Over the last couple of days, DU has been flooded with stories from all over USA, UK, and Europe re antisemitism ...

[eppur_se_muova]

NOTE TO MODS: This is a post about the hypocritical exploitation of accusations of anti-semitism by Trmp and his forsaken minions. It is NOT a post about Israel/Palestine and does not belong in that forum -- although political ploys regarding the I/P issue may be driving some of what is happening now, we need to discuss the nature of the discourse separately, to heighten awareness of the transparency of the manipulation(s) involved.

Am I the only one who thinks this wouldn't be getting so extreme if anyone but Trmp were in charge ? Trmpworld launched a transparently phony false-flag crusade (pun intended) against anti-semitism, attempting to tar every group and institution on the Left with antisemitic behavior, based on highly selective misinterpretation and a few anecdotal occurrences of genuine anti-semitism which ignore that THE MAJORITY OF ANTI-SEMITIC BIGOTRY COMES FROM THE RIGHT WING AND ALWAYS HAS. It is an obvious attempt to discredit any charges of anti-semitism, by lodging a few ridiculous accusations and hoping the public impression would thus be pushed towards considering all such charges as either spurious or unreasonable. It's provided a template for launching charges of anti-semitism for no reason other than to smear the people most opposed to antisemitism -- the liberals/progressives/Dems. Remember Karl Rove (Satan keep and protect him) and his admonition to "attack their strengths" ? The Right's obvious biggest flaw -- although it's a heated contest -- is the pervasiveness of bigotry and chauvinism of all stripes, and the outpouring of hate and hateful behavior which that engenders. The other side of the coin is that the impermissibility of bigotry should be, and likely is, the Left's greatest strength -- so, adhering to the pattern of studied, deliberate evil that is the hallmark of the Right today, that is exactly what is being attacked now.

It's a horrible irony that all these charges of anti-semitism are coming from the party of the Jew-Hater In Chief -- the man who "loves" Israel as long as he can use it as a weapon but hates anyone not 100% WASP or WASP-obsequious. I don't know how many lefties discuss this with their MAGA-subsumed friends and relatives but the phoniness and hypocrisy need to be addressed. I think many MAGA don't agree with everything Trmp says or does, and it might be fruitful to ask "why does the GOP suddenly have a bug up its collective ass about anti-semitism ? They've been its best friend for ages -- what's the (underhanded) reason for the sudden change ? Is this some kine of weird strategy ? Raise some doubts. Maybe they'll start thinking, and maybe even make a new habit of it.

[gab13by13]

1. Bill Maher pushed it on his last show.

[Sympthsical]

2. Just stop

FFS.

Why is it so important that people dip into anti-Jewish tropes that we get this "nO i'M nooooT!!!!" freak out every time it's noted that antisemitism is really becoming a problem, where the horseshoe radicals find common cause?

Not being a bigot is super easy. Anyone can do it, I promise.

And yet some ideologically motivated people not only find it extremely difficult, they have little conniptions whenever they're told to knock it off. Just don't use ancient antisemitic tropes. That's it. I'm critical of Netanyahu and Israel without delving into racist tropes. It's honestly not a superpower. Don't explain why Jews are collectively guilty, demand they speak the words you want them to, deny that they're being attacked at all, and if so, talk about how it's really kind of understandable they're being harassed, assaulted, killed, etc. Don't use Zionist as a pejorative slur whenever anything slightly Jewish is involved or even if you just don't like someone.

These are some baseline boundaries that anyone who claims to be liberal or progressive should be able to manage without much trouble. But no! They can't!

It would be like anti-Black racists who see something happen and go, "Well, you have to understand how those people are."

Any of us would be able to spot that GIANT RED RACIST FLAG ten miles away. But anti-Jew hatred is somehow subtle and sneaky? It's not sneaky. The sun is up. We can see it.

People should stop telling on themselves in this way.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. How many of Trmp's followers are going to do it your way ? That's the point.

Leave them to their own (or Trmp's) devices and they'll be signing up with the KKK (oh, wait -- they already are).

[Sympthsical]

6. I don't live in Trump's house

I already know it's a mess with shit-smeared walls and piss on the carpet.

My problem is I don't want that aesthetic in my house.

And I'm tired of people who are pissing on the walls complaining that they're being told not to piss on the walls. The rest of us have to smell it, and we don't want to live that way.

Wall-pissers need to take it outside.

[sarisataka]

4. I don't think that's accurate

Antisemitism is becoming endemic in Europe (again) and Trump isn't there.

US Antisemitism predates Trump and began it's rapid ascent long before the election

We also are seeing there are liberals/progressives/Dems who are not opposed to antisemitism; sometimes are willing participants. It benefits no one to deny reality.

[hlthe2b]

7. "Open Gates" here does export. There has been reporting from more than a decade past on

people like (and including) Steve Bannon working to increase, enable, and fund these groups throughout Europe, but especially in Italy, attempting to weaken the Vatican under Pope Francis and liberal democracies worldwide. They were instrumental in the lobbying campaign for BREXIT and Orban's elections in the past. But, anti-immigration throughout the "Western" world has been conducted by these groups. And those efforts include antisemitism strategies as well.

[hlthe2b]

5. The MAGA- R Party is the party of White Nationalists, so most definitely...

And given the explicit order to the FBI to turn a blind eye to domestic terrorism, hate crimes against POC, women, and Jewish people, and the administration's embrace of the far Right Racists/Antisemites internationally (from Putin to Orban to all the active groups within EU countries) and elsewhere, is this not obvious? The Southern Poverty Law Center was instrumental in monitoring these groups--not merely those targeting black people-- so the attacks on them are an attack on our efforts to address true antisemitism as well.

Do others really not see this? I know that is probably a dumb question for the public at large, but among those even with somewhat limited information and understanding?

[JI7]

8. Democratic candidates campaigning with Hasan Piker