The Unspoken Anti-Semitism of the Left

The Left claims that fighting injustice, taking to the streets, and elevating voices of the marginalized is its specialty. Unfortunately, one group is always absent from the Left’s justice crusade. Today’s social justice warriors are wholly unconcerned with the discrimination faced by Jews. In fact, much of the anti-Semitism American Jews experience comes from the SJWs themselves. The Left pretends to battle hate of all kinds, but Democrat politicians hypocritically elevate some of America’s most famous Jew-haters.

For example, the Left embraces Rev. Al Sharpton, despite his repeated anti-Semitism. Sharpton, who has referred to Jews as “bloodsuckers” and “diamond merchants,” infamously ginned up tensions that led to the 1991 Crown Heights Riot and the death of a Hasidic Jew. In the lead up to the three-day-long riot, Sharpton was quoted saying “[i]f the Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house.” Despite these very public comments, Democrats rushed to his aid when he had a back and forth with President Trump. Elizabeth Warren praised Sharpton for fighting for “justice.” Kamala Harris claimed that Sharpton has “spent his life fighting for what’s right.” Joe Biden referred to Sharpton as a “champion in the fight for civil rights.” This shouldn’t be a surprise. Sharpton is a good friend of former President Barack Obama. Sharpton even campaigned for Obama during the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Sharpton, who has referred to Jews as “bloodsuckers” and “diamond merchants,” infamously ginned up tensions that led to the 1991 Crown Heights Riot and the death of a Hasidic Jew… Joe Biden referred to Sharpton as a “champion in the fight for civil rights.”

Another example of anti-Semites being beloved and protected by the Left is Louis Farrakhan. As the leader of the Nation of Islam, Farrakhan has spent decades in the spotlight slinging hateful and dangerous comments at Jews—thereby promoting many anti-Semitic conspiracies. Farrakhan publicly claims that Jews control Hollywood, the banking industry, and all aspects of the media. Like Sharpton, Farrakhan has added to the already prevalent tension between Black and Jewish Americans. In 2010, he claimed that “[t]he Black man and woman have always been looked upon as the ‘property’ of White America; and particularly, members of the Jewish community. They’ve always looked at you as ‘belonging’ to them.” Despite this inexcusable commentary, Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism hasn’t hurt his relationships with members of the Democrat party. As Kevin Williamson from the National Review once reported, “California Democrats Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters attend Farrakhan’s public events, and Obama-administration veteran Eric Holder recently posed for a picture with him.” Prominent Democrats have no problem hobnobbing with Louis Farrakhan.

Furthermore, Democrat Congresswomen Ilhan Omar (D., Minnesota) and Rashida Tlaib (D., Michigan), the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, have spent much of their terms spouting anti-Semitic ideas. Both women have supported the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction movement against Israel (BDS), which seeks to undermine Israel through economic pressure. In 2019, the Congresswomen were controversially banned from entering Israel, due largely to their support of BDS. Israeli law prohibits individuals who support the boycott of Israel from entering the country. During this same 2019 trip, Omar and Tlaib’s itinerary included meeting with Palestinian activists and visiting the Temple Mount, or Haram al-Sharif, which is a place of significance to both Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem. The location is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Miftah, the group that organized the Congresswomen’s trip, has pushed the blood libel, the idea that Jews use the blood of Christian babies in their matzah. Nancy Pelosi, who called BDS dangerous and bigoted, still endorsed the Congresswomen and continues to assist their reelection campaigns. 

The Left’s anti-Semitism has bled over into the Black Lives Matter movement. Synagogues in Los Angeles, CA were vandalized during BLM riots. The phrase “Kill the Jews” was reportedly yelled by rioters in Fairfax, CA, a historically Jewish L.A. neighborhood. Additionally, leaders of both BLM and BDS have formed an alliance. The Jewish Star reported that “[t]he BLM-aligned group ‘Dream Defenders’ traveled to Israel on a Palestinian solidarity mission in 2015.” During the group’s time in Israel, it “visited Israeli Arab cities such as Nazareth, where [the group] underscored support for BDS.” The group then went one step further, “calling for the ‘liberation’ of pre-1967 Israel, the West Bank, and the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip.” Not only was BLM leader Patrisse Cullors on this trip, but the Women’s March co-chair Cameron Perez also attended. 

The Left’s anti-Semitism has bled over into the Black Lives Matter movement. Synagogues in Los Angeles, CA were vandalized during BLM riots. The phrase “Kill the Jews” was reportedly yelled by rioters in Fairfax, CA, a historically Jewish L.A. neighborhood.

A look into Patrisse Cullors’ stances is illuminating. She is the co-founder of BLM and has described herself as a “trained Marxist.” Cullors has referred to Palestine as “the new South Africa,” implying that Israel is an apartheid state. This conflation is nonsensical. Arabs make about one-fifth of Israel’s population and are afforded all the same rights and protections as Jews. Israeli-Arabs serve in the Knesset, Israel’s legislature. And Israel is one of the only places in the Middle East that allows Arab women to vote. The only legal distinction between Jews and Arabs in Israel is that Jews are required to serve in Israel’s military, while Arabs are not. 

The Left’s anti-Semitism is usually kept quiet, but the mainstreaming of Jew-hatred in the aftermath of BLM protests should have awakened many Americans to the problem. An analysis of recent history clearly illustrates that the Left remains unjustifiably friendly with both anti-Semitic individuals and movements. However, the question remains as to how American Jews will react. The likely answer is unfortunately that American Jews will not shift their political stances. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, since 1968, 71 percent of American Jews vote Democrat, compared to 25 percent who vote Republican.

The fact is, for many Jews in America, their connection to Judaism is fraying. According to Pew Research Center, only 26 percent of American Jews say “religion is very important in their lives.” Further, only 19 percent of American Jews say that observing Jewish law is “an essential part of what it means to be Jewish to them personally.” 

However, it should be noted that Orthodox Jews observe strict adherence to Jewish law—and they vote very differently from the rest of American Jews. The New York Times reported in 2016 that “[i]n Brooklyn’s 48th Assembly District, which encompasses most of Borough Park, Mr. Trump got 69 percent of the vote, while Mrs. Clinton got 27 percent.” According to the Times, this neighborhood has a large population of Orthodox Jews, who were motivated to vote for Trump by their support of Israel, border security, and law and order. 

To Jews who consider Judaism extremely important, the Left’s anti-Semitism is disturbing and dangerous. But secular Jews often care more about politics and Leftism than religion—and they’re less phased by the Left’s unspoken anti-Semitism.

To Jews who consider Judaism extremely important, the Left’s anti-Semitism is disturbing and dangerous. But secular Jews often care more about politics and Leftism than religion—and they’re less phased by the Left’s unspoken anti-Semitism. After all, it’s far easier to turn a blind eye than to critically analyze the American Left. For this reason, the Left’s anti-Semitism problem isn’t going away. Until the Democratic establishment stops associating with the Farrakhans and Sharptons of the world, and until Jewish Americans stop supporting the people who hate them, it is here to stay.