.
They/These can Unite us all.
I'm sure Mr. Trump has no personal hatred toward Jewish people, but in the course of stirring up nativist resentment and bigotry for his own ends, of course he gave encouragement to anti-Semites as well.
I guess those those who have advised, encouraged, funded, and publicly promoted Mr. Trump didn't see it coming, either -- including smart, successful people like Kushner, Adelman, and Netanyahu.
I guess those those who have advised, encouraged, funded, and publicly promoted Mr. Trump didn't see it coming, either -- including smart, successful people like Kushner, Adelman, and Netanyahu.
Let's not forget how all of this started. Trump kept insisting that Obama was not born in the US. This became a rallying cry for his base, unhappy that a black man was president - and successful. Since then, the Trump campaign was infamously and very heavily fueled by incitement against Mexicans, Muslims, "globalists" (read my lips: Jews, bankers, etc) and whoever it was convenient to present as a threat. And since the America First inauguration, incitement and vindictiveness continue to be the bulk and substance of Trump's tweets - and "policies".
1
I'm amazed by the criticism here, the suggestion that the piece compares and ranks. It does not. Reread the last line. The writer is calling for increased vigilance, heightened awareness, and certainly the need to speak out forcefully and continuously against all these crimes. She's right.
3
Excellent article, and so many good and deep thoughts elegantly expressed. One "but": does anyone think that the anti-semitic campaign, no matter who the perpetrator, would have happened if not for the Trump campaign and presidency? I realize that that question is too complicated for Trump followers to wrap their heads around, but if we are looking for a source, it really is the atmosphere Trump and his helpers have created, and the fear is no less real if the antisemite turns out to be a Jew in Israel.
3
In the Oregon case cited, among the anti-Muslim obscenities spray painted in the victim's home were the words "I Win" in a closet.
You can't blame this directly on Trump, though one can clearly correlate a campaign where he complained "We always lose" and demonized entire segments of our population as inspiration for expressions of hate.
Ultimately, every act of bigotry can be equated with anti-antisemitism - for it is the same mindset, the same carte blanche, that would tolerate anti-antisemitism under certain circumstances.
I learned in a philosophy course many years ago, that criminals don't do things because they think they're wrong; ultimately they feel justified in their actions.
Trump's leadership lends credence to such justifications.
You can't blame this directly on Trump, though one can clearly correlate a campaign where he complained "We always lose" and demonized entire segments of our population as inspiration for expressions of hate.
Ultimately, every act of bigotry can be equated with anti-antisemitism - for it is the same mindset, the same carte blanche, that would tolerate anti-antisemitism under certain circumstances.
I learned in a philosophy course many years ago, that criminals don't do things because they think they're wrong; ultimately they feel justified in their actions.
Trump's leadership lends credence to such justifications.
"All 100 senators signed a letter calling on the Trump administration to take “swift action” against the anti-Semitic bomb threats. There has been no similar political urgency in demanding protection for other harassed minorities."
Perhaps that is because the other groups don't contribute millions into election campaigns.
Perhaps that is because the other groups don't contribute millions into election campaigns.
7
Threats or acts of violence against any individual or group are impermissible, and should not go unnoticed, or unpunished and thus undeterred.
Widespread, repeated, threats or acts are reported nationally.Local threats or acts are reported locally. It is appropriate to request comment from high officials in government with respect to widespread threats. It also appropriate to await the results of investigation.
American Jews are justifiably concerned when their religious and cultural institutions are threatened with lethal violence, no matter what the source, hoax or not. While the most recent episode had, it now appears, its prime source in a deranged Israeli young man, other contemporaneous, episodes, not only of telephoned threats, but of vandalism of religious institutions, had other, American, sources.
Arthur Taub MD PhD
Widespread, repeated, threats or acts are reported nationally.Local threats or acts are reported locally. It is appropriate to request comment from high officials in government with respect to widespread threats. It also appropriate to await the results of investigation.
American Jews are justifiably concerned when their religious and cultural institutions are threatened with lethal violence, no matter what the source, hoax or not. While the most recent episode had, it now appears, its prime source in a deranged Israeli young man, other contemporaneous, episodes, not only of telephoned threats, but of vandalism of religious institutions, had other, American, sources.
Arthur Taub MD PhD
1
Trump is driven by anger passed down to him from his cruel father Fred. As a result he coped by developing multiple personality disorders, likely Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. His behaviors are textbook to the symptoms of NPD and BPD,
And so, he has attracted others who are angry as well, whether voters or White House staff. Some within the American population, now with Trump's "permission" act out on their anger, too.
We all lose until we can get an independent prosecutor and remove the entire Trump team.
And so, he has attracted others who are angry as well, whether voters or White House staff. Some within the American population, now with Trump's "permission" act out on their anger, too.
We all lose until we can get an independent prosecutor and remove the entire Trump team.
2
in many news stories, opinion pieces and commentary, much is written about "anti-semitic" speech and writing. it is essential to point out that ethnic Arabs are semites and Arabic is an semitic language. Jews are being targeted, to be sure, but the the use of anti-semetic to describe this is incorrect, if Arabs are considered not semetic in this context. Arabs are being oppressed in the United States, no matter their legal status.
2
It is a apparently a puzzling fact that nearly all the religions are engaged in fighting and killing their fellow religionists al most everywhere around the world. Instead of helping one another in a spirit of religious brotherhood they are attacking one another with some of the mot violent hatreds that human beings are capable of. Surely the way that so many religions are beds of hatred rather than beds of brotherly love is a sign that many so-called religions are political organizations not religious organizations. As long as leaders are going to struggle for power and control under the banner of some religion, how can we expect that there will be no anti- this and anti- that shouting going on among the competitors. Politics is not religion, but most of the human race doesn't grasp the difference, and approaches a religious life as if it were merely another competitive sport.
1
Michael Anton's comment sounds spot-on. There are large areas in Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago and many other cities and towns that do not resemble America in language or culture, but instead look and sound exactly like failed Third World societies. This should trouble anyone who wants to live in a peaceful, prosperous society.
6
People of good will need to stand together and publicly condemn all forms of hate and bigotry no matter who the victims are-- whether they are Muslims, Jews, refugees, immigrants, blacks, Latino, women, or gay/ transgendered. Hate and violence against anyone has no place in the United States.
People have much more in common than we have that is different or that separates us. Take time to get to know someone who is "different" than you and you will find out for yourself that it is true.
People have much more in common than we have that is different or that separates us. Take time to get to know someone who is "different" than you and you will find out for yourself that it is true.
3
As a Jewish woman, I was saddened by the pictures of the gravestones knocked over in a Jewish cemetery. However, I looked at these pictures with the awareness that at the same time, places that were sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux people were being bulldozed with the consent of the American people. The best way I could respond to all of it was to take my sons to a Black Lives Matter protest that weekend. With deference to Lin Manuel Miranda, Hate is Hate is Hate is Hate is Hate. I think that is what this author is saying - that if you want to fight against hatefulness and inhumanity, your fight must be intersectional - it must be on behalf of others who are suffering.
7
Well done. All prejudice and bigotry are to be condemned. Competition about who is most reviled is unseemly as is the intolerance of those who should know better. The Prophet Amos [9:7] has God saying to the Hebrews: "Are you not as the children of the Ethiopians to me?"
1
Actually, I believe you may have been living in a cocoon if you think most of us are focusing on anti-Semitic hate crimes and not recognizing the hate being directed against the Islamic communities. Trump has enlisted the Tony Perkins-types in a war against their bogeymen - which is defined in their conspiracy defined hysteria as anyone who isn't right wing fundamental cultish Christian. The cynical hate of Trump, his henchmen, and the Christian hate-cults is a nuclear environmental disaster for all humankind.
1
What does it take to become an "American"?
Many Americans consider themselves to be Swedish or Italian or Polish because of where their grandparents or earlier were born, but are they really? I have four great-grandparents born in England and four who were born in Germany or in what is now Poland.
But I do not consider myself English, German, or Polish. I consider myself American. I grew up here, my parents grew up here, and my grandparents grew up here. Actually one grandmother was born in Schliesen, now part of Poland, but she went to American schools all her life.
When I went to England, I was not English, but a Yank. When I went to Germany I was not German, but ein Amerikaner.
We will continue to have people from elsewhere come to the U.S., settle, and adopt many American ways. Some will keep customs of their parents or grandparents; others will blend in. Some will keep their religious views; some will change. Consider the Amish. Although there may be hostility to them by some, they are accepted by most people. Can't we treat all newcomers with the same respect?
Oh, it gets more complicated. My extended family includes people whose ancestors were born in Japan, China, and Africa. I consider all of these as Americans first, and whatever as a matter of historic interest.
Many Americans consider themselves to be Swedish or Italian or Polish because of where their grandparents or earlier were born, but are they really? I have four great-grandparents born in England and four who were born in Germany or in what is now Poland.
But I do not consider myself English, German, or Polish. I consider myself American. I grew up here, my parents grew up here, and my grandparents grew up here. Actually one grandmother was born in Schliesen, now part of Poland, but she went to American schools all her life.
When I went to England, I was not English, but a Yank. When I went to Germany I was not German, but ein Amerikaner.
We will continue to have people from elsewhere come to the U.S., settle, and adopt many American ways. Some will keep customs of their parents or grandparents; others will blend in. Some will keep their religious views; some will change. Consider the Amish. Although there may be hostility to them by some, they are accepted by most people. Can't we treat all newcomers with the same respect?
Oh, it gets more complicated. My extended family includes people whose ancestors were born in Japan, China, and Africa. I consider all of these as Americans first, and whatever as a matter of historic interest.
1
Hate is the nature of human beings, and it takes many forms. To blame it all on one person is very disingenuous.
Hate was there long before Trump came along.
But if it allows Liberals to feel better about themselves by blaming the Republicans, than so be it. But isn't that intolerance?
Hate was there long before Trump came along.
But if it allows Liberals to feel better about themselves by blaming the Republicans, than so be it. But isn't that intolerance?
3
The difference is simple. This hate is authorized and condoned by the White House: It seeks to separate and conquer not unify and overcome; it seeks to obfuscate not enlighten; it is the cancer that holds the GOP together.
3
Excellent, valuable article. Hate, not illegal immigration or terrorism, is America's worst enemy.
1
"The paradox is that in today’s America, coded anti-Semitism is more of a political taboo than open Islamophobia."
This is perhaps the least true statement I have read in quite some time.
This is perhaps the least true statement I have read in quite some time.
1
What this article brings to mind is. There is what I have always called an underbelly of the US that the political elite have no appreciation for and are so involved in their world the simply ignore. Washington, the capital, is a world all its own. When one visits it allows one to understand the very complex we call the swamp is disconnected from the core of America. Only Hollywood and Wall Street have some association, now silicon Valley. Racism , Ghettos, poor people, Veterans, etc. are overlooked. A non fit in our digital world.
Trump seems incapable of expressing concern about ANY hate-inspired crimes or inequities -- unless he perceives them against himself. As for Spicer, he is a joke, a very bad one at that. Maybe there is something good that will come of this lack of leadership. We, as the trustees of our nation, will step up and come out of our comfortable cocoons to preserve the values we have always espoused. Perhaps compassion, understanding and charity will replace the self-absorption and acquisitiveness that have become the trademark of too many of our citizens. Perhaps we will remember that true strength of a nation is in unity of purpose, instead of disregard for the "other". We have been seasoned by the wealth of nations throughout the world as people of different cultures have built our country. When we stir that a bit, we will appreciate the blended flavors, as well as the individual contributions, and understand that we aren't quite as strong or flavorful without all the ingredients.
You don't understand Trump's actions because you don't want to see the Progressives call for genocide against Appalachian and other rural cultures. Trump supporters, however, see the world in the context of an east coast liberal assault on their culture. Every part of Appalachian culture seems under assault, either by outright efforts to ban, economic warfare, or blatant cultural appropriation.
Friends of ours, a bi-racial couple with three children, emigrated from Canada more than 25 years ago. They aren't very political but they recently decided to return to Canada because of what they feel has been a change in the tenor of the discourse in America. They are doing this at great personal and financial cost but they just cannot ignore the hatred in our society any longer. I will miss them tremendously but it breaks my heart even more because I know they're right.
4
Creating "others" is what it's all about. An "other" is something you can dump on to make yourself feel better and "others" are as old as humanity. In this respect, trumpism is not about change.
The continued silence is not nuance, it is cover for the day they are hoping will come; they are waiting to say "I told you so!"
The affiliations noted are not an accident, it's a plan. bannon is working a rubric, create hatred against minorities, keep swatting at the bee hive while increasing military spending, and wait for the opportunity that they are engineering with their global hate mongering.
They await a day when a significant attack is committed by a terrorist group in order to justify starting an all out war. trump has always told us what he is thinking: he claimed Hillary wanted to get into a war. Hillary didn't want a war, but trump did and does and he is working toward initiating America's next war.
The affiliations noted are not an accident, it's a plan. bannon is working a rubric, create hatred against minorities, keep swatting at the bee hive while increasing military spending, and wait for the opportunity that they are engineering with their global hate mongering.
They await a day when a significant attack is committed by a terrorist group in order to justify starting an all out war. trump has always told us what he is thinking: he claimed Hillary wanted to get into a war. Hillary didn't want a war, but trump did and does and he is working toward initiating America's next war.
2
This piece says it all. The only thing that can added is my disgust that such speech and actual assaults go on with impunity right before our eyes.
2
We all need to beware of 'labels'.... all of them. They're the camouflage masks behind which lies and hate are promoted....
They're not conveniences, there is no 'element of truth' behind them.
They, rather, are the tools of demagogues, whether they come from good ole 'Auntie Sarah', Hillary Clinton, or Trump and his supporters and staff.
They're not conveniences, there is no 'element of truth' behind them.
They, rather, are the tools of demagogues, whether they come from good ole 'Auntie Sarah', Hillary Clinton, or Trump and his supporters and staff.
1
Surely there is enough abhorrent behavior in the Executive Branch that those who oppose don't have to fracture themselves with columns like this one. Happily, we don't: the basic premise of this piece, while notable, is wrong. There has been outrage and vigilance and call for attention and justice by the entire progressive community, with reference to a shocking, saddening, and wide array of silence and setbacks. Let's keep it up.
Hate was a major player that generated votes to get trump elected.
White voters, the majority of them supported by their churches & cultures, felt they were given card-blanch to release their hate in actions and explicit language. trump & bannon knew what they were doing and continue to passively allowed this behavior to happen - under veiled statements reflecting "we do not support these actions".
Hate is a strong binder of emotions and displaced humans - finally they see they are not alone and now their hate is given a home and presidential protection.
trumps 'hate' voters & gangs now feel alive and energized no matter what promises trump is unable to keep.
Gear up - 2018 / 2020- trump and the GOP must be stopped.
White voters, the majority of them supported by their churches & cultures, felt they were given card-blanch to release their hate in actions and explicit language. trump & bannon knew what they were doing and continue to passively allowed this behavior to happen - under veiled statements reflecting "we do not support these actions".
Hate is a strong binder of emotions and displaced humans - finally they see they are not alone and now their hate is given a home and presidential protection.
trumps 'hate' voters & gangs now feel alive and energized no matter what promises trump is unable to keep.
Gear up - 2018 / 2020- trump and the GOP must be stopped.
3
The all-pervasive current hate-wave that is undermining our country and our culture is different from prior American hate-waves in that it is openly spewed from and celebrated by our national leadership. It is not only openly acknowledged in the media—but is encouraged on television and radio talk and news programs whose hosts do all but supply objects for their guests to throw at one another while the rudely interrupt and insult each other.
The internet contributes greatly by giving anyone with access to smart phone or computer the ability to join in the fray, maintaining anonymity while they spout-off things they would never say in polite (an archaic term, I know) company. Even our so-called president chimes in with "tweets" that at times seem poorly disguised attempts at inciting even more hatred.
It's becoming frightening. We have a population that is armed to its eyeballs with weapons that the military didn't have in previous wars and a government that seems to be goading them into using it. We became a nation by emigrating from Europe and committing genocide against the native population and now want to put up a wall to keep less fortunate populations out, including some at risk of being victims of genocide.
What has happened to us? We are on the brink of becoming an oxymoron: an uncivilized civilization.
The internet contributes greatly by giving anyone with access to smart phone or computer the ability to join in the fray, maintaining anonymity while they spout-off things they would never say in polite (an archaic term, I know) company. Even our so-called president chimes in with "tweets" that at times seem poorly disguised attempts at inciting even more hatred.
It's becoming frightening. We have a population that is armed to its eyeballs with weapons that the military didn't have in previous wars and a government that seems to be goading them into using it. We became a nation by emigrating from Europe and committing genocide against the native population and now want to put up a wall to keep less fortunate populations out, including some at risk of being victims of genocide.
What has happened to us? We are on the brink of becoming an oxymoron: an uncivilized civilization.
2
Hate is a human emotion that we cannot escape. We all try to control it but it is always lurking in the background.
1
America needs to stop enabling "victims" and start applauding achievers.
5
It is difficult for me to accept most prejudice to be based on much more than an obvious characteristic. If for no other reason than the ease of generating hate toward a group of people, skin color is the most discernible factor. Prejudice of this sort exists because the target is easy to identify.
Religious structures are destroyed because they too are easily identifiable while religious people who do not profess their belief through dress or practice can in theory melt into the prevailing social background.
No consolation, but people who practice racism or religious bigotry are actually more frightened of themselves than those they attack.
Religious structures are destroyed because they too are easily identifiable while religious people who do not profess their belief through dress or practice can in theory melt into the prevailing social background.
No consolation, but people who practice racism or religious bigotry are actually more frightened of themselves than those they attack.
1
And the Democrats blamed Trump for this and somehow they screamed for some kind of condemnation was needed from Trump. Who needs condemnation to know this is wrong or do people need condemnation to be told stealing is wrong?.
2
We are not born with hatred for other human beings; we learn it or not, as we are growing & developing, from our families, friends, social circle, tribe, clan, organization or leader that we respect & admire. Yes, hatred is taught, usually at an early age. But tolerance & respect for fellow humans can be developed as well, when we realize we all have more in common than we have in differences.
A person bleeding to death doesn't usually care whether the blood came from their ethnic or religious group; they only care whether it's the correct blood type. ALL people want the best for their families, locality, faith, nation & world no matter what their creed or complexion. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is valid for all peoples of all nations of all faiths (or no faith). That is what must be taught in order to displace the hatred instilled by prejudiced family members, friends, religion or populist nationalistic leaders.
A person bleeding to death doesn't usually care whether the blood came from their ethnic or religious group; they only care whether it's the correct blood type. ALL people want the best for their families, locality, faith, nation & world no matter what their creed or complexion. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is valid for all peoples of all nations of all faiths (or no faith). That is what must be taught in order to displace the hatred instilled by prejudiced family members, friends, religion or populist nationalistic leaders.
9
Yes, a third generation American, whose family, Ashkenazi Jews, left Russian at the turn of the last century, to escape religious persecution, I've often wondered how Americans would respond if the black young people shot, detained, and terrorized by our police force (and those who are missing) were, instead, Jewish teenagers.
3
The squeaky wheel gets the grease and no group tracks hate crimes and publicizes them more than our own 2%. For 2% of the American population, they wield a lot of power. I'm still wondering how we have a museum on our national mall that pays tribute to something that didn't even happen in this country.
Trump is a coward who cringes in fear of anyone different from him. He knows what he does to us, and expects the same in return should any of us gain power, thus his defensiveness. It's why his cabinet echoes him nearly exactly, white, male, and rich.
1
I am sorry but 'parsing the semiotics of Mr Trump's role...' is a manifestation of pedantic prolixity unlikely to lead to disambiguation. I am guessing there was a simpler way to make the point
3
The bigotry card worked wonders during Trump's meteoric political rise and no doubt will continue to be played with finesse. It's part of his reflexive pattern of vilifying and degrading anyone with the temerity to stand in his way or threaten him. As his political fortunes decline, hate, anger and bigotry are likely to consume a larger part of his presidential persona.
2
Whenever I meet up with a bird who claims to be a member of the National Security Council; is wearing a “Ban Muslims” tee-shirt and a hat that says “Make America Great”; is addicted to watching reruns of The Apprentice; and frequently quotes Lenin; I call that bird meshuggah and let my cat out into the back yard.
3
Unfortunately since the beginning of time (and probably until the end of time) people will hate other people because they are different than they are or perhaps because they are jealous of them. Just as a person can always find something to like about a person another can find something to hate about that same person.
1
Because this hate is rooted in selective ignorance and when people find out how misguided their beliefs are they just get angry at everything other than themselves for being so gullible and foolish and they lash out at the truth rather than grow and learn from their own foolishness and self imposed stupidity. Is pretty much how the President acts all the time.
1
"I think a lot of good things are happening, and you're going to see a lot of love, you're going to see a lot of love," said the demagogue during a press conference next to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Just imagine when all that love ends and hate begins.
Just imagine when all that love ends and hate begins.
1
The fact that that image of Clinton with the star and the money did not leap off the page at Trump is proof that he is anti-Semitic, because only an anti-Semite would look at that and not be appalled.
Just because I'm terrified for people that I know does not mean that I am not equally terrified for people I do not know.
Just because I'm terrified for people that I know does not mean that I am not equally terrified for people I do not know.
1
Us, USA, USA, USA, against them, has never made America great.
