Also, when Israel (which is conflated with "the Jews") gets this kind of special treatment while, at the same time, other groups are being impacted negatively by the anti-DEI rules that the Trump government is imposing, then it certainly motivates anti-semitism among at least some less politically aware members of those other groups. So, it is almost intended to cause anti-semitism. Remember, the first rule of staying in autocratic power is "divide and conquer."
One of the greatest scholars of Tyranny, including its uses of anti-semitism, Professor Timothy Snyder has put forth the most potent and concise case that MAGA is in its heart deeply anti-semitic and that Trump is, in truth, using the banner of anti-semitism to actually foment anti-Semitism.
Snyder talks about how a message of "we are doing this for the Jews" foments antisemitism among the public. From what I've heard, American officials have been doing something like this for decades, not in public but behind closed doors, with Arab government officials. The Arabs ask the Americans, can you please restrain your clients the Israelis from their outrageous excesses, because those excesses are making our people angry, and our people's anger threatens our hold on power, and if we lose our power, you're not going to like who will replace us because they're not going to be as friendly to you as we are. The American officials reply to the Arabs, we understand, but domestic pressures prevent us from pulling back on our support for Israel. In this case, the Americans are not saying this with the intention of fomenting antisemitism, but just admitting to political reality.
Peter. On books, I suggest a book from OR Books. “On the Pleasures of Living in Gaza” by Mohammed Omer Almoghayer. “Remembering a Way of Life Now Destroyed”.
I take your point, with all due respect, but to say that Gaza is “not a death camp” is wrong. An “open-air prison” subject to starvation and bombardment is a death camp raised to an exponential power.
what is at the heart of this global repression/suppression of speech and insistence on a biased narrative that systematically dehumanizes palestinian people? the intercept just reported that despite eurovision's denials, "an analysis reveals that the broadcast silenced crowd discontent during israeli singer eden golan’s performance." https://theintercept.com/2025/05/17/eurovision-censored-israel-booing-free-palestine/
There's a common hasbara line that The Jewish People have a Right to Self-Determination in the form of a State for The Jewish People because, it is alleged, every other People has its own State, so it would be Antisemitic to deny the same for The Jewish People. But when they defend codifying in law a definition of discrimination on the basis of being a member of The Jewish People, the hasbarists cannot use the same argument, because there's no analogous thing codified in law for any other People.
Today, right-wing members of Congress are accusing Haverford College of "anti-Semitism." From The Guardian yesterday:
"A number of Republican legislators set to grill university presidents in a congressional hearing on antisemitism this week are associated with calls for Jews to convert to Christianity, have quoted Adolf Hitler, or have reportedly threatened to burn a synagogue to the ground."
What can we do? What I would *not* do is read only the lead sentence quoted there, and then raise an alarm based on it. By my reading, that lead sentence was written with the *intention* of alarming the reader, but its vague terms should arouse suspicion.
The legislator who "reportedly threatened to burn a synagogue to the ground"? Only someone who hated Jews would do such a thing, right? Well, actually, read on: he was a member of a synagogue that made a decision that he disagreed with so strongly that he left it, and then some other members reported that he said he would burn the place to the ground.
The legislator who "quoted Adolf Hitler"? Anyone who quotes the greatest enemy of the Jewish people in the 20th century must really hate Jews, and whatever words of his were quoted must have been shocking, right? Well, if we read on, we find that she told a rally, "Hitler was right on one thing. He said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'" Her point was obviously to raise alarm about how young people are embracing ideologies that she and her audience oppose, and she invoked Hitler as a horrible person who also unfortunately had the youth on his side in his day.
The legislators who "are associated with calls for Jews to convert to Christianity"? For one of them, what constitutes his "association" is that he is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, and the Moody Bible Institute "trains students to convert Jewish people to Christianity" -- just as it trains students to convert all other people to Christianity. The other legislator who falls into this category was a Baptist pastor who in 2011 (years before he was in politics) said, "There will never be peace in Jerusalem until the day comes that every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." And he did say specifically that Jews and Muslims should convert to Christianity. So that is probably the strongest case against any one of these legislators referenced in that lede.
