Tag: Anti-Semitism

ANTISEMITISM AMONG YOUNG AMERICANS

The following is my opinion based on a plethora of news reports and personal experience and observation over my lifetime. Of course, you are free to disagree. Unlike the radical left, I welcome dissenting opinions. Unless I time traveled while I was asleep last night and woke up this morning in Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany circa 1935 this is still America, and the Bill of Rights is still in force.

What are the schools teaching our kids? What kind of biased information are they presenting to them as “facts?” These are rhetorical questions. Anyone paying attention has come to realize that the schools have been radicalizing our children. An entire generation of children has been indoctrinated by the radical left. Many of them are being taught to hate America and any Americans who look, think, act and worship differently from them. Moreover, Caucasians are being portrayed as the oppressors of minorities. In some of the more radical school districts this indoctrination is beginning as early as grade school or even pre-school. [Note: I’m not referring to all kids and all schools, just a goodly portion of them.] 

As has been the case for some 5,000 years the focal point of this hate has fallen disproportionately on the Jews. Make no mistake, the criticisms of Israel regarding the Israel-Hamas War are “code” for antisemitism. There is no need to analyze this hate in detail in this blog. Most of you are fully cognizant of the history of Israel and the Jews, and I have discussed the current situation thoroughly in previous blogs regarding antisemitism The issue here is the radicalization of young adults and what it bodes for the future.

Most of us have seen on TV and read about the disturbing and violent protests on our college campuses. In my view, this is primarily the result of the aforementioned bias in America’s education systems. By the time these kids go to college their indoctrination is well and firmly established.

Before the advent of COVID most parents had limited, if any, involvement in or knowledge of the details of their children’s school curricula. Typically, they were busy concentrating on their own lives and trusted the school systems to educate their children. 

Since the advent of Covid and the resultant school shutdowns they have, by necessity, become more involved, and many of them have come to ascertain that their school systems have betrayed that trust. Consequently, there have been frequent well-publicized clashes between parents and school boards. 

This bias is continuing in many, if not most, institutions of higher learning. College is supposed to be a venue where young people are exposed to a variety of ideas and experiences. It is an integral part of the maturing process of children into adults. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. Often, it has been the opposite. Led by far-left administrators and faculty many schools have been shutting down views and values that are not in accord with their own. This trend has permeated into even our most reputable colleges. It’s enough to make parents question why they should spend hundreds of thousands of dollars or take on massive debt to pay for their child’s college education.

For example, most of us have seen all or part of the recent sworn testimonies given by the presidents of Harvard, MIT and Pennsylvania Universities before Congress. Although antisemitism has long existed on many, if not most, college campuses to some degree these universities have become the lightning rods of the issue. The aforementioned presidents all refused to condemn antisemitism, evaded the question of whether or not the antisemitism on their respective campuses (including calls for genocide of Jews) violated their schools’ codes of conduct, and failed to express support for Jewish students, many of whom are extremely fearful of the hostile environment to which they are being subjected on a daily basis. Those responses have provoked a severe backlash from many donors, alumni, and politicians, predominantly Republicans. The presidents came across as arrogant, pompous, supercilious, and condescending. Penn’s president resigned; as of yet, the others have not. Noted Harvard alum and former Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz was particularly vehement in his condemnation of Harvard’s board for failing to terminate President Gay.

Gay has come under increased fire in another area. Recently, the NY Post disclosed that she has been accused of multiple instances of plagiarism. It actually used the term “serial plagiarism” to describe her actions. It further denoted that the school was cognizant of these accusations and had been conducting a secret investigation into the matter. The story has since been picked up by various other media outlets, and it has even attracted the attention of Congress. According to the Post a bipartisan group of Congresspersons has introduced a resolution demanding Gay resign or be fired. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has added these charges to its current investigation of antisemitism. In the wake of all this pressure and negative press why hasn’t Gay been fired? Good question. It’s just speculation on my part, but perhaps, it is because she is a black female, and the stuffed shirts at “Hahvid” are afraid of a lawsuit. Incidentally, on a humorous note, read Gay’s fatuous justification of her response or lack thereof: “We [Harvard] embrace a commitment to free expression – even views that are objectionable, offensive [and] hateful [unless] that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying and harassment. That speech did not cross that barrier.” Huh? Calling for genocide is as hateful as it gets, and in her opinion that did not meet Harvard’s standards for hateful speech?! Wow! I rest my case.