1
Overt, explicit antisemitism remains, thank goodness, taboo among our political & media elites. Overt Islamaphobia, prejudice against transgendered people, against Mexican immigrants, and even against poor people in general, are staples of Republican politics and of right wing media, from the sewers of alt-right websites to the phony respectability of Fox news. While it's distasteful to compare prejudices, I think it's apparent that more socially acceptable a prejudice is, the worse life is for its victims.
1
Ms. Goldberg,
All of Americans of good conscience should be horrified by Trump and his cronies. Although minority groups are fearful, so should white Americans. Because we've seen this morality play performed on the world stage before: Germany in the 20's and 30's, and never has a nation embraced evil as its most sinister impulses as they did. The similarities among Trump supporters and Nazi supporters are striking: they feel left out and left behind, they believe "elites" are responsible for their troubles, they feel their 'greatness' is gone, or, worse, was stolen from them, and seek a renaissance under a strong leader, and only he can fix their problems.
It's a hollow argument, and now 65% of Americans are not buying it. Trump corrupted House Intelligence Committee's investigation. He has tried to de-legitimize the press. He has attacked the career professional of the CIA, FBI, Justice Dept, EPA, and State Dept. with this ridiculous claim of the "Deep State".
Speaker Ryan has defended Trump despite his 35% approval. But in the 21 House Republican seats where Hillary won, what are the numbers. I'd guess not too good. Will Ryan let Trump lead the House Republican conference the minority? How much longer will Ryan tolerate Nunes as WH errand boy? When will we get the truth about the Russia connection?
Team Trump wants us to live in their alternate reality where: anti-Semitism is not repudiated, our institutions are attacked, the truth is under constant assualt.
All of Americans of good conscience should be horrified by Trump and his cronies. Although minority groups are fearful, so should white Americans. Because we've seen this morality play performed on the world stage before: Germany in the 20's and 30's, and never has a nation embraced evil as its most sinister impulses as they did. The similarities among Trump supporters and Nazi supporters are striking: they feel left out and left behind, they believe "elites" are responsible for their troubles, they feel their 'greatness' is gone, or, worse, was stolen from them, and seek a renaissance under a strong leader, and only he can fix their problems.
It's a hollow argument, and now 65% of Americans are not buying it. Trump corrupted House Intelligence Committee's investigation. He has tried to de-legitimize the press. He has attacked the career professional of the CIA, FBI, Justice Dept, EPA, and State Dept. with this ridiculous claim of the "Deep State".
Speaker Ryan has defended Trump despite his 35% approval. But in the 21 House Republican seats where Hillary won, what are the numbers. I'd guess not too good. Will Ryan let Trump lead the House Republican conference the minority? How much longer will Ryan tolerate Nunes as WH errand boy? When will we get the truth about the Russia connection?
Team Trump wants us to live in their alternate reality where: anti-Semitism is not repudiated, our institutions are attacked, the truth is under constant assualt.
5
"Under Mr. Bannon’s leadership, Breitbart defended online anti-Semitism as subversive good fun...”
"Subversive good fun"? What in the world are we coming to?
"Subversive good fun"? What in the world are we coming to?
8
A chapter out of "Springtime for Hitler", but it's not fiction, and so it's not funny.
4
This was a good column and I agree with what is written but, to be honest, I read
Ms Goldberg's piece because of the headline Why Is This Hate Different From All Other Hate? This question was never answered.
Ms Goldberg's piece because of the headline Why Is This Hate Different From All Other Hate? This question was never answered.
3
How long did it take you to figure out that Trump and his minions were racist and anti-Muslim? It was glaringly obvious to me from the start of his campaign. I am alarmed that this column treats this as a new revelation.
2
Absolutely NO mention of the fact that Mr. Trump's daughter Ivanka has converted to Judaism and keeps kosher.
Mentioning that fact would spoil your story would it not?
Mentioning that fact would spoil your story would it not?
5
Ms. Goldberg doesn't point this out, and most don't realize, that being anti-Muslim is also anti-semitism. Publicly being hostile to Americans that have either Jewish or Muslim background is still showing anti-semitism, any way you look at it. Both these groups and all other diverse communities have every right to live in America without fear of persecution; all have been inhabiting the country that became the US for just as long as white Europeans. Whites hold no special claim to be the superior denizens by virtue of being the majority skin tone. In fact, what the white nationalist haters are doing is the very job the terrorist try to do and that is to foment divisiveness, fear and loathing of the cultures that they target. Shouldn't we be smarter than our advisories and not be drawn in to their abhorrent schemes?
Now Trump's team is advancing hate down every corridor of society to satisfy pithy personal disdain for any non white-Anglo face. Not only is it a threat for democracy, is is bound to dissolve trust that buoys economic liberty and strength. Any way possible, Trump, with his Russian-nationalism strategy and fellow hate-mongers need to be chased from the White House by whatever means that can achieve this. With hope, the Russia collusion scandal will bring the whole administrative state of Trump crashing down before Bannon gets to destroys our govt his way.
Now Trump's team is advancing hate down every corridor of society to satisfy pithy personal disdain for any non white-Anglo face. Not only is it a threat for democracy, is is bound to dissolve trust that buoys economic liberty and strength. Any way possible, Trump, with his Russian-nationalism strategy and fellow hate-mongers need to be chased from the White House by whatever means that can achieve this. With hope, the Russia collusion scandal will bring the whole administrative state of Trump crashing down before Bannon gets to destroys our govt his way.
3
I thought this column was going to be about misogyny.
It could have been. Is there anybody who doesn't think misogyny drives this administration?
From Access Hollywood tape to cries of LOCK HER UP to Pence sitting presiding over a table w/ 20 other old white men planning to destroy maternal insurance coverage & Planned Parenthood, the disrespect, contempt & hatred of women is everywhere in Trump's administration.
The only 'prominent' woman is daughter Ivanka, stupidly the 'child care advisor.' Sean Spicer's contemptuous of female journalists. Betsy Devos is especially unqualified & Nikki Haley had no relevant experience. It's like Trump said "I guess I should get some ladies" & selected unqualified women for lesser Cabinet posts.
In Obama's administration women were Secy. of State, Attorney General & National Security Advisor. He was comfortable working w/ women, then campaigned for one. Clearly Obama was the 1st feminist president. Thanks Obama!
Those days are over & we're sliding backwards as Trump endorses destroying women's healthcare & otherwise paying us lip service. Remember Chris Matthews asking Trump if there should be punishment for women who have abortions & Trump stupidly replying, as if rousing himself from a coma, "There should be some punishment."
Who are these rotten cretins & bigots running our government?
Once wishes their mothers, wives & daughters would stand up & walk away.
Yet some women are comfortable w/ men who despise women.
Why?
It could have been. Is there anybody who doesn't think misogyny drives this administration?
From Access Hollywood tape to cries of LOCK HER UP to Pence sitting presiding over a table w/ 20 other old white men planning to destroy maternal insurance coverage & Planned Parenthood, the disrespect, contempt & hatred of women is everywhere in Trump's administration.
The only 'prominent' woman is daughter Ivanka, stupidly the 'child care advisor.' Sean Spicer's contemptuous of female journalists. Betsy Devos is especially unqualified & Nikki Haley had no relevant experience. It's like Trump said "I guess I should get some ladies" & selected unqualified women for lesser Cabinet posts.
In Obama's administration women were Secy. of State, Attorney General & National Security Advisor. He was comfortable working w/ women, then campaigned for one. Clearly Obama was the 1st feminist president. Thanks Obama!
Those days are over & we're sliding backwards as Trump endorses destroying women's healthcare & otherwise paying us lip service. Remember Chris Matthews asking Trump if there should be punishment for women who have abortions & Trump stupidly replying, as if rousing himself from a coma, "There should be some punishment."
Who are these rotten cretins & bigots running our government?
Once wishes their mothers, wives & daughters would stand up & walk away.
Yet some women are comfortable w/ men who despise women.
Why?
5
It isn't different, except maybe for the fact that it's lamented more than it should be, relative to other injustices.
10 ~ 20 million Chinese died at the hands of Mongols. Another 22 million by the Japanese. When was the last time you heard the world anti-Sinic? Anti-Sinitic? I don't even know.
10 ~ 20 million Chinese died at the hands of Mongols. Another 22 million by the Japanese. When was the last time you heard the world anti-Sinic? Anti-Sinitic? I don't even know.
3
Is there a reason what the article ignores the BDS movement which is bought and paid for by liberals? That Obama did nothing to stop it and probably encouraged it by his inaction?
9
I'm re-submitting my comment, as it appears that my first was not accepted. This could be an error on my part.
I'm one of the many who has never understood our "Love" for Israel, from a political standpoint. Every year we give billions of dollars to this nation, and other than politicians pledging US solidarity, nothing explains the reasons why. My question comes amidst claims that there's no money for roads, no money for taking care of the sick and elderly, no money for our infrastructure, no money for our schools, no money for social programs, and a myriad of other challenges facing our own country. Yet we give 3 billion+ a year to Israel. I don't understand the condemnation heaped upon any politician that does so much as question anything that this country (Israel) does when it comes to treatment of minorities in their country, given the brutality of some of their actions. Again, I am trying to understand exactly what our relationship is to Israel, but there is so much conflicting information that it's hard to know what's true. Even amongst my jewish friends, the take on issues varies widely. The fact that so many conservatives seem to scream their support the loudest makes me feel like maybe we are supporting the wrong side. I just don't know.
I'm one of the many who has never understood our "Love" for Israel, from a political standpoint. Every year we give billions of dollars to this nation, and other than politicians pledging US solidarity, nothing explains the reasons why. My question comes amidst claims that there's no money for roads, no money for taking care of the sick and elderly, no money for our infrastructure, no money for our schools, no money for social programs, and a myriad of other challenges facing our own country. Yet we give 3 billion+ a year to Israel. I don't understand the condemnation heaped upon any politician that does so much as question anything that this country (Israel) does when it comes to treatment of minorities in their country, given the brutality of some of their actions. Again, I am trying to understand exactly what our relationship is to Israel, but there is so much conflicting information that it's hard to know what's true. Even amongst my jewish friends, the take on issues varies widely. The fact that so many conservatives seem to scream their support the loudest makes me feel like maybe we are supporting the wrong side. I just don't know.
I was not brought up to hate. I do not believe I hate anyone, particularly persons who have done nothing to me. What I am seeing however, is that "hate" has become the new word weapon of choice for the left to attack with. If I am uncomfortable with illegal immigration I am now a "hater." If I am uncomfortable with a different cultural group arriving in my nation and not assimilating, I am a hater. What elected Donald Trump was years of ignoring my concerns about turning a blind eye to illegal immigration and somehow expecting me to be able to tell the difference between a Muslin person who did not want to harm me and one who did, all while the persons in charge basically told me to get over it and live with the new uncertainty. I am not against immigration, as suggested in this article. I am against illegal immigration. I am against importing terrorists. If that makes me a hater, scream away.
Not one word on the BDS movement and the rise of anti semitism on college campuses?
There are as many threats on the far left as the far right.
There are as many threats on the far left as the far right.
9
For thousands of years it is the Jews who have been the target of choice. We are not going to relax because today it is the Mexicans, Muslims, or LBGTs who seem to be the favor of the month.
To paraphrase Hillel: If we do not stand up for ourselves, who will stand up for us? If we only stand up for ourselves, who are we? And, most importantly, and in the exact language he used --- "If not now, when?"
To paraphrase Hillel: If we do not stand up for ourselves, who will stand up for us? If we only stand up for ourselves, who are we? And, most importantly, and in the exact language he used --- "If not now, when?"
7
When will Donald Trump receive an apology from far left groups masquerading as Jewish groups? Thus far, the two people associated with these acts of vandalism had nothing to do with "white supremacy" much less the Trump administration, I am not holding my breath as these groups are uninterested in facts just ways to smear the President, his staff and his supporters.
4
"All the same, the Israeli bomb threat hoax does force some reassessment."
The young man holds two passports and 1 is of the USA. A hoax perpetrated by an American-Israeli of questionable mental health is not an "Israeli bomb threat hoax".
As for the rest of Ms. Goldenberg's arguments, after removing the anti-Trump tirades and tropes, there seem to be very few.
Re anti-Semitism: there has always been anti-Semitism in the US, it was mostly (but not always) on a low flame in the back burner. There have been occasional eruptions. Most Jews have experienced some form of anti-Semitism, usually of this more reigned in form. But the US has "checks and balances" of sorts that usually prevent it from taking on a more virulent, active form and these usually work (as opposed to hatred of others such as Black Americans; they have a point, even today). The US is not Europe. If one wants to see a more active, virulent and sometimes institutionalized version, cross the Atlantic to Europe. Now they have anti-Semitism that should still shake Jews to the core.
The young man holds two passports and 1 is of the USA. A hoax perpetrated by an American-Israeli of questionable mental health is not an "Israeli bomb threat hoax".
As for the rest of Ms. Goldenberg's arguments, after removing the anti-Trump tirades and tropes, there seem to be very few.
Re anti-Semitism: there has always been anti-Semitism in the US, it was mostly (but not always) on a low flame in the back burner. There have been occasional eruptions. Most Jews have experienced some form of anti-Semitism, usually of this more reigned in form. But the US has "checks and balances" of sorts that usually prevent it from taking on a more virulent, active form and these usually work (as opposed to hatred of others such as Black Americans; they have a point, even today). The US is not Europe. If one wants to see a more active, virulent and sometimes institutionalized version, cross the Atlantic to Europe. Now they have anti-Semitism that should still shake Jews to the core.
8
Muslims, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Japanese, Jews, Chinese, Italians, Irish, Africans, even Germans, all have been victims of current and past American bigots. Some of us never learn. Our military is integrated, our athletic teams are integrated, the Democratic party is integrated. The Republican Party is not integrated, our gated communities are not, most of our churches are not, many of our schools are not.
It becomes easy for the ignorant bigots to spread their fear of "others" when they don't know anyone who doesn't look or dress like themselves.
Since WWII under Democratic administrations our Federal government has been an important positive force to protect religious and ethnic minorities from the haters. The white right wing alt-right Trump government and Jeff Sessions are unlikely to provide the leadership we need and deserve.
In time the multiracial, multicultural tide of demographic change in America will overwhelm today's aging bigots. After all, a majority of American people of all races and religions elected Barack Obama, our first African-American President twice.
It becomes easy for the ignorant bigots to spread their fear of "others" when they don't know anyone who doesn't look or dress like themselves.
Since WWII under Democratic administrations our Federal government has been an important positive force to protect religious and ethnic minorities from the haters. The white right wing alt-right Trump government and Jeff Sessions are unlikely to provide the leadership we need and deserve.
In time the multiracial, multicultural tide of demographic change in America will overwhelm today's aging bigots. After all, a majority of American people of all races and religions elected Barack Obama, our first African-American President twice.
4
Thank you- as a jewish new yorker I feel outrage as trump denigrates and surrounds himself with bigots who ignore the damage they are perpetuating and creating. My muslim, iranian, brown or immigrant friends face this administration and its hate every day. Perhaps my empathy comes from my own identity or perhaps it comes-- as you put it-- from my own humanity and simple basic concern for another human being or friend. I hope leaders in the house and senate as well as in the jewish community can see and name, bigotry for another as what it is.
5
Here's how we shove Donald and his fellow bigots back to the caves where they belong: vote Democratic in 2018 and in 2020. As for his supporters who now think it's cool to be openly racist, don't be afraid of them. Fight back (I always do) and you'll see how fast they run back to their mothers' basements.
7
There's no use trying to figure out who Trump hates more and who he hates less. He is an equal opportunity hater. Even when he says he likes an individual or a group of people it sounds phony and calculated.
I am yet to see him express genuine compassion for anyone.
I am yet to see him express genuine compassion for anyone.
3
Donald is a them and us kind of guy. the 'us' is his family and business partners and the 'them" is everyone else. He cheats his contractors and employees. He doesn't care about people. And he certainly isn't going to stick his uberous neck out for anyone.
4
Michelle Goldberg's article needs to be required reading for the current President of our United States. Since he may never understand the American imperative to use his power to call out evil, here and abroad, as has been the legacy of both Republican and Democratic Presidents, then education must occur. Americans are fully aware that Trump's White House staff is a bastion of double-speak. We see daily Presidential pretenses to slay the dragon that instead, fuels hate and devastating division. It must stop.
2
Anti-Semitism never goes away and never will.
It's too valuable as a weapon to those in power and too necessary to those that have none as an excuse for their station in life.
At it's least dangerous, it is still always on the back burner at a low simmer.
Trump and his propagandists have turned up the gas on that burner in service of their core constituency while at the same time holding up Ivanka and Jared as a craven human shield against accusations of Anti-Semitism
While Anti-Islamic sentiment is the hate du jour, good old Anti-Semitism is the classic rock of hate, it's always there when you need it and invokes feelings of nostalgia for the good old days when coded language wasn't necessary.
It's too valuable as a weapon to those in power and too necessary to those that have none as an excuse for their station in life.
At it's least dangerous, it is still always on the back burner at a low simmer.
Trump and his propagandists have turned up the gas on that burner in service of their core constituency while at the same time holding up Ivanka and Jared as a craven human shield against accusations of Anti-Semitism
While Anti-Islamic sentiment is the hate du jour, good old Anti-Semitism is the classic rock of hate, it's always there when you need it and invokes feelings of nostalgia for the good old days when coded language wasn't necessary.
8
Thank you Ms. Goldberg for this astute essay. As a brown who is a lawful, legal, tax-paying, naturalized American citizen this is a question that haunts me all the time but am fearful to say them for fear of antagonizing my Jewish friends. Yes, Jewish friends. While I would never utter the words when my Jewish friends mock their own, I also will not say anything about the atrocities going on other ethnicities currently because I do not want to be labeled 'Un-American'. I am not a Muslim but it amazes me that the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-everybody who is not a New Englander, Irish, Italian, Polish or even Russians goes largely unreported or glossed over. Maybe, the 'Others' should borrow pages from Aipac!
2
"Mr. Gorka claimed he wore the medal to honor his father, from whom he 'inherited' Vitezi Rend membership."
Perhaps Trump is wearing White Nationalist groups' support as a medal to honor his father, who was reported to have been involved with the KKK.
In an article titled "Donald Trump and the Ku Klux Klan: A History," The New Yorker, his response to John Hileman's question regarding his "broad support among neo-Nazis, white nationalists, and other members of the far right" is classic Trump: “Honestly, John, I’d have to read the story. A lot of people like me.” http://tinyurl.com/jxbkh28
What is telling is that Trump chose to appoint Jeff Sessions as the AG though "a lot of people" had questions about his record on civil rights. Trump could have appointed Giuliani or Christie, who were also early supporters of him, as Sessions was. Sure, both of them had their own issues, but they'd have been better than Sessions.
Neither Trump nor Sessions has threatened to prosecute those who attack illegal immigrants or those who "look" like illegal immigrants, but they have made it a priority to publicize and prosecute crimes committed by immigrants. They even came up with a catch acronym for the office responsible: VOICE Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement office, or VOICE.
We know where their priorities lie: "immigration crime."
Perhaps Trump is wearing White Nationalist groups' support as a medal to honor his father, who was reported to have been involved with the KKK.
In an article titled "Donald Trump and the Ku Klux Klan: A History," The New Yorker, his response to John Hileman's question regarding his "broad support among neo-Nazis, white nationalists, and other members of the far right" is classic Trump: “Honestly, John, I’d have to read the story. A lot of people like me.” http://tinyurl.com/jxbkh28
What is telling is that Trump chose to appoint Jeff Sessions as the AG though "a lot of people" had questions about his record on civil rights. Trump could have appointed Giuliani or Christie, who were also early supporters of him, as Sessions was. Sure, both of them had their own issues, but they'd have been better than Sessions.
Neither Trump nor Sessions has threatened to prosecute those who attack illegal immigrants or those who "look" like illegal immigrants, but they have made it a priority to publicize and prosecute crimes committed by immigrants. They even came up with a catch acronym for the office responsible: VOICE Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement office, or VOICE.
We know where their priorities lie: "immigration crime."
4
Big difference here is that Jews did not attack Germany the way Muslims attacked the US in 9/11. The same way airplane disasters strike fear in the US
(35,000 die in auto accidents plus more thousands are severely injured every year in US), 9/11 has done the same, only moreso since the 9/11 victims didn't choose to fly.
(35,000 die in auto accidents plus more thousands are severely injured every year in US), 9/11 has done the same, only moreso since the 9/11 victims didn't choose to fly.
10
As a young adult, I appropriated hate as the philistine filling of a flat-earth sandwich squashed between heaven and hell.
As an old man, I'm no closer to understanding it, which may actually be a good thing - to comprehend hatred, perhaps it needs to be felt.
The only thing it makes me feel is sick.
As an old man, I'm no closer to understanding it, which may actually be a good thing - to comprehend hatred, perhaps it needs to be felt.
The only thing it makes me feel is sick.
3
Jews don't have a lock on all the hatred that's going on in the world today. There's enough to go around.
And that, if anything, is what Donald Trump has brought to the fore, both in his campaign and since his inauguration.
Of course, one would think that having Jews in his family and his administration, he might be a bit more circumspect when it comes to the subject of anti-Semitism, but in true Trump form, it doesn't. No one is spared -- and his almost pathological hatred of Muslims, Mexicans, African-Americans, and anyone brown or black, is proof enough of that.
Jews aren't the only group to feel the brunt of bias and persecution these days, but they still don't seem to realize it.
