(Jewish Group) Trump's Crocodile Tears for the Jews

[Behind the Aegis]

Last week, Donald Trump went on Fox News and took offense on behalf of the Jews. Asked about Vice President Kamala Harris choosing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate over Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, the former president declared: “I think it’s insulting to Jewish people.” Trump’s own running mate, J. D. Vance, expressed similar sentiments at a Philadelphia rally, saying that he “felt bad” for Shapiro, and that “whatever disagreements on policy you have about somebody,” the fact “that the vice-presidential race on the Democratic side became so focused on his ethnicity” is “absolutely disgraceful” and “insulting to Americans.”

These claims didn’t come out of nowhere. During the VP selection process, Shapiro faced legitimate criticism over his stances on subjects like school vouchers, but also a campaign by far-left activists to cast the Jewish governor—a sharp critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—as “Genocide Josh,” while ignoring the similar Israel stances of non-Jewish VP contenders such as Walz and Arizona’s Mark Kelly. Shapiro has said that anti-Semitism played no role in his conversations with Harris, and there’s no evidence that it factored into her ultimate decision. Nonetheless, the all-out assault against Shapiro’s prospective candidacy shocked many Jews and outside observers, who saw it as singling out the governor for his Jewish identity and insinuating that Jews secretly serve the Israeli state over America.

But the fact that Shapiro encountered anti-Semitism doesn’t mean that we should take Trump’s sympathy for him at face value—because we also know how Trump treats Jews once they assume leadership in the Democratic Party. “Chuck Schumer has become a Palestinian,” the former president recently told supporters in Pennsylvania, unleashing one of his new favorite slurs against the Senate majority leader and highest-ranking Jewish Democrat in the nation. “Can you believe it? He’s become a proud member of Hamas.”

What was Schumer’s offense? In March, he called for Israeli voters to replace Netanyahu. But months earlier, Shapiro publicly dubbed Netanyahu “one of the worst leaders of all time.” Harris didn’t pick Shapiro, and so Trump today labels her choice as “insulting to Jewish people.” But had she picked Shapiro, Trump would be calling the governor a bad Jew over his strident criticisms of Netanyahu, just as he has derided Schumer. That’s because Trump doesn’t actually care about anti-Semitism; he just invokes it for advantage.

Sadly, this approach is not unique to Trump. It’s emblematic of the cynical politics of anti-Semitism today, where many political partisans attend to anti-Jewish prejudice only if it can be pinned on the other team. Otherwise, they either ignore it or make excuses for it.

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[ShazamIam]

1. I am a news junkie and spend too much time reading news and political articles. Here is what I have noticed and been

alarmed about for more than a year. A real effort to paint Democratic party as, anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish, anti-Israel. Meanwhile in life and the same reading, the most antisemitic and anti-Jewish statements I encounter come from conservatives, conservative Christians, and people I know to be Republican voters.

The pro-Palestinian people I know are not anti-Israel and not anti-Semitic but are pro-Palestinian rights. I recently had a discussion with a first year college student at U.S. Santa Cruz and told her I thought the campus demonstrations were Astroturf and she confirmed that the main body of the demonstrators on that campus were not students though some students had joined them.

This effort to paint Democratic people as anti-Israel and anti-Semitic seems to have all the hallmarks of the old, we accuse the opposition of what we are doing.

It also seems to want to increase separation of the Evangelical Christians and the Democratic party, even as I have noticed I more anti-Semitic comments from the Evangelical crowd, meaning the casually made slurs against Jewish people, while they rail for the preservation of Israel. I have found that weird for years.

I hope this observation does not offend anyone, I am objecting to the false labeling of Democratic and liberals as being anti-Semitic. I am also not hating on the Evangelicals nor do I think this is a uniformly held notion by that group and for the record. I am non-religious though I did grow up in a Christian home and attended Church until I was an adult and moved away from home and later took my own children to Sunday School. My family belonged to a denomination that has been famously liberal and split a few years ago. I also remember our church having special collections for the Palestinians a few times, and recently wondered how the Palestinian Christians have fared. I haven't seen them mentioned in the news articles of the last few years.
'The most recent accusation about Democratic being anti-Semitic is Harris not choosing Shapiro. I think the reason Walz was the pick was because of Walz's obviously strong political support for Harris. Buttigieg and Walz were my favorites on the list of possibles.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. A few thoughts....