CONCLUSION

A recent Harvard/Harris poll disclosed some extremely distressing news regarding antisemitism among 18-24-year-olds. Some of the results were inconsistent, even contradictory, but the general gist concurs with what I believe most of us have observed to be true. For example:

  1. Although a majority of respondents still expressed support for Israel the 18-24-year-old age group was the only demographic group that did not. It should be noted that support for Israel grew stronger among the older age groups reaching its highest level in the 65+ group.
  2. Approximately 60% of the overall respondents advocated a two-state solution, although both Israel and Hamas have repeatedly rejected that idea.
  3. Some 2/3 of the 18-24 group thought that Jews, as a class, are oppressors. In the interest of being fair and balanced I should denote that one publication, The Volokh Conspiracy, went so far as to state that “we should not give much weight to that question” as it “is poorly worded and at odds with other data.” But it was the only dissenter I found, and also the other age groups were not misled by the wording.
  4. Approximately 60% of the 18-24s thought Hamas’ attack of Israel was justified based on Palestinians’ grievances even though it was widely viewed as genocide. The Times of Israel interpreted that as the 18-24 group endorsing genocide of Jews, but I wouldn’t go that far. I would view it as one of many inconsistencies.
  5. Some 64% of the 18-24s stated a cease fire should be contingent upon the release of all hostages and Hamas being booted from power, but 67% of the 18-24s were in favor of an unconditional agreement that would retain the status quo.
  6. 63% of the 18-24s conceded that antisemitism is prevalent on college campuses. Another inconsistency, if not contradiction, was that 53% opined that college students should be allowed to advocate Jewish genocide on campus without punishment even though 70% recognized that such talk constituted “hate speech.”  
  7. As another example of a contradiction, a majority thought Israel should be “ended” and replaced by a Palestinian state or entity such as Hamas. However, 69% opined that Israel does have “the right to exist.” Those statements are mutually exclusive.
  8. And, most disturbing, 20% of the 18-24s thought the Holocaust was a “myth.” This boggles my mind in view of all the eyewitness and photographic evidence of it.
  9. The survey asked who was responsible for antisemitism on campus. The results were all over the place and surprising – has always been present – 24%, students – 20%, left wingers – 18%, school administrations and staff – 11%, foreign funding and student groups – 11%, professors – 7%, and none of the above – 9%.

My original reaction to the survey results were shock, dismay and anger even though I am fully cognizant that widespread antisemitism is and has been omnipresent. Despite the inconsistencies and outright contradictions of some of the answers in my opinion the basic results are accurate. It is clear that 18-24s are more antisemitic than the overall population. I think it is due to a combination of antisemitism, disinterest, ignorance and indoctrination. 

What I have found most glaring is the thought in some areas that Israel should not retaliate with all its might. How ludicrous and idiotic. I should like to remind those morons that in the entire history of the world there has not been one other case where an attacked party has been urged not to retaliate against an aggressor. Can you imagine our response if after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the world had told us to standdown? Yet, much of the world, including many in the Administration, has done just that. 

Regardless, the result of the above survey is yet another reason to fear for the future of America.

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MODERN-DAY ANTI-SEMITISM

This blog comes with a warning label. Jews beware: this blog will shock you, disturb you, and anger you. I know that while researching this blog I went through all those emotions and others as well. Anti-Semitism is alive and well in the 21st Century, not only in the Muslim world, which one would expect, but all over the world, even in the US. To be sure, it is more subtle than in prior iterations, such as in the Middle Ages, the Spanish Inquisition and in Nazi Germany, but it is pervasive nonetheless. I have espoused this in previous blogs, but in view of recent events I feel compelled to speak out more explicitly at this time.