And that, if anything, is what Donald Trump has brought to the fore, both in his campaign and since his inauguration.
Of course, one would think that having Jews in his family and his administration, he might be a bit more circumspect when it comes to the subject of anti-Semitism, but in true Trump form, it doesn't. No one is spared -- and his almost pathological hatred of Muslims, Mexicans, African-Americans, and anyone brown or black, is proof enough of that.
Jews aren't the only group to feel the brunt of bias and persecution these days, but they still don't seem to realize it.
6
My parents, but not all members of my family, survived (barely) state anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. I was raised on their stories of Gestapo and state sponsored terrorism reflected in the streets, on the radio, in the newspapers, etc. The lesson was always the same: Never Again.
Go to Nuremberg, Germany today and you can see signs throughout the city with pictures of what the place where you are standing looked like before the war, and how it looked in Spring 1945 when Germany surrendered. Attached to each picture is the two-word declaration: Nie Wieder (Never Again).
Never Again can mean one of two things: Never Again to Us, or Never Again to Anyone. The rise of Trumpist America Firstism, with its scapegoating of Muslims, Mexicans, women who "persisted," liberals, "lamestream media," immigrants, refugees, ad nauseum, rests upon "Never Again to Us." It lends itself to a growing presence of fascist demagoguery. And it's not just here in the current US political discourse, but also in France, Hungary, Germany, Holland...
While such ill winds blow throughout the western world, aided and abetted by billionaires and Russian interests (as we learn more and more each day), we can and we must insist and work together to be sure that Never Again means just that for everyone: not a Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Woman, Man, L, G, B, T, Q, black, white, brown, yellow or red, North or South, rich or poor. And we must work with any and every means necessary, singly and communally.
Go to Nuremberg, Germany today and you can see signs throughout the city with pictures of what the place where you are standing looked like before the war, and how it looked in Spring 1945 when Germany surrendered. Attached to each picture is the two-word declaration: Nie Wieder (Never Again).
Never Again can mean one of two things: Never Again to Us, or Never Again to Anyone. The rise of Trumpist America Firstism, with its scapegoating of Muslims, Mexicans, women who "persisted," liberals, "lamestream media," immigrants, refugees, ad nauseum, rests upon "Never Again to Us." It lends itself to a growing presence of fascist demagoguery. And it's not just here in the current US political discourse, but also in France, Hungary, Germany, Holland...
While such ill winds blow throughout the western world, aided and abetted by billionaires and Russian interests (as we learn more and more each day), we can and we must insist and work together to be sure that Never Again means just that for everyone: not a Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Woman, Man, L, G, B, T, Q, black, white, brown, yellow or red, North or South, rich or poor. And we must work with any and every means necessary, singly and communally.
8
At least this Trump mis-characterization is on the Opinion Page so we can't call it "fake news", it is just extremely biased opinion. Logically it is hard to argue that a man with a Jewish daughter and grandchildren, whom he obviously loves, is an anti-Semite.
Logically is the key word, logic seems to be missing in much of the N.Y. Times Opinion pieces. I can accept that, but it does disturb me that the news department seems to have the same problem.
Logically is the key word, logic seems to be missing in much of the N.Y. Times Opinion pieces. I can accept that, but it does disturb me that the news department seems to have the same problem.
5
I agree that anti- semitism and anti-Muslim statements and acts are bad. When will we give the same attention and concern to the constant, systemic racism against Blacks? I am White. I am saying this because racism is not Blacks' problem - it is ours! Only we - the perpetrators- can stop
It. And enough with the White fragility already! We are all culpable.
It. And enough with the White fragility already! We are all culpable.
4
Bravo, Ms. Goldberg!
2
"Mr. Trump himself does not appear to harbor personal anti-Jewish animus: He has a beloved Jewish daughter and close Jewish advisers. ". so what? Nixon had Kissinger as his Secretary of State and he was anti-semitic.
6
So are you then implying that President Trump is an anti-Semite? If yes, then what verifiable evidence do you have that unequivocally confirms the President's anti-Semitic beliefs.
The internet has amplified rank-and-file to the point where a dozen instances of perceptibly anti-Semitic incidents can be tagged to individuals withing the presidency and its sphere of co-parties. This article highlights that, yet an amplitude differs from frequency. I don't buy the subtle suggestion that our president or anyone within his orbit are racist or anti-Semitic. Some would like to degrade the president for political gain, that's always the case, but then again, with modern media, both mainstream and social, its just amplification, right or wrong.
2
Thanks Trump Voters!
56% white women voted Trump, more than Romney 53%, Obama 46%, Clinton 43%.
When mothers are racist bigots, what to expect of their children?
56% white women voted Trump, more than Romney 53%, Obama 46%, Clinton 43%.
When mothers are racist bigots, what to expect of their children?
6
"All the same, the Israeli bomb threat hoax does force some reassessment."
Perhaps a great deal of reassessment.
"Perhaps we have given Trump-era anti-Semitism more emphasis than it deserves."
Yes, you have, and the same goes for pre-Trump-era anti-Semitism.
The Jewish obsession with portraying anti-Semitism in the US as being much worse and more widespread than it is in reality is definitely an issue which the Jewish community would do well to examine carefully.
It's so obvious that anti-Islamism is vastly more prevalent and serious in the US than anti-Semitism. Kudos to Ms. Goldberg for perceiving the obvious.
Perhaps a great deal of reassessment.
"Perhaps we have given Trump-era anti-Semitism more emphasis than it deserves."
Yes, you have, and the same goes for pre-Trump-era anti-Semitism.
The Jewish obsession with portraying anti-Semitism in the US as being much worse and more widespread than it is in reality is definitely an issue which the Jewish community would do well to examine carefully.
It's so obvious that anti-Islamism is vastly more prevalent and serious in the US than anti-Semitism. Kudos to Ms. Goldberg for perceiving the obvious.
4
Is there really anything more to say about the man in the White House? What can one hope to expect in terms of standing up against hate from our current government? In my view the lines between those that would support him in any way and those that know that our country is going through an unmitigated disaster are drawn in the most indelible ink. No one should expect anything decent from this administration or those that support it. The only positive thing to remember is that over 50% of this country repudiate what's occurring and hopefully, in less than 2 years, some changes will occur giving decent Americans renewed power in Congress. Failing that......? We are as close to being hopelessly lost as we ever have been in our country's history and if the opposition party cannot regain control of Congress at the mid-term elections then we can stop all critiques because we will have crossed the Rubicon on our way to this country's abyss.
3
One time the then Lord Mayor of Dublin Robert Briscoe was introduced to admiring American audience as 'Once upon a time there was a Jew and an Irishman and here he is". Unfortunately we presently have an administration that incongruously has Jews and neo-fascists and here they are.
2
This is a trenchant, irrefutable cataloguing of the right wing's contemptible behavior and statements in Trump's tolerant environment. Trump has thrown open the gates for all manner of bigots, who are increasingly bold in their odious statements.
I've browsed Breitbart, which is a cesspool of hate. Sometimes it's the usual lowbrow smears; other posters couch their racism in risible pseudo-intellectual prose, complete with historical "context." The site is just a breeding ground for Trump adulation, mixed with vicious libels of minorities. Simpler minds believe unquestioningly and parrot this soup as proven fact. I sometimes feel as if these characters don't know whom to hate first or most; it's like a welcoming smorgasbord of bigotry.
As a Jew, I have felt more and more as if the Muslims are being pushed into the role played by the Jews in 1930s Germany. It seems permissible to make all kinds of nasty generalizations and to stereotype these people mercilessly; to accuse and smear them wholesale. It gives me the creeps, as I live and work among many wonderful Muslim people here in Silicon Valley; they are my neighbors, my managers, my teachers, and my friends. I promised one friend who is frightened that Trump's soldiers are going to come for her and her family someday, that I would accompany her wherever they sent her. To not stand against this shameful trend under this ersatz president is to excuse and enable it.
I've browsed Breitbart, which is a cesspool of hate. Sometimes it's the usual lowbrow smears; other posters couch their racism in risible pseudo-intellectual prose, complete with historical "context." The site is just a breeding ground for Trump adulation, mixed with vicious libels of minorities. Simpler minds believe unquestioningly and parrot this soup as proven fact. I sometimes feel as if these characters don't know whom to hate first or most; it's like a welcoming smorgasbord of bigotry.
As a Jew, I have felt more and more as if the Muslims are being pushed into the role played by the Jews in 1930s Germany. It seems permissible to make all kinds of nasty generalizations and to stereotype these people mercilessly; to accuse and smear them wholesale. It gives me the creeps, as I live and work among many wonderful Muslim people here in Silicon Valley; they are my neighbors, my managers, my teachers, and my friends. I promised one friend who is frightened that Trump's soldiers are going to come for her and her family someday, that I would accompany her wherever they sent her. To not stand against this shameful trend under this ersatz president is to excuse and enable it.
67
I grew up Jewish in a working class Irish suburb of Boston. My friends were Irish, my girl friends were Irish, and few made anything of my religion, at least after the Pope forgave the Jews for killing Jesus. I have mixed in places high and low. And I've been exposed to my share of antisemitism. Working class antisemitism is crude and I can easily dismiss it. Antisemitism from above is snobby, and I can dismiss that. I lived in the South for a few years, and they had no idea what to make of Jews. That was easy to dismiss.
I have never considered American antisemitism to be threatening to me because I have always associated with non-Jews who have given me confidence that I belong. Perhaps I go too far sometimes. I don't go to Jewish Community Centers. I go to LA Fitness. I don't seek out Jewish friends, I take my friends as they come. And I have lost two girlfriends because of religion, one Episcopalian and one Orthodox Jew, because I couldn't pretend to be either.
Bottom line, because I have assimilated all my life, I have met enough people who don't like me to consider the few antisemitics among them non- threatening. The more you assimilate, I think, the less sensitive you are.
And in my experience, it is easy for Jews to assimilate, if you care to. When you're black or Muslim or Hispanic, you wear your identity wherever you go. That makes it hard to assimilate. And therein lies the difference.
I have never considered American antisemitism to be threatening to me because I have always associated with non-Jews who have given me confidence that I belong. Perhaps I go too far sometimes. I don't go to Jewish Community Centers. I go to LA Fitness. I don't seek out Jewish friends, I take my friends as they come. And I have lost two girlfriends because of religion, one Episcopalian and one Orthodox Jew, because I couldn't pretend to be either.
Bottom line, because I have assimilated all my life, I have met enough people who don't like me to consider the few antisemitics among them non- threatening. The more you assimilate, I think, the less sensitive you are.
And in my experience, it is easy for Jews to assimilate, if you care to. When you're black or Muslim or Hispanic, you wear your identity wherever you go. That makes it hard to assimilate. And therein lies the difference.
10
The Benedict is in the White House because of hate of the "others". One must have been asleep to not see that. However, the question is: What are we going to do about it? In a word:
RUSSIAGATE!
RUSSIAGATE!
There is only one race, Mr. Trump, the human race!
There is an explanation that liberals will not like.
There are many liberals who are anti Semitic.
They don't say anti Semitic stuff.
They say things that are anti Israel.
They support the BDS movement.
By reacting to something that is seen as being anti Semitic they can pretend they aren't Anti Semitic and are only Anti Israeli.
Thy are the real anti Semites and even though I hate Trump I have to say he isn't.
I feel I have a right to make statements on this topic because I am Jewish.
I love living in this country.
I have never personally felt threatened by anti Semites (there are many)because I know I am supported by everyone else in this country and therefore these people can not harm me.
I therefore did not feel threatened by something that even if it was Anti Semitic would not harm and did not see a reason to be angry with Trump because he didn't say anything about it
There are many liberals who are anti Semitic.
They don't say anti Semitic stuff.
They say things that are anti Israel.
They support the BDS movement.
By reacting to something that is seen as being anti Semitic they can pretend they aren't Anti Semitic and are only Anti Israeli.
Thy are the real anti Semites and even though I hate Trump I have to say he isn't.
I feel I have a right to make statements on this topic because I am Jewish.
I love living in this country.
I have never personally felt threatened by anti Semites (there are many)because I know I am supported by everyone else in this country and therefore these people can not harm me.
I therefore did not feel threatened by something that even if it was Anti Semitic would not harm and did not see a reason to be angry with Trump because he didn't say anything about it
7
Liberals are not anti-Israel, their basic concern is how Palestinians are viewed by right-wing Israel.
1
Overall an excellent opinion piece by the always thoughtful Ms. Goldberg. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism can come from many sources: liberals (including few liberal Jews) who cross the line from valid criticism of Israel to anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism, the debate over BDS (is it inherently anti-Semitic), Muslims who are anti-Israel (many not recognizing Israel's right to exist) and anti-Zionist that becomes (or is inherently) anti-Semitic, Christians who love Israel so Christ can return and 2/3 Jews die and 1/3 finally convert to Christianity, from those who believe Jews control the Fed, the banks, the media, the power of Goldman Sachs and the Neocons - all part of a Jewish cabal, white supremacists and Neo-Nazis who always hate and blame the Jews. The anti-Semitism of the Trump administration is one that is an unholy alliance between ultra-Zionist Jews - Brietbart founders, Netanyahu and his ultra-right in Israel - and white nationalists like Bannon and Gorka, and all anti-immigrant and anti-Islam European far right - most with Neo-Nazi roots, but supported by Netanyahu government, that target their anti-Semitism towards liberal Jews - some 70% of American Jews. As long as you are anti-Islam (a fake version since the Wahabbis/Saudis get a pass) and pro-Netanyahu's Israel, being an anti-Semite, white supremacist or even a Neo-Nazi is shockingly fine.
6
The Brietbart article in no way defends anti-semtism. I suggest people who hear Brietbart vilified so much actually go to the site and check it out. The author of the article is half Jewish and he is giving his description of the "alt-right" and their desire to break social taboos. Brietbart has an office in Israel and is extremely pro israel. The Israeli teen was making the bomb threats back during the Obama presidency but the media didn't care. It's only a worthwhile story if it can be used to discredit Trump. BTW a large number of these hate crimes do turn out to be either false or perpetrated by one of the group's own members to get publicity.
5
Antisemitism IS different from any other kinds of prejudice or even institutionalized racism. Conflating them is, in itself, an antisemitic trope. Only antisemitism was the foundation of a political ideology that, at some point, was poised to take over Europe and maybe the world - Nazism. Only antisemitism has existed for two millennia, causing innumerable deaths, torture, ethnic cleansing and expulsion (I highly recommend the book " The Longest Hatred" by Robert Wistrich for this history). Only antisemitism survives today in both right- and left-wing conspiracy theories. "Turner's Diaries", the book that inspired the Oklahoma bombing, is more antisemitic than it is anti-black. Islamophobia is not even on the same page: at worst, it is a stupid anti-Arab prejudice; and sometimes it is an opposition to Islam as a religion, which is not the same thing as antisemitism. Need I remind the author that Christians were murdered in Auschwitz because they had Jewish blood? Let's not even talk about the mass expulsion of Jews from Arab countries in the 1950s and the current attitude of Islam (though, I'm happy to testify, not of individual Muslims) to Jews and Israel. Publishing this false-equivalence, historically inaccurate essay on the eve of Passover is an insult to my family murdered in the Holocaust.
3
It seems too many of you, including the writer, are missing the big picture here. The point isn't about anti-Semitism, per se - it is against bigotry against anyone seen as "outside the norm" of being lily white European. Jews - need not apply, everybody knows they are "tainted Christ killers;" Muslims - brown skin atheists and terrorists who need to be exterminated from the face of the Earth; Indians - ditto; Native Americans - ditto; Chinese - ditto; the entirety of Africa - ditto; the entirety of Central and South America - ditto. Do you see a pattern here, people? THAT is the one and only goal of the white supremacist movement. Heeellllooooo! Get it now?
2
So what's your point about tons of attention to anti-Semitic threats, while members of other minorities were being killed or otherwise actually abused?
The good start to your piece gets completely buried in endless recitation of anti-Semitic incidents.
All you do, is reaffirm that while other minorities get very actually killed, it is ant-Semitism that warrants the attention and words of opinion makers. How utterly worthless and pointless.
The good start to your piece gets completely buried in endless recitation of anti-Semitic incidents.
All you do, is reaffirm that while other minorities get very actually killed, it is ant-Semitism that warrants the attention and words of opinion makers. How utterly worthless and pointless.
3
The headline of this thoughtful essay, "Why Is This Hate Different From All Other Hate?" is a rhetorical question. The writer makes clear that she does not distinguish between types of hate:
"The horror of the president’s vision isn’t that 'the other people' might include Jews. It includes people. Even in this brutally tribal moment, that should be enough."
This essay rightly draws attention to the fluid fungibility of hate. Hate directed at "the other people" need not repeat its historical application. Hate seeks targets that are on the margins of society. Yesterday in Nazi Germany it was aimed at Jews, today in Trump's America it's aimed mainly at a new set of groups.
"The horror of the president’s vision isn’t that 'the other people' might include Jews. It includes people. Even in this brutally tribal moment, that should be enough."
This essay rightly draws attention to the fluid fungibility of hate. Hate directed at "the other people" need not repeat its historical application. Hate seeks targets that are on the margins of society. Yesterday in Nazi Germany it was aimed at Jews, today in Trump's America it's aimed mainly at a new set of groups.
As a light-skinned, green-eyed person of Middle Eastern ancestry, I have a unique perspective on Ms. Goldberg's article. I'm a native-born American, but half my family hailed from Iran.
Now in my sixties, I feel as if I've had a front-row seat to racism in this country all my life. American whites who have no idea about my background have made the most blatantly racist comments in front of me, for decades now. It would be fascinating, if it weren't so hurtful.
But my appearance has given me something that many darker people haven't experienced -- the knowledge of how many, many white people really feel about "others". Because of my light skin, whites feel entirely at ease uttering the most vile comments imaginable -- comments they generally do not make in front of those with darker skin.
So my message to white Americans is this: yes, racism is as rampant now as it was sixty years ago. I know this, because of all those slurs you've made in front of me all these years, believing I was right with you.
Now in my sixties, I feel as if I've had a front-row seat to racism in this country all my life. American whites who have no idea about my background have made the most blatantly racist comments in front of me, for decades now. It would be fascinating, if it weren't so hurtful.
But my appearance has given me something that many darker people haven't experienced -- the knowledge of how many, many white people really feel about "others". Because of my light skin, whites feel entirely at ease uttering the most vile comments imaginable -- comments they generally do not make in front of those with darker skin.
So my message to white Americans is this: yes, racism is as rampant now as it was sixty years ago. I know this, because of all those slurs you've made in front of me all these years, believing I was right with you.
4
While I am no fan of Trump, I haven't heard any "dog whistle" anti-Semitic remarks from Trump. I think that statement is inaccurate and you should lay out your case in detail. I do not live in a bubble and make it a point to be acquainted with "dog-whistle" phrases. When statements yours are made with no proof cited you do damage to the credibility of legitimate journalists.
You are correct in your statement that Trump is openly hostile to Muslims. And that is wrong. And that is no doubt indirectly encouraging bad acts.
You are correct in your statement that Trump is openly hostile to Muslims. And that is wrong. And that is no doubt indirectly encouraging bad acts.
3
As a Jew of a certain age, I was brought up with the regularly reinforced lesson that we can never tolerate any bigotry, not least because it will inevitably come to us. It was the civil rights era as well as the generation after WWII, so the lessons were everywhere. They still are. We are nowhere near Kristallnacht for America's Muslims, but that must be cold comfort to someone whose mosque has been vandalized. We have a president and an administration sprewing bigotry and hatred. "They're rapists." "They (ordinary Muslims in ordinary mosques) know who they (the terrorists) are." There was no Holocaust directed specifically at the Jews, it was just a very sad time when a lot of very bad things happened to a lot of people. We all have good reason to be alarmed. As always, hateful political leadership inspires hateful acts. As candidate Trump said when thugs, screaming pro-Trump vitriol, attacked a homeless Mexican immigrant shortly after the "They're rapists" speech, "people who are following me are very passionate." Hr. Goebbels could not have said it better.
3
To sum it up - Racists don't discriminate about whom they hate! Beware!
1
I think antisemitism is a perpetrated myth. Hate is the opposite end of love they both work for a common cause. We all hate those who do us wrong no matter who you are.
To the Top comment by Mr Ross Williams: There are no organized Jews in Poland. There are no Jews in Poland, practically. But the hate persists. They recently burned a Jew in effigy at an anti-Muslim immigration rally. How do you explain that?
5
I was hoping I wouldn't find another "Your group doesn't suffer as much as other, more worthy of concern groups" argument this morning. But here we are again. Even though I worry a lot about, for example, my undocumented immigrant friends - whom I often help and march for, and who support me in return - I'm disappointed The New York Times dedicates a Sunday column to arguing that anti-Muslim prejudice "Trumps" anti-Jewish bigotry. I've been mercifully spared most antisemitism, living in a largely Jewish liberal haven. But I respect the concerns of those who've faced Jew-haters face-to-face.
We need to stand together, not divide into tribes. Liberalism was once about unity, and can be again.
We need to stand together, not divide into tribes. Liberalism was once about unity, and can be again.
I am bewildered at this story. Somehow an evil boy who in a cowardly way threatens Jewish organizations is ignored or hardly mentioned . The story becomes yet another anti Trumpt rant. This is the attitude that is draining support for the NYT.
6
Jews make up 2% of the population of the US, but half the hate crimes are directed against Jews. It is probably even higher but authorities seem to choke on the words "hate crime". A Jewish cemetery can be vandalized, a Hasid attacked and a synagogue sprayed painted with a swastika in one day and the police aren't sure these are hate crimes.
