Did The New York Times just publish an anti-Semitic letter?
In the Dec. 13 issue, reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Executive Order [EO], a letter by a Jane Carlin of Stamford, Conn., was published in the Times on the subject of Jared Kushner’s defense of Trump’s recent Executive Order [EO]. I do not know who Ms. Carlin is.
That EO was prompted specifically because students, particularly Jews but others who engage in pro-Israel activity, face anti-Semitic harassment in their schools and on university campuses. They are not attacked, verbally or physically, and they are not threatened by fellow students, off-campus activists or university administrators, for what they do but for who they are, and the legitimate opinions that they hold and promote. They are browbeaten and, as Jews, they are isolated, pushed, spat upon and their civil rights, including free assembly and speech, are curtailed or even denied.
Ms. Carlin acknowledges that these attacks “are very troubling.”
She then seeks to devalue this evil by adding, “[a]lso troubling are the attacks on Muslims, people of color and those who are not heterosexual.” Those problems, however, are already covered by the laws this new EO interpretation brings to bear on the matter of anti-Semitism. And she adds:
Mr. Kushner’s father-in-law, Donald Trump, and members of the administration are largely to blame for the rise of violence and discrimination against the “other” here in this country, including Jews.
She further expresses disgust at what she terms is:
the overt racism, misogyny and anti-Semitism displayed by this president and his supporters over the last three years. It is the president who has engaged in divisive, dangerous rhetoric, fueling the flames of white supremacy and anti-Jewish sentiment.
And then, in classic anti-Semitic conspiracy conduct, she blames the Jews, the victim:
this president has decided to win over the Jewish vote through this transparent ploy.
He did not act because he perceived illegal conduct or because there was a lacuna in the law or because America will not tolerate unlawful and injurious behavior. No, he was pandering and seeking personal gain. It’s the fault of the Jews because they can provide Mr. Trump with, what, money, support and actual voting slips.
As numerous commentators have explained, the EO simply applies, in an equalizing fashion, the terms of the law as it has applied to other minorities. In other words, it removes any discrimination against Jews as regards protection from hate crimes they otherwise previously did not have. We Jews—and the students on campuses—surely do need that equality factor.
Moreover, the reason for that is not Trump. To blame him for radical Muslim students, their extremist progressive allies and, unfortunately, the neo-Bundist Jewish Diaspora supremacists attacking verbally and physical with threats of harm, as well as harm caused by prejudiced lecturers and university administrators, is anti-Semitic. It is, again, blaming the victim.
Shame on the New York daily paper of record.
Yisrael Medad is an American-born Israel journalist and political commentator.
