antisemitism – We Built It Blog by Larry Jacob

A MISSIVE TO ANTISEMITES

I received the following missive from my good friend and longtime reader of my blogs, Larry K. The sentiments included are not new and have been published elsewhere many times. Some of you are likely familiar with them as am I, although I don’t necessarily agree with all of them nor the overall tone of the piece.

Larry and I don’t agree on most issues, but we respect each other’s opinions. One issue we do agree on is the pervasive, overt, evil anti-Israel and antisemitism in the world today and what it portends.

“To the antisemites of the world:

You say we run the banks. You say we control Hollywood. You say we dominate the media. You say we have too much influence, too much power, too much pride. But you never ask how — or why. So, let me tell you.

We were banned from owning land, so we learned to live by our minds. We were blocked from trade guilds and professions, so we became merchants, scholars, doctors, and lawyers.

Our commitment to education didn’t come from privilege — it came from necessity. From exclusion. From survival. When we were barred from universities, we built our own yeshivot. The Torah became our moral anchor. The Talmud, our intellectual training ground. When we were mocked for being “bookish,” we made knowledge our defense. The insult became our armor.

In medieval Europe, Christians were forbidden by the Church to lend money with interest. But kings still needed loans, and someone had to do the collecting. So they turned to the Jews — already despised, already othered. We became moneylenders not by ambition, but by force. Then we were hated for it.

In America, we were shut out of “respectable” jobs. So we went west and helped invent Hollywood — not to brainwash, but to dream. To tell stories. To make magic.

When Ivy League schools capped Jewish admissions, we founded Brandeis. When hospitals wouldn’t hire Jewish doctors, we built Cedars-Sinai. When law firms closed their doors, we opened Skadden and Wachtell. We weren’t trying to dominate — we were just trying to live.

We were expelled from Spain. Massacred in Poland. Hanged in Iran. Lynched in Georgia. Bombed in Germany. And yet, we survived. We learned. We remembered.

In 1948, the world watched as nearly a million Jews were expelled or fled from Arab lands. Their homes, businesses, and synagogues were seized or burned. There were no refugee camps, no UN agencies, no worldwide calls for justice. No “right of return” for the Jews of Baghdad, Aleppo, or Tripoli.

You say we’re tribal. But we tried to integrate. We changed our names. Straightened our curls. Abandoned our faith. But every time we tried to disappear, you reminded us who we were. So, we turned inward. We leaned on each other. We built synagogues when your houses of worship were closed to us. We built hospitals when we weren’t welcomed in yours. We built advocacy groups to defend ourselves when no one else would.

And when no country would have us — we built our own.

Then Came October 7, 2023.

You say you hate Israel because of its policies. Because of land. Because of borders. But on October 7, 2023, Hamas didn’t target soldiers. They didn’t storm checkpoints or military outposts. They raped women. They beheaded babies. They burned families alive. They slaughtered civilians in their homes, bombed shelters, and slaughtered young people at a music festival. It was the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. And as our dead lay unburied, the world didn’t mourn with us — it rallied against us.

College students held “Glory to the Martyrs” signs. Protesters waved swastikas in Sydney. “Gas the Jews” was graffitied in Berlin. Jewish students were barricaded inside libraries in New York. MIT students were blocked from class. At Harvard, they were told to remove their Stars of David for safety. All while our hostages were still bleeding in tunnels.

So, no — this isn’t about borders. You hated us before 1948. Before the State of Israel existed. Before a single border was drawn.

What you hate is that the Jew now has power. A flag. A standing army. A government. A home. You preferred us weak. Wandering. Apologizing. Dependent on your pity or permission to live.

Israel Is Not a Gift. It Is a Necessity.
We didn’t colonize the land — we returned to it. Jews have lived in Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias for over 3,000 years. We prayed toward Zion for centuries. We spoke Hebrew while the world told us to forget.

We made the desert bloom. We drained swamps, planted forests, revived a lost language. We welcomed Holocaust survivors, Russian refuseniks, and Ethiopian Jews airlifted from famine.

We built a nation while surrounded by enemies, embargoed by the world, and haunted by the ashes of Auschwitz. Israel was not built because of the Holocaust. It was built because of 2,000 years of exile, genocide, and betrayal — and it is the only insurance policy against the next one.

Never Again is not a slogan. It’s the Iron Dome. It’s the F-35. It’s the 18-year-old girl in olive green standing guard so toddlers in Sderot can sleep.

Why the Double Standard?

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the world cried out. Blue and yellow flags adorned every profile. Weapons, refugee aid, solidarity — all rightly offered. But when Hamas burned Israeli children alive, we were told to “de-escalate.” When we defend our cities, we’re called monsters. When we bury our dead, you protest our grief. Why?

Peace Is Possible. We’ve Tried.

You say Jews are foreigners in the Middle East. But the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan disagree. The Abraham Accords proved peace isn’t just possible — it’s real.

Israel sends aid to Syrian earthquake victims. Arab doctors and lawmakers serve in the Israeli Knesset.

We seek coexistence. You chant “From the river to the sea.” We chose life. You chant death.

So yes — Israel is strong now. Baruch Hashem. Because a powerless Jew is a dead Jew. And history taught us: no king, no pope, no president will save us.

We don’t want to dominate. We just want to live. Freely. Proudly. Unapologetically.

You don’t have to like us. You don’t have to agree with us. But never again will you decide whether we’re allowed to exist.“

Conclusion

In my view the author’s tone may be excessively strident, but he is not wrong. Why do so many people hate Jews? I maintain it is because they are different; different God; different Sabbath; different language; different appearance; different customs; etc.

People tend to mistrust and hate “different.” There have always been misconceptions about Jews, often due to ignorance and superstition, especially in the past. One example to illustrate the point – in the late 1950s a Jewish friend was attending a college in the South. A friend asked her if she could touch her head to feel her horns.

