HORIST: How long will Jews ignore Democrat anti-Semitism?

The Democratic Party has long benefited from overwhelming Jewish support.  To make sense of it, one must assume that Democratic Party anti-Semitism is not an important issue – not now and not for generations.  There have been various strains of anti-Semitism within Democrat ranks at least since the days of Franklin Roosevelt.

Jews are well represented in the leadership ranks of the Democratic Party.  They serve as mayors, governors and members of Congress.  They run for President of the United States – currently former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.  No Jewish candidate, however, has ever been nominated for President by the Democratic or Republican Parties – a more damning criticism of Democrats since that is were the center of Jewish political power resides.

It is not only a matter of politics.  Jews have done very well in rising to positions of influence and power in business, entertainment, news media and academia.  So, why the tolerance of anti-Semitism within the ranks of their preferred political party?

One explanation for ignoring the anti-Semitism within the Democratic Party is that the Jewish community is overwhelmingly found in major cities ruled over by Democrat political machines.  It is not uncommon for oppressed people to align with their oppressors to survive or prosper. If you want to function or succeed in those environments, you go along to get along.  In some ways, it is similar to the black slave owners in the old Democrat southland who allied with the racist white elite.

Others have conjectured that the level of anti-Semitism found in America is tolerable since it is not near the level found in Nazi Germany and other nations – where Jews were persecuted and subjected to genocidal pogroms.

It is also possible that the influential Jewish elite in the Democratic Party do not see the increasing anti-Semitism that runs through the core of the Party – pure psychological denial.

Despite these explanations advanced by political scientists and sociologists, it still a wonderment – especially with Anti-Semitism on the rise.

What is apparent – and a bit mystifying – is why anti-Semitism is allowed to exist in a political party so dependent on Jewish support.  Democrat leaders seem to be loath to call out anti-Semitism in any meaningful way – even Jewish leaders.

There are always statements of condemnation when a synagogue is vandalized or worshipers are shot, but that is universal.  Jewish outrage is no louder than general outrage.  Even worse, no action is taken.

What is even more alarming is the muted voices of Jewish members of Congress when colleagues promote, endorse and sport anti-Semitic statements and proposals.  Most of the members of the so-called “squad” – Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to name a few – make statements against Israel and Jews in general, there are no consequences.  When they go contrary to U.S. official foreign policy to support the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) Movement against Israel, there are no consequences.

When Congresswoman Ilhan Omar raised the old trope about Jewish money influencing Congress with the “Benjamins,” the House passed only a generic resolution against racism, anti-Semitism and all the other isms.  Omar was not even mentioned in the resolution.  However, Omar was named anti-Semite of the year in 2019 by StopAntiSemitism.org – beating out Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Anti-Semitism within the black community has gone unchecked for decades.  Despite his spewing the foulest anti-Semitic rhetoric, Farrakhan is often invited to participate in Democrat events.  Former Congressman Keith Ellison was a full-time disciple of Farrakhan.

President Obama’s pastor — Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church in Chicago –often sermonized against Jews and maintained a friendship with Farrakhan.  In Chicago, a number of black Democrat leaders visited and supported the old Kaddafi regime in Libya.  Still no condemnation from the Democratic Party.

Over many years, animosity between blacks and Jews has led to tragic confrontations in such Democrat-run cities as New York and Chicago without effective intervention by the leaders of the political machines.

Animosity between Jews and blacks is not new – and it is a two-way street.  One Jewish business leader in Chicago said he supports the Democrat machine because Mayor Daley the Second was driving blacks out of the city – or as he put it, “reclaiming the city.”  I have a friend who had a similar conversation in Florida.  In explaining his support to Democrats despite having otherwise conservative views, the Jewish gentleman rhetorically inquired, “Do you know how many blacks there would be if it were not for abortions?”

During a heated moment at the 1968 Democrat National Convention, a red-faced Chicago Mayor Richard Daley the First yelled at Connecticut Senator Abraham Ribicoff, who was critical of the City handling of the riots outside the convention.  Professional lip readers translated Daley’s words as, “F*** you, you Jew son of a bitch, you lousy motherf**ker go home.

Despite the rampant racial animosity between tow of the democrats’ core constituencies, the leadership does nothing to resolve it.  Maybe because it would offend both groups.

This history is important because anti-Semitism and racism are social dynamics — and anti-Semitism is on the rise again in America – including in Congress.  It is undermining America’s critical friendship with the only democracy in the Middle East.

By turning a blind eye to the existence of anti-Semitism within its ranks, the Democratic Party tolerates it much like it tolerates its own racism that has blacks segregated and impoverished in our inner cities.  You would think that such influential Jewish Democrats as Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg, Adam Schiff, Sidney Blumenthal, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz – and so many more – would take greater interest in the anti-Semitism within the Democratic Party.  It seems like one of those situations where they get theirs, so to Hell with everyone else.

So, there ‘tis.