The Anti-defamation League has just released the findings of its most recent study into anti-Semitism. Some of the key findings were as follows:

1. 25% of respondents worldwide are “deeply infected with anti-Semitic attitudes.”

2. Approximately one-half of them had never heard of the Holocaust.

3. Only about one-third believe the descriptions of the Holocaust are accurate. I fear this percentage will decrease over time since (a) Holocaust survivors, the so-called living proof, are dying off, and (b) the Holocaust is not being taught in many schools (or is being taught in a sanitized way).

4. Anti-Semitism is growing on college campuses (more on this later).

One would expect these attitudes in Muslim countries, but they are present in the US as well. The Obama Administration has done little to defuse the situation.

1. It refuses to acknowledge violent acts committed by Jihadists as “terrorism,” e.g. Behghazi attack, Fort Hood, etc.

2. It cozies up to radical Muslim groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

3. It has been soft on Iran and Syria.

4. It did not admonish or rein in Secretary of State Kerry following his “Apartheid” remarks viz a vis Israel.

5. President Obama refused to meet with Mr. Netanyahu when the latter was in NY for UN meetings a few years ago and been generally cool toward him.

6. Under the guise of “fairness,” President Obama’s weak support of Israel and obvious antipathy toward Mr. Netanyahu has sent a clear signal to the rest of the world that the US’s support of Israel is not nearly as strong as it has been. This has given “cover” for certain people to criticize Israel, which is code for anti-Semitism.

7. Whereas the PC police have bent over backwards to appease Muslims, denoting and criticizing every perceived insult, it has not afforded Jews the same courtesy. Anti-Semitic comments, harassment and stereotypic comments toward Jews are often characterized as free speech. Two incidents reported today illustrate this unbalanced attitude. A NYC taxi driver was seen wearing an armband with a swastika symbol. He was reported and, subsequently, suspended, but the point is he felt he could wear it in the first place. On the other hand, at the University of St. Thomas some students arranged to bring a real live camel onto campus to celebrate the end of the school year. It was a lighthearted gesture, but some students objected on the grounds that a camel was offensive to “middle eastern” students. A bit of a “stretch,” don’t you think? The camel was cancelled. Who would have thought that Joe Camel, a symbol of Camels cigarettes for many years, was politically incorrect.

Regarding anti-Semitism on college campuses, below please find some of the more egregious examples:

1. A survey conducted by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research found that over 40% of students felt there was anti-Semitism on their campus.

2. The Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents reported that such incidents nearly tripled from 2011 to 2012.

3. At the UC Irvine campus an anti-Semitic speaker, Amir Abdul Malik Ali, referred to Jews as “the new Nazis” and the “Party of Satan.” He also said that “Jews’ days are numbered.” Apparently, the school administration saw fit to allow Mr. Ali to address the students, not once, but many times. On the other hand, a Muslim group at the same campus disrupted a speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren under the guise of free speech.

4. Similar threats and incidents of harassment were and are being reported at college campuses all over the country. Time and space do not permit me to mention all of them, but you get the idea.

CONCLUSION AND PREDICTION

Incidents such as the above are supposed to be outlawed by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but so far the Obama Administration has chosen not to enforce those prohibitions as far as Jews are concerned. Selective enforcement seems to be the current administration’s hallmark in many areas, not just this one. Years ago, in one of his comedy routines aptly entitled “Politically Incorrect” Jackie Mason used to say that political correctness had risen to such a point that every group of people was protected from jokes at their expense except for tall, white, young, Anglo-Saxon WASPs. Now, it appears one can add Jews to that list.

Throughout history, rather than taking personal responsibility people have sought to blame Jews for their problems. This attitude tends to deepen during difficult economic times such as what we are experiencing now. I predicted this in one of my blogs last year. Apparently, once again, history is repeating itself.

So, what can Jews do? We need to be vigilant and proactive. Be more cognizant of what is going on in the world. We need to bring incidents of bigotry into the light, and we need to support political candidates who will fight bigotry of all types.

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