Trump has become a Holocaust denier by failing to mentions Jews on Holocaust Remberence Day. Yes, others died, but Hitler was not committing genocide against these other groups. Trump is to blame for the uptick in hate crimes against Jews because he encouraged violence during his campaign rallies. He is always pointing his finger at the "others' and among his right-wing base, Jews are part of the others. His hate-mongering voter base sees no reason to suppress their anger and hate because the president condones, aids and abets their criminal behavior. He even offered to pay someone's legal bills. (Since he doesn't pay what he owes it was probably a hollow offer.)
He likes to tweet his venom but of course, doesn't take responsibility for its fruits. He refuses to condemn the anti-semitic attacks because he doesn't want to offend any of his voters. Even his daughter and son-in-law can't convince him to do what is right.
Trump has become a Holocaust denier by failing to mentions Jews on Holocaust Remberence Day. Yes, others died, but Hitler was not committing genocide against these other groups. Trump is to blame for the uptick in hate crimes against Jews because he encouraged violence during his campaign rallies. He is always pointing his finger at the "others' and among his right-wing base, Jews are part of the others. His hate-mongering voter base sees no reason to suppress their anger and hate because the president condones, aids and abets their criminal behavior. He even offered to pay someone's legal bills. (Since he doesn't pay what he owes it was probably a hollow offer.)
He likes to tweet his venom but of course, doesn't take responsibility for its fruits. He refuses to condemn the anti-semitic attacks because he doesn't want to offend any of his voters. Even his daughter and son-in-law can't convince him to do what is right.
4
Hate is hate. One kind leads to terrorism and the other kind leads to bigotry. Carefully examine and you will find the root cause is poverty and economic loss of opportunities. What we experience in the US can also be traced to politicians exploiting job losses. How do we overcome them? In parts of world where it is generating terrorism, economic development and poverty alleviation is key. In developed countries like ours, a massive GI bill to retrain our workforce - the workforce that had lost jobs to globalization and technology. Education as Mr. Goldberg put it but education to retrain our workforce to manage robots and automation from a workforce which manually built cars and ran coal mines. Germany has succeeded in retooling their workforce to prolong careers. We need a massive effort to retrain for the jobs of the future.
1
The various Jewish Lobbies are well funded and powerful. We all know that money talks quite loudly, especially to politicians . Jews are well represented in the media too.
Once gays were forced to come out of the closet it became apparent that a lot of them had money and/or were influential in the Arts and media.
Blacks, muslims, and latinos have less money and influence in the media.
as they say, "Follow the money."
Once gays were forced to come out of the closet it became apparent that a lot of them had money and/or were influential in the Arts and media.
Blacks, muslims, and latinos have less money and influence in the media.
as they say, "Follow the money."
3
Let's assume that there are all of these Powerful Jewish Lobbies of which you speak of, does that somehow negate the fact that Jews are heavily overrepresented in the amount of hate crimes committed against them?
Well, check out the FBI's statistics for yourself:
https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/topic-pages/incidentsandoffenses_final
Well, check out the FBI's statistics for yourself:
https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/topic-pages/incidentsandoffenses_final
2
It's hard to argue against the latent, nascent, renascent anti-Semitism in American society when the Evangelical/Fundamentalist so called Christian churches cling to a dispensational theology that raptures good, white Christians off the planet and gathers all the Jews in Israel for a final apocalyptic battle that destroys them along with the rest of the planet. Republicans take offense at being called out for their deplorable ideology and hate. And yet, here it is in plain sight for anyone with eyes to see.
Hate is hate. The GOP/Trump excel in stoking anti-Semitism, racism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and every manner of regressive, divisive, and (dare I say) white supremacist behavior, while denying culpability for the results of their statements and acts.
It is a well established principle in law that people intend the foreseeable and ordinary consequences of their acts. Yetl these GOP politicos, many of them educated as attorneys, seem willfully ignorant of this maxim.
History repeats itself, so they say, but the period of history those like Gorka and company seem to be emulating is 1930s Germany. If that does not worry the citizenry of the United States, then perhaps the average "American" is the dangerously under-educated, woefully ignorant population that the global intelligentsia pictures.
It is a well established principle in law that people intend the foreseeable and ordinary consequences of their acts. Yetl these GOP politicos, many of them educated as attorneys, seem willfully ignorant of this maxim.
History repeats itself, so they say, but the period of history those like Gorka and company seem to be emulating is 1930s Germany. If that does not worry the citizenry of the United States, then perhaps the average "American" is the dangerously under-educated, woefully ignorant population that the global intelligentsia pictures.
2
I'm going to take a small leap of faith and assume that the author is Jewish or of Jewish background. Her last name would identify her, at least, as such. She is correct that an emphasis on anti-Semitism can mask the hatred that Trump and his supporters unleash on other, less defended minorities. What is noteworthy is that so many Jews, including I might venture Ms. Goldberg herself, are leaders in the defense of these other minorities against the attacks of Trumpists. The presence of as many Jews as there are in Trump's inner circle and among his supporters is dismaying to me as a Jew. But what is encouraging is the far larger number of Jews who speak out, and vote against, his racist tactics and policies. Trumpism has had great influence in driving Jews and Moslems to find common ground and in re-establishing historic ties between Jews and African-Americans, just as it has reminded even more Americans of the preciousness of our now very threatened democratic, civil and legal institutions.
3
The most hate I see are the tone and words of this editorial. Not a day goes by when the NYT doesn't push their "dog whistle" hate agenda about the President. Wasn't the FBI totally on this from the beginning? Must they tell the media every secret step they make to solve crimes? I do not believe that DJT or his people are AntiSemitic but you all seem so disappointed by this fact, no matter his actions, family, team, employees, businesses, you continue to push this outrageous narrative about the President if the United States.
5
What, exactly, are President Trump's actions to reject hate? I would sincerely like to know. Thank you.
The author tells us that Trump resurrected a "disgraced" slogan, America First, without telling us what exactly is disgraceful about it.
Perhaps she should visit the abandoned factories and small towns in the Ohio Valley that were destroyed by lopsided trade deals like NAFTA, and see first hand what the flow of opiates and meth across our Southern border has done to an entire generation.
The hate must stop. But the only way to lasting racial and social justice is through economic justice that only a healthy and employed middle class can bring to America.
Perhaps she should visit the abandoned factories and small towns in the Ohio Valley that were destroyed by lopsided trade deals like NAFTA, and see first hand what the flow of opiates and meth across our Southern border has done to an entire generation.
The hate must stop. But the only way to lasting racial and social justice is through economic justice that only a healthy and employed middle class can bring to America.
3
The author tells us how "America First" became a disgraced slogan in paragraphs 10 through 12; there's more, actually, but that's more than enough to account for its disgrace: because of its history, still well within living memory, "America First" is an expression embodying lies, bigotry, cowardice, and ignorance.
This article makes the mistake of seeing the actions of a few miscreants as a trend of the whole population. It does not point out that 320,000,000 Americans did NOT desecrate, bomb, or threaten anyone. To advertise the nuts is an aid to them. It advances their agenda and can lead to wrong directions. Evidence # 1. Trump's unpaid media coverage. Please ignore these creeps even if it gives you less material with which to shock and catch eyeballs.
1
Jews have been an integral part of America since the colonial era. The first Jews arrived in 1654 and the Jewish community was diligent in supporting the American Revolution and have served in combat in every American war. Mr. Trump is only a 2nd or 3rd generation American, his mother having been born in Scotland and his paternal grandfather coming from Germany. Yet, Mr. Trump is no less an American than Jews with hundreds of years of American ancestry. However, he and his followers have no legitimate right to question the allegiance or legitimacy of Jews, or any other ethnic group. The rights of Americans do not stem from the generosity of the government, but from the Constitution. In the words of George Washington, "It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."
1
The daughter is not a Jew. Sorry.
1
Ms. Goldberg seems to be insinuating that the Trump administration has an anti-Semitic bent. Yes, the right does include some fringe white Supremacist hate groups. The left also has some lawless thugs who disrupt Town Hall meetings. In her telling of history she does not mention FDRs reticence in accepting Jewish refugees during the Second World War, only some of whom were lucky enough to reach a welcoming Puerto Rico. She fails to mention that left-wing super donor, George Soros, admits to having informed the SS of the whereabouts of Hungarian Jews for money during the Holocaust. So to me, she is making a case for guilt by association.
3
The United Nations resolution that created Holocaust Remembrance Day designates January 27 as a “Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.” It reaffirms “that the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people along with countless members of other minorities, will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice” but it applies to all victims of Nazi genocide. As a person with Jewish ancestry, I would prefer reserving the term “Holocaust” for Jews, but the broader definition employed in the UN resolution includes non-Jewish victims of the Nazi campaign of mass murder. Accusing the Trump administration of anti-Semitism because a press release didn’t mention Jews is absurd. Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, who serve as White House advisors, are Jewish. Trump has repeatedly promised to acknowledge Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
1
What stands out for me is this: that anti-Jewish sentiment predominated in the 1940's because there were on the one hand very wealthy and successful American Jews on the one hand and great numbers of poorer and powerless Jewish people desperate to come into the country. So the average anti-semite felt, "If we let in them, they'll all surge ahead of me too"--crushed from above and below. But now there aren't (m)any Jewish would-be immigrants, so the sense of "threat" from Jewish people is reduced.
This is partially but not wholly analogous to the present situation with respect to Muslims--there are the poor and powerless Muslim would-be immigrants desperate to get in (although hardly any have been admitted). I don't see the crush from the top though. Unless the average anti-Muslim American REALLY DOES believe that Barack Obama is Muslim. I've never accepted that anyone really believes that in their heart of hearts, but maybe I'm wrong.
This is partially but not wholly analogous to the present situation with respect to Muslims--there are the poor and powerless Muslim would-be immigrants desperate to get in (although hardly any have been admitted). I don't see the crush from the top though. Unless the average anti-Muslim American REALLY DOES believe that Barack Obama is Muslim. I've never accepted that anyone really believes that in their heart of hearts, but maybe I'm wrong.
Timely, needed essay.
I can't argue much, but what the h, I'm a Jew.
The Jews voting for DJT knew at least to themselves when he denied familiarity with David Duke.
There are French Jews for Le Pen.
As usual our state of being is risky and confusing, but what isn't.
The essay is too credible to ignore, because the phenomena are way too wretched to downplay.
Humanity is complex, and stuff happens, while there's the convenient Jew to blame.
I can't argue much, but what the h, I'm a Jew.
The Jews voting for DJT knew at least to themselves when he denied familiarity with David Duke.
There are French Jews for Le Pen.
As usual our state of being is risky and confusing, but what isn't.
The essay is too credible to ignore, because the phenomena are way too wretched to downplay.
Humanity is complex, and stuff happens, while there's the convenient Jew to blame.
We need to clarify this word "Islamophobia." The way the term is used currently is both inapt and a constant source of equivocation fallacies.
Islam is an idea - a doctrine - like Communism or Christianity. It should be obvious to anyone that a straightforward and literal implementation of the precepts in the Koran are terrible for society. The same would be true of Judaism and Christianity, but the world's theocracies based on those faiths have largely fallen away. Nearly all modern theocracies attempt to institute Sharia and are immense factories of human misery. This is because of the contents of the Koran and the Hadith. Saying this is not "Islamophobic" any more than criticizing Communism means that someone hates Russians.
There are also people who are essentially racists, who use criticism of Islam as a foil for their hatred of brown people, foreigners, and so forth. Calling them "Islamophobic" is still problematic because it makes the religion of Islam the victim, and not individual Muslims. And as documented by the fact that they attack Iranian Christians, non-Arab Sikhs wearing Turbans, etc their concerns are not entirely with doctrine. Many of them are appalling Christian theocrats themselves.
There is even some overlap. It's not racist to wish that the US continue to be free and religiously pluralistic, nor irrational to fear that massive immigration might change this.
The fact is that we need a new term less laden with confusion and baggage.
Islam is an idea - a doctrine - like Communism or Christianity. It should be obvious to anyone that a straightforward and literal implementation of the precepts in the Koran are terrible for society. The same would be true of Judaism and Christianity, but the world's theocracies based on those faiths have largely fallen away. Nearly all modern theocracies attempt to institute Sharia and are immense factories of human misery. This is because of the contents of the Koran and the Hadith. Saying this is not "Islamophobic" any more than criticizing Communism means that someone hates Russians.
There are also people who are essentially racists, who use criticism of Islam as a foil for their hatred of brown people, foreigners, and so forth. Calling them "Islamophobic" is still problematic because it makes the religion of Islam the victim, and not individual Muslims. And as documented by the fact that they attack Iranian Christians, non-Arab Sikhs wearing Turbans, etc their concerns are not entirely with doctrine. Many of them are appalling Christian theocrats themselves.
There is even some overlap. It's not racist to wish that the US continue to be free and religiously pluralistic, nor irrational to fear that massive immigration might change this.
The fact is that we need a new term less laden with confusion and baggage.
5
Hate crime murders spiked at 18 in 2015—the year of the horrific Charleston Church Murders. That year they accounted for 0.1 percent of 15,696 murders, but there are usually about four or five hate crime murders. Hate crime murders also make up a tiny percent of interracial murders. The FBI Crime Report (Expanded Homicide Data Table 6) show that in 2015 500 blacks murdered whites while 229 whites (including Hispanics) murdered blacks.
So, in essence, we were wrong to condemn him for this antisemitism. Actually, nope! That would require an admission of guilt and maybe a change or two. Instead we get; he may not have been at fault this time, but man he still is just that absolute worst. Let's forget, for the moment, that Muslim nations don't let jews move there, gain citizenship, or own property.
Let's also forget that it's not just neo Nazis who want to expand the rememberence on Holocaust day, it is a motion that has been suggested by left wing groups, primarily BDS and pro-palestinian groups, at no less than two dozen universities over the last few years. I doubt very much this author will ever condemn these groups. Legitimate anti-israel protest, that is.
In short we get to see the inability of the far left to ever admit fault, and the driving urge to label as oppressor whoever happens to be in power.
Let's also forget that it's not just neo Nazis who want to expand the rememberence on Holocaust day, it is a motion that has been suggested by left wing groups, primarily BDS and pro-palestinian groups, at no less than two dozen universities over the last few years. I doubt very much this author will ever condemn these groups. Legitimate anti-israel protest, that is.
In short we get to see the inability of the far left to ever admit fault, and the driving urge to label as oppressor whoever happens to be in power.
1
The same people who can see anti-black, anti-Muslim and anti-Hispanic bigotry under every nook and cranny are often the first to decry that anti-Semitism is exaggerated. At least with the right wing they are consistent in their insensitivity. The left obsess about the wrongs done to Muslims and blacks 24/7 but take 5 minutes to show the virulent anti-Jewish rhetoric that is being ignored and they immediately proclaim they are sick to death of talking about this.
Please don't use the presidency of Trump to justify this bias. It's been going on for decades. I am sick of the very obvious favoritism the left shows to some groups (blacks, Muslims illegal immigrants) while the contempt they show for others (Jews, Asians)
Please don't use the presidency of Trump to justify this bias. It's been going on for decades. I am sick of the very obvious favoritism the left shows to some groups (blacks, Muslims illegal immigrants) while the contempt they show for others (Jews, Asians)
5
"The only important thing is the unification of the people,” Mr. Trump said at Eugene, Ore., campaign rally last year, “because the other people don’t mean anything.”
___________________
Sick of being horrified.
___________________
Sick of being horrified.
What is interesting about the threats to the person caught making the threats against Jewish organizations is the assumption was that he was a right wing Trump supporter and now that he has been identified as a person with dual Israel- American citizenship, then that assumption no longer applies and Trump's lack of concern is justified. Well I have yet to see what the motive was. He still could be a right wing Trump supporter. But it doesn't matter. Trump never condemned the actions and never said he was directing the U.S. government's resources to apprehend the person. In short, he never addressed the concerns of the American people. Let's see. Any other fear inducing right wing people who could be looked at the same way? Oh yeah the Russians.
An excellent piece. While Jews are well organized to rebuff any hint of anti-semitism, Muslims don't have an AIPAC, an anti-defamation league or billions in lobbying funds. Muslims are mocked mercilessly and attacked physically without stirring much public outrage. I found it so sad that after American Muslims raised more than $130,000 to make good the vandalized Jewish cemeteries in the US, the Israeli press was full of condemnation, not praise. The donors were actually evil, you see, their gift a Trojan horse. In the only reciprocal gesture I have read about one American Jewish community raised $3,000 for a burned down mosque.
3
Antisemitic incidents comprise about 2% of all hate crime. Why then the concentration on antisemitism and not on Islamophobia, which is far more widespread?
The singling out of ‘special cases’ of discrimination runs the serious risk of turning out to be itself a form of discrimination. Namely towards all the other impliedly non-special cases.
And the singling out of ‘special cases’ of discrimination reinforces the idea they are separate and somehow unfairly favored, makeing them targets for discrimination
The antisemitism crusade also isn't helped when Israeli politicians frequently use it to deflect criticism away from their odious policy of stealing land from the Palestinians. In doing so they devalue the whole movement against antisemitism. Criticism of Israeli policy cannot automatically be labelled antisemitism, just as criticism of a government's policy cannot be labelled racist.
I am an anti-Semite, according to others, at least online,
At first it hurt to be called an anti-Semite but now I am used to it. It hurt because I am left-wing, come from a family that suffered under fascism and the Nazis in WWII, and someone who is a tolerant person that is intolerant of prejudice and racism.
When people like me get labelled an anti-Semite merely for pointing out the uncomfortable facts about the state of Israel or for objecting to Zionism as a ideology, it devalues the word and it normalises the actual neo-Nazis and others that hate Jewish people just for being Jewish.
The singling out of ‘special cases’ of discrimination runs the serious risk of turning out to be itself a form of discrimination. Namely towards all the other impliedly non-special cases.
And the singling out of ‘special cases’ of discrimination reinforces the idea they are separate and somehow unfairly favored, makeing them targets for discrimination
The antisemitism crusade also isn't helped when Israeli politicians frequently use it to deflect criticism away from their odious policy of stealing land from the Palestinians. In doing so they devalue the whole movement against antisemitism. Criticism of Israeli policy cannot automatically be labelled antisemitism, just as criticism of a government's policy cannot be labelled racist.
I am an anti-Semite, according to others, at least online,
At first it hurt to be called an anti-Semite but now I am used to it. It hurt because I am left-wing, come from a family that suffered under fascism and the Nazis in WWII, and someone who is a tolerant person that is intolerant of prejudice and racism.
When people like me get labelled an anti-Semite merely for pointing out the uncomfortable facts about the state of Israel or for objecting to Zionism as a ideology, it devalues the word and it normalises the actual neo-Nazis and others that hate Jewish people just for being Jewish.
3
What Donald Trump and his administration is doing with its behavior towards people of color is teaching America to hate.
This is odd behavior indeed. In the musical, 'South Pacific," in Act II there is a song about the origins of racism, entitled 'You've got to be taught.' This song, the lyrics of which are below caused countless troubles for Rodgers and Hammerstein, including a letter from a naval officer asking it to be cut. Hammerstein responded, “I am most anxious to make the point not only that prejudice exists and is a problem, but that its birth lies in teaching and not in the fallacious belief that there are biological, physiological, and mental differences between the races.”
This was true in 1949 and it is true now, whether the subject of the hatred is Black, a person of color, or a Muslim or an Hispanic. We must not teach this in America. The President and his administration must put a stop to this, or they are unworthy of the offices they hold, and shame us all.
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.
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!
This is odd behavior indeed. In the musical, 'South Pacific," in Act II there is a song about the origins of racism, entitled 'You've got to be taught.' This song, the lyrics of which are below caused countless troubles for Rodgers and Hammerstein, including a letter from a naval officer asking it to be cut. Hammerstein responded, “I am most anxious to make the point not only that prejudice exists and is a problem, but that its birth lies in teaching and not in the fallacious belief that there are biological, physiological, and mental differences between the races.”
This was true in 1949 and it is true now, whether the subject of the hatred is Black, a person of color, or a Muslim or an Hispanic. We must not teach this in America. The President and his administration must put a stop to this, or they are unworthy of the offices they hold, and shame us all.
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.
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!
2
Americans don't need to be taught hatred, It's in our national DNA. All it takes is a match to ignite it, and Donald Trump is the malicious, overgrown little tyke playing with matches. To be fair, he is equal opportunity in his bigotry. It's hard to know whom he doesn't despise, including himself.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
www.endthemadnessnow.org
4
During the presidential campaign, Michael T. Flynn, who would briefly serve as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, retweeted someone attacking CNN with the words, “Not anymore, Jews, not anymore.” (Mr. Flynn later apologized.)
Anne Frank would cry for eternity were she witness to the Jewish advisors who serve as Trumpolini's "brain trust." They are truly lost souls.
Anne Frank would cry for eternity were she witness to the Jewish advisors who serve as Trumpolini's "brain trust." They are truly lost souls.
Is anyone else lost at the end of this column, with the discussion of "the other people" and "the people"? Ms. Goldberg writes: "But the horror of the president’s vision isn’t that 'the other people' might include Jews. It includes people. Even in this brutally tribal moment, that should be enough." Enough for what? Trump is dividing groups of people, yes. He obviously isn't dividing people from, say, all other primates or all other mammals. So the horror of the president's vision is that he really means only his supporters, who have empowered him, and to hell with everybody else, be they Jews or Muslims or white people of Christian European extraction? I don't think she makes her point here about the bigotry against Muslims, but maybe I am missing something.
