The forces behind the mainstreaming of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories have gained a foothold in both major political parties. And according to JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin, there’s no sign of them being driven back to the fever swamps of the far left and the far right where they belong. Or at least not for the foreseeable future. He’s joined in this week’s episode of “Think Twice” by columnist and author David Harsanyi, who argues that no one would ever think about being racist and conspiratorial in the way they are about Jewish people when speaking about black Americans or anyone else. And, he says, expressions of anti-Zionism give them the cover to get away with it.
While such people claim their beliefs are about their revulsion for Israel, Harsanyi argues that their use of tropes about Jews controlling the media, money and being able to displace or get rid of politicians they don’t like aligns with the sort of hatred that’s always existed. It exists, he says, among progressives but also among the isolationist types and the paleocons. Such alleged right-wingers are very close to being progressives. “Tucker Carlson is far closer to Hassan Piker than people probably want to admit. In fact, I’d say they’re relatively indistinguishable except maybe for some cultural issues.” Harsanyi says.
What’s more, there’s no real price to pay anymore for being antisemitic in society, Harsanyi points out. “If you’re a racist, there’s still a price to pay. If you’re an antisemite, there is virtually no price to pay. You see comedians do it. You see podcasters do it, and you see mainstream media types do it as well.
While most Republican officeholders are pushing back against the antisemites, with, Harsanyi says, the conspicuous exception of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, most Democrats are giving in to their antisemites. The acceptance of people like Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, despite his Nazi tattoo and sex scandals, as well as his vicious anti-Israel rhetoric, is, like the rise of the left-wing congressional “Squad,” evidence of the progressive capture of the Democratic Party.
Nevertheless, Harsanyi thinks Democrats are making a mistake by investing so heavily in anti-Israel rhetoric. Most Americans, even those who are not predisposed to support Israel, are just not that interested in the issue, and the left’s commitment to smearing the Jewish state and targeting Jews is not an election-winning issue.
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