It is easy to shrug off antisemitism because it is so pervasive in certain parts of society, but if you have Jewish roots, you hear it. I am glad to have the same roots as the likes of Hillel, Maimonides, Spinoza, Einstein, etc. Imagine a society without these luminaries. Imagine a whole society of Proud Boys...
You are too modest about your heritage. Jews have been luminaries in every field of human endeavor, and to the best of my knowledge have never engaged in anything like a pogrom or mass-terror event until the rise of the likes of the Netanyahu regime. Yes, there was fighting by Israel's founders, but it's an open question as to who or what forces were ultimately responsible for that. And as for Muslims, the vast majority are peaceable, not terroristic in their views. And Muslims, too, have historically contributed many things to art, architecture and especially medicine and science. The Tent of Abraham is capacious enough to shelter Jews, Christians and Muslims, whose faith traditions have a great deal in common. People who try to divide us have ulterior motives.
("to the best of my knowledge have never engaged in anything like a pogrom or mass-terror event until the rise of the likes of the Netanyahu regime.") Oh, Leigh Horne, how correct you are. I believe much of what seems to be or is seen as antisemitism is actually ‘rightful' criticism of Netanyahu and his regime. Kick him out of Abrahams Tent - it is not big enough to include him. He is guilty of war crimes and the worst reflection of and on Jews.
"Our job right now is to reject false choices and false binaries — to recognize that fighting antisemitism (wherever it exists) and protecting our democracy are one and the same, and those who suggest otherwise intend to divide our communities rather than advance our shared future." Amy Spitanick is an enlightened leader. Now she needs to issue her stand for or against Netananue government in Israel, IMO. I might be wrong.
Thanks for this meaningful and much needed discussion. The autonomy of the Jewish people to speak as Amy has here is what is needed to solve these existential problems. Rejecting antisemitism and what ICE is doing to our communities is absolutely the right thing to do.
Republicans who say they are fighting antisemitism are lying. They use it as a cover to destroy our democracy and encourage hatred of anyone who does not look like them or act like them.
This interview beautifully provides concrete examples of how to unite as Americans instead of allowing ourselves to be crammed into warring camps based on the agenda of power-mongers. When Jews and Muslim stand in solidarity and say persecution on the basis of religion will get no traction here, Stephen Miller's theory of the case falls apart.
Stephen Miller is himself Jewish. By the article, he was raised in a liberal family that supported democratic values. In his teen years, something happened to his mind.
I was bullied by a girl who came into our class in 6th grade, and organized the girls she thought were cool into her personal clique, separating me from my two best friends. I never had another friend in school until college. And yet ... I didn't turn into Stephen Miller.
Many decades later at a class reunion Toni and I talked and I learned her story. (Last time I saw her she was threatening to unfriend a former classmates on Facebook when she learned he supported Trump, a rarity in our cohort!) Toni came from a very damaged family herself. Her parents brought her to this country from Germany when she was young after they survived the camps. They wanted to forget Germany existed and they wanted Toni to be the perfect all-American Gidget girl. They were so shut down Toni never even learned what camps they had been in. (Bonnie, another classmate, came here as a child from Poland and told me her parents had survived Auschwitz. I went to public schools in the 60s that were almost all Jewish, and we were part of that Exodus generation so there were probably a lot more stories like that that we never knew back then. Despite my name, which comes from my father, I am also Jewish.)
We all experience bullying at some point in our lives. What matters is how we handle it. I suppose much of that depends on the personality with which we were born.
Thanks for the insightful comment! Of course, bullying is not the whole story for how someone gets to be as broken as Miller seems to be. Willowboughby's information above is quite relevant to the whole picture.
One of the things that happened to him was the mentorship of a dreadful, genuinely evil madman named David Horowitz, a former far leftist whose blundering had ended up indirectly causing the death of a friend and who turned to the conspiratorial, authoritarian far right and white grievance politics in order to blot out his own sense of guilt.
Horowitz saw a protege in the teenage Miller and began to cultivate the boy when he was still just in high school (Miller had invited Horowitz to come to the school as a speaker, and the relationship blossomed from that point forward).
Fascinating. There seems to be an interesting parallel between Trump and Miller which is they both had very nefarious mentors. And their world views show it.