Even today, many misconceptions and stereotypes have persisted. You are familiar with some of them. Jews are “cheap.” Jews are “loud.” Jews are “brash.” Jews are “pushy.” I wonder how many of these people have actually interacted with a Jew, except on a cursory basis? Not too many I would guess.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. For over 250 years American Jews have been treated relatively well. Consequently, they have grown too comfortable and too complacent. Many of them have become ambivalent towards Israel. They are ignorant of history. Jewish history tells us we cannot assume this beneficial situation will last. For example, by the early 20th century Jews had been living peacefully and prosperously in Germany for some 500 years. They were an integral part of the country’s social, economic and cultural fabric. We all know what happened. Israel is the only country in which Jews can rely on being safe and secure prospectively.

October 31, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, Israel Leave a comment

COMRADE ZOH’S PHOTOGRAPH WITH A MUSLIM EXTREMIST

Comrade Zoh, emboldened by the polls that indicate he is maintaining his double-digit lead over former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo a mere two weeks before Election Day, has upped his game. Now, he is actually flaunting his communist, pro-Islamic, anti-American, anti-Israel, antisemitic proclivities. Rather than hiding or even downplaying the foregoing he is doing just the opposite. He is making no secret of his affiliation with or even affection for Imam Siraj Wahhaj. Zoh has characterized Wahhaj as “one of the nation’s foremost Muslim leaders.” Recently, a smiling photograph of the two along with NYC Councilman Yusef was widely published in various media outlets including the NY Post. Their relationship is now out there for all to see. Comments can be “spun” or “walked back” but not a photograph.

Wahhaj is a prominent and influential African American imam in New York City with deep, significant and longstanding ties to Islamic terrorism. He is the head of the Masjid At-Taqwa mosque in Brooklyn and is a co-founder of the Muslim Alliance in North America. He is an Islamic extremist, an antisemite and a homophobe who has uttered many slurs against Jews and gays. With respect to gays and sex, he adheres to the Prophet Mohammad’s dictum that both “the one who does it and the one it is done to” should be killed.

Moreover, he is an unindicted co-conspirator of the 1993 WTC attack in which terrorists detonated a truck bomb in the North Tower’s parking garage that killed six people plus one unborn child and injured more than 1,000 others. In my view this attack was a precursor to the 9/11/01 attack on the WTC. He provided a character reference for El Sayyid Nosair, who assassinated Rabbi Meir Kahane. He has been accused of making anti-American and anti-LGBTQ comments and is reportedly an advocate for stricter Islamic law.

This is not the type of person with whom a candidate for NYC mayor should be photographed, unless he is so confident of victory that he feels it won’t matter. This may, in fact, be the case. This “in your face” photograph has triggered significant backlash from critics and political rivals, such as Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. President Donald Trump has also weighed in characterizing it as “a disaster waiting to happen.” Of course, those who have been paying attention are not surprised. They see it as yet another affirmation of Zoh’s personal and political leanings.

Conclusion

In my opinion the gaslighting of NYC voters has been so thorough that the controversial photograph is unlikely to dissuade them from voting for Zoh in the election. The Kool-Aide drinkers that support him have made up their minds. They view him as a savior who will improve their lives with free stuff paid for with other people’s money.

Some are hoping that Curtis Sliwa will drop out of the race in which case the polls predict the race would tighten considerably, but he has continually denied he has plans to do so. The other hope is for a low turnout, but Zoh’s zealots are the type of voters who would tromp through a blizzard to vote for him. In my view we should all steel ourselves for a communist mayor and hope he doesn’t do permanent damage to NYC.

October 21, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: 1993-wtc-bombing, antisemitism, mamdani, nyc-mayor-election, radical-islamic-terrorism Leave a comment

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN

First, my standard disclaimer. The following blog constitutes my personal opinion, except where otherwise noted. Feel free to disagree, but to paraphrase the late Leslye Gore, “it’s my blog, and I’ll write what I want to.”

President Trump, whom some detractors unfairly and inaccurately, have labeled a “warmonger,” among many other unsavory characterizations, deserves much praise for attempting to accomplish what many, if not most, observers including me have long opined to be impossible, that is broker a lasting peace in the Middle East. He has proposed a comprehensive 20-point peace plan (the “Plan”), which, as I write this, is being negotiated between the combatants. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister said on Saturday that he hoped to announce the release of the hostages still being held by Hamas, actually an exchange with Palestinian prisoners currently being held by Israel, “in the coming days.” According to the BBC Hamas has said it agrees to the peace plan proposals in part but has not responded to several key demands, including its disarmament and not having any future role in the governance of Gaza.

A senior Israeli security source said that initially the negotiations would focus only on the release of hostages and would give Hamas a few days to complete that phase. The 20-point plan, which has been agreed upon by Trump, Netanyahu and a plethora of other countries worldwide, proposes an immediate end to fighting and the release of 48 hostages held by Hamas, only 20 of whom are thought to still be alive, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans and Palestinians.

According to multiple media outlets the Plan is essentially just a framework for a potential deal. It states that within 72 hours of an agreement all remaining hostages would be released. Recently, Trump optimistically told reporters – “We have a really good chance of making a deal, and it’ll be a lasting deal.” He added that the hostages could be released “very soon,” perhaps within one week. I hope he is right, but I remain skeptical. It should be noted that Hamas is not fully onboard yet.

The Plan further stipulates that once both sides agree to the proposal “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip.” It also states that Hamas would have no role in governing Gaza, and it leaves the door open for an eventual Palestinian state.

The BBC has cautioned that Hamas’ agreement is contingent upon certain “field conditions” being met. What does that mean? Who knows? I view that response as too vague to be meaningful. Don’t forget, the hostages are Hamas’ only bargaining chip. I want to see them freed as much as anyone, but I don’t see why Hamas would willing to release them until a deal has been signed.