1
Dear NY Times, please only call out racism where there is clearly racism. People don't believe you anymore when you point out real racism. Your comment on the Breitbart story about Bill Kristol is very misleading. I clicked the link and it's an article written by a Jew, comparing his Jewish politics to Kristol's. As a jew myself, I cannot see how it is anti-semetic. I know you all are trying to help the victims, but you're only helping Trump. Smh.
4
Scapegoating is a key part of The Bannon-Trump strategy to drive the country toward an authoritarian, white supremacist state. Hate and anger, focused on carefully chosen, traditionally minority groups, is the fuel they need for their scapegoating. All quite purposeful, part of the plan. We know that the Republicans of congress regard Trump as a vehicle for their conservative agenda. But just how much of this hate-mongering will they tolerate? After all, some of our Republican legislators are decent and moral people... Right? Maybe?
The Breitbart article mentioned here that referred to Bill Kristol as a "renegade Jew" was written by David Horowitz....a Jew.
1
Despite the author's assertion, hate crimes did not begin with Trump. More people are tracking hate crimes today, but it's not clear that the incidence of real hate crimes is higher than in the past.
If Dylan Roof committed his crimes today, Trump would be blamed. And do John Podesta's slurs against Catholics count as a hate crime? What about the assault on a Middlebury College professor who was accompanying Charles Murray? Or does one have to belong to a liberal-defined Protected Class to be the victim of a hate crime?
If Dylan Roof committed his crimes today, Trump would be blamed. And do John Podesta's slurs against Catholics count as a hate crime? What about the assault on a Middlebury College professor who was accompanying Charles Murray? Or does one have to belong to a liberal-defined Protected Class to be the victim of a hate crime?
2
Let’s not muddle things. This administration is consistently using blatant racism to accomplish political objectives. We only enable and empower vicious racists, and those exploiting racism, by trying to determine which form is worse. Calls from a disturbed Israeli aside, you still have data from institutions like the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism documenting that hate crimes against Jews and Muslims have skyrocketed over the last 3 months, with Anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York City alone up 189%, while the number of anti-Muslim hate group jumped nationally from 34 to 101, up 197%. Hate crimes are a highly underreported, and many hate groups are not even documented, so things are worse than the statistics show. This administration is already Gaslighting us, manipulating victims into questioning their memories and sanity. It seems Jews and Muslims already understand this and aren't buying into it. Jewish groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League, have been at the forefront of protecting Muslims from attacks. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt was tearful as he vowed to "relentlessly" combat US President Donald Trump’s "cruel" Muslim ban, while Muslim activist, Tarek El-Messidi, started the fund-raising campaign to help save Jewish Cemeteries which have been desecrated. Tarek El-Messidi emotionally stated: "I want to ask all Muslims to reach out to your Jewish brothers and sisters and stand together against this bigotry." Well said Mr. Greenblatt and Mr. El-Messidi.
4
Is it different? In our time?
One thing that is unique is history. Whenever and wherever there is a need for a scapegoat, be it disease in the middle ages, or Stalin's paranoia, people turn to Jews. Someone who is near but different.
One thing that is unique is history. Whenever and wherever there is a need for a scapegoat, be it disease in the middle ages, or Stalin's paranoia, people turn to Jews. Someone who is near but different.
2
Being Jewish should automatically make you sympathetic to any group of people who are discriminated against. I was aghast over the slaughter of the Syrians in Aleppo, & any abuse of American Muslims, or that matter of any minority.Being a persecuted minority makes you that way.Trump would have never been elected without the support of the deplorable, or the religious right.I refer to the deplorable as bigots, not hard working American workers who have my respect. Unfortunately,,some of the minorities that I support, don’t reciprocate their sympathy & support for Jews.I find Miss Goldberg more concerned with those that hate Jews,than she is with her own blood.
The only way to describe the actions of the Jewish Israeli that threatened Jewish Centers, is the workings of someone with a brain tumor which is what he has.
The only way to describe the actions of the Jewish Israeli that threatened Jewish Centers, is the workings of someone with a brain tumor which is what he has.
1
How did the 6 million Christian Muslim Arab Palestinian Israelis under the dominion of Zionist Jewish Israel by occupation, blockade/siege, exile and 2nd class citizenship vote in the last Israeli election?
How many American Jews have been profiled, stalked, stopped and shot in America?
How many American Jews have been arrested, prosecuted, tried, convicted and sent to prison for non-violent illegal drug use, sale and possession or non-violent property or personal crimes?
The young man has dual American Israeli citizenship. And a brain tumor is no excuse for a crime.
How many American Jews have been profiled, stalked, stopped and shot in America?
How many American Jews have been arrested, prosecuted, tried, convicted and sent to prison for non-violent illegal drug use, sale and possession or non-violent property or personal crimes?
The young man has dual American Israeli citizenship. And a brain tumor is no excuse for a crime.
2
We have Jewish supreme court justices, CEO's, Senators, Governors, Nobel Prize winners, university presidents, Oscar winners, etc. We have been a stronger ally to Israel than any other country in the last 80 years. Jews are safer in America than anywhere else in the world, including Israel
America has a lot of isms to confront but a meaningful amount of anti-semitism isn't one of them
America has a lot of isms to confront but a meaningful amount of anti-semitism isn't one of them
1
The Holocaust was not perpetrated in America by Americans against other Americans. Neither the 30 million Chinese who died under the ethnic sectarian onslaught of Imperial Japan nor the 27.5 million non-Aryan citizens of the Soviet Union who died under Nazi Germany are considered to be the or a holocaust.
Jews were not enslaved in America by other Americans. Jews were not conquered and colonized in America by other Americans. No other nation other than Israel has a many Jews as America. About 80% of the world's 16 million Jews are evenly divided between Israel and America. But 98% of Americans are not Jews. Being colored white European in America is the primary socioeconomic political fulcrum in America. White skin can hide ethnicity, national origin and faith.
Being white and Jewish in America is nothing like being black and Christian and Muslim in America. Being white and Jewish in America is like being white and Jewish in Europe.
Jews were not enslaved in America by other Americans. Jews were not conquered and colonized in America by other Americans. No other nation other than Israel has a many Jews as America. About 80% of the world's 16 million Jews are evenly divided between Israel and America. But 98% of Americans are not Jews. Being colored white European in America is the primary socioeconomic political fulcrum in America. White skin can hide ethnicity, national origin and faith.
Being white and Jewish in America is nothing like being black and Christian and Muslim in America. Being white and Jewish in America is like being white and Jewish in Europe.
6
Had the speech, by the leader of the new "Know Nothing Party" (yes it existed back in the 1850's) at the start of his campaign, referred to Jews the way he did with Mexicans - he would have been vilified back up the golden escalator to heaven as a hate speech before the hate mongers could coalesce around their new leader.
Mr. Roof and Mr. Jackson, murdered black Americans out of such hatred - they learned somewhere, heard justifications for their actions somewhere, were moved to act from somewhere. 45? Bannon? FOX? Duke? ....
What did 45's speech and subsequent campaign speeches of hate trigger with tacit and explicit approval for hateful actions - including violence - "I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell ya" and "the Second Amendment people" ...
45 could not care less about religion - any religion, including his daughter's. He only respects wealth.
Compassionate Conservatism = blame the victims, while the winners "play the victims."
As for the slur of being called anti-Semitic for supporting human rights and decency of Palestinians, that adds to the mess we are in, making sensible solutions sabotaged in the interests of hate. Sad!
45 is not interested in true leadership - one that unites - he prefers a divided country, a weak country, so that he and his ilk can push through their agenda of exclusive increasing wealth and destroying the institutions and laws (regulations) that protect us from them. He is succeeding all too well - it is "subversive good fun."
Mr. Roof and Mr. Jackson, murdered black Americans out of such hatred - they learned somewhere, heard justifications for their actions somewhere, were moved to act from somewhere. 45? Bannon? FOX? Duke? ....
What did 45's speech and subsequent campaign speeches of hate trigger with tacit and explicit approval for hateful actions - including violence - "I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell ya" and "the Second Amendment people" ...
45 could not care less about religion - any religion, including his daughter's. He only respects wealth.
Compassionate Conservatism = blame the victims, while the winners "play the victims."
As for the slur of being called anti-Semitic for supporting human rights and decency of Palestinians, that adds to the mess we are in, making sensible solutions sabotaged in the interests of hate. Sad!
45 is not interested in true leadership - one that unites - he prefers a divided country, a weak country, so that he and his ilk can push through their agenda of exclusive increasing wealth and destroying the institutions and laws (regulations) that protect us from them. He is succeeding all too well - it is "subversive good fun."
1
Hmm. The current government of Israel has long since decided that the Palestinian people "don't mean anything" and I don't know of many Jews who are shaken to their cores over that. There are laudable exceptions but not many. How convenient it must be to have Trump descend as if from heaven, the ultimate distraction from the obscene bigotry that festers in occupied Palestine.
6
Looking in the mirror is not something they excel at.
1
"Mr. Trump himself does not appear to harbor personal anti-Jewish animus: He has a beloved Jewish daughter and close Jewish advisers. "
No kidding.
Of course, up through November when Trump won the election, if all you read was the NYT you'd end up assuming that Trump was not only an anti-Semite, but secretly aspired to be a member of the Waffen SS. New Yorkers, who have known Trump for 40+ years, knew it was nonsense.
The greatest threat of anti-Semitic violence (ie, violence directed against Jews, because they are Jews) comes not from the far right, or anyone who might be described as a "white nationalist", but rather from Muslims of MENA origin. Europe is filled with white people, some of whom certainly who hold anti-Semitic views, and might even be described as neo-Nazis. Yet, the overwhelming majority of crimes against Jews in places like Denmark, France, Sweden and Belgium are committed by Muslims. Trump is an embarrassment to the country, and unfit in many ways to be president, but it was no secret that his opponent in the presidential election had every intention of radically raising levels of immigration of persons of MENA origin to the US (well beyond the 550% figure that was part of her campaign promise), and called anyone who had concerns about this a bigot and Islamophobe. At the end of the day, which presidential candidate endorsed policies that posed a threat to Jewish communities, and why did the NYT see fit to tar her opponent as the anti-Semite?
No kidding.
Of course, up through November when Trump won the election, if all you read was the NYT you'd end up assuming that Trump was not only an anti-Semite, but secretly aspired to be a member of the Waffen SS. New Yorkers, who have known Trump for 40+ years, knew it was nonsense.
The greatest threat of anti-Semitic violence (ie, violence directed against Jews, because they are Jews) comes not from the far right, or anyone who might be described as a "white nationalist", but rather from Muslims of MENA origin. Europe is filled with white people, some of whom certainly who hold anti-Semitic views, and might even be described as neo-Nazis. Yet, the overwhelming majority of crimes against Jews in places like Denmark, France, Sweden and Belgium are committed by Muslims. Trump is an embarrassment to the country, and unfit in many ways to be president, but it was no secret that his opponent in the presidential election had every intention of radically raising levels of immigration of persons of MENA origin to the US (well beyond the 550% figure that was part of her campaign promise), and called anyone who had concerns about this a bigot and Islamophobe. At the end of the day, which presidential candidate endorsed policies that posed a threat to Jewish communities, and why did the NYT see fit to tar her opponent as the anti-Semite?
7
Also, Rev. Wright was not Trump's pastor for 20 years.
"We mock what we don't understand" Dan Aykroyd
Hatred of others often says more about the haters than the hated...extend a friendly hand to those who seem different and help the haters see the light. Talk is too easy and kindness knows no boundaries.
http://thewaryouknowcurat.wixsite.com/the-war-you-know-
Hatred of others often says more about the haters than the hated...extend a friendly hand to those who seem different and help the haters see the light. Talk is too easy and kindness knows no boundaries.
http://thewaryouknowcurat.wixsite.com/the-war-you-know-
4
In December 2016, at a 'thank you' rally staged for Trump's ego, Trump told his supporters: "You people were vicious, violent, screaming - I mean you were going crazy, I mean, you were nasty and mean and vicious and you wanted to win, right?"
Trump's entire presidential campaign was based upon racism and bigotry. Hate.
Hate of 'others'. You can not get around this. And now after his big win we are living the consequences of his call to hate. And we "liberals" are being chastised in the media weekly for not understanding, not having empathy for the beleaguered Trump supporter.
On the issue of jobs I might agree but that is as far as I will go to understand the forgotten Americans. Oooo, racism is a 'card' that the 'liberals' play every time a Republican says something offensive! Let's just call it as we see it. Trump, Bannon, Gorka, Sessions, Miller all have a nationalist agenda that is White and Christian thus excluding the majority of Americans.
Liberals, Democrats and just plain decent Americans can never let this go. The complicity of the GOP to look the other way to use their new power must also be named for what it is.
This is the most disgusting administration that has ever existed. The fact that it was not voted into office by popular vote is the hope for the future.
Trump's entire presidential campaign was based upon racism and bigotry. Hate.
Hate of 'others'. You can not get around this. And now after his big win we are living the consequences of his call to hate. And we "liberals" are being chastised in the media weekly for not understanding, not having empathy for the beleaguered Trump supporter.
On the issue of jobs I might agree but that is as far as I will go to understand the forgotten Americans. Oooo, racism is a 'card' that the 'liberals' play every time a Republican says something offensive! Let's just call it as we see it. Trump, Bannon, Gorka, Sessions, Miller all have a nationalist agenda that is White and Christian thus excluding the majority of Americans.
Liberals, Democrats and just plain decent Americans can never let this go. The complicity of the GOP to look the other way to use their new power must also be named for what it is.
This is the most disgusting administration that has ever existed. The fact that it was not voted into office by popular vote is the hope for the future.
11
"The growing Muslim population of Europe, often impoverished, and crammed into teeming, crime-ridden suburbs, has provided much of the energy and the foot soldiers for the new wave of anti-Semitism". Adam Schiff
Sadly, the lawmaker didn't get the "teeming" message. That's right out of Vichy France.
After then candidate Sarkozy labeled the young French of N African descent "slime" and promised to pressure wash them off the street, the French Jews voted overwhelmingly for him.
In Ukraine, the chief rabbi described their extreme right neo-Nazis as good ole boys, simply fervent nationalists.
This week the group, Jewish Voice for Peace, released this:
In a new report and at a recent Chicago press conference, Jewish Voice for Peace accused the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago of “funnel[ing] hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-Muslim hate groups in the years 2011-2014 through its donor-advised funds.”
It is unfortunate that the author neglected to mention people like Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz.
https://www.wbez.org/shows/worldview/jewish-voice-for-peace-accuses-jewi...
Sadly, the lawmaker didn't get the "teeming" message. That's right out of Vichy France.
After then candidate Sarkozy labeled the young French of N African descent "slime" and promised to pressure wash them off the street, the French Jews voted overwhelmingly for him.
In Ukraine, the chief rabbi described their extreme right neo-Nazis as good ole boys, simply fervent nationalists.
This week the group, Jewish Voice for Peace, released this:
In a new report and at a recent Chicago press conference, Jewish Voice for Peace accused the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago of “funnel[ing] hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-Muslim hate groups in the years 2011-2014 through its donor-advised funds.”
It is unfortunate that the author neglected to mention people like Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz.
https://www.wbez.org/shows/worldview/jewish-voice-for-peace-accuses-jewi...
7
The President may be agnostic in his views about Jews, but Stephen Bannon is anything but. Because, for all practical purposes, Trump is a political cipher, Bannon's malevolent prejudices count. They fill the "intellectual" vacuum left by Trump's angry, noisy mindlessness.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
www.endthemadnessnow.org
8
That we're even having this conversation about the President of the United States shows how far we've fallen. Hate is hate. It doesn't matter which group is the foremost target. Quibbling about different shades of hate only serves to divide and conquer all targeted groups. The overarching point is this: the United States is now in the hands of a fascist regime. The fact that it doesn't "look like" full-blown Nazi Germany shouldn't fool anyone. There is plenty of room on the fascist spectrum between where we are now and our final destination. And unless we stop it, it's going to get much worse.
10
If you feel a need to ask why this hate is different, one only needs to turn to today's NYT obituary section. Read Yevtushenko's obit and "Babi Yar" for the answer. It's not toppling of headstones nor scrawling of swastikas. It's machine gunning thousands of men, women, and children alongside an open ditch merely because they happen to be Jews.
11
The claims of antisemitism coming from the Trump administration, cited in this article, are all blatant distortions attempting to prove something that just isn't there. It's a great example of fake news.
Flynn didn't retweet "Not anymore, Jew." He tweeted something from someone who had tweeted it -- and took it down when he discovered the connection. The 'renegade Jew' comment was not antisemitic, but coming from another Jewish writer, clearly the only 'antisemitic' article that they could find at Breitbart. If you read a little into Sebastian Gorka, you find absolutely no evidence of antisemitism and realized he's been unfairly slandered. If you read the link in the article supposedly defending online antisemitism, what you find is an attempted explanation of it. And it's an enormous stretch to say a Holocaust statement that omitted Jews is antisemitism 'echoing the position of neo-Nazis.'
As a liberal, I am ashamed of the fear mongering and distortions coming from my side. There's still a great deal of dangerous antisemitism in the world, but it's not coming from Trump or his administration.
Flynn didn't retweet "Not anymore, Jew." He tweeted something from someone who had tweeted it -- and took it down when he discovered the connection. The 'renegade Jew' comment was not antisemitic, but coming from another Jewish writer, clearly the only 'antisemitic' article that they could find at Breitbart. If you read a little into Sebastian Gorka, you find absolutely no evidence of antisemitism and realized he's been unfairly slandered. If you read the link in the article supposedly defending online antisemitism, what you find is an attempted explanation of it. And it's an enormous stretch to say a Holocaust statement that omitted Jews is antisemitism 'echoing the position of neo-Nazis.'
As a liberal, I am ashamed of the fear mongering and distortions coming from my side. There's still a great deal of dangerous antisemitism in the world, but it's not coming from Trump or his administration.
6
The devil hides behind the skirt of anti semitism.
4
Meanwhile, wealthy American Jews like Sheldon Adelson unhesitatingly shell out lavish sums to support Trump and the now-alt right GOP. Evidently supporting right-wing Israeli governments excuses even the most virulent anti-Semitism.
is it any coincidence that the same day the Times publishes this article, it also publishes Nicholas Kristoff's excellent column on how rural white Trump voters still support him even as he proposes to eliminate programs on which their lives depend?
See https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/in-trump-country-shock...®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
is it any coincidence that the same day the Times publishes this article, it also publishes Nicholas Kristoff's excellent column on how rural white Trump voters still support him even as he proposes to eliminate programs on which their lives depend?
See https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/in-trump-country-shock...®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
5
If this piece were fiction it would seem like an excerpt from Mel Brooks' Springtime for Hitler. But it's not fiction.
2
This is a supremely well done article. During the election so many of my fellow Jews who are conservative, joined in the fight against bringing in Syrian refugees to the US and shrugged their shoulders at Trump's bigoted rhetoric.
One man I was debating on Facebook said there are about 36 million radical Muslims in the world and now hoped Trump would annihilate them all. A Jew advocating genocide.
The good news, however, comes in the form of my synagogue in Richmond, VA. We are hosting a passover Seder for refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq. Our Rabbi has reminded us over and over of the similarities in rhetoric between what Trump and his Breitbart advisor Bannon says and what Nazis said in what is becoming a more and more distant past.
As Jews, the phrase "never forget' should mean more than just the Holocaust. It should evoke anger at all the injustices heaped upon to all vulnerable people in our society.
One man I was debating on Facebook said there are about 36 million radical Muslims in the world and now hoped Trump would annihilate them all. A Jew advocating genocide.
The good news, however, comes in the form of my synagogue in Richmond, VA. We are hosting a passover Seder for refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq. Our Rabbi has reminded us over and over of the similarities in rhetoric between what Trump and his Breitbart advisor Bannon says and what Nazis said in what is becoming a more and more distant past.
As Jews, the phrase "never forget' should mean more than just the Holocaust. It should evoke anger at all the injustices heaped upon to all vulnerable people in our society.
13
Muslims worldwide call for genocide against Jews, terrorize women and Jews throughout Europe, block streets in Paris to 'pray', demand that schools and society submit to their 'religious' demands, suffocate free speech regarding anything of which they disapprove, and yet Trump and Americans at large are supposed to get all weepy and self flagilate whenever any Muslim or reichmosque is attacked?
Meanwhile Jew hating BDS and white hating BLM are revered on college campuses.
And when did Obama ever openly stand with the countless nonblack victims of violent, unprovoked attacks by blacks, while leaping to the microphones whenever any black, even criminals, suffered violence. Never. And citizen victims of violent illegal immigrants...Total silence. And yet Trump is the racist hater?
Meanwhile Jew hating BDS and white hating BLM are revered on college campuses.
And when did Obama ever openly stand with the countless nonblack victims of violent, unprovoked attacks by blacks, while leaping to the microphones whenever any black, even criminals, suffered violence. Never. And citizen victims of violent illegal immigrants...Total silence. And yet Trump is the racist hater?
6
Trump's identification with an under-represented working class that he distinguishes from the affluent and educated professionals and politicians who determine policy is not as disturbing to me as when Hillary Clinton (an extreme case of the later group) suggested that the same struggling, under-privileged people are deplorable and should be regarded a single unit worthy of a basket. Unlike most of Trump's word choices, this was precisely calculated and should have been considered in this article.