That's one possibility, though why he didn't grow out of what he has become when faced with reality is puzzling. Apparently he is not a stupid person yet he remains full of and broadcasting his hate.
The Muslim population of Texas is under assault. The Jewish population is also.
The religious teaching the individual choose should have no relationship to their status in a democracy. Despite Project 2025, Russell Vought, etc this is not a white christian nation given by God with toxic masculinity striping all female rights.
Money especially AIPAC, Elon Musk, etc and religious belief do not belong in democracy. Let AIPAC send money to Israel!
Again, singling out AIPAC is inherently anti-Semitic, even if not intended that way. ALL big money should be taken out of elections. If AIPAC vanished tomorrow, we would still have a destructive influence of big money in elections. We need to advocate for reining in all of it and not singling out one source.
And let's demand that Congress not get AIPAC and other PAC money. I'm Polish - can we send more money to NATO support of Poland and less to Israel? Israel gets free health care and an argument could be made that it is from our excessive support. Poland has fought hard for democracy - Israel wars to hide Bibi's war crimes. But he is a Kushner family friend. The war loving Bibi is causing an American distaste for his Jewish support - where is the spineless that permits Bibi to lead?
Health care funding in Poland is the same as health care in Poland.
According to AI: Poland has a universal healthcare system based on social health insurance. The public system is run by the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, or NFZ) and funded by a mandatory payroll contribution. Alongside public care, Poland has a massive private healthcare sector that many residents use to avoid long wait times.
I just returned from Poland. It is thriving. The building boom in Warsaw matches that in Tel-Aviv.
Israel does not war to hide Bibi's war crimes. Bibi wars to stay in power and stay out of jail, just like our felonious WH resident.
Why only mention AIPAC? I agree that singling our AIPAC is inherently anti-semitic. You haven't mention any other PAC. How about PAKPAC and CAIR? PAKPAC funnels money to anti-Israel candidates.
AIPAC is funded solely by Americans for American elections. They do not send money to Israel. That is not their purpose.
A thoughtful essay. But without a single mention of Palestinians or Gaza. How can one address the issue of antisemitism without mentioning Palestine? Antisemitism is wrong. Period. But without trying to understand its current iteration we won't get far.
There is not a word said about why there is 'debate is raging over funding for Israel and AIPAC’s dark money spending'. The author conceded that some of this criticism is not 'not inherently antisemitic' but then spends the rest of that response undermining this statement, while again never mentioning why this criticism exists.
The author claims that critics should 'focus on policies and tactics rather than identity', ignoring that this is precisely what the vast majority of progressive critics of Israel's policies already do, and have always done. It is many of the defenders of Israel, including AIPAC, that weaponize 'identity' by constantly throwing charges of antisemitism at any critic of Israel, including the well worn trope of the 'self-hating Jew' given to Jewish critics of Israel's actions.
The writer then insists critics need to embrace bothsideism by ensuring 'your critiques apply to all organizations and entities that spend in our elections, not just one', as if there aren't specific reasons so many people are criticizing a lobbying group that is effectively supporting a foreign government's commitment of war crimes, while also ignoring the fact that those who criticize AIPAC are also very often the leading critics of other PACs and of big money in politics in general (and the opposite is true - many of AIPAC's biggest recipients also accept money from other lobbies, including big tech, both directly and through PACs).
The writer condemns those that 'singled out Israel or AIPAC' while not saying the obvious reasons why both AIPAC and Israel are very unique in American politics. AIPAC has poured more money into this cycles' primary elections than any other PAC, by a long shot. Can we imagine an ARPAC or ACPAC that supported America's relations with Russia or China? Or even a PAC supporting a close ally that shoveled hundreds of millions of dollars into each election cycle?
Not to mention a PAC that is effectively supporting a foreign nation led by a war criminal that is leading a genocide and a brutal apartheid takeover of occupied territory, while occupying land in two neighboring sovereign countries, all with US help? The US relationship with Israel is obviously and clearly unique in many ways that don't need repeating to anyone paying attention.
Of course antisemitism is very real and should be condemned everywhere. It's the defenders of Israel's war crimes who regularly and commonly 'flatten all critique of Israeli policy or pro-Israel organizations into reductive, binary terms' with bad faith charges of antisemitism.