MAMDANI AND THE JEWS

To put it succinctly, Mamdani is a communist and an antisemite. I have said this before, and I will say it again. This characterization is not just my opinion. It is not hyperbole. It is gleaned from his own statements. The far-left Dems and their allies in the media have largely soft-peddled or ignored his antisemitic proclivities and opinions and have labeled him a “socialist,” which though abhorrent to most voters, has a more benign connotation than “communist.”

The Dems have been falsely describing President Trump as a ” fascist,” “Hitler,” and a “threat to democracy” for the past ten years. In reality, it is comrade Mamdani who is Hitler reincarnated as a communist and who is an existential threat to our democracy. In my opinion, this is obvious, but many Dems, even Jews, don’t perceive it. Why? This is the conundrum. See below for possible explanations.

Some examples based on M’s own words:

He refuses to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state.
He has consistently been critical of Israel’s policies regarding the ME. For instance, he continues to accuse it of committing apartheid and genocide in Gaza, according to The New York Times. Furthermore, he believes the US is “subsidizing a genocide” through its support for Israel.
He actively supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which advocates for economic and cultural pressure on Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
According to The Forward, he authored a bill to penalize charities that assist Israeli settlements, which some critics say targets Jewish organizations.
He has refused to condemn the chant “globalize the intifada,” a phrase widely interpreted by many in the Jewish community as condoning violence against Israel. (As I have often said, in this context “Israel” is code for “Jews,” much like bigots used “states’ rights” as code for “segregation” in the mid-20th century.) He has also stated that Palestinians have a right to resist and characterizes the war with Israel as combating a “colonial occupation.”
He has advocated government owned and operated grocery stores, freezing rents, defunding the police, free bus fares, and many other freebies that sound enticing but are, in reality, unworkable and unrealistic, if not sheer lunacy. The allure of free stuff is a mirage; nothing is really free. Somehow, someone, somewhere has to pay for it.

Lately, M has been attempting to moderate some of his extreme prior comments, particularly those regarding the police. In a recent interview he assured reporters “I am not running to defund the police.” Ladies and gentlemen do not be fooled. His current reversal is disingenuous. He is merely following the time-honored strategy of moving toward the middle in order to get elected. I believe his true feelings are those he has been espousing for years before he began his campaign for NYC Mayor, not the current iteration. Tatana Timoshenko, whose son, NYPD Detective Russel Timoshenko, was recently killed during a routine traffic stop derisively characterized M’s reversal as “too little, too late.” Likewise, Grace Machate, the widow of recently slain NYPD officer Robert Machate, dismissed his current promises as “not reality.”

According to the latest polls M has a sizeable lead in the current five-person mayoralty race as well as head-to-head against each of the other candidates. Incredibly, according to the same polls he has a commanding 17-point lead among Jewish voters. There is no logical reason for this. So, as I said above, why? In my view, (1) many Jews are unaware of or ambivalent toward his views; (2) it has become acceptable in some quarters to criticize Israel; (3) many Jews are being gaslighted by the prospect of “free stuff;” and (4) most significantly, the Jewish community in NYC and elsewhere has grown complacent and believes it is safe and secure in America from bigots like M.

In this regard Jews should be more cognizant of history. For example, Jews lived safely and securely in Germany for some 500 years before the advent of Hitler and the Nazi Party. Much like in the present-day US they were an integral part of the financial, economic, and social fabric of the country. We all know what happened then. There is a plethora of other examples, but that is the most extreme one. The lesson is Jews cannot take anything for granted. M is eerily similar to Hitler other than the fact that he is a communist whereas Hitler was a fascist. He is charismatic, glib and connects with the people in the way that few politicians do. His antisemitic views are real and very dangerous. His influence within the Dem Party is growing by the day. At the moment, his appeal is primarily local and limited to the far left, however, there is a real possibility that prospectively it will spread throughout the country like a contagion.

Many GOPers believe that M’s popularity and influence may cause more moderate Dems like (Up)Chuck Schumer to lose in the 2026 primaries to more radical candidates. If that were to occur, I would shed no tears. Readers of my blog are fully cognizant of my opinion of (Up)Chuck, but the election of a far leftie like AOC would not be any better for Jews and the country as a whole. On the other hand, Senate Majority Leader John Thume has opined that if M were to become mayor the Dem Party will be “in big trouble nationally.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that M’s election would change NYC to “Caracas on the Hudson.” I concur as far as the short run is concerned, but as I said long term I have some misgivings.

Conclusion

As the Dem nominee for mayor in NYC where, according to the NYC Campaign Finance Board, registered Dems outnumber registered GOPers by roughly six to one Mandani’s election is virtually guaranteed. In that case, with a far-left city council we can expect most of his policies will be enacted. NYC will be in mucho trouble financially, economically, socially, and every other way. A great city that in many ways is a representation of America, itself, will commence an inexorable slide into oblivion. Furthermore, eventually what happens in NYC affects NY State and perhaps much of the rest of the country as well.

Let the exodus from NYC and NYS begin! Florida, Texas and other low tax, low cost, low crime states beckon and entice.

August 1, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, communism, Israel, mamdani, nycs-demise, palestine, politics Leave a comment

IRAN’S COMEUPPANCE

The following is a compendium of various news reports regarding the Israel-Iran War, which, as most of us know is currently raging in the Middle East, supplemented by my own opinion sprinkled in where noted.

In my view, almost anyone who was paying attention to world events knew it was only a matter of time. It was obvious that Iran, despite its continuous denials, was developing nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them. Also, everyone knew that it would not hesitate to use them once it was able to do so. Iran has been very blunt with respect to its goal to destroy Israel and then wreak havoc on other countries it perceived to be enemies, including the US.

I maintain it was equally obvious that Israel would never allow Iran to possess such weaponry. Jews have already suffered through one Holocaust; they do not need another.

Israel has been at war since its founding as a nation. It knows this war is literally a fight to the death. If the US leadership were to continue in its appeasement policy, it was prepared to act alone. Once Donald Trump became president and the US expressed unwavering and unconditional support of Israel’s “no nuclear weapon for Iran” policy the die was cast. I’m surprised it waited so long to “drop the hammer,” but I suppose Trump and Netanyahu wanted to give peace a chance.