5
Every lefty screams that Hillary's "deplorable" comment must be read in context. While I have read the whole thing; she does go on to say that the poor pathetic losers who support Trump need pity & retraining. But she said "deplorables" first -- and that it was HALF his supporters, or 25% of the voters (the ones who showed up!). Since Trump got 63 million votes, Hillary was therefore claiming that 31.5 million American citizens & voters were deplorable.....literally members of the KKK, White Aryan nation and other hate groups.
That would be fascinating to the FBI, which studies and follows such hate groups, and has identified them having ALTOGETHER no more than 3000 members in the US.
Hillary inflated those numbers 1000 times. And why? to amuse and entertain her rich lefty friends, who laughed hysterically at all of those awful, icky, unstylish "deplorables".
That would be fascinating to the FBI, which studies and follows such hate groups, and has identified them having ALTOGETHER no more than 3000 members in the US.
Hillary inflated those numbers 1000 times. And why? to amuse and entertain her rich lefty friends, who laughed hysterically at all of those awful, icky, unstylish "deplorables".
5
You apparently either missed the point completely or decided to listen to Fox's spin on what Hillary said. She lumped racists, xenophobes and other types of bigots into the "basket of deplorables." If your mind made the connection between "struggling, underprivileged (and let's be frank, you meant to say "white" in that sentence) people" and the aforementioned group of bigots, it would see that you're tacitly admitting that a large swath of this class is racist.
1
Except the article is about the current administration, not a comparison of the two campaigns. We have a new president now, and his deplorables are on display. And yes, some of them are in that group Hill was referring to. Not all of the basket are poor, struggling underclass folk.
1
I don't think that trump is anti-semetic in the traditional sense. instead, he views Jewish people as a special society of elites that might help garner him more wealth and power. if anyone recalls, in 1980s Atlantic city, trump was infuriated by an African american accountant at a casino he had taken over, and insisted the role be filled by a person of Jewish heritage.
3
what does that mean? He only hates blacks and wants Jews for their accounting skills?
Regarding Jews as "a special society of elites" is anti-Semitism in the traditional sense. That he views Jews as a cabal to be exploited for his personal advantage rather than a minority to be exterminated does not make him less anti-Semitic. It just means he's less genocidal (for now).
1
The so-called "hate" has been around since the beginning of time. It will never cease or even be diminished, not so long as "leaders" of various groups (particularly political and religious) continue to divide the people.
7
I'm sorry but this is not "so called hate " sir. If you have ever been the victim of racial or religious abuse you wouldn't have the nerve or ignorance to call it "so called" People are not lead just by hatred they are lead by ignorance and fear.
When it's been less than 100 years since 6M+ of a group were systemically killed by a "civilized" country, they get sensitive...
9
to say the least!
The code word most used by the right as a replacement for the hated "other" is simply "liberal"
6
Hah! Except it is usually spelled "libtard". It's in the style book for Red reactionaries, along with snowflake and buthurt. The right, or at least the trolls on the right, cannot argue without malice and ad hominem bluster, like when O'Really tries to dismiss a senior politician's comments by commenting on her hair.
Not even three months in and already I'm tired of hearing about the Trump team's ludicrous pre-teenage solipsism.
2
The attack on political correctness has made lying, bigotry, masogynism and the acting out of anger increasingly acceptable. We have an administration that finds value in pitting americans against one another, and has little interest in prosecuting it. They have become role models to people and organizations who seek to destroy american democracy.
3
Otherness is feared and hated, by the weak and insecure. If your culture cannot survive exposure to another, then change is overdue.
5
Extremely well written. Unfortunately the facts are themselves very eloquent and very numerous, and are likely to increase in number and severity in the future.
73
The fact is that 58% of white American voters including 63% of white men and 54% of white women voted for Donald Trump.
1
There is no such thing as a "hate crime". The law recognizes crimes motivated by malice --- mens rea. When that is present, the penalties are more severe.
11
you might want to double-check the crimes code section on "hate crimes"
Mr. Trump himself does not appear to harbor personal anti-Jewish animus: He has a beloved Jewish daughter and close Jewish advisers. - This does not mean that Donald Trump is not anti-Semitic! I don't know why people have a hard time understanding that individuals can have friends, relatives and even spouses of a different race, ethnicity, religion and/or culture and still harbor animus toward that specific group. If Donald Trump is not a bigot, misogynist or xenophobe, then why does he affiliate with so many people who are?
161
Bannon, Breitbarn and Fox News.
Need I say more? Bannon argued with his wife about sending his children to a private school because he did not want them with Jews. His great Breitbarn advocates hatred violence against Jews, Muslims,, Blacks, Mexicans, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum. These "news" sites should be shut down because they forment revolution.
Need I say more? Bannon argued with his wife about sending his children to a private school because he did not want them with Jews. His great Breitbarn advocates hatred violence against Jews, Muslims,, Blacks, Mexicans, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum. These "news" sites should be shut down because they forment revolution.
3
So...a person can be interracially married -- say, a white man to a black woman -- have mixed race children he loves -- but he's STILL a racist? Really? how does that work? Does he hate his own wife and despise his own children? And if so, why did his wife ever marry him?
Maybe Trump associates with SOME people who may or may not be bigots (your allegations are pretty wild) but thinks they are smart or useful in some way that transcends their beliefs.
Maybe Trump associates with SOME people who may or may not be bigots (your allegations are pretty wild) but thinks they are smart or useful in some way that transcends their beliefs.
2
We thrive on conspiracy theories.
12
What does it say about the US electorate and the Republican party that we elected a president who is openly promoting hate?
169
Pretty comprehensive piece, but you forgot a more recent hate crime against a muslim professor in DC last weekend. Mr. Kamal Nayfeh was beaten viciously on the street and the perpetrators are now charged with hate crime.
As for Trump, not that I want to defend him, but as reported by YNet news:
"It was clear to the FBI from the very beginning that the threats originated in Israel. According to FBI officials, the suspect, who “may or may not have cooperated with someone,” made “clumsy” attempts to conceal the origin of his IP address."
Therefore, it's possible that when Trump made his comment he already knew the threats were coming from Israel.
As for Trump, not that I want to defend him, but as reported by YNet news:
"It was clear to the FBI from the very beginning that the threats originated in Israel. According to FBI officials, the suspect, who “may or may not have cooperated with someone,” made “clumsy” attempts to conceal the origin of his IP address."
Therefore, it's possible that when Trump made his comment he already knew the threats were coming from Israel.
24
So Trump actually told the truth. I guess a broken clock is right at least once a day.
It doesn't matter who hates and who is hated - hate is hate.
87
I agree, but apparently only one kind of hate is mobilizing politicians to write a bipartisan letter to the president. Make us wonder why.
Here's an idea- How about the United States informs Israel until we address our domestic issues with rampant anti-Semitism, it just doesn't feel right to send them $3 billion dollars a year for the next 12 years. It's appears we are sending them "look the other way money" to somehow clean our conscience of these ungodly acts. Let's do this the right way and rid the nation of anti-Semitic vandalism THEN we can start sending them money with pure heart and just conviction. I'm sure Israel would approve of us taking this transformative step to moral high ground.
27
That does not make any sense.
Israel is our strong partner in the Middle East -- the only democracy there, with religious freedom and freedom for women & gays.
We also send billions to OTHER countries -- Egypt gets close to what Israel gets. We just sent IRAN $150 BILLION (thanks Obama!).
While most Israelis are Jews, all are not. And not every American Jew is a supporter of Israel. You are conflating those things, because you yourself are anti-Jewish, and allowing this to taint your views about US foreign policy.
Israel is our strong partner in the Middle East -- the only democracy there, with religious freedom and freedom for women & gays.
We also send billions to OTHER countries -- Egypt gets close to what Israel gets. We just sent IRAN $150 BILLION (thanks Obama!).
While most Israelis are Jews, all are not. And not every American Jew is a supporter of Israel. You are conflating those things, because you yourself are anti-Jewish, and allowing this to taint your views about US foreign policy.
6
"It's appears we are sending them "look the other way money" to somehow clean our conscience of these ungodly acts. "
"Look the other way" for what? For being the most privileged group in the country?
"Look the other way" for what? For being the most privileged group in the country?
Anti-semitism charges are thrown out with such regularity that it's hard not to just ignore them. Personally I am more concerned with the attacks on Muslims, on black people, on freedom of speech, on the poor, on our healthcare system, on science, and on everything else that is harming people and really threatening the lives of all of us. A few threats and offenses and tipped over gravestones against Jewish people and the overreaction it produces seems odd. Yes, we have noticed.
39
There are pre-schools and schools at many of those centers and children's sports. The threats have cause many parents to pull their children out and the centers face closure.
4
Sorry you're so tired of it. Anti Semitism is so widespread and widely spread that its charges becomes fact in many people's mind. How many times do you hear in church about the non-believers, the money lenders, the doubters, the temple elite, the rejection of the old rules. The target is clear. The difference with anti-semitism is delegitimization of the religion.
Each bigotry has unique origins in addition to the natural xenophobia and making the effort to understand the origins and purposes gives more understanding than measuring the hate or feigning tolerance by calling them all equal.
Each bigotry has unique origins in addition to the natural xenophobia and making the effort to understand the origins and purposes gives more understanding than measuring the hate or feigning tolerance by calling them all equal.
4
Unfortunately, they HAPPEN with regularity, and actually Jews are pretty calm about it in the US, because we know basically this is a free, peaceful democracy.
Anti-semitism and acts are even MORE common in Europe.
Anti-semitism and acts are even MORE common in Europe.
Do you really want to go down the road of 'who is hated more' or 'who's the more aggrieved victim?'
Comparisons of this kind serve no purpose other than to make some people/groups feel that their victimization is worse than others.
Victims are victims. I don't want to rate them on a scale of one-to-ten.
Comparisons of this kind serve no purpose other than to make some people/groups feel that their victimization is worse than others.
Victims are victims. I don't want to rate them on a scale of one-to-ten.
71
This article does not "rank" groups on the degree of their victimization. It questions why our responses to the victimization of different groups are so disparate: "we’ve been distracted by the anti-Semitism controversy from the ways in which other groups are being demonized as Jews once were."
The author's thesis, that neglect of some groups' victimization "includes people. Even in this brutally tribal moment, that should be enough" is the opposite of "ranking." It's an argument for equal concern, equal treatment, on the basis of equal worth, equal humanity. This is the principle we should have learned from the paradigmatic case of genocide of Jews during the Third Reich. But also we should have learned from our own history of race slavery, Jim Crow, and lynching in the U.S., witch trials, Japanese-American internment during WWII, and on and on . . . . How many times must we re-learn this fundamental lesson of common humanity?
The author's thesis, that neglect of some groups' victimization "includes people. Even in this brutally tribal moment, that should be enough" is the opposite of "ranking." It's an argument for equal concern, equal treatment, on the basis of equal worth, equal humanity. This is the principle we should have learned from the paradigmatic case of genocide of Jews during the Third Reich. But also we should have learned from our own history of race slavery, Jim Crow, and lynching in the U.S., witch trials, Japanese-American internment during WWII, and on and on . . . . How many times must we re-learn this fundamental lesson of common humanity?
David,
Who, exactly, is going down that road? Not Ms. Goldberg. She has, simply and profoundly, pointed out that there are multiple levels of discrimination to be dealt with and that many of these levels are going unreported.
Who, exactly, is going down that road? Not Ms. Goldberg. She has, simply and profoundly, pointed out that there are multiple levels of discrimination to be dealt with and that many of these levels are going unreported.
Whoa there partner. Which thin skinned autocrat whines more than anyone at any perceived slight. The lovely victim in chief. Other people have had real crimes perpetrated against them due to hate and ignorance. The Trumpet creates his own victimhood and recruits others to feel his pain at his rallies. He's the worst.
Look.....what on God's green planet leads anyone to think that hate is going to go away without a proper educational system?
The Republicans have been methodically demolishing America's educational system since the 1960s. Thus it is that it is much easier to rule/govern rural, Western and Southern whites than it was at anytime prior.
The ignorant whites keeps the Republicans in power.
If the Democrats ever win the power now wielded by the Republicans, they had best throw all efforts at health and education.
The Republicans have been methodically demolishing America's educational system since the 1960s. Thus it is that it is much easier to rule/govern rural, Western and Southern whites than it was at anytime prior.
The ignorant whites keeps the Republicans in power.
If the Democrats ever win the power now wielded by the Republicans, they had best throw all efforts at health and education.
183
Amen! Federal standards, please.
1
Republicans in the South used to be Democrats. Both parties believed in and practiced massive black incarceration and black welfare deformation.
3
Your comment is factually wrong, and displays an ignorance of the facts and a willingness to assert totally non-validated claims.. Since 1990, state and local expenditures on elementary and secondary education have more than TRIPLED in constant dollars! We spend far more on a per pupil basis than virtually every other nation and the results are astoundingly poor: students who cannot read or write, add or subtract. And you say Republicans are destroying public education? It is rotting from within.
This article seems to be overly simplistic, to say the least. To me, it seems that which group gets the attention is largely regional. The claim is made that we have a "heightened awareness" of anti-semitism. Interestingly enough, in liberal Boston with all its colleges, I have not heard a single word about the vandalism of Jewish cemeteries. Quite to the contrary, everyone seems to be talking about the Trump administration's relations to Israel and the settlements. In the midst of these false bomb threats (which are shameful in their own way), I have not heard A WORD about them here. Quite to the contrary, my college campus was holding events sponsored by the Organization of Students for the Liberation of Palestine. What did they title it? ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK. Ignorant to say the least, and that attitude they seemed to extend to all Jews.
One type of bigotry certainly isn't better than the next. But this article fails to recognize that a lot of these threats and the vandalism, barring this one individual, were in fact legitimate. Furthermore, maybe this is me living in a college bubble, but anti-Muslim and anti-black issues certainly take up a lot more of our time than anti-semitic issues. Jews are almost always lumped together by Israeli policy, which not all of us agree with. And the air time we get for grievances here is slim to none.
This article is taking a complex issue and making it black and white. Ignorant is the only word I have for it.
One type of bigotry certainly isn't better than the next. But this article fails to recognize that a lot of these threats and the vandalism, barring this one individual, were in fact legitimate. Furthermore, maybe this is me living in a college bubble, but anti-Muslim and anti-black issues certainly take up a lot more of our time than anti-semitic issues. Jews are almost always lumped together by Israeli policy, which not all of us agree with. And the air time we get for grievances here is slim to none.
This article is taking a complex issue and making it black and white. Ignorant is the only word I have for it.
40
You are entirely correct. There is shameful anti-semitism on many college campuses today -- especially the blue state, coastal, liberal elite colleges -- and it is cloaked in "anti-Zionism", which lets students off the hook for saying hateful things about Jews. It also blinds them to the extreme anti-Jewish beliefs of many Muslims and Islamic groups.
3
I think that you are right - you are probably talking from out of your own bubble. As the article states, extreme violence against Muslims (burning down of mosques, for example) is a regular event in the US, as is the shooting and violence against brown people. It rarely makes the national news. On the other hand, threats against Jewish synagogues and people become a national issue. That is a reality that raises the obvious question of why it is that, as the article says, some kinds of hate are more and less acceptable than others.
1
Maybe if we want to rid the world of anti-tribal actions, we need to rid the world of tribes. Almost by definition, any tribal identity both generates its own self-justified bigotry of others, and creates opportunities for bigotry by others. Putting aside concerns about deities, religions focus on group identities, and constantly amplify and signal differences.
Are we not smart enough to think for ourselves? To love (or hate) others as individuals? To ponder and embrace a spectrum of ideas? To cooperate and collaborate in different groupings dependent on alignment over specific issues? To make decisions and elect leaders on personal values and beliefs, not political branding? Probably not.
Are we not smart enough to think for ourselves? To love (or hate) others as individuals? To ponder and embrace a spectrum of ideas? To cooperate and collaborate in different groupings dependent on alignment over specific issues? To make decisions and elect leaders on personal values and beliefs, not political branding? Probably not.
26
The problem here is which of the 56 member nations self identifying as part of the Islamic Conference should withdraw allegiance from that group, or whether what is really meant is that Jews are the ones who should not self identify as such, with our one state, or otherwise. It is certainly more convenient for us to disband, as Jews are about 1/100 as numerous. But I prefer not to.
I don't suggest this is what you intend. I do request you think through the implications of your argument.
I don't suggest this is what you intend. I do request you think through the implications of your argument.
NO--Imagine
It is infuriating to see, hear, and think about the filth that comes out of this administrations mouth. I've lived entire life being demonized for being gay, however this administration is an equal-opportunity hater. I will never understand why some hate others so much, including people they have never met; hate them enough to discriminate, persecute and exterminate. What the hell makes Donald trump and co. Holier than thou to treat people this way?
I believe the only reason he spoke up was because his daughter is married to a Jew.
I believe the only reason he spoke up was because his daughter is married to a Jew.
60
If you wish to accuse someone -- especially an elected PRESIDENT -- of "filth coming out of his mouth" -- you'd better be prepared to document that. I've heard no filth. I've heard some clumsy remarks, and things liberals don't like -- but attacks on blacks, Jews, LBGQT? NO.
Trump is the first Republican to come out strongly as supporting LGBQT -- to invite Caitlyn Jenner to use "any bathroom in Trump Tower" -- to wave a rainbow flag at his rallies. You are attacking and defaming THE WRONG GUY.
And his daughter is not just "married to a Jew". She IS A JEW. She is a converted Orthodox Jew, and she has three JEWISH children -- Trump's grandchildren. (At least one of Trump's SONS is also married to a Jewish woman, and their children are ALSO Jewish.)
Trump is the first Republican to come out strongly as supporting LGBQT -- to invite Caitlyn Jenner to use "any bathroom in Trump Tower" -- to wave a rainbow flag at his rallies. You are attacking and defaming THE WRONG GUY.
And his daughter is not just "married to a Jew". She IS A JEW. She is a converted Orthodox Jew, and she has three JEWISH children -- Trump's grandchildren. (At least one of Trump's SONS is also married to a Jewish woman, and their children are ALSO Jewish.)
2
When Trump makes conciliatory remarks towards victims of antisemitism, racism, etc. his revived/inspired Southern "confederates" like David Duke go "wink, wink".
49
Obama didn't condemn Jerimiah Wright and he was Obama's spiritual advisor for 20+ years. So I'm not sure why the media expected Trump to condemn David Duke considering he doesn't even associate with him.
David Duke endorsed Keith Ellison due to Ellison's past anti-Semitism. Did anyone make Ellison condemn Duke's endorsement? Did anyone note that Duke and Ellison have expressed similar attitudes towards Jews?
The media and left demand Trump condemn every hate crime that is attributed to white right wingers. I don't remember Obama condemning many hate crimes committed by black leftists.
I don't like Trump at all and would never have voted for him but this hysteria in the wake of his election that there has been an epidemic of hatred committed by his supporters is another false narrative.
David Duke endorsed Keith Ellison due to Ellison's past anti-Semitism. Did anyone make Ellison condemn Duke's endorsement? Did anyone note that Duke and Ellison have expressed similar attitudes towards Jews?
The media and left demand Trump condemn every hate crime that is attributed to white right wingers. I don't remember Obama condemning many hate crimes committed by black leftists.
I don't like Trump at all and would never have voted for him but this hysteria in the wake of his election that there has been an epidemic of hatred committed by his supporters is another false narrative.
1
Why doesn't HE address hate crimes? Stating the very obvious, he thrives on hate. Instigating, promulgating , authorizing Etc. monkey see, monkey do. GREAT role model for the kids, right??? I have never seen a photo or live appearance in which he actually smiles. The most he can manage is a well-practiced smirk. Just a miserable person. Seriously.
97
The sick need to hate other people doesn't just work in one direction. Its malignancy is even more powerful when it creates an expectation, a need to be, or to feel, hated. Michel Foucault pointed out that oppression isn't as successful until they get us to do it to ourselves.
One difference between (some of) the 'PC' stuff that gets complained about, and joked about, and what the Civil Rights Movement, especially the 1950s and 60s, never bought into, or accepted, is false symmetries.
One difference between (some of) the 'PC' stuff that gets complained about, and joked about, and what the Civil Rights Movement, especially the 1950s and 60s, never bought into, or accepted, is false symmetries.
14
It's pretty appalling that Trump has only paid lip-service to anti-Semitism and other kinds of hatred directed against various subgroups, but not really surprising. After all, it was hatred against various subgroups that propelled this wretched man into the White House.
Ten weeks in, and no major legislation passed. Less than two years until the midterms. Lots of good Democratic presidential prospects for 2020. Thank God.
Ten weeks in, and no major legislation passed. Less than two years until the midterms. Lots of good Democratic presidential prospects for 2020. Thank God.
30
I'm tired of right-wingers accusing those of us who recognize the muscular re-assertion of racial, ethnic and religious bigotry as "Chicken Littles" claiming the sky is falling. A Black American is elected President and instantly the Tea Party and "Birthers" come out from under the rocks. Birthers are closely related to Holocaust Deniers and, guess what? The President is the one who super-charged the birther propaganda. (the kicker is, even if their blatant lies and crude forgeries had been true, Barack Obama, just like Ted Cruz, would STILL be a "natural born" citizen because both men's mothers are/were natural born citizens.)
