Left-wing antisemitism and Randi Weingarten’s Jewish conspiracy theories
OPINION:
Like her hero, President Biden, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten uses talking points totally detached from reality.
Recently, she lashed out at those who note the connection between financier George Soros and left-wing prosecutors such as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who finally got his indictment of former President Donald Trump. The billionaire Bolshie and PACs associated with him have given over $29 million to anti-law-and-order prosecutors, including Mr. Bragg. Mr. Soros openly bragged in The Wall Street Journal of his efforts “to reform the criminal-justice system for the more than 30 years I have been a philanthropist.”
But Ms. Weingarten argues that because Mr. Soros has a nominal connection to the Jewish people — much like Karl Marx — to mention his support for Mr. Bragg feeds into anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, which in turn has led to a rise of antisemitic hate crimes.
Ms. Weingarten’s argument is so far-fetched that it should have its own wing in the Museum of Flawed Reasoning.
In 21st-century America, antisemitism is very much a reality, as it has been throughout 3,000 years of Jewish history.
According to the FBI, antisemitism is the most common religion-based hate crime, despite Jews making up just 2.2% of the population. From 2020 to 2021, antisemitic incidents rose by 20%.
The bureau also notes that 54% of the victims are Orthodox Jews, who frequently live in the New York City area.
Consider the absurdity of the idea of white supremacists wandering the streets of Brooklyn looking for people with skullcaps to victimize because of the Bragg-Soros connection. It’s almost as ludicrous as MAGA hit squads cruising the streets of Chicago in the dead of winter seeking gay Black actors to assault.
While Ms. Weingarten weaves fantasies of Jewish conspiracy theories centering on Mr. Soros, she ignores the most powerful antisemites because, like her, they are on the left.
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan is the most notorious antisemite in America. His speeches are loaded with references to Jews as “Satan” and the “enemies of God.”
This hasn’t led to the Calypso Charmer being shunned by Democrats. Quite the reverse. The Black Congressional Caucus met with Mr. Farrakhan in 2005. In 2018, former President Bill Clinton didn’t object to being seated near him onstage at singer Aretha Franklin’s funeral.
America’s most prominent enemies of Israel who frequently deal in anti-Jewish conspiracy theories — are Democrats such as Reps. Ilhan Omar (“It’s all about the Benjamins, baby!”), Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In what might be called trickle-down animus, a plurality of Democrats favor the so-called Palestinians — 49% to 38%, according to the latest Gallup Poll. At 77%, Republicans are rock-solid in their support for Israel.
Academia — firmly in the hands of the radical left — is one of the bastions of anti-Zionism. Every year, dozens of colleges across the country take part in Israel Apartheid Week, including Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Berkeley.
Left-wing antisemitism goes back to Karl Marx. In his 1844 tract “On the Jewish Question,” the godfather of progressivism wrote: “What is the worldly religion of the Jew? Hucksterism. What is his worldly God? Money.” Marx was about as subtle as Mein Kampf.
While Jews like Trotsky were sometimes prominent in revolutionary movements, once in power, communists turned their attention to eliminating Judaism or eliminating Jews.
Mr. Biden’s record on Israel is somewhere to the left of former President Jimmy Carter’s. The ex-president’s 2007 book, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,” made his hostility manifest.
Mr. Biden has spent his time in office badgering Israel about the expansion of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Naturally, there’s no similar pressure on the Palestinian Arabs to stop killing women and children.
The administration announced that there will be no White House visit for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the near future due to unrest over his proposed judicial reforms. Mr. Biden’s party wants to pack the Supreme Court.
And the president continues to push a deal that would facilitate Tehran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, despite Iran using proxies to murder Americans.
Mr. Trump promoted the Abraham Accords and moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. There’s no doubt of where he stands on the terrorist war on Israel or a nuclear Iran.
So you see, dear Randi, American Jews and Israelis are much safer with those who consider George Soros an enemy of civilization than those who think criticism of him is in some way antisemitic.
On Passover, which begins Wednesday at sundown, we speak of history’s first antisemite. As far as we know, the Pharaoh of Exodus was not a member of the Squad.
• Don Feder is a columnist with The Washington Times.
