Antisemitic Slogans MUST Be Condemned
Addressing antisemitism, political shifts in the Democratic Party, LGBTQ+ rights & more
There is no reason on this planet as to why a politician is unable to condemn an antisemitic slogan—long associated with incitement to violence and the murders of Jews/Israelis. That there is a certain politician running for office, who outright refuses to condemn “globalize the intifada,” is disqualifying in and of itself.
What did they think was going to happen when students and protesters were shouting to bring the intifada to America? Two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed in May. A Molotov cocktail as thrown at the weekly Run for Their Lives walk in Boulder, Colorado. We just found out that Karen Diamond, an 82-year-old woman, has died from injuries sustained during the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder. Murdered for being Jewish and advocating for the release of the hostages. All this is happening in the name of the “Free Palestine” movement.
I would prefer to not have to talk about the New York City mayor’s race. I don’t live in New York, but I do travel there every now and then for work. Jewish safety is one of the most important issues to me right now, alongside American democracy and transgender rights. That a DSA candidate won the primary is seriously concerning. What does this mean for the future of the Democratic Party as a whole?
My values are left-of-center. However, the far-left is trying to drive the party further left, meaning that the Democratic Party will probably lose moderates and independents in future elections. I already know many liberal Jews that feel politically homeless. Some are still registered Democrats because of closed primaries. But for how much longer, I don’t know.
I’m also worried about how the “big, beautiful bill” will impact my life. Maybe the only piece of good news is that Senate Republicans abandoned their efforts to target transgender healthcare. Whether I’ll still have health insurance in general is another story. How can they verify how many hours we worked for those of us who are self-employed? Everything about this bill sucks.
I make my income through writing. Some months, films and TV don’t generate enough interest to drive traffic. Other months, they do. Every now and then, an article gets a lot of traffic. However, it’s not often enough. Whether its Substack or Buttdondown, I’ve been using this newsletter as a way of generating additional revenue through subscriptions. I know there were weeks this year where I was burnt out from writing—either about politics or antisemitism—but I’m going to try and get back to sending newsletters once a week.
I miss who I was on October 6. I miss sending out newsletters that were strictly additional entertainment commentary. These newsletters have become more generalized or about whatever I want to talk about on a given day. In a way, it’s replaced the political blog that I ran during 2004-2012, before turning it into an outlet for book reviews.
Pride Month just came to a conclusion. I didn’t go to the local parade, mostly because of the oppressive heat over the weekend. But also, I was not looking forward to the inevitable antisemites that have become very loud since October 7. The only thing I attended was a local barbecue for LGBTQ Jews.
Miriam Haart really drives it home in a must-read op-ed published in the Jerusalem Post.
But here’s what’s often forgotten: Zionism is the belief in Jewish self-determination – a belief rooted in millennia of prayers, traditions, and survival. And guess what? It has already happened. Israel already exists. So if Zionism stands with Israel’s existence, then anti-Zionism and anti-Zionists stand for its demise.
In movie news, I really enjoyed both Jurassic World Rebirth and Heads of State. One TV pilot, Observance, that just premiered at a film festival has really positive representation of Orthodox Jews and I hope a network or streamer picks it up.
Some op-eds and articles that I’ve been reading lately:
Americans have grown more supportive on restrictions for trans people in recent years
When anti-Zionism wins: What Mamdani’s rise reveals about the future of Jewish political power
Obama OMB director says Democratic Party is ‘becoming increasingly antisemitic’
Congressman Jared Moskowitz Calls Out Antisemitism in Both Parties
Another Perspective on NYC Politics, Zionism, Jews and Everything Else
Jeffries: Mamdani is ‘going to have to clarify his position’ on intifada slogan
Responding to Mamdani, Senate Democrats say ‘globalize the intifada’ slogan must be condemned
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi hopes to win the Jewish vote in Illinois Senate contest
Connecticut’s Jewish community wonders: What happened to Chris Murphy?
The survey that I just linked to is rather scary. I don’t know how representative the 5,097 Americans surveyed is of the larger American population, but the fact that more Americans prefer my using the men’s room then the women’s room makes me question their sanity. Do they seriously think I would feel safe by using the men’s room?!?