As I have written many times Trump is not wishy-washy like Joe Biden and other former US presidents. He says what he means and means what he says. He gave Iran 60 days to agree to a deal, and on the 61st day he gave Israel the go-ahead. In turn, Israel has unleashed holy hell on Iran. In just a few days Israel has destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear capacity, killed much of its leadership and nuclear scientists, virtually destroyed its air force, and has the country at its mercy.

As I said, Trump has repeatedly said he wants peace, but he is prepared for war. The US already had substantial assets in the ME region, and recently, as a show of force, it tasked another aircraft carrier group to the area due to what the US military termed “an emergent operational requirement.” As the expression goes, “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

Messrs. Trump and Netanyahu have been working closely together to thwart Iran. In a sense they have been providing a blueprint of how to deal with a genocidal terrorist autocratic regime. Now, it appears that there is a real chance to transform the geopolitics of the ME. In due course, perhaps other Arab nations will join the “Abraham Accords” that Trump has been advocating. You may have noticed the deafening silence from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the other ME nations. They didn’t want Iran to have nuclear capacity either. No one does. No one trusts them not to use it.

Predictably, the biggest opposition has been coming from within the US from the TDS-afflicted far-left wing of the Dem Party and their allies in the media. For example, Hakeem Jeffries wants it both ways. While acknowledging that “Iran should never be allowed to become nuclear capable” he has backtracked by advocating for a “reduction in hostilities.” Doofus Tim Walz is bemoaning the fact that the US, by its unwavering support of Israel, has ceased to be a “neutral arbitrator.” Not to be outdone, Ilhan Omar has chimed in with what the NY Post termed her usual “antisemitic dog whistles.” As expected, the country’s leading Jewish politician, (Up)Chuck Schumer, has failed to express support for Israel. One of the few voices of reason among Dem leaders has been PA Senator John Fetterman who told the Jewish Insider he was “shocked by his ‘party pals’ ‘ views.” I say, he shouldn’t have been.

Iran is the very definition of a rogue nation with an unhinged leadership. It is an integral part of a rogue’s gallery of nations that includes Russia, China and North Korea. It has been the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism. Through its proxies, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Hootie’s and other terrorist organizations it has fomented mayhem and death throughout the ME, Europe and the US. It has attempted to assassinate President Trump at least twice, and it is reputed to have several terrorist cells active in the US. In my view, it deserves what it gets.

CONCLUSION

Clearly, Iran’s leadership, through arrogance or blind hatred, miscalculated the situation. They were used to dealing with appeasers like former presidents Biden and Obama whom they were able to “string along” with deceit and deception and who offered only tepid support for Israel. They didn’t realize that Trump is totally different from them. Their insane hatred of Israel blinded their reason, and now they will pay for it.

Now, Israel is in total control of the situation. If it chooses it could assassinate the Ayatollah, and destroy Iran’s oil fields, which would render the country leaderless and bankrupt. Trump has urged some restraint “for now.” Perhaps, he is patiently waiting for the Iranian people to rise up and displace the country’s current leadership, which is reputed to be widely unpopular. The Ayatollah could always follow in the footsteps of Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad who fled to Russia. However, Trump’s patience won’t last forever. The situation has been evolving rapidly. Stay tuned.

June 17, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, Iran, Israel, middle-east, terrorism Leave a comment

HARVARD’S SHAMEFUL ANTISEMITIC CULTURE EXPOSED

In the last year or so I have published various blogs regarding Harvard University’s longstanding and well-entrenched antisemitic culture, both overt and covert, which dates back at least to the early 20th century. This was minimized or ignored by most of the media and the federal government until the current administration. To be fair, Harvard is not by any means the sole perpetrator; many other universities are guilty as well. However, for purposes of brevity I will focus this blog on Harvard.

Recently, this long-festering problem has come to a head. I attribute this primarily to two events: (1) the plethora of vitriolic and malevolent protests on campus incited by the far left and foreign radical groups and (2) the election of Donald Trump. The aforementioned protests have been excessive on many levels. The civil rights of Jewish students are being routinely violated. They have been subjected to intimidation, ridicule and violence in the classroom, in the dorms, and on campus and have generally been obstructed from pursuing the college education to which they are entitled and for which they have paid.

In Trump we finally have a president who has the mandate and the will to address and resolve this problem. This is one of the problems he campaigned to address and was elected to address. He has various powers at his disposal to compel these universities to cease and desist, and they know he will use them. More on this later. As we all know Trump says what he means and means what he says.

The university’s current president, Alan Garber seems to be trying to address this problem. As reported in the NY Post and various other media outlets recently the university commissioned two task forces comprised of both students and faculty, to conduct a thorough and objective analysis of antisemitic, anti-Isreal and anti-Muslim/Palestinian bias. They interviewed over 500 members of the “Harvard community.”

Their recently published reports are particularly damning. According to the Post they opined that “decades of woke activism have destroyed Harvard University and turned it into a cesspool of antisemitism.” They cited as examples “cruel and hateful posts” with respect to Jews, Israel and the Holocaust. Furthermore, some protesters unveiled a poster of Garber, who is Jewish, featuring “devil horns and a tail.”

Moreover, the studies contended that Harvard has “failed to live up to its mission including stifling diversity of thought and denying historical facts to prop up activist political agendas.” One faculty member told a Wall Street Journal reporter anonymously that if the current culture remained unresolved satisfactorily it could “pose an existential threat” [to the university].

The reports denoted that some members of the faculty are as biased as the protesters. These biases are routinely manifested in their lectures. For example, it was reported that one professor asserted that the Jewish people have “no historical connection” to Israel,” which is not only historically inaccurate but also grossly inflammatory. Other faculty members were linked to pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian advocacy groups.