Peter, thanks for your reply. I must bring up a couple of things. Mary Miller was condemned all around for invoking Hitler. From the Times: 'The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was among the groups that had roundly criticized Ms. Miller’s remarks. The museum said it “unequivocally condemns any leader trying to advance a position by claiming Adolf Hitler was ‘right.’”
What she said was outrageous, and certainly not well intentioned at all!
I did some more research and what I've now found out is that the remark (to paraphrase) about burning a synagogue to the ground MAY have been made by Florida congressman Randy Fine when his synagogue disagreed with him about LBGTQ issues. I can't absolutely confirm that, but that's what I found online so far.
The Moody Bible Institute proselytizes to Jews and Muslims that they should come to Jesus. Oy vey.
These are awful, awful people. I would not want any of them on any committee that was sitting in judgment on my political or personal beliefs. Thanks for listening. Susan
Good explanation thanks Peter. You're one of many Jews i like because you are right to be "antisemitic". Those of Semitic origin need non-semites of European origin to stop persecuting them. So, can you and i (non-Jew), tiptoe around misunderstood double negatives, and say we are "pro-Semites" being prosemitic because we're definitely not antisemitic?
Interesting. I hadn't heard of philosemitism. I understand the problem for Jews that you and Peter are referring to. I'm a non-Jew who was (unsuccessfully) thinking to counter misuse of the anti-semitism label with pro-semitism, but "anti-Zionist" will do just fine.
Also, when Israel (which is conflated with "the Jews") gets this kind of special treatment while, at the same time, other groups are being impacted negatively by the anti-DEI rules that the Trump government is imposing, then it certainly motivates anti-semitism among at least some less politically aware members of those other groups. So, it is almost intended to cause anti-semitism. Remember, the first rule of staying in autocratic power is "divide and conquer."
Great post Peter.
One of the greatest scholars of Tyranny, including its uses of anti-semitism, Professor Timothy Snyder has put forth the most potent and concise case that MAGA is in its heart deeply anti-semitic and that Trump is, in truth, using the banner of anti-semitism to actually foment anti-Semitism.
Here it is- https://snyder.substack.com/p/fomenting-antisemitism
Deeply worth the 8 minutes it takes to hear the 5 points that establish that Trump/MAGA are truly agents that foment anti-semitism.
Snyder talks about how a message of "we are doing this for the Jews" foments antisemitism among the public. From what I've heard, American officials have been doing something like this for decades, not in public but behind closed doors, with Arab government officials. The Arabs ask the Americans, can you please restrain your clients the Israelis from their outrageous excesses, because those excesses are making our people angry, and our people's anger threatens our hold on power, and if we lose our power, you're not going to like who will replace us because they're not going to be as friendly to you as we are. The American officials reply to the Arabs, we understand, but domestic pressures prevent us from pulling back on our support for Israel. In this case, the Americans are not saying this with the intention of fomenting antisemitism, but just admitting to political reality.
There IS an alternative:
https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/
Wow! This is EXCELLENT!! Thank you 😊
Thank you
Peter. On books, I suggest a book from OR Books. “On the Pleasures of Living in Gaza” by Mohammed Omer Almoghayer. “Remembering a Way of Life Now Destroyed”.
Linda
You are a very wise man. ♥️
I just ordered Daybreak in Gaza from bookshop.org, much lower shipping costs!
I take your point, with all due respect, but to say that Gaza is “not a death camp” is wrong. An “open-air prison” subject to starvation and bombardment is a death camp raised to an exponential power.