Jason, you hate Israel, we know -- you write long diatribes every time anything relating to the Jews and antisemitism comes up. But when you make broad generalizations about genocide, apartheid, occupied territory, etc., you fit right into the type of person who is part of the problem of antisemitism discussed in this column. Your complete lack of nuance, historical context, and the facts is tiresome. I too have many criticisms of the Israeli government and AIPAC, but I object to blanket statements such as yours. How about giving it a rest?
I don't see hatred of Israel in Jason's comments, only for what Israel's army is doing in Gaza (and the West Bank), thanks to Netanyahoo's cruel despotism. Surely you're familiar with the many groups, some Jewish, who characterize Israel's actions as war crimes and even genocide. I don't see any "blanket statements" made here that haven't been made by other credible, respected organizations.
Quoting Jason, from above: "Of course antisemitism is very real and should be condemned everywhere." So should Israel's war crimes -- be condemented everywhere.
Not much. Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. After some jousting with the PLO, Hamas was elected and took over Gaza, while the PLO went to the West Bank. Instead of devoting its energies to good governance and lifting up the Gazan people, Hamas set in writing its primary goal which was to destroy Israel and proceeded to devote most of its energies to that goal. It has used a large portion of the many tens of millions of dollars that the world gave to it (including the U.S.) to build tunnels, grow its military, and set up its leaders in luxury outside Gaza. It has sent terrorists into Israel dozens of times during the Second Intifada and October 7th. It (and the PLO) has refused to accept its own state despite several opportunities. Can you please now answer my question?
Neither you nor Jason will ever understand what I and many other credible individuals and organizations say about Israel and the Palestinians. I'm just sick of hearing the same old generalizations at every opportunity. That you and Jason "condemn antisemitism" is meaningless.
Thank you for pointing it out in the first place! Your comment was the first and only one I saw at that point to address this. Maybe there are others now...
I know my comment is long but I feel like blanket statements like the ones given in that answer deserve a thorough reply.
How, exactly? I’m getting tired of the rampant misuse of the concept of rape. Rape is sexual penetration without consent, a concept as disgusting about the penetrator as it is humiliating for the victim. Obnoxious enough, no logic or reason to bring in dogs, “man’s best friend”…
Donna, you have the patience of a monk. I hope you don't feel you are wasting your time. Personally, I can't be bothered to engage with those who seem to feel objection to genocide is too high of a bar, or just deny genocide is occurring and completely ignore the generations of apartheid driven violence by the IDF and its proxy terrorist 'settlers' that is currently at a fever pitch, or resort to whataboutism couched as 'noun + verb + 'Hamas' ' mad-libs...but good on you for trying!
Thanks, Jaon. (But my sister would disagree with you about the patience!) Sometimes I reply but get to the point of thinking, it makes no sense to go on. After Amy's answering my question on 1987 by giving me some 2005 data I said, that's it. Like so many I no longer reply to Rick S or A Kaufmann (not sure if they're on this substack or only on Heather Cox Richardson's) at all, they are simply trolls.
First of all, there is no such place as Palestine. The Palestinians have rejected statehood at least 4 times if not more. Let's mention Gaza now. Why did Hamas, the terrorist entity that controls Gaza, start a war with Israel?
A lot of this, from a Machiavellian (how to manipulate the populace in order to remain in power) perspective harks back to the well-proven practice of "divide and conquer." And that practice takes cynical advantage of how frightened and angry people project their fears onto people they see as 'other.' How convenient for the actual cheats and frauds, faithless and greedy, murderous and cruel people now in power to direct our fears and darker impulses away from themselves. We should not and cannot buy into this.
This is all valid and still heartbreaking that people in the USA still flare up in anti-Semitic or anti Islamic violence. I was branded anti-Semitic decades ago for supporting Palestinian rights to self-government, and a Jewish friend newly married ghosted me for decades because her new husband didn’t believe me sufficiently pro-Israel. (He died and she resumed contact.) I was also somewhat anti-Islamic after the Tsarnaev (?) brothers brought untold harm to people attending a Boston Marathon (a local tragedy). But we get over shocks, and most of my favorite democracy-loving pundits happen to be Jewish. But AIPAC is currently attempting to bribe our politicians into supporting Netanyahu’s genocidal aims and fostering his political survival. Most Americans do not want an official alliance between his and our militaries—I most fervently hope.
I appreciate your clear and thoughtful discussion and putting so many of these factors into a context. Hillel’s philosophy has always stayed with me. Thanks, Jen.
Step One: repeal Citizens United and eliminate ALL big money from elections. Registering AIPAC as a foreign agent wouldn't stop Elon Musk from spending hundreds of millions to elect his preferred candidate.
This is an incredibly important interview on many levels and we would do well to amplify the words spoken here about our voting system and other comments that help people understand the links between treatment of all people and our increasingly fragile democracy.
I hope this reflects a lot more people's beliefs. I am unfortunately cynical. I read once that the areas of Swabia in Germany that were the most anti-Semitic in the 1300's were the most anti-Semitic in the 1930s. I am not hopeful. Remember also that Gazans are Semitic peoples and see how they're dehumanized, even in the US. We all need to do better. But the profit lies in doing worse.
Some people refuse to differentiate between the Government of Israel and ordinary Jews in America and Canada. Other people refuse to differentiate between Hamas and ordinary Muslims. Still others go ballistic at the "other side's" refusal to differentiate.
Being a decent citizen of America or Canada means accepting political differences and differences of opinion without resorting to denigration and violence. It is also an essential part of being a decent human being. Both countries are amazingly multi-cultural, and have been for generations, and both are better for it. There is no excuse for our current behavior.
It is easy to shrug off antisemitism because it is so pervasive in certain parts of society, but if you have Jewish roots, you hear it. I am glad to have the same roots as the likes of Hillel, Maimonides, Spinoza, Einstein, etc. Imagine a society without these luminaries. Imagine a whole society of Proud Boys...
You are too modest about your heritage. Jews have been luminaries in every field of human endeavor, and to the best of my knowledge have never engaged in anything like a pogrom or mass-terror event until the rise of the likes of the Netanyahu regime. Yes, there was fighting by Israel's founders, but it's an open question as to who or what forces were ultimately responsible for that. And as for Muslims, the vast majority are peaceable, not terroristic in their views. And Muslims, too, have historically contributed many things to art, architecture and especially medicine and science. The Tent of Abraham is capacious enough to shelter Jews, Christians and Muslims, whose faith traditions have a great deal in common. People who try to divide us have ulterior motives.
("to the best of my knowledge have never engaged in anything like a pogrom or mass-terror event until the rise of the likes of the Netanyahu regime.") Oh, Leigh Horne, how correct you are. I believe much of what seems to be or is seen as antisemitism is actually ‘rightful' criticism of Netanyahu and his regime. Kick him out of Abrahams Tent - it is not big enough to include him. He is guilty of war crimes and the worst reflection of and on Jews.
So sad and such a waste.
That last sentence - shudder, what a horrible thought.
"Our job right now is to reject false choices and false binaries — to recognize that fighting antisemitism (wherever it exists) and protecting our democracy are one and the same, and those who suggest otherwise intend to divide our communities rather than advance our shared future." Amy Spitanick is an enlightened leader. Now she needs to issue her stand for or against Netananue government in Israel, IMO. I might be wrong.
Thanks for this meaningful and much needed discussion. The autonomy of the Jewish people to speak as Amy has here is what is needed to solve these existential problems. Rejecting antisemitism and what ICE is doing to our communities is absolutely the right thing to do.
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Republicans who say they are fighting antisemitism are lying. They use it as a cover to destroy our democracy and encourage hatred of anyone who does not look like them or act like them.
The test is DNA. Many of THEM could be exterminated if Neo Nazis prevail.
Including Miller.
Miller is the post child for self-hating Jews.
This interview beautifully provides concrete examples of how to unite as Americans instead of allowing ourselves to be crammed into warring camps based on the agenda of power-mongers. When Jews and Muslim stand in solidarity and say persecution on the basis of religion will get no traction here, Stephen Miller's theory of the case falls apart.
Stephen Miller is himself Jewish. By the article, he was raised in a liberal family that supported democratic values. In his teen years, something happened to his mind.
I have no idea what happened to him. But, his wrong turn might have something to do with adults not intervening when he was bullied by other kids.
I was bullied by a girl who came into our class in 6th grade, and organized the girls she thought were cool into her personal clique, separating me from my two best friends. I never had another friend in school until college. And yet ... I didn't turn into Stephen Miller.
Many decades later at a class reunion Toni and I talked and I learned her story. (Last time I saw her she was threatening to unfriend a former classmates on Facebook when she learned he supported Trump, a rarity in our cohort!) Toni came from a very damaged family herself. Her parents brought her to this country from Germany when she was young after they survived the camps. They wanted to forget Germany existed and they wanted Toni to be the perfect all-American Gidget girl. They were so shut down Toni never even learned what camps they had been in. (Bonnie, another classmate, came here as a child from Poland and told me her parents had survived Auschwitz. I went to public schools in the 60s that were almost all Jewish, and we were part of that Exodus generation so there were probably a lot more stories like that that we never knew back then. Despite my name, which comes from my father, I am also Jewish.)
We all experience bullying at some point in our lives. What matters is how we handle it. I suppose much of that depends on the personality with which we were born.
Thanks for the insightful comment! Of course, bullying is not the whole story for how someone gets to be as broken as Miller seems to be. Willowboughby's information above is quite relevant to the whole picture.
One of the things that happened to him was the mentorship of a dreadful, genuinely evil madman named David Horowitz, a former far leftist whose blundering had ended up indirectly causing the death of a friend and who turned to the conspiratorial, authoritarian far right and white grievance politics in order to blot out his own sense of guilt.
Horowitz saw a protege in the teenage Miller and began to cultivate the boy when he was still just in high school (Miller had invited Horowitz to come to the school as a speaker, and the relationship blossomed from that point forward).
Fascinating. There seems to be an interesting parallel between Trump and Miller which is they both had very nefarious mentors. And their world views show it.
That's one possibility, though why he didn't grow out of what he has become when faced with reality is puzzling. Apparently he is not a stupid person yet he remains full of and broadcasting his hate.
Thank you. This reflects the beliefs of so many of us.
The Muslim population of Texas is under assault. The Jewish population is also.
The religious teaching the individual choose should have no relationship to their status in a democracy. Despite Project 2025, Russell Vought, etc this is not a white christian nation given by God with toxic masculinity striping all female rights.
Money especially AIPAC, Elon Musk, etc and religious belief do not belong in democracy. Let AIPAC send money to Israel!
Again, singling out AIPAC is inherently anti-Semitic, even if not intended that way. ALL big money should be taken out of elections. If AIPAC vanished tomorrow, we would still have a destructive influence of big money in elections. We need to advocate for reining in all of it and not singling out one source.
And let's demand that Congress not get AIPAC and other PAC money. I'm Polish - can we send more money to NATO support of Poland and less to Israel? Israel gets free health care and an argument could be made that it is from our excessive support. Poland has fought hard for democracy - Israel wars to hide Bibi's war crimes. But he is a Kushner family friend. The war loving Bibi is causing an American distaste for his Jewish support - where is the spineless that permits Bibi to lead?
Health care funding in Poland is the same as health care in Poland.
According to AI: Poland has a universal healthcare system based on social health insurance. The public system is run by the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, or NFZ) and funded by a mandatory payroll contribution. Alongside public care, Poland has a massive private healthcare sector that many residents use to avoid long wait times.
I just returned from Poland. It is thriving. The building boom in Warsaw matches that in Tel-Aviv.
Israel does not war to hide Bibi's war crimes. Bibi wars to stay in power and stay out of jail, just like our felonious WH resident.
Why only mention AIPAC? I agree that singling our AIPAC is inherently anti-semitic. You haven't mention any other PAC. How about PAKPAC and CAIR? PAKPAC funnels money to anti-Israel candidates.
AIPAC is funded solely by Americans for American elections. They do not send money to Israel. That is not their purpose.
A thoughtful essay. But without a single mention of Palestinians or Gaza. How can one address the issue of antisemitism without mentioning Palestine? Antisemitism is wrong. Period. But without trying to understand its current iteration we won't get far.
You are too kind.
There is not a word said about why there is 'debate is raging over funding for Israel and AIPAC’s dark money spending'. The author conceded that some of this criticism is not 'not inherently antisemitic' but then spends the rest of that response undermining this statement, while again never mentioning why this criticism exists.