Conclusion

As stated above President Trump has a variety of remedies at his disposal. For instance, he has frozen some $2.2 billion in federal grants due to HU. (According to published reports the federal government provides Harvard with some $9 billion of federal contracts, and grants annually.) Additionally, the university enjoys a tax-exempt status.

Today’s NY Post reported that Trump intends to make good on his threats. He announced that he intends to strip HU of its tax-exempt status on the grounds that it is not in compliance with the requirements of it pursuant to the tax code, namely it is failing to operate in the “public interest,” and it is failing to “operate exclusively for public educational purposes.”

These actions will likely be challenged in the courts, but nevertheless the message to HU and other universities is clear. The established order is unacceptable, has no place in our educational system, and will no longer be tolerated. Trump was elected to root out bias in our educational system, and he intends to do just that. Academia would be wise to take him seriously.

May 3, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, education, harvard-university, politics, trump, violrnce-and-intimidation-on-college-campuses Leave a comment

ANTISEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

Antisemitism on college campuses is still prevalent. I have discussed this situation in previous blogs but is still problematic. In fact, in my opinion it has metastasized into a full-blown existential crisis. It’s not just the students; it’s the faculty; and most disturbingly, it’s the administrators as well. As we know, many “protesters” are not even students but paid agitators. Even worse many are in the US illegally. They have no love for America, and will eagerly participate in any action to bring it down

In my opinion, the vile and violent demonstrations we see on tv and read about in the news are just the tip of the iceberg. The core of antisemitism has festered unchecked like a cancer in academia for decades, maybe forever.

In previous blogs I have denoted that antisemitism has been omnipresent in society throughout history. Often it has been covert, but in times of crisis like now it has bubbled to the surface like an erupting volcano. This is not just my opinion; it is a historical fact that can be verified easily if one cares to research it.

It has been overt on many college campuses the last few years due to the Israel-Hamas War in the ME, the timidity of the federal government leadership, and its reluctance to take decisive corrective action to penalize those responsible. Much of the mainstream media has been portraying Israel and the Jews as the aggressors and Hamas and the Palestinians as the victims. Of course, the opposite is true.

Most of the protestors have been gaslighted. The news they have been getting has been distorted. Probably, many of them are completely ignorant of the issues and the history of the region and could care less. I dare say, many of them could probably not even find Gaza on a map

The indifferent, if not hostile, attitude of the Biden Administration toward Jews, in general, and Israel, in particular, and its weak response to the violent demonstrations have given “cover” to and emboldened the crazies. They have sensed that they had free rein and would not be punished by either the college administrators or the federal government for their actions, and until now they have been correct.

This has been and will continue to be an ongoing crisis, but some of the recent developments include:

As reported in the NY Post US government officials have stated that some 60 colleges are presently being investigated for alleged religious discrimination. That is a significant number, and it is indicative of a long-running, persistent and widespread problem.
These colleges are failing in their primary mission, which is provide an atmosphere in which ALL students can receive a quality education. That includes, among other things, a free and unfettered exchange of ideas and beliefs.
In my view, many Dems have been and are continuing to avoid criticizing these violent protestors for political reasons. They feel they need the support of the far left in order to win elections. I have long maintained that the worst offender is Senate Majority Leader Chuck (the “Chameleon”) Schumer. He is Jewish and represents NYS, the electorate of which is heavily Jewish. He should be at the forefront of supporting Israel and the Jews, and yet as I have written in previous blogs, in my view he has remained silent and, at times, even hostile to them. To me, that is inexplicable and unconscionable.
Many Dems have been defending Mahmoud Khalil, an unabashed terrorist, who was recently picked up by ICE and slated to be deported. Supposedly, Khalil is a graduate student at Columbia University, but in reality, he is also a known terrorist and is one of the leaders of the current violent protests. Many Dems have made him into a symbol of free speech being denied. His actions are indefensible, yet, for some unfathomable reason many Dems have been rushing to his defense. They have been touting him as a victim. Have they lost their minds!? Perhaps, or maybe it is yet another example of TDS by which Dems feel they must oppose any Trump action regardless of what it is.
Today, the NY Post reported that a second anti-Israel demonstrator at Columbia has been picked up. Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian, is allegedly guilty of overstaying his student visa and other immigration -related violations.
The Dems’ defense of Khalil’s civil rights is especially perplexing since they have failed to support the civil rights of Laken Reilly, Jocelyn Nungaray, and the many other women and children who were raped and murdered by illegal aliens thus depriving them of their civil rights. Their message is that your civil rights depend on which side of the political spectrum you are on.
Similarly, at Trump’s recent speech before a joint session of Congress they refused to acknowledge and honor individuals such as the 13-year-old who had beaten brain cancer, the orphan of a slain law enforcement officer who was accepted into West Point, and various widows of slain police officers. This mixed messaging is reminiscent of a quote by John Feinstein, a sportswriter of some renown. Bobby Knight, a well-known college basketball coach who did not mince words, once called Feinstein a “whore and a pimp.” Feinstein quipped, “I wish he’d make up his mind, so I would know how to dress.” Similarly, the Dems have to decide if they are for or against civil rights.

Conclusion

President Trump has inherited a very dangerous situation. As described above, many, if not most, college campuses are in a racial crisis. Jewish students’ civil rights are being violated on a regular basis, physically, mentally and emotionally. Many Jews have taken to hiding their “Jewishness,” i.e. jewelry such as mezuzahs and Stars of David, for their own safety. Moreover, it is likely that many Jews and non-Jews are eschewing these universities in favor of ones with a more tolerant religious climate.

Non-Jews should not make the mistake of assuming they will be safe. History has shown repeatedly that like the Nazis of 1930s Germany, the communists of Soviet Russia, and other extremist groups Muslim radicals will not be satisfied with just discriminating against the Jews. If left unchecked, they will move on to all other people whom they consider not to be “true believers,” such as Catholics, Protestants and even moderate Muslims.

