When I was growing up, anti-Semitism was usually portrayed as a phenomenon of the Right. But, in my lifetime, the Left has made a strong claim to be the locus of such prejudice and hatred.
I’ve thought about this today when reading about Daily Kos and others, and how they have howled against Chuck Schumer. Have you seen this cartoon? And people are saying that Schumer wants war with Iran, because, you know, that’s what Jews do: start wars with other countries, or get big, Gentile countries to do their warring for them.
In 2011, I did an hour-long interview with Ed Koch. The whole thing is interesting and entertaining — Koch was one of the greatest interviewees ever — but, today, I wanted to find a particular spot, and did: starting at about 47:55. We talked about anti-Semitism and the Left.
Koch recalled hearing the left-wing congressman Allard Lowenstein — supported by Bill Buckley! — castigating Yitzhak Rabin for praising Nixon. Rabin responded, “It’s only the conservatives who have ever helped us; it’s not the liberals.” (I know that many of our readers don’t consider Nixon a conservative, but just roll with the story.)
Koch then said, “The Left is anti-Semitic — I mean, not the whole Left, but the radical Left, just as the Communists were anti-Semitic” (and are!).
Obviously, the Right is not devoid of anti-Semitism. Humanity is not devoid of anti-Semitism (and other prejudice and hatred). But if I were Israel, or the Jews in general, and had to count on either the Left or the Right — I know which side I’d place my bets on, in today’s world.
P.S. Probably, most Israelis figure that the people they must count on, above all — are themselves. It’s they who took care of the Iraqi nuclear facility. It’s they who took care of the Syrian facility. The Iranian program is much deeper and wider — I suppose they’ll have to find a way, as long as Americans keep electing leaders such as Barack Obama.
P.P.S. If we don’t think the Iranian regime poses a serious threat to the United States, we’re kidding ourselves (or simply whistling through the graveyard, as we point to Israel and say, “Warmongers! Bad”).
P.P.P.S. Isn’t it interesting that we’ve reached a pass where U.S. security depends on — to name two biggies — Barack Obama and John Kerry? Thanks, voters.