The author claims that critics should 'focus on policies and tactics rather than identity', ignoring that this is precisely what the vast majority of progressive critics of Israel's policies already do, and have always done. It is many of the defenders of Israel, including AIPAC, that weaponize 'identity' by constantly throwing charges of antisemitism at any critic of Israel, including the well worn trope of the 'self-hating Jew' given to Jewish critics of Israel's actions.
The writer then insists critics need to embrace bothsideism by ensuring 'your critiques apply to all organizations and entities that spend in our elections, not just one', as if there aren't specific reasons so many people are criticizing a lobbying group that is effectively supporting a foreign government's commitment of war crimes, while also ignoring the fact that those who criticize AIPAC are also very often the leading critics of other PACs and of big money in politics in general (and the opposite is true - many of AIPAC's biggest recipients also accept money from other lobbies, including big tech, both directly and through PACs).
The writer condemns those that 'singled out Israel or AIPAC' while not saying the obvious reasons why both AIPAC and Israel are very unique in American politics. AIPAC has poured more money into this cycles' primary elections than any other PAC, by a long shot. Can we imagine an ARPAC or ACPAC that supported America's relations with Russia or China? Or even a PAC supporting a close ally that shoveled hundreds of millions of dollars into each election cycle?
Not to mention a PAC that is effectively supporting a foreign nation led by a war criminal that is leading a genocide and a brutal apartheid takeover of occupied territory, while occupying land in two neighboring sovereign countries, all with US help? The US relationship with Israel is obviously and clearly unique in many ways that don't need repeating to anyone paying attention.
Of course antisemitism is very real and should be condemned everywhere. It's the defenders of Israel's war crimes who regularly and commonly 'flatten all critique of Israeli policy or pro-Israel organizations into reductive, binary terms' with bad faith charges of antisemitism.
Jason, you hate Israel, we know -- you write long diatribes every time anything relating to the Jews and antisemitism comes up. But when you make broad generalizations about genocide, apartheid, occupied territory, etc., you fit right into the type of person who is part of the problem of antisemitism discussed in this column. Your complete lack of nuance, historical context, and the facts is tiresome. I too have many criticisms of the Israeli government and AIPAC, but I object to blanket statements such as yours. How about giving it a rest?
I don't see hatred of Israel in Jason's comments, only for what Israel's army is doing in Gaza (and the West Bank), thanks to Netanyahoo's cruel despotism. Surely you're familiar with the many groups, some Jewish, who characterize Israel's actions as war crimes and even genocide. I don't see any "blanket statements" made here that haven't been made by other credible, respected organizations.
Quoting Jason, from above: "Of course antisemitism is very real and should be condemned everywhere." So should Israel's war crimes -- be condemented everywhere.
One question for you and Jason: What responsibility, if any, do you place on Hamas for the misery of the Gazan people?
First a question for you, Amy: what responsibility do you place on the Israeli occupation of Palestine for the formation of Hamas?
Not much. Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. After some jousting with the PLO, Hamas was elected and took over Gaza, while the PLO went to the West Bank. Instead of devoting its energies to good governance and lifting up the Gazan people, Hamas set in writing its primary goal which was to destroy Israel and proceeded to devote most of its energies to that goal. It has used a large portion of the many tens of millions of dollars that the world gave to it (including the U.S.) to build tunnels, grow its military, and set up its leaders in luxury outside Gaza. It has sent terrorists into Israel dozens of times during the Second Intifada and October 7th. It (and the PLO) has refused to accept its own state despite several opportunities. Can you please now answer my question?
Neither you nor Jason will ever understand what I and many other credible individuals and organizations say about Israel and the Palestinians. I'm just sick of hearing the same old generalizations at every opportunity. That you and Jason "condemn antisemitism" is meaningless.
I think your frustration is genuine, Any. But I don't think your understanding of history is sufficient.
Thanks, Jason, you said everything that needed to be said, which I hadn't. Thank youo.
Thank you for pointing it out in the first place! Your comment was the first and only one I saw at that point to address this. Maybe there are others now...
I know my comment is long but I feel like blanket statements like the ones given in that answer deserve a thorough reply.
Raping with dogs?!?
How, exactly? I’m getting tired of the rampant misuse of the concept of rape. Rape is sexual penetration without consent, a concept as disgusting about the penetrator as it is humiliating for the victim. Obnoxious enough, no logic or reason to bring in dogs, “man’s best friend”…
Just because "there are reports" doesn't make it true. There have also been "reports" of Palestinian atrocities.