On many campuses the situation has deteriorated to such an extent on that students who want to go to classes or the library are being precluded from doing so. They or their parents are paying tens of thousands of dollars per year for a quality education, and they are not getting it. I’m surprised more parents have not protested.

To no one’s surprise the Trump Administration has demonstrated the guts to take college administrators to task. Many of them have been dragged before Congressional committees to defend their discriminatory policies; DOJ and ICE personnel have begun to investigate, detain, prosecute and deport the perpetrators; the Administration has commenced to withhold federal funding where appropriate. The cancelation of $400,000 of Columbia’s federal grants and contracts is likely just the beginning. Trump’s actions will affect these colleges not only financially but reputationally as well.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s well deserved and long overdue.

March 15, 2025 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, dems-mixed-messaging-regarding-civil-rights, israel-hamas-war, middle-east, palestine, unlawful-protests-at-colleges Leave a comment

THE RECENT ESCALATION OF ANTISEMITISM

In the past couple of years I have posted several blogs detailing the state of antisemitism both in the US and the world at large. I believe that the one-year anniversary of the brutal and heinous surprise attack by Hamas against Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 is an appropriate time to review and update the issue. We are all familiar with the repulsive details of those heinous terrorist attacks and the resultant war. There is no need to repeat it all here. One might say the attack was Israel’s 9/11.

Rather than generating sympathy for the victims the attack seems to have unleashed a level of antisemitism not seen since the 1930s and 1940s. Below please find my analysis of the root causes of this, citations of some of the numerous examples, and a warning to American Jews.

Without repeating what I have posted in some detail in previous blogs suffice to say that the root causes of antisemitism go back some 5,000 years. Jews have always been perceived as being “different,” different religion, different God, different day of worship, different appearance, and different customs. People tend to mistrust and even hate those who are different.
Throughout history Jews have been persecuted (e. g. the Spanish Inquisition, the pogroms of Russia and Poland, and of course the Holocaust.
Until the advent of the State of Israel in 1948 Jews did not have a land of their own, a land where they would be safe and secure. Wherever they lived they were subject to the whims of that country’s rulers.
Many, if not most, rulers were not welcoming. Some were even downright hostile. Others would tolerate Jews for a time. One reason was that in times of strife, for example, a plague or a famine or other misfortune Jews would provide a handy scapegoat. By blaming the Jews rulers would be able to distract the masses from their own culpability and their own miserable existence. For instance, Jews co-existed in harmony and prosperity in Germany for some 500 years before the rise of the Nazis who found them to be a convenient scapegoat for Germany’s post-WWI misery.
More recently, Jews have lived in the US in peace and prosperity since its founding. They have grown secure and complacent, and they are not aware that it can all be taken away. Many of them are oblivious to the depth of antisemitism extant in the US and the world in general. History has demonstrated that it can all be taken away either violently or gradually so that one would not notice until it was too late.
With respect to the war in the ME both the Jews and the Muslims consider Jerusalem and the surrounding area to be their “Holy Land,” and they have fought numerous wars for the control of it over thousands of years.
The Muslim terrorists dispute the validity of the State of Israel and want to obliterate both it and the Jews who inhabit it. They have made no secret about it. Hamas has included that goal in its charter. Furthermore, that is the meaning of the chant “from the river to the sea, the Holy Land will be free.”
On the other hand, the Jews are determined to destroy Hamas, Hezbollah and the other terrorist groups as a fighting force decisively once and for all.
The Israelis don’t want a ceasefire at this time. They are winning, and they want to finish the job. They know that if they don’t, they will just have to fight another war in the future, and another, and another, and another. Eventually, they may lose one, and then it would Sayonara.
Neither side is in favor of the much-ballyhooed two-state solution. Hamas would not honor any ceasefire anyway. They would just use it as a chance to regroup and rearm for the next war.
The smart strategy for BH would be to support Israel 100%, get out of its way, and let it finish the job, but as one can see it is not doing that. I believe it is either out of ignorance, a desire to placate the antisemitic left wing of the Dem Party, or a combination of the two. In addition, they lifted the Trump sanctions against Iran, which very effective. Iran was practically broke. Instead BH’s policy has provided it with untold billions of dollars of oil money that it is using to fund the terrorists. That is an ill-advised policy, geopolitically, economically and militarily. Israel is our only dependable ally in the volatile and strategically critical ME. BH’s policy has actually lengthened the war and endangered the lives of the hostages.
BH have urged Israel to show “restraint” in its response. They have provided Israel with only tepid support to avoid offending the radical left wing of the Dem party.
Incredibly, the bulk of world opinion is against Israel. It was the one that was brutally attacked, yet most of the world’s sympathy has been directed toward the Palestinians. Obviously, that is because of antisemitism. In the history of the world Israel is the only country that was attacked that was then urged to show restraint or even standdown.

That brings us to the main subject of the blog, the alarming expansion of antisemitism in the US and the world. There are a plethora of examples of this, but I will only cite a few to illustrate my point.

Recently, the NY Post reported that 61% of American Jews claim they have “faced bigotry” since last October 7.
According to a recently released survey by the National Opinion Research Council at the University of Chicago 3.5 million Jews have reported that they were victimized by antisemitism in some manner during the past year. This includes violent crimes such as rape and assault and threats such as targeting synagogues, homes and/or businesses with swastikas, graffiti and the like.
Approximately 25% of the respondents expressed fear or reluctance over identifying themselves as Jews, for example by wearing particular clothing or jewelry.
Roughly 40% of college students responded that they felt “uncomfortable” or unsafe at a “campus event.”
Nearly 30% felt that they had been “excluded from a group or event.”
The Anti-Defamation League disclosed that there have been in excess of 150 occasions of “physical assault,” approximately 1,840 instances of “vandalism” and about 8,000 incidents of “written or verbal abuse” against Jews in the past year. Approximately 1,200 of these incidents occurred on college campuses. To put these numbers in some context they represent a 200% increase over the prior year. 200%!
If you know your history you will recognize this as being reminiscent of what occurred in Germany in the 1930s and early 1940s.
What I have described has not been limited to the US. The UN has long exhibited feelings of antisemitism. The membership includes many Islamic countries that have long been sympathetic to the Palestinian or even terrorist viewpoints. Moreover, recently French President Emmanuel Macron has been advocating cutting off arms shipments to Israel. It is important to understand that there are only 15.8 million Jews in the world whereas the Muslim population is 1.8 billion, and a goodly number of them live in the US and various European countries where they wield some political influence. Even though relatively few of them are radicalized, I believe most of the moderates are still sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.