That fact that one disturbed teen in Israel phoned in bomb scares doesn't change anything. He didn't burn and deface mosques. He didn't knock over a hundred gravestones in St. Louis. He didn't break into a New York Giants player's apartment and trash it and draw swastikas and the N-work on the walls. He didn't shoot or stab people because they "look" Muslim or hates all Black Americans.
Without angry White men and women who imagine they lost their job or will lose their job because of all the "other people" Trump wouldn't be President. Yeah, lots of folks bought the garbage the GOP has been building against Hillary Clinton, aided by Russia Today's carefully crafted and targeted lies.
And he fed it, without conscience or remorse. Trump may not dislike Jews, but he clearly sees them(us) as "money people".
Be very afraid of the haters.
That fact that one disturbed teen in Israel phoned in bomb scares doesn't change anything. He didn't burn and deface mosques. He didn't knock over a hundred gravestones in St. Louis. He didn't break into a New York Giants player's apartment and trash it and draw swastikas and the N-work on the walls. He didn't shoot or stab people because they "look" Muslim or hates all Black Americans.
Without angry White men and women who imagine they lost their job or will lose their job because of all the "other people" Trump wouldn't be President. Yeah, lots of folks bought the garbage the GOP has been building against Hillary Clinton, aided by Russia Today's carefully crafted and targeted lies.
And he fed it, without conscience or remorse. Trump may not dislike Jews, but he clearly sees them(us) as "money people".
Be very afraid of the haters.
126
Don't be afraid. Be vigilant and fight back. You'll be surprised how little resistance they will offer once things get real.
1
Three kinds of dangerous, detestable behavior here:
1. Openly Islamophobic anti-immigrant and more veiled anti-semitic rhetoric motivated primarily by genuine hatred/bigotry and secondarily by political pandering to a substantial portion of Donald’s base.
2. Policies developed and implemented (mostly through executive orders) to keep these “inferior” and/or “dangerous” “elements” out of the country.
3. Reluctance, and usually refusal, to condemn violence – from threats and bullying on up to murder – against (perceived) Muslims and immigrants.
Hard not to see parallels with early Nazi Germany here. The first steps there were vicious propaganda designed to isolate the targeted victims from the rest of society, increased persecution measures, and sporadic acts of bullying and violence.
The only reason I’m not much more afraid is because I’m hopeful that Russia-gate will take Trump and Bannon down soon. But the longer this takes – the longer they remain in the White House – the more damage they will do through their open and thinly disguised encouragement to their millions of uninformed, misinformed, hateful, and morally bankrupt deplorables.
Donald and Bannon think that whites are superior to every other race/ethnicity, but all they’ve shown over the last 70 days is that the first black president was far smarter in every way – cognitively, emotionally, socially, and politically – than they could ever hope to be.
1. Openly Islamophobic anti-immigrant and more veiled anti-semitic rhetoric motivated primarily by genuine hatred/bigotry and secondarily by political pandering to a substantial portion of Donald’s base.
2. Policies developed and implemented (mostly through executive orders) to keep these “inferior” and/or “dangerous” “elements” out of the country.
3. Reluctance, and usually refusal, to condemn violence – from threats and bullying on up to murder – against (perceived) Muslims and immigrants.
Hard not to see parallels with early Nazi Germany here. The first steps there were vicious propaganda designed to isolate the targeted victims from the rest of society, increased persecution measures, and sporadic acts of bullying and violence.
The only reason I’m not much more afraid is because I’m hopeful that Russia-gate will take Trump and Bannon down soon. But the longer this takes – the longer they remain in the White House – the more damage they will do through their open and thinly disguised encouragement to their millions of uninformed, misinformed, hateful, and morally bankrupt deplorables.
Donald and Bannon think that whites are superior to every other race/ethnicity, but all they’ve shown over the last 70 days is that the first black president was far smarter in every way – cognitively, emotionally, socially, and politically – than they could ever hope to be.
101
YES! I voted for President Obama because he cared and was smart. George left us a country bleeding 800,000 jobs a month.
President Obama was confident enough and smart enough to surround himself with the best and the brightest for help in addressing this nation's problems. Reminds me of FDR's cabinet. Why are democratic presidents so much smarter. Sorry if that sounds prejudiced but I look at their actions not their words. America just seems to make much more progress for all its people under Democrats. Study that before you vote.
President Obama was confident enough and smart enough to surround himself with the best and the brightest for help in addressing this nation's problems. Reminds me of FDR's cabinet. Why are democratic presidents so much smarter. Sorry if that sounds prejudiced but I look at their actions not their words. America just seems to make much more progress for all its people under Democrats. Study that before you vote.
1
What the first responses to this excellent article fail to do, all while seeming to take twisted pleasure in the fact that the media overlooks bigotry directed toward ethnicities or religions other than Jewish, is to decry the fact that the White House is generating hatred of Americans! Where is the outrage? How can the most most visible and loudest representation of our nation support and express such divisive hatred of the people they are supposed to represent? Their goals are to divide us in order to arrive at nothing less than nefarious and fascist goals. We must, must remember this in order to undermine their bigotry and remain, all of us, Americans and united under God.
20
You just hit the nail on the proverbial head.
The only difference is who is condemning who. As expected another Socialist is placing labels where they please based only on what their interpretations. No different than some of the Conservatives they are complaining about. Just because President Trump does not leap up and flail his arms in anguish every time something bad happens does not mean he condones the acts. Just more nonsense from the Left with their divide to conquer efforts.
16
Your statement leaves out one gigantic glaring hole. Donald Trump got elected, part, because of his vicious bigotry against Muslims and his bigotry against "the blacks" and his interpretation that most African Americans live in violent drug infested 'inner cities'.
You also leave out the long history of Trump's racism. He's openly talked about it and he's been sued twice for discrimination in his work.
And when you talk about 'divide and conquer'. the only reason white working class people have been voting against their own economic interests in the last 50 years is anger at Civil Rights and the fact that African Americans must be considered equal under the law as white folk.
Bigotry has been the winning calling card of the right wing LBJ signed those bills into law.
You also leave out the long history of Trump's racism. He's openly talked about it and he's been sued twice for discrimination in his work.
And when you talk about 'divide and conquer'. the only reason white working class people have been voting against their own economic interests in the last 50 years is anger at Civil Rights and the fact that African Americans must be considered equal under the law as white folk.
Bigotry has been the winning calling card of the right wing LBJ signed those bills into law.
1
No, your deplorable president only flails his arms to mock disabled reporters. And if a president of the US, who should set the example for proper behavior for all, does not forcefully condemn bigotry, he condones it. Trump is even worse: He thrives on bigotry. I miss the Obama's class and grace. Trump isn't worthy to clean their shoes.
The problem is that many people who make claims of antisemitism are just critical of people who criticize Israel and question the Israeli-US relationship. It is a very rational question to ask why we support a nation state less than 80 years old in the form of protection and discounted arms deals that continually seeks military expansion - even going so far as defying senior US officials.
However, it has become standard practice to label anyone who raises these questions as antisemitic. I personally think that the claims antisemitism as it existed In the 20th century are bogus and at worst exist within an extreme minority. While nobody can deny the fact that the Jewish people of Europe suffered horrifically, at what point do we as a people separate the past from the present and acknowledge that Israel is an aggressive nation wreaking havoc in that region and can talk about it openly without being labeled as nazis or antisemitic.
However, it has become standard practice to label anyone who raises these questions as antisemitic. I personally think that the claims antisemitism as it existed In the 20th century are bogus and at worst exist within an extreme minority. While nobody can deny the fact that the Jewish people of Europe suffered horrifically, at what point do we as a people separate the past from the present and acknowledge that Israel is an aggressive nation wreaking havoc in that region and can talk about it openly without being labeled as nazis or antisemitic.
60
Beyond what you've stated, is the fact that ANY cohesive, minority, which is seen by the majority to have economic and political power far beyond their physical numbers, will be set upon by the majority..sooner or later.
1
What does Israel's age have to do with anything? The US supports Sputh Sudan, which only became independent in 2011. How does Israel continually seek to expand? Israel expanded once, in 1967 after their neighboring states were planning to attack them and "push the Jews into the sea" (i.e. they planned to exterminate all Israeli Jews). How is Israel wrecking havoc in the region? Israel is a relative oasis of peace in its area. There are wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, all of which are mainly between different factions of Muslims (not Jews), including groups within those war-torn countries, and forces and/or support from every other Muslim country in the area. This caused millions of people to be killed, wounded or displaced. Israel had nothing to do with any of it. There are mass insurgencies further east in Afghanistan & Pakistan. There have been coups and many terrorist incidents in Egypt. etc. Your statements against Israel are completely hyperbolic, and indicate bias on your part. I do not agree with all of Israel's policies, and I do think it is possible to criticize Israel without being anti-Semitic, but your criticisms are completely invalid.
5
"At what point do we as a people...talk about it without being labeled as nazis or antisemitic."
It would help if folks saying such things weren't wearing medals associated with Nazi-collaborationist groups to the White House.
It would help if folks saying such things weren't wearing medals associated with Nazi-collaborationist groups to the White House.
3
Anti-Semitism is different because of its long history and, in particular, the Holocaust. Before "dark skinned" people were enslaved and colonized by white societies--and many of their descendants subsequently discriminated against-- Jews were discriminated against and murdered by those same white societies for hundreds of years. Jews have been the scapegoats for societies' perceived ills for milennia.
82
If you read Wilkinson's 'The ancient Egyptians: their life and customs' you will find that most of the prescriptions of the Jews were the same as those of the Egyptians of the time. No pig, rulers, priests and physicians forming a hereditary ruling caste. Too much to cover here. Essentially, the remembered history is not the objective history. It is a history with an emphasis on those beliefs that will keep a tribal culture going inside of other cultures. Why? It works out better for the members of the subculture. It is a subculture that tends to thrive in the peak years of a civilisation. But it's easy for people to drift off, intermarry and forget. And that happens all the time too. So those that are left to carry on continue to tell those tales that will keep the group together. And then you get crazies, like the Nazis, who managed to wipe out millions.
Now many people have been subjects of genocides. But most people do not have a culture to remember them. They lose the fear and bad feelings in a couple of generations after its over. The memories and written histories also disappear. It's a Benicia and a loss. Would you rather remember or would you rather forget?
Now many people have been subjects of genocides. But most people do not have a culture to remember them. They lose the fear and bad feelings in a couple of generations after its over. The memories and written histories also disappear. It's a Benicia and a loss. Would you rather remember or would you rather forget?
Almost every ancient society had slaves, Romans, Greeks , Persians, even the Israelites, "the dark skinned" weren't the only slaves the world has seen. Religious prejudice is another coin, but again the Jews are the only religion ever descrimated against and murdered.
Not so different, the first post-Holocaust genocide in Europe took place against one of the last surviving populations of indigenous European Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina and later Kosovo. During this time, the Serbian genocidaires openly received the support of John Major's Britain and Francoise Mitterand's France while the elder Bush inspite of having declared a "New World Order" in Iraq helped cover up the genocide for months. This played a major role in radicalizing Muslim populations in the West.
1
Mr. Gorka looks like a Bond villain. Apparently, he writes like one too.
Kidding aside, this is a very important piece.
All Americans need to realize the logical consequences of having an administration filled with crypto and actual fascists. Can we overcome inbred, knee-jerk racism before real slaughters begin?
Kidding aside, this is a very important piece.
All Americans need to realize the logical consequences of having an administration filled with crypto and actual fascists. Can we overcome inbred, knee-jerk racism before real slaughters begin?
15
It is difficult to separate real hate crimes from the political hype of people trying to get mileage in the current climate of "I am (mine are) more of a hate crime victim than anyone else". It is time to grow up and stop behaving like pre-adolescent whiners. The media have made hate crimes the most popular news item of the day.
7
Diud It is not difficult for anyone who thinks. Hate crimes are on the rise because of a dangerous demagogue in the White House who is surrounded by people who are very open about their hatred for anyone who is not white. And Christian. If you personally have difficulty comprehending that maybe you need to try a little harder. But people who know about this because of personally experiencing it or caring about our fellow Americans have no difficulty whatsoever distinguishing hate crimes from whatever imaginary things you seem to be thinking or talking about.
1
Very well done. All bigotry is bad, and bigotry in officials of our Government is horrifyingly dangerous to democracy.
6
"much to the delight of the far right, it turned out to be partly correct."
Why just the delight of the right wing and not everyone? Why aren't you absolutely delighted that hundreds of purported hate crimes turned out to be false? We all should be - rejoice that even one less of these dark crimes than we had thought did occur!
I for one am also delighted.
Why just the delight of the right wing and not everyone? Why aren't you absolutely delighted that hundreds of purported hate crimes turned out to be false? We all should be - rejoice that even one less of these dark crimes than we had thought did occur!
I for one am also delighted.
26
I believe the vast majority of bomb threats turn out to be false but that doesn't mean we should be delighted by that fact. Whatever the reason the person who calls in the threat has it is disturbing that they are in fact trying to terrorize people. The right wing was delighted in this case because it turned out not to be one of their own and now it provides cover for them to continue spouting their hateful rhetoric.
1
Why should we be delighted that the person who committed those purported hate crimes was actually Jewish? His actions will inspire others who are less ambiguous about their feelings toward Jews and other minorities.
When people commit hate crimes, we are quick to say that their motivation was religious. That's why it's terrorism when a crazy Muslim goes berzerk but not when a crazy white guy from Charleston does something equally awful. I didn't feel "delighted" when I heard about that.
When people commit hate crimes, we are quick to say that their motivation was religious. That's why it's terrorism when a crazy Muslim goes berzerk but not when a crazy white guy from Charleston does something equally awful. I didn't feel "delighted" when I heard about that.
1
Which "purported hate crime" turned out to be "false"?
Because targeting Jewish schools and community centers for bomb threats is a genuine hate crime, and if you were a parent of one of the children evacuated repeatedly from their schools because of these bomb threats, you would not be rejoicing about this. And that's the truth.
Because targeting Jewish schools and community centers for bomb threats is a genuine hate crime, and if you were a parent of one of the children evacuated repeatedly from their schools because of these bomb threats, you would not be rejoicing about this. And that's the truth.
1
The Insulter-In-Chief only condemns those that attack his very thin skin or his undervalued brand. Why denounce anti-semetic incidents occurring to a voting bloc that pretty much didn't not vote for him when he can Tweet about SNL, Meryl Streep or "sleepy eyed Chuck Todd?" Why would he denounce hateful actions towards Muslims and Mexicans that he help to escalate by stoking hatred to get elected? He has no compassion for anyone other than himself and whatever audience he is playing to at the moment. SAD!
11
This kind of "hierarchy of suffering" argument makes me sick. ALL bigotry is morally repugnant. We don't need to consider which is worse than the other. That is useless and sets minorities against one another.
Additionally, in 2015, most of the religious hate crimes were anti-Jewish. https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/tables-and-data-declarations/1tabled...
Additionally, in 2015, most of the religious hate crimes were anti-Jewish. https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2015/tables-and-data-declarations/1tabled...
20
My opinion is that the new administration has a different (why would you expect that) policy on crimes. If something is say a local or state crime they get first crack at providing justice, if they fail to do so then federal officials need to be involved. States and local officials should support federal officials where they can. So you won't see this administration rushing into every case where there might be some federal issue but rather waiting. This will prevent mistakes like stirring up folks with say hands up don't shoot or other not real things. You can disagree but those are the priorities that I think they will be using, same with so called "hate" crimes. I actually have relatives in one of the effected cemeteries so I would like them caught, but the feds have other things to do.
3
No Jew I have ever heard of argued that hatred of Jews is worse than any other. Jews know that hatred of anyone is a threat to all, which is why Jewish groups the world over, including the Anti-Defamation League, fight tirelessly on behalf of all who are victimized for whatever reason. There is no central control over how much Jews discuss anti-Semitism, remember the Holocaust or note hatred against any group. People who talk about the "anti-Semitism police" or that "[a]side from their religious and cultural heritage, [Jews] are largely indistinguishable from other white Americans" are just re-making the argument that the Jews are too uppity about themselves. This is a nice relativistic and pseudo intellectual form of intolerance. Whether it is hatred I leave to anyone with a moment to give it thought. To those who think that the Jews have overdone it I ask,
Are you out there speaking on behalf of those you think have been disadvantaged in the public discourse, or would you just rather that the Jews be less noisy?
Are you out there speaking on behalf of those you think have been disadvantaged in the public discourse, or would you just rather that the Jews be less noisy?
30
Why shouldn't Jews protest the social ills they've experienced? Exactly. I completely agree with your criticism of this article. Would Michelle Goldberg ever tell the NAACIP tone it down?
2
"... which is why Jewish groups the world over, including the Anti-Defamation League, fight tirelessly on behalf of all who are victimized for whatever reason."
Yeah, right.
Be less noisy.
Yeah, right.
Be less noisy.
1
"Why Is This Hate Different From All Other Hate?" For the same reason that Black Lives Matter is a thing: because history. You don't "All Hates Matter" anti-Semitism anymore than you "All Lives Matter" police brutality.
9
"Mr. Trump himself does not appear to harbor personal anti-Jewish animus: He has a beloved Jewish daughter and close Jewish advisers. Yet he and members of his circle have broken long-established social and political norms by mining the anti-Semitic far right for images and arguments."
This is a terrific article. Hatred against anyone for whom he or she is is hatred against all of us. My only disappointment in reading this article results from the quote above. We can't let Trump off the hook on the basis of that old line, "some of my best friends are [Jews or blacks or pick whatever group you like]."
This is a terrific article. Hatred against anyone for whom he or she is is hatred against all of us. My only disappointment in reading this article results from the quote above. We can't let Trump off the hook on the basis of that old line, "some of my best friends are [Jews or blacks or pick whatever group you like]."
15
As Yogi taught us...it's deja vu all over again.
Michelle, your headline is wrong. You are close to "playing the card",
You can play the female, white male, black, immigrant, hispanic, alien card, jewish any card.
What I mean by this is yes, re the latest race/ethnic/religious baiter Trump.
Jews happened to come out on top re this bigot.
His target are not just Jews, they are easy to pick on. it is anybody that any bigot in America hates.
That is why it is not different from all other hate.....
Michelle, your headline is wrong. You are close to "playing the card",
You can play the female, white male, black, immigrant, hispanic, alien card, jewish any card.
What I mean by this is yes, re the latest race/ethnic/religious baiter Trump.
Jews happened to come out on top re this bigot.
His target are not just Jews, they are easy to pick on. it is anybody that any bigot in America hates.
That is why it is not different from all other hate.....
5
I am glad to read this article and wonder how our nation elevated this elite KKK group to the highest office of the land. Trump was honest and did nothing to hide his hatred of Muslims, but the press response was muted when he stood before the American people in the second debate and declared that the San Bernardino terrorist couple had bombs and bomb making equipment in clear view that "many Muslims" saw and failed to report.
This nation was built with a constitution specifically constructed to discourage religious war and persecution and we have a president who is a full throated instigator of religious hatred willing to tell absolute lies to millions of Americans to stir up anti-Muslim fear and loathing. Not just un-American, anti-American, a traitor to our values as a country.
This nation was built with a constitution specifically constructed to discourage religious war and persecution and we have a president who is a full throated instigator of religious hatred willing to tell absolute lies to millions of Americans to stir up anti-Muslim fear and loathing. Not just un-American, anti-American, a traitor to our values as a country.
147
Trump hated Mexicans and Muslims with equal vehemence.
1
Don't ever expect normal behavior from DT & his White House gang. Playing on bigotry got them their power jobs. They're not about to relinquish their posts. Bigotry is their ticket to remaining in power, they know nothing else, they have too hard a time faking decency. They come across as sincere only when tapping into hatred.
37
Thank you for this eloquently stated piece. It states movingly and concisely why I, a secular Jew with no particular interest in Muslim doctrine, hear every bit of Islamophobic rhetoric I see these days as a personal threat toward me. We are not in this alone and must stand up for each other. What this piece is missing, which indeed would require much more text, is the similarities between current Islamophobic rhetoric and violence and racist rhetoric and violence from the Civil Rights Era. When Breitbart rouses hysteria about hordes of Muslim refugees and Mexican immigrants raping white women, I am reminded of the countless black men lynched by white mobs for similar baseless allegations. And the same society that looks back in horror at the burning of churches across the South in the 1960s barely manages a shrug for the mosques now being burned on a regular basis. The current times and context are of course very different from those of the past, but much of the rhetoric comes from the same playbook.
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No one can tell what faith you belong too. And being Muslim is the most currently hated type of faith in America. There is only a proposed Muslim ban.
More Muslims have been killed, wounded, displaced and made refugees than any one else during the era of the war on terror.
African Americans are profiled, stalked, stopped and shot on American streets by cops and civilians. African Americans are being persecuted into prison for doing what white people do while white without consequence.
Until all black and brown lives matter in America nothing else matters.
More Muslims have been killed, wounded, displaced and made refugees than any one else during the era of the war on terror.
African Americans are profiled, stalked, stopped and shot on American streets by cops and civilians. African Americans are being persecuted into prison for doing what white people do while white without consequence.
Until all black and brown lives matter in America nothing else matters.
3
We can have many sorts of prejudice, which can express themselves as disgust as well as hate. We can target Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons, Evangelicals, intellectuals, gay people, Wall Street types, men, women, people who engage in sex (Paul advocated trying abstinence first), rich people, foreigners, Native Americans, jocks, artists, country folk, hillbillies, city slickers, tolerant people, intolerant people, the old, the young, lawyers, doctors, truck drivers, and on and on. We can make generalizations that may or may not contain grains of truth, and the amount of truth does not correlate with the popularity of the generalization.