Very sophisticated reasoning against the act. Thanks Peter.
whew.
what is at the heart of this global repression/suppression of speech and insistence on a biased narrative that systematically dehumanizes palestinian people? the intercept just reported that despite eurovision's denials, "an analysis reveals that the broadcast silenced crowd discontent during israeli singer eden golan’s performance." https://theintercept.com/2025/05/17/eurovision-censored-israel-booing-free-palestine/
There's a common hasbara line that The Jewish People have a Right to Self-Determination in the form of a State for The Jewish People because, it is alleged, every other People has its own State, so it would be Antisemitic to deny the same for The Jewish People. But when they defend codifying in law a definition of discrimination on the basis of being a member of The Jewish People, the hasbarists cannot use the same argument, because there's no analogous thing codified in law for any other People.
Today, right-wing members of Congress are accusing Haverford College of "anti-Semitism." From The Guardian yesterday:
"A number of Republican legislators set to grill university presidents in a congressional hearing on antisemitism this week are associated with calls for Jews to convert to Christianity, have quoted Adolf Hitler, or have reportedly threatened to burn a synagogue to the ground."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/06/republicans-antisemitism-hearing?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
This is becoming more alarming than ever. What can we do?
What can we do? What I would *not* do is read only the lead sentence quoted there, and then raise an alarm based on it. By my reading, that lead sentence was written with the *intention* of alarming the reader, but its vague terms should arouse suspicion.
The legislator who "reportedly threatened to burn a synagogue to the ground"? Only someone who hated Jews would do such a thing, right? Well, actually, read on: he was a member of a synagogue that made a decision that he disagreed with so strongly that he left it, and then some other members reported that he said he would burn the place to the ground.
The legislator who "quoted Adolf Hitler"? Anyone who quotes the greatest enemy of the Jewish people in the 20th century must really hate Jews, and whatever words of his were quoted must have been shocking, right? Well, if we read on, we find that she told a rally, "Hitler was right on one thing. He said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'" Her point was obviously to raise alarm about how young people are embracing ideologies that she and her audience oppose, and she invoked Hitler as a horrible person who also unfortunately had the youth on his side in his day.
The legislators who "are associated with calls for Jews to convert to Christianity"? For one of them, what constitutes his "association" is that he is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, and the Moody Bible Institute "trains students to convert Jewish people to Christianity" -- just as it trains students to convert all other people to Christianity. The other legislator who falls into this category was a Baptist pastor who in 2011 (years before he was in politics) said, "There will never be peace in Jerusalem until the day comes that every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." And he did say specifically that Jews and Muslims should convert to Christianity. So that is probably the strongest case against any one of these legislators referenced in that lede.
Peter, thanks for your reply. I must bring up a couple of things. Mary Miller was condemned all around for invoking Hitler. From the Times: 'The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was among the groups that had roundly criticized Ms. Miller’s remarks. The museum said it “unequivocally condemns any leader trying to advance a position by claiming Adolf Hitler was ‘right.’”
What she said was outrageous, and certainly not well intentioned at all!
I did some more research and what I've now found out is that the remark (to paraphrase) about burning a synagogue to the ground MAY have been made by Florida congressman Randy Fine when his synagogue disagreed with him about LBGTQ issues. I can't absolutely confirm that, but that's what I found online so far.
The Moody Bible Institute proselytizes to Jews and Muslims that they should come to Jesus. Oy vey.
These are awful, awful people. I would not want any of them on any committee that was sitting in judgment on my political or personal beliefs. Thanks for listening. Susan
Good explanation thanks Peter. You're one of many Jews i like because you are right to be "antisemitic". Those of Semitic origin need non-semites of European origin to stop persecuting them. So, can you and i (non-Jew), tiptoe around misunderstood double negatives, and say we are "pro-Semites" being prosemitic because we're definitely not antisemitic?
"Pro-Semites"? There is an existing word, Philosemitism, or Judeophilia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosemitism
This attitude has the same problem that Peter mentions here, of considering Jews as a kind of people who are different from everyone else.
Interesting. I hadn't heard of philosemitism. I understand the problem for Jews that you and Peter are referring to. I'm a non-Jew who was (unsuccessfully) thinking to counter misuse of the anti-semitism label with pro-semitism, but "anti-Zionist" will do just fine.