CONCLUSION

The heinous nature of the October 7 attacks should have generated some sympathy for Israel and Jews in general. In fact, as demonstrated above, the opposite has occurred. It has unleashed latent, covert antisemitism, which I believe has always been lurking just below the surface, like an inactive volcano, waiting to explode. The outpouring of blatant, overt antisemitism in the last year is no coincidence.

BH have done nothing to quell the antisemitism either on college campuses or in general. Nor has Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish. They have not pushed back against politicians like Ilhan Omar who have continually expressed antisemitic views. They have not provided support to the US Jewish community. They speak in vague generalities and platitudes, but as I keep saying, actions speak louder than words.

Schumer’s case has been particularly disturbing to me. He is one of the most powerful and influential politicians in the country. He represents NY State, which is heavily Jewish. He, of all people, should be advocating for Israel and the Jews. Instead, he has done the opposite by criticizing Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war, even calling for him to resign. As I wrote in a previous blog in my opinion, his actions have been despicable.

In my view, the main takeaway from the current climate is that we Jews are not as safe and secure as we think we are in the US or anywhere else. This is no time to be complacent. We have an election next month. Historically, a majority of Jews has voted for Dems, and for the most part they have delivered. However, the BH administration has not supported Jews. They have not been loyal to us. Why should we continue to be loyal to them. When Trump was president, he was a staunch supporter of Israel. In addition, he has exhibited the conviction and strength of character to support Israel regardless of world opinion and to stand up to the antisemites extant in the US. In my view, it is time to switch and vote for the GOP.

October 7, 2024 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, donald-trump, gaza, Israel, joe-biden, kamala-harris, palestine, terrorists Leave a comment

SEND YOUR KID TO COLUMBIA

Attention: Parents of college-age kids. We all know that choosing the right college is critical for your child’s future. In that vein, I want to make you aware of an exciting new undergraduate program that Columbia University will begin offering next semester. This program will be the first of its kind. Your kid will have the unique opportunity to learn various skills that will prepare him/her/it/them/shem/whatever to survive and prosper in the new world.

The following courses will be offered:

Protesting
Flag burning
Occupying a college campus
Resisting authority.
Mocking your parents.
Hate America chants
Hate Israel chants
Hate Jews chants.
Holocaust denying.
How to conduct an intifada against non-believers.
Antisemitism
White privelege
White suppression of Blacks, native Americans and everyone else.
Alternative American history featuring how the west was REALLY won.
The identity and location of “the river” and “the sea.”

In addition, your kid will have the unique opportunity to be taught, by hologram, by exciting guest lecturers such as Adolph Hitler, Pol Pott, Fidel Castro, Genghis Khan, and Muhammed. This will give them a real perspective on history and social issues.

All this for the low, cost of $90,000 a year according to Wikipedia.

And the best part. Your kid will have the opportunity to win a scholarship to study abroad in Iran where he/she/them/shem/whatever can experience the glories of life in a totalitarian regime firsthand. Kids that have expressed hatred for America and the American way of life will find this particularly rewarding. Just think how refreshing it will be to live a life unencumbered by the pesky U. S constitution and the Bill of Rights. Freedom of religion, speech and the press and the rest of the Bill of Rights is overrated anyway. Right?

Women, in particular will get the experience of a lifetime. They will get to wear their very own genuine hijab. Just be careful not to remove it in public. Violators will be subjected to fines or imprisonment or worse. According to Amnesty International women in Iran are subjected to extensive “discrimination in law and practice in relation to marriage and divorce, inheritance, child custody, nationality and international travel.” That last one means that your daughter’s trip may very well be a one-way ticket.

If he/she/them/shem/whatever is really lucky he/she/them/shem/whatever will meet the Iranian man/woman/them/shem/whatever of his/her/them/shem/whatever dreams, marry, and raise a family in Iran. Of course, it may be problematic for you to travel to see your child or the grandkids, but so what. They probably won’t want to see their imperialist, warmongering, racist grandparents anyway.

Those who opt to forego the above-described semester abroad in Iran will graduate and hit the open market with a degree from a prestigious Ivy League college. Of course, it may be problematic to find a post-graduate job with a major in terrorism, antisemitism or hate speech. Stodgy, uninformed Human Resources personnel who espouse traditional American values may not look kindly on graduates with those majors particularly if they are accompanied by vile, hateful social media posts and/or suspensions from school. See below cartoon. That could very well prove to be the proverbial “fly in the ointment” or the “monkey in the wrench” for your child’s career.

CONCLUSION

Of course, the foregoing was “tongue in cheek.” I exaggerated to prove a point. However, parents and students should be cognizant of the consequences of the actions such as we have seen in the past few weeks. I get that some students may be young and stupid and easily manipulated. But parents should be wise and experienced enough to know that actions have consequences. I maintain that one of the primary responsibilities of parents and colleges is to prepare students to succeed in the real world. I fear that many are failing to do so, which does not augur well for the next generation.

May 3, 2024 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, college-riots, education, terrorism Leave a comment

ANARCHY AND ANTI-SEMITISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

The anarchy we have been witnessing on college campuses is not merely about antisemitism. It is not merely about Israel. It is not merely about the Palestinians. It is not merely about the war in Gaza. It may have begun as such. But it has metastasized into a war on America itself. The anarchists are flat-out announcing their evil and sinister intent by displaying signs with words such as “death to America.”