Hillary's deplorables believed and said much worse about her; they could dish it out but refused to take it -- maybe because they have been taking it for years or generations without finding an adequate way to respond. Maybe democracy demands more wisdom and self-knowledge than we have, and we are not prepared or willing to grow or help/make/force each other to grow.
Hillary's deplorables believed and said much worse about her; they could dish it out but refused to take it -- maybe because they have been taking it for years or generations without finding an adequate way to respond. Maybe democracy demands more wisdom and self-knowledge than we have, and we are not prepared or willing to grow or help/make/force each other to grow.
41
I agree with much of your post, however not your conclusion.
A strength of our democracy is that it can survive, even flourish, when our citizens do not have "more wisdom and self-knowledge than we have."
Of course, unfortunately, too much of a bad thing can become a disaster, and we are now looking at that possibility. On the plus side, we old white men, who seem to have a superabundance of lack of "wisdom and self-knowledge" are dying off.
If we can keep these idiots from plunging us into a nuclear war over the next several years, our democracy will probably survive.
A strength of our democracy is that it can survive, even flourish, when our citizens do not have "more wisdom and self-knowledge than we have."
Of course, unfortunately, too much of a bad thing can become a disaster, and we are now looking at that possibility. On the plus side, we old white men, who seem to have a superabundance of lack of "wisdom and self-knowledge" are dying off.
If we can keep these idiots from plunging us into a nuclear war over the next several years, our democracy will probably survive.
"we should ask why there was so much more pressure on Mr. Trump to speak out about apparent anti-Semitic threats"
Pressure from whom?
When AIPAC walks a letter around to all 100 Senators, of course they all sign it, as they should. But that is something AIPAC does, on this issue as on many others, and nobody else is doing it for any other group under attack.
Of course the Senators ought to sign such a letter for any of those groups, but who brought one around to be signed? Nobody.
If antisemitic attacks got more outraged coverage in the NYT, who is to answer for that? The NYT. It is their demonstrated priority among outrages to choose from.
"The president and his associates mix anti-Semitic dog whistles"
Trump has never said any such thing. His own daughter and grandchildren are Jewish. That is painting with a broad brush.
Everyone to the right of Bernie is not automatically Trump's personal misbehavior, even if you hate him for things that are his.
Pressure from whom?
When AIPAC walks a letter around to all 100 Senators, of course they all sign it, as they should. But that is something AIPAC does, on this issue as on many others, and nobody else is doing it for any other group under attack.
Of course the Senators ought to sign such a letter for any of those groups, but who brought one around to be signed? Nobody.
If antisemitic attacks got more outraged coverage in the NYT, who is to answer for that? The NYT. It is their demonstrated priority among outrages to choose from.
"The president and his associates mix anti-Semitic dog whistles"
Trump has never said any such thing. His own daughter and grandchildren are Jewish. That is painting with a broad brush.
Everyone to the right of Bernie is not automatically Trump's personal misbehavior, even if you hate him for things that are his.
49
Do a search for Trump & anti-semitism. You'll find plenty of examples, in his own words.
2
See my comment There will be no separate lines fir insiders
Hate for one = hate for all
Hate for one = hate for all
1
You don't explicitly say a dog whistle. That's why its called a dog whistle.
And for crying out loud, this author is being critical of the NYT and others for giving more outraged coverage to anti-Semitic acts, so why get on her case?
And there's a difference between blaming Trump for the acts of others and pointing out that since he sets the tone as President (and associates with racists and xenophones like Bannon) that he bears some responsibility for these actions.
I think this article pretty has explained the relative importance of all of these hateful acts just right.
And for crying out loud, this author is being critical of the NYT and others for giving more outraged coverage to anti-Semitic acts, so why get on her case?
And there's a difference between blaming Trump for the acts of others and pointing out that since he sets the tone as President (and associates with racists and xenophones like Bannon) that he bears some responsibility for these actions.
I think this article pretty has explained the relative importance of all of these hateful acts just right.
1
Strange times we live in. If we substituted the words Jewish and Zionist for Muslim and Islamic in this administration's attempts to discriminate in deciding who can and cannot enter this country, the cheer-leading on the Right would be replaced by an outcry. Yet paradoxically there's a strong undercurrent of anti (jewish) semitism among trump supporters that trump himself has done nothing to discourage, notwithstanding the fact that some of his best family members are Jewish.
This only confirms that trump is a typical demagogue - a species that seeks to enhance its power by playing off one group against another.
The bright spot in all this is seeing Muslim and Jewish communities come together when each others' houses of worship have been attacked.
This only confirms that trump is a typical demagogue - a species that seeks to enhance its power by playing off one group against another.
The bright spot in all this is seeing Muslim and Jewish communities come together when each others' houses of worship have been attacked.
189
Thanks for calling attention to "demagogue," a word that many of us generally know the definition of but likely don't understand too deeply. I encourage everyone to look up the Wikipedia page about it and consider just how closely Trump is using the demagogue playbook.
From the page: "Democracies are instituted to ensure freedom for all and popular control over government authority; demagogues turn power deriving from popular support into a force that undermines the very freedoms and rule of law that democracies are made to protect."
From the page: "Democracies are instituted to ensure freedom for all and popular control over government authority; demagogues turn power deriving from popular support into a force that undermines the very freedoms and rule of law that democracies are made to protect."
Funny because if I've noticed for many decades that if you talk about Muslims or blacks the way I've seen Jews and Asians talked about by blacks and Muslims you would be considered a fascist. But the Democratic party holds tight many blacks and Muslims who talk about Jews and Asians the same way the KKK once talked about blacks. You haven't noticed? It's been going on for decades.
3
"We" never substituted any thing nor any one for being black and African of any faith in America.
1
All those uppity people. People who are not constrained, like Trump to hold grudges and claim superiority without humanity or awareness of others as equal, by birth, members of the human family.
Anyone who needs to value themselves by putting other people down, by taking from and degrading people, devalues themselves. It is such a shame. If they valued themselves more highly they would not need to put others down to raise themselves up.
Sad. All hate is subhuman. Hate is an excuse not to be fully human. It's an excuse not to take responsibility for the hopefully unconquerable human soul. We are diminished by excusing ourselves because of the faults of others.
Dylann Roof was forgiven. That is the mark of quality, to leave the judgment to others and rise to our own potential, to stand or fall on our own quality, not by pretending we have the power to lessen others. We don't, we can only raise ourselves.
Anyone who needs to value themselves by putting other people down, by taking from and degrading people, devalues themselves. It is such a shame. If they valued themselves more highly they would not need to put others down to raise themselves up.
Sad. All hate is subhuman. Hate is an excuse not to be fully human. It's an excuse not to take responsibility for the hopefully unconquerable human soul. We are diminished by excusing ourselves because of the faults of others.
Dylann Roof was forgiven. That is the mark of quality, to leave the judgment to others and rise to our own potential, to stand or fall on our own quality, not by pretending we have the power to lessen others. We don't, we can only raise ourselves.
51
Susan, I agree with you about everything except whether Dylann Roof "was forgiven." In Jewish ethics, you must seek forgiveness directly from the people you wrong. So the families and community may have forgiven Roof for how he hurt them, but Roof can never be forgiven by the people he murdered, because he robbed them of their ability to do so. I think there is a simple justice in that, not hatred or vengeance.
1
Yes. But I would slightly change it to say not that those who put people down devalues themselves, but that they already devalue themselves and that that's why they put other people down, put them outside, put them as zeroes in their minds. They start by having been treated as less than human, themselves. This a rule of thumb: that when someone makes other people feel a certain way (e.g. fearful, self-hating) the TRUTH is that the instigator feels that way him/herself inside or down deep, has separated that knowledge off from himself and projects it onto certain classes of others. You want to kill yourself (someone wanted to kill you when you were young and vulnerable) and, denying that knowledge, try to kill others or their spirits.
'Trouble is, though it helps me to understand people like Trump, Robert Mercer (see Jane Mayer in The New Yorker) or Hitler, I'm not sure how that helps me decide what to do when they're in power. Maybe you have some ideas.
As to forgiving Dylan Roof, I don't know how 'forgiving' him helps anybody. Forgiveness works 1) when one has a relationship with the perpetrator and 2) when he asks for forgiveness. 'Letting go', though, helps the victim, when one can manage it.
'Trouble is, though it helps me to understand people like Trump, Robert Mercer (see Jane Mayer in The New Yorker) or Hitler, I'm not sure how that helps me decide what to do when they're in power. Maybe you have some ideas.
As to forgiving Dylan Roof, I don't know how 'forgiving' him helps anybody. Forgiveness works 1) when one has a relationship with the perpetrator and 2) when he asks for forgiveness. 'Letting go', though, helps the victim, when one can manage it.
2
A wonderfully written essay on the role of this President and his administration in advancing hatred based on differences in national origin, culture, ethnicity and religion, because it suits their need to keep their supporters united in anger against scapegoats. As Ms Goldberg says, "avowed anti-Semites hear their overarching narratives reflected back to them, their prejudices tacitly approved."
Trump engages with supporters' ANGER: that's the only emotion I see in him. It's his actions -and inaction- that matter, but it's hard to not to surmise that this is a man devoid of empathy for others. He may harbor no particular antipathy towards a given group: all of his actions and statements are 'transactional' - based on what he can get out of the interaction. Not for him to express even false sympathy to Muslims, Sikhs - or Jews - if it might lose votes. He can interact with anyone at a superficially friendly level if he can gain from the other party.
We may laugh at Clinton's "I can feel your pain," but he registered feelings. Obama -criticized for being remote and professorial -appeared shot through with grief in some public statements. Trump resonates with resentment, period. He chose a key aide with a grudge, who has made a living exploiting anger. I suspect that not only are they both incapable of empathy, but that they secretly disdain victims of hate crimes, because they are "losers." Ivanka may be loved, but when she became a Jew, she also married a power broker.
Trump engages with supporters' ANGER: that's the only emotion I see in him. It's his actions -and inaction- that matter, but it's hard to not to surmise that this is a man devoid of empathy for others. He may harbor no particular antipathy towards a given group: all of his actions and statements are 'transactional' - based on what he can get out of the interaction. Not for him to express even false sympathy to Muslims, Sikhs - or Jews - if it might lose votes. He can interact with anyone at a superficially friendly level if he can gain from the other party.
We may laugh at Clinton's "I can feel your pain," but he registered feelings. Obama -criticized for being remote and professorial -appeared shot through with grief in some public statements. Trump resonates with resentment, period. He chose a key aide with a grudge, who has made a living exploiting anger. I suspect that not only are they both incapable of empathy, but that they secretly disdain victims of hate crimes, because they are "losers." Ivanka may be loved, but when she became a Jew, she also married a power broker.
347
@Cheryl wrote: "Ivanka may be loved, but when she became a Jew, she also married a power broker."
A very interesting concluding sentence. That's walking right up to the line, maybe? Her husband is, for now, a power broker as a WH advisor. True.
But the way the sentence is written, parsed a little here (not to place too fine a point upon it, lol), implies that becoming a Jew and marrying her husband, a Jew, made her part of the 'power brokers' in this life.
The idea that all Jews, especially rich ones, are part of a secret cabal of power brokers wielding unlimited manipulative conspiratorial leverage on the world? Well, it's ridiculous. All 15 million Jews, worldwide, 8 million or so in Israel, are running the entire world?
Even if our commenter maybe
'misspoke' or 'unartfully represented herself' (we all want benefit of the doubt, so she can have it, too) there are 1.5 bn. muslims, and more than 2 billion Christians...but it's this 8 million in Israel that are running the ME, world economic markets, all media, arts, universities, and controlling the mighty nations of the world? Do people even hear themselves?
Oh, the latest? Jews are said to be running the immigration in the ME, Mossad and the US CIA, to weaken the states like Syria and Iraq so the Jews can then invade and take their land. That's a good one. And also ridiculous.
But in our upside down and backward perspectives, heh, why not? Maybe shout it from a picket line? It makes good copy.
A very interesting concluding sentence. That's walking right up to the line, maybe? Her husband is, for now, a power broker as a WH advisor. True.
But the way the sentence is written, parsed a little here (not to place too fine a point upon it, lol), implies that becoming a Jew and marrying her husband, a Jew, made her part of the 'power brokers' in this life.
The idea that all Jews, especially rich ones, are part of a secret cabal of power brokers wielding unlimited manipulative conspiratorial leverage on the world? Well, it's ridiculous. All 15 million Jews, worldwide, 8 million or so in Israel, are running the entire world?
Even if our commenter maybe
'misspoke' or 'unartfully represented herself' (we all want benefit of the doubt, so she can have it, too) there are 1.5 bn. muslims, and more than 2 billion Christians...but it's this 8 million in Israel that are running the ME, world economic markets, all media, arts, universities, and controlling the mighty nations of the world? Do people even hear themselves?
Oh, the latest? Jews are said to be running the immigration in the ME, Mossad and the US CIA, to weaken the states like Syria and Iraq so the Jews can then invade and take their land. That's a good one. And also ridiculous.
But in our upside down and backward perspectives, heh, why not? Maybe shout it from a picket line? It makes good copy.
Our president is anti two things....
1. ILLEGAL immigrants - emphasis on ILLEGAL
2. Muslims FROM countries more likely to produce terrorists - same list as Obama used.
I have NEVER seen or heard a comment that suggests an overall antipathy to other muslims or immigrants.
That being said .. the guy is a raging idiot politically and should never have been elected.
1. ILLEGAL immigrants - emphasis on ILLEGAL
2. Muslims FROM countries more likely to produce terrorists - same list as Obama used.
I have NEVER seen or heard a comment that suggests an overall antipathy to other muslims or immigrants.
That being said .. the guy is a raging idiot politically and should never have been elected.
2
And 58% of American white voters including 63% of white men and 54% of white women voted for Trump.
Castigating them as a convenient comprehensive closed caste and class ignores the individual diverse unique human agency and humanity behind each of them.
Castigating them as a convenient comprehensive closed caste and class ignores the individual diverse unique human agency and humanity behind each of them.
2
There is no difference in "types" of hate.
What IS different about the hate circulating in American society and politics today is that by now we should have learned better. There is a resurgence in toleration for hate despite millennia of education in the real-world application and all-too-real consequences of hate.
Humans do not learn from their errors, they simply invent new ways to make them. We are seeing new inventions of hate, but they're based on the same errors we've always made. In the history textbooks of the future, students (our great-grandchildren) will read about the various new iterations of hate, juxtaposed against older versions of the same hate.
They will learn this while their leaders (our children) are re-making hate in the new iterations. And so on...
What IS different about the hate circulating in American society and politics today is that by now we should have learned better. There is a resurgence in toleration for hate despite millennia of education in the real-world application and all-too-real consequences of hate.
Humans do not learn from their errors, they simply invent new ways to make them. We are seeing new inventions of hate, but they're based on the same errors we've always made. In the history textbooks of the future, students (our great-grandchildren) will read about the various new iterations of hate, juxtaposed against older versions of the same hate.
They will learn this while their leaders (our children) are re-making hate in the new iterations. And so on...
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You're assuming there will BE a future. Perhaps if you don't live too close to a coast?
If it has become "routine for presidents to offer sympathy to victims of high profile crimes," maybe we need to stop turning to Trump for this leadership.
When Trump dismissed crimes against Senator McCain because he had the bad form to be captured, he gave us a preview of how he views people as winners and losers.
My apprehension is speaking out or holding dialogues about these sorts of things (human rights, discrimination, hate crimes) are just a few of his diversions. It's a dangerous waste of resources we need to effective Resist. He will never be a leader or even adequate in this area --it's like trying to teach table manners to a pet that still pees in the house.
When Trump dismissed crimes against Senator McCain because he had the bad form to be captured, he gave us a preview of how he views people as winners and losers.
My apprehension is speaking out or holding dialogues about these sorts of things (human rights, discrimination, hate crimes) are just a few of his diversions. It's a dangerous waste of resources we need to effective Resist. He will never be a leader or even adequate in this area --it's like trying to teach table manners to a pet that still pees in the house.
The difference is that Trump claims he loves Jews and brags about his Jewish son-in-law and daughter. People expect him, therefore, to "at least" denounce anti-Semitism. If he won't do even that, Muslims, people of Mexican descent, immigrants, women, and African Americans rightly see him as one bigoted and aligned with bigots against all groups but his own.
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Trump has his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to point to as his token Jews - he loves them, but not all Jews. There's a big difference.
3
Don't forget the racist Strom Thurmond had a daughter with an African American women. Hate is generally directed toward others, not one's own family.
I wonder how Kushner feels about Trump and his hate brigade.
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Maybe he feels that since he's a powerful, wealthy member of the elite, he's immune.
Or maybe it's a matter of keeping your friends close - and your enemies closer.
Or maybe it's a matter of keeping your friends close - and your enemies closer.
1
Kushner is sitting on top of the world - how do you think he feels.
1
Seems to be a facilitator and financially advantages in the process.
1
The real bigotry is trying to argue that one kind of bigotry is worse than another. The anti-Semitism police have extended their argument so much over the past few decades that it is collapsing under its own contradictions. These arguments ignore facts and statistics that do not fit the narrative. They tell their story to the exclusion of everyone else. American schools teach the anti-Semitism narrative but never teach that there have been crimes against other people. It is time to end the hypocrisy.
220
"American schools teach the anti-Semitism narrative but never teach that there have been crimes against other people. "
I am not sure what schools, if any, you attended, but in the USA there is instruction given in treatment/persecution of native americans, african americans, LGBT, and many other groups singled out for discrimination and worse.
Your post sound more like the alt-right, that would prefer to ignore history selectively because you don't like it. The 'anti-semitism' police, as you so eloquently put it, include groups like the antidefemation league and others that call out racism, discrimination, and worse wherever they see it regardless of its target.
Maybe you should have paid more attention in school, because sticking your fingers in your ears now is not going to work.
I am not sure what schools, if any, you attended, but in the USA there is instruction given in treatment/persecution of native americans, african americans, LGBT, and many other groups singled out for discrimination and worse.
Your post sound more like the alt-right, that would prefer to ignore history selectively because you don't like it. The 'anti-semitism' police, as you so eloquently put it, include groups like the antidefemation league and others that call out racism, discrimination, and worse wherever they see it regardless of its target.
Maybe you should have paid more attention in school, because sticking your fingers in your ears now is not going to work.
18
Outside the Box -
As someone who actually teaches in an American school - and a public one at that - I can tell you absolutely that crimes against people other than Jews are taught as a matter of course. Anti-Semitism is covered, but only as one of many kinds of hatred.
I advise you next time to think before you type.
As someone who actually teaches in an American school - and a public one at that - I can tell you absolutely that crimes against people other than Jews are taught as a matter of course. Anti-Semitism is covered, but only as one of many kinds of hatred.
I advise you next time to think before you type.
20
"They tell their story to the exclusion of everyone else. American schools teach the anti-Semitism narrative but never teach that there have been crimes against other people. It is time to end the hypocrisy."
And who is responsible for this situation you describe (if true)? The Jews?
And who is responsible for this situation you describe (if true)? The Jews?
3
The reason this hate is different to the media and politicians is that it is directed against a well-organized and politically powerful group of people. For good reason, American jews are well-organized to protect their interests. Aside from their religious and cultural heritage, they are largely indistinguishable from other white Americans. Moreover, large numbers of them are upper middle class or members of the elite who are normally largely immune to being victimized. That is not true of Muslims or Blacks or Siks or Mexicans or Indians or ...
330
Um, also 6 million Jews were exterminated 60 years ago. Um, also Jews didn't hijack airplanes and fly them into the WTC.
A lot of the bigotry against Muslims comes from fear. That doesn't make it any less bad, but there is some precedent for fearing Islam. When Hitler decided to exterminate the Jews, he had no reason whatsoever to fear violence from Jews. Indeed, Jews contributed immense amounts of culture and commerce to Europe and lived very peacefully with non-Jews in Germany.
A lot of the bigotry against Muslims comes from fear. That doesn't make it any less bad, but there is some precedent for fearing Islam. When Hitler decided to exterminate the Jews, he had no reason whatsoever to fear violence from Jews. Indeed, Jews contributed immense amounts of culture and commerce to Europe and lived very peacefully with non-Jews in Germany.
25
This is the top comment? A thinly-veiled anti-Semitic statement about how well organized and politically powerful the Jews are. (And wealthy too.)
One of the take-aways from the history of the Holocaust is that the American left was a little slow to condemn the Nazis for many of the usual reasons, but also because their victims weren't regarded as pure enough. So let's be clear, the demons recently set free in this country are anti-Muslim, anti-Black, anti-everything that is not white and (at least culturally) Christian. And yes, they are going back to mine the stereotypes of rich, powerful, well-connected Jews. We need to condemn it all.
One of the take-aways from the history of the Holocaust is that the American left was a little slow to condemn the Nazis for many of the usual reasons, but also because their victims weren't regarded as pure enough. So let's be clear, the demons recently set free in this country are anti-Muslim, anti-Black, anti-everything that is not white and (at least culturally) Christian. And yes, they are going back to mine the stereotypes of rich, powerful, well-connected Jews. We need to condemn it all.
18
So that made them the perfect targets for the haters: people who did not instinctively hate other groups and thus were not prepared enough to defend themselves.
1