Donna, you have the patience of a monk. I hope you don't feel you are wasting your time. Personally, I can't be bothered to engage with those who seem to feel objection to genocide is too high of a bar, or just deny genocide is occurring and completely ignore the generations of apartheid driven violence by the IDF and its proxy terrorist 'settlers' that is currently at a fever pitch, or resort to whataboutism couched as 'noun + verb + 'Hamas' ' mad-libs...but good on you for trying!
Thanks, Jaon. (But my sister would disagree with you about the patience!) Sometimes I reply but get to the point of thinking, it makes no sense to go on. After Amy's answering my question on 1987 by giving me some 2005 data I said, that's it. Like so many I no longer reply to Rick S or A Kaufmann (not sure if they're on this substack or only on Heather Cox Richardson's) at all, they are simply trolls.
Cheers, Jason.
First of all, there is no such place as Palestine. The Palestinians have rejected statehood at least 4 times if not more. Let's mention Gaza now. Why did Hamas, the terrorist entity that controls Gaza, start a war with Israel?
Two Jewish women I know appear to believe all Palestinians are Hamas and innocent people dying in bombing raids are merely collateral damage.
two Jewish women I know would kick the asses of both sides and make them stop !
I've said the Middle East would be better off if women ran things.
THANKS ! Isn't that true about everything ??
I wonder where they got that from?? /s
A lot of this, from a Machiavellian (how to manipulate the populace in order to remain in power) perspective harks back to the well-proven practice of "divide and conquer." And that practice takes cynical advantage of how frightened and angry people project their fears onto people they see as 'other.' How convenient for the actual cheats and frauds, faithless and greedy, murderous and cruel people now in power to direct our fears and darker impulses away from themselves. We should not and cannot buy into this.
This is all valid and still heartbreaking that people in the USA still flare up in anti-Semitic or anti Islamic violence. I was branded anti-Semitic decades ago for supporting Palestinian rights to self-government, and a Jewish friend newly married ghosted me for decades because her new husband didn’t believe me sufficiently pro-Israel. (He died and she resumed contact.) I was also somewhat anti-Islamic after the Tsarnaev (?) brothers brought untold harm to people attending a Boston Marathon (a local tragedy). But we get over shocks, and most of my favorite democracy-loving pundits happen to be Jewish. But AIPAC is currently attempting to bribe our politicians into supporting Netanyahu’s genocidal aims and fostering his political survival. Most Americans do not want an official alliance between his and our militaries—I most fervently hope.
I do not want this, and I am a proud half-Jewish American woman.
Every PAC tries to bribe politicians. How about if you check out PAKPAC.
I appreciate your clear and thoughtful discussion and putting so many of these factors into a context. Hillel’s philosophy has always stayed with me. Thanks, Jen.
Step one: AIPAC registration as foreign agent.
Step One: repeal Citizens United and eliminate ALL big money from elections. Registering AIPAC as a foreign agent wouldn't stop Elon Musk from spending hundreds of millions to elect his preferred candidate.
AIPAC is funded by Americans alone. It is not funded by any foreign entity.
This is an incredibly important interview on many levels and we would do well to amplify the words spoken here about our voting system and other comments that help people understand the links between treatment of all people and our increasingly fragile democracy.
Jen, you make it sound do effortlessly right. Would that it were! Thank you for all that you do to make us better people.
I hope this reflects a lot more people's beliefs. I am unfortunately cynical. I read once that the areas of Swabia in Germany that were the most anti-Semitic in the 1300's were the most anti-Semitic in the 1930s. I am not hopeful. Remember also that Gazans are Semitic peoples and see how they're dehumanized, even in the US. We all need to do better. But the profit lies in doing worse.
Some people refuse to differentiate between the Government of Israel and ordinary Jews in America and Canada. Other people refuse to differentiate between Hamas and ordinary Muslims. Still others go ballistic at the "other side's" refusal to differentiate.
Being a decent citizen of America or Canada means accepting political differences and differences of opinion without resorting to denigration and violence. It is also an essential part of being a decent human being. Both countries are amazingly multi-cultural, and have been for generations, and both are better for it. There is no excuse for our current behavior.