Yes, these anarchists, for that is what they are, are out to destroy America, itself. They are not “demonstrators.” They are not “protesters.” Those characterizations are way too benign and grossly misleading. They are criminals and anarchists pure and simple. They have trespassed on school and city property; they have threatened students, primarily but not exclusively Jews, and have prevented them from attending classes. Just listen to the chants “death to America” and “we are Hamas.” That tells you all you need to know, and we’d best pay attention. This is not just about Jews, Israel, the Palestinians, or the hostages. Their aim is broader and more sinister. It is to destroy America, itself.

One thing we should have learned about Hamas, Hezbollah and all the other radical Muslim terrorist groups by now. Their hatred is not limited to just Jews. They also hate Christians, Blacks, Hispanics, women, gays and anyone else who is not a “true believer,” even Muslims that are not of their particular sect. Wikipedia lists seven different Muslim sects – Sunni, Shia, Wahabi, Salafi, Berelvi, Sufi and Deobandi. Each one hates all the others, and they have been at each other’s throats for centuries.

If the terrorists get the chance, they will slaughter all of us. Non-Jews beware and heed the famous words of Martin Niemöller who was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s. His famous quote regarding the Nazis was true then, and it is still true today regarding radical Muslim terrorists.

“First, they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then, they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a trade unionist. Then, they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak out, because I was not a Jew. Then, they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

These riots are not spontaneous. They are well-planned and well-coordinated through social media. Many of the rioters are not even students. We know this because many of those arrested have produced identification that shows they are in their mid or late 20s. It may have started as a student protest, but it has been hijacked by anarchists, and the authorities need to treat them as such. The truth of the matter is that we have no idea who most of them are. We don’t even know if some of them are even US citizens. Some of them are likely illegals who crossed the open southern border; some of them could very likely be foreign-based agitators looking to foment trouble. We need to stop treating them as misguided, misinformed, rowdy students.

Where are our leaders? Where are the presidents of these universities? Moreover, where are our elected leaders – President Biden, Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, and Chuck (the “”Chameleon”) Schumer to name a few? None of them has taken any effective action. To my knowledge, none has even condemned the riots.

Biden refuses even to address the matter. He wouldn’t even answer a question about it at his last press conference. He seems oblivious to the entire matter. It makes me wonder if in his cognitively-challenged state he even knows about the riots. In my view, Biden’s lack of attention to these riots is not an anomaly. It is eerily consistent with his ignoring the loss of American lives resulting from his hasty, ill-advised withdrawal from Afghanistan, his lack of empathy for all those murdered by illegal aliens, his ignoring the East Palestine tragedy for a whole year, his failure to empathize with the families of slain police officers, and many other tragedies.

Hochul and Adams have been nowhere to be found. They appear to be overwhelmed and incapable. The worst, however, is the Chameleon. It is one thing for the others to exhibit a lack of support and empathy for Israel and the Jews, in general. But Schumer is Jewish, and he represents a heavily Jewish constituency. Moreover, he is the Senate Majority Leader, one of the highest-ranking politicians in the country. He has enormous influence. Unfortunately, all we have gotten from him are empty platitudes and “The Speech.” Frankly, his attitude disgusts me. I wrote a whole blog about him a few weeks ago, and I don’t want to waste any more time and space on him at the present time. (Full disclosure – some governors, notably Governor Abbott in Texas and Governor DeSantis in Florida, have taken effective action, but they have been the exceptions.)

It is clear to me that the Dems are trying to walk a fine line to avoid offending the radical left wing of the Dem Party in an election year. They are willing to sacrifice America and Israel, our one reliable ally in the volatile and strategically critical ME to win an election. So far, that strategy has been backfiring as they have been offending all sides. All of them have shown a total lack of leadership at a time when we need it desperately. Instead of addressing the matter, they waste time, energy and money trying Donald Trump on bogus, politically-motivated matters. The longer they sit on their hands and ignore the problem the worse it will get.

Conclusion

For those of us who know our history these riots are eerily similar to those in Germany in the 1930s. Those, too, were ignored, and we all know how that turned out.

So, what can we do? What should we do?

In no particular order, I advise the following initial actions:

Prompt decisive action.
Biden and Congress should express clear, unequivocable support for Israel and condemn the rioters’ actions.
Biden should reiterate that the State Department has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, and anyone who claims to be a supporter, or worse, a member will be prosecuted. If they are a student, their school will suspend and/or expel them. If they are here on a visa or illegally they will be deported.
The federal government has the hammer. It should use it. If these riots were aimed at any other group – Blacks, Hispanics, women, or gays, for example, the government would have cracked down immediately. But with respect to Jews, it doesn’t seem to care.
The governors should consider utilizing state troops to restore order.
Donors should strongly consider cancelling further donations (as a few have done already).
Pressure should be brought on the presidents of these universities to resign immediately.
Schools should investigate whether radical tenured professors who support terrorist groups can be terminated for cause.
Perhaps, schools could require all students to view a tape of the October 7 massacre and even the concentration camps of the Holocaust in order to gain an appreciation of the horror of those events and gain some perspective.
Parents don’t get a free pass either. Any self-respecting parent whose kid is spouting such hateful antisemitic garbage should be horrified. I don’t think they raised their kids that way; at least, I hope not. Also, they should reconsider if they want to continue to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for these universities to “educate” their kids.

The deterioration of America’s social and moral fabric as exhibited by these riots is most shocking to me. Our college-age kids may be well educated, but many of them are ignorant of history, are devoid of common sense and a sense of right and wrong, have a distorted view of current events, and are easily manipulated by social media and radical professors. It should be shocking to you as well. We’re talking about America’s future leaders. I hope and pray that it is not too late to repair the damage.

April 25, 2024 by webuiltitblog Tags: antisemitism, donald-trump, hamas, Israel, joe-biden, palestine, politics Leave a comment

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