First, thank you for coming into the Jewish Group and being respectful. That was a really nice surprise. Second, some of the things you brought up are quite true, but it doesn't paint the entire picture of the situation. Thirdly, anti-Semitism isn't just screeching "KIKE!" or claims "Jews run the world!", often, especially on the left, it is more nuanced. While I know you didn't make the previous claim, it is usually the basis of arguments like yours. Anti-Semitism has to be "in one's face" for it to truly be anti-Semitism; that is simply not the truth.

It is true the Democratic Party is in NO WAY at the same level of anti-Semitism as the Republican Party and the right. Were it a contest as to who was the most anti-Semitic, the Democratic party wouldn't even come a close second and there are only two groups! However, it doesn't mean anti-Semitism doesn't exist on the left; it does. It doesn't mean because anti-Semitism is far worse on the right it should be ignored or minimized on the left; that is bigoted. Sadly, both of those statements are exactly some of the issues on the left. Anti-Semitism is routinely mocked, especially with cries of "playing the anti-Semitism card", which is a right-wing parallel of the right's constant brays of "playing the race card" or the updated version, "they are a DEI hire". Sometimes, of course, false accusations of anti-Semitism exist, almost always from the right, but not exclusively. This happens with ALL minority groups. Another issue is that of "'splainin'" to Jews what is and isn't anti-Semitic, especially by those who AREN'T Jews. This is also a form of anti-Semitism. Which leads to one of the key components, IMO, of the piece:

It’s emblematic of the cynical politics of anti-Semitism today, where many political partisans attend to anti-Jewish prejudice only if it can be pinned on the other team. Otherwise, they either ignore it or make excuses for it.

That is VERY common on the left! So much so, it is almost a game to them, and it pisses many Jews off in a way that makes us question their true commitment to diversity and inclusion. It is also not limited to non-Jews, because some of the worst offenders of defending, excusing, or diminishing anti-Semitism comes from people who are Jews or claim it because they allegedly had some distant relative in the woodpile. Being a Jew or being related to one, doesn't give one license to utilize, excuse or diminish anti-Semitism.

Too many on the left, usually the fringe, use Israel as an excuse or cover for their anti-Semitism, and that is also problematic. Being "pro-Israel" doesn't mean the person isn't anti-Semitic any more than being "anti-Israel" is automatically anti-Semitic. If one's criticism of Israel is simply an ancient anti-Semitic trope and the word "Jew" is removed and "Israel" substituted in, that is anti-Semitism. Accusing Jews of being more loyal to Israel is anti-Semitic and it has been used a NUMBER of times against Jews on the left. Being proud of being Jewish is seen as something "bad" and we should be ashamed of it; that is anti-Semitism. Being triggered by Jewish symbols and launching into an anti-Israel (some pretend a pro-Palestinian) screed, is also anti-Semitic.

Jews aren't just a minority at DU and in the US, we are a minority worldwide, yet some refuse to accept this and still cling to the notion we are all powerful, despite our numbers. So, while true anti-Semitism isn't the scourge it is on the right, it does exist, it is wrong, it should be confronted and combatted, and it is high time that those on the left stop with the "No True Scotsman" logical fallacy (anti-Semitism can't exist on the left because we are the left) and the "but, but, but, they are married to a Jew, allegedly have Jewish ancestry" and the like (including BEING a Jew) to hide behind and claim what they are saying/have done isn't anti-Semitic because of those reasons; it is a false defense.

So, the Democratic Party (and left, in general) is not anti-Semitic, but anti-Semitism does exist and when it surfaces, it should be condemned full-throated and put in its place as the bigotry it is. The Democratic Party is supposed to be "big tent" but that should NOT include anti-Semitic clowns!

[ShazamIam]

5. Thank you for your reply, I have had to read it more than once to gather all of what you are saying. First is the

shocking to me idea that DUers are have been disrespectful when commenting in your group. I did not know I was addressing a Jewish Group, I just click and read what I think might be interesting or have new information and or ideas and opinions new to me mostly from the front page Once I begin reading I forget what group a post is from. I will probably re-read your post a few more times, I have suffered from the bliss of ignorance on some of what you have informed me of. I do scroll through listed groups looking for reads, but mostly to find politics, news or History.
You have given me ideas and opinions to think about, thank you again.

[BrianTheEVGuy]

2. I don't know about you...

But when I need an ally against antisemitic bigotry, I run straight to Donald J Trump.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. I am Jewish voter who will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz