DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Support for political violence jumps in U.S., survey says

Nearly a quarter of Americans agree that "patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country" — the most in the nearly three years the question has been asked since Donald Trump's presidency, a new survey says.

Why it matters: The wide-ranging survey by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and the Brookings Institution sheds light on the religious, racial and political differences that are shaping America's increasingly tense politics.

The report found there is one thing the vast majority of Americans agree on: People across the political spectrum — 75% of all Americans — agree that American democracy is at risk in the 2024 presidential election.

The big picture: The rise in support of political violence comes amid growing mistrust in media, massive demographic shifts across the nation, and a boom in misinformation and unchecked bigoted content on social media.

It also comes as Trump — the leading GOP presidential hopeful despite facing a litany of criminal charges — has used increasingly extreme, violent rhetoric amid threats to his business empire, livelihood and personal freedom, as Axios' Zachary Basu has reported.

By the numbers: The survey found that 23% of Americans agree that "because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country."

That's up from 15% in 2021, when the Jan. 6 insurrection led researchers to start asking about political violence, using terms that seek out those who would see such violence as akin to partiotism.
One-third of Republicans believe that "patriots" may have to resort to violence to "save the country," compared with 22% of independents and 13% of Democrats.
Those percentages have increased across the board since 2021, when 28% of Republicans, 13% of independents and 7% of Democrats held this belief.

Zoom in: The survey found deep religious and racial differences around beliefs on political violence.

About 31% of white evangelical Protestants thought violence may be needed to "save the country," compared to 24% of Black Protestants and 21% of Hispanic Catholics.

The intrigue: The report found that Democrats (84%) are the most likely to agree that the future of American democracy is at risk, but 77% of Republicans and 73% of independents also agree.

Nearly six in ten Americans (57%) say the re-election of Trump would threaten America's democracy and its way of life.

Zoom out: The report also found growing support for political conspiracy and racist theories.

Nearly four in 10 Americans (38%) said they believed in "white replacement theory" — a decades-old racist notion that immigrants are invading the U.S. and people of color are purposely replacing white people in politics and the economy.
Across party lines, there has been a significant jump in followers of the conspiracy group QAnon(from 14% to 23%) and a decrease in QAnon rejecters (from 40% to 29%).

Republicans remain twice as likely as Democrats to be QAnon believers (29% vs. 14%) and three times less likely reject QAnon (14% vs. 43%).

What they're saying: " It looks like the temperature has gone up across the board, but especially among Republicans," said Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI, tells Axios.

"If you have this sense that your demographic is supposed to be at the top of political power, and elections don't produce that result, then, well, almost everything's justified to bring about the right 'outcome.' "
He said the survey results indicate white Christian Americans in particular have a sense of entitlement and ownership in the United States because many believe the U.S. was founded for European Christians.

Of note: Support for political violence jumps to even higher levels among Americans who believe the 2020 election was stolen from Trump (46%).

It's also high among Americans who affirm the core tenet of white Christian nationalism — that God intended America to be a new promised land for European Christians (39%).

https://www.axios.com/2023/10/25/su...nXG4wcHROvSC6qepkaF4JYEv2EAawg1vN_4TSsR4

TL;DR

Trump is bad.
Now he's causing people to favor violence.
Any further violence will be Trump's fault, even if on the left.

When you see the squad (outspoken hate mongers) or anyone else supporting violence against Jews, keep in mind -- that is also Trump's fault.

This is a new thread, well, because Trump.

Who on the squad is " supporting violence against Jews"?

I didn't make up the survey or the statistics garnered from it. It is what it is. I think thou doth protest too much.

Do you even read or watch the news?

So you can't quote a source to confirm it either. Thanks for that.

Do you own homework. Or at least wake up.

I'm not the one making the accusations. I'm not the one trying to make the claim. She has said a lot of thing about it I disagree with and I find some of it disgusting. But I have not seen her outright "supporting violence against Jews".

It's not my job to support or prove your accusations. But I understand you think it is in your world. If you have evidence your accusations are true, present them. If not, as per usual all you have is hot air.

Your own party has called them out for their ridiculous comments. The White House PS called them out in no uncertain terms. GTHOH or maybe spend some time paying attention to what is going on. lmao

And of course you missed where I called her out too.


And still you are back providing zero evidence of your claim she is "supporting violence against Jews" Typical.

His words have proven over and over again he is antisemitic. How can you argue with him when he supports Democrats like the squad that are clearly against Israel.

Yes, I stand up for civilians not being slaughtered. Be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim. Your right wing rhetoric seems to indicate you don't care about the slaughter of innocent civilians based on where they are located or according to what religion they belong to. And you paint me as the bad guy.

Of course you too have no evidence of the claim that has been being made. Just more white noise.


So that sounds like supporting someone to you? lmao

Also, not to mention all those libtard pro palestine college students screaming for intifada.

What does that have to do with what was claimed about AOC or the percentage of people by each party claiming "patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country" ?

I understand that trying to veer the topic off course is a method you're fond of but it would be nice if you could actually focus on the subject at hand.

It has to do with the title of this thread. Sorry you can't handle all the libtard protests calling for violence everyday in this country.

"patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country"

Twist, dodge and deflect. The trumpian way.

Not really. I'm talking about the uprising currently going on in this country versus the clickbait fantasy you posted. Pretty sure people rather talk about what is actually happening.

So you are talking about things that does not involve violence in this country on a topic that involves violence in this country.

You see, first it was accused that the squad was " supporting violence against Jews"

Once neither of you could support that with any evidence that it turned into "libtard pro palestine college students".

When in fact the very survey I posted about stated that there was a percentage of democrats also support violence to save our democracy. Which of course the saving of our demovracy has nothing to do with what's going on in Palestine or Israel a half a world away.

If you wish to start a thread about what you feel is "currently going on in this country" feel free to. What I posted is currently what's going on in this county as well. Yet everything you have posted is actual click bait which is unrelated to any of it.

Blah blah blah You want to post a thread about political violence in this country, then whine and pout when the current political violence going on is talked about. Kick rocks. Try dealing with reality instead of fantasy.

I think you're missing the point, Eve.

He only wants to talk about imaginary prospective violence in this thread. Something that may or may not happen, with the overriding goal being to blame Trump in advance. Just so everyone can jump on board and talk about how evil Trump is.

Talk of real violence and those that are cosigning will not be tolerated. Besides, what's the point? It will be dissected for DNA evidence, where there is none, the libs wash their hands of it and act like it doesn't exist. Only the imaginary violence caused by Trumpy-Trump exists.


Also note: All discussion of Trump in any other thread is welcomed and perfectly acceptable. All discussion about anything but Trump, in a Trump thread, is strictly prohibited, regardless of relevance or context.

Get with the program, girl! (disclaimer: Eve has given me expressed written permission to call her a girl)

So just more white noise with zero substance. I posted a thread about how ""patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country". You have posted about everything but that. Reading is fundamental.

Thanks for addressing the actual topic. You made an accusation you can't substantiate and still you're back to trying to circumvent the conversation. As per usual you got nothing.

Elections have consequences.

Truer now than before.

Not "can't", bro... don't care to. I could show Omar kicking a Jewish baby in the street, you would say she's innocent until proven guilty. And your media would tell you she's clean. Two sets of rules for everything.

Carry on with your Trump-o-mania, I won't inject any more conversation of actual U.S. political violence into this fantasy.

When was the last time the US had a riot? Oh sorry... I meant peaceful protests.

We had lots of them when Trump was in office and the Dems threw temper tantrums.

Since then, there has been none of significance.

What a crock! GOPers and Trump are responsible for all the evil in the world today. ALL THE EVIL!

Pit won’t go psycho leftie, but I will.

But the truth is there is too much political violence and yes some of it is on the left, but Trump’s messaging is a petri dish of radicalized violence in America. And don’t even try to argue that fact or that most of the violence and threats come from your side of the aisle.

Yeah, except for that little insurrection y’all tried to label a riot, or peaceful protest where you killed cops…. Remember? Y’all are peaceful like HAMAS.

who killed a cop?


Brian Sicknick died at a hospital from pepper spray
Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed
Kevin Greeson had a heart attack and died and had high blood pressure
Rosanne Boyland was trampled
Benjamin Philips died of a stroke

OCD lives in a world of make believe and molds each narrative to meet his agenda. It's best to use the ignore function as you'd have more success reasoning with a fire hydrant.

STOP, your making me blush.

I plainly stated that I think AOC and I'll include some of the squad says and promotes things I'm no fan of. But as per usual you made the claim that the squad is "supporting violence against Jews". I simply haven't seen that. I'm not even saying it didn't happen. Only that if it has I haven't seen it. And when asked to present it, you've provided nothing. Instead you've been ranting like a five year old throwing a tantrum. So please, rather than continue your insane rants, show me evidence of your claim. Your answer? 'Well I made the claim but I'm not going to show you any evidence of it. I could but I won't.'

And once again, no matter how much you try and derail it, the topic is this..... "patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country". As you have shown from the beginning, you have no intention of doing anything but derail this from the actual topic at hand. You made an accusation you can't support and pretend it's everyone else who uses such tactics.

And BTW- neither the media nor many democrats call what they've been saying as okay. I'm sorry you haven't actually been paying attention.

‘Reprehensible and Repulsive’: Democrats Condemn the Squad for Equivocating on Hamas Terrorism

Members of “the Squad” — the far-left group of House Democrats, many of whom have ties to the Democratic Socialists of America — have drawn condemnation from colleagues after their statements on the ongoing Hamas attack on Israel.

While most American lawmakers in both parties have offered firm support to the Jewish state as it experiences arguably its worst spate of violence in the country’s history, not all members of Congress are on the same page. Representative Cori Bush (D., Mo.) said in a statement on X that the U.S. must end its support for the “Israeli military occupation and apartheid.” Representative Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.) called on Israel to end its “blockade of Gaza.” Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (D., Mass.) both called for “an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation,” arguing that Israel should not take steps to eliminate the Hamas threat.

Representative Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) initially criticized the Hamas-wrought carnage while still urging “deescalation and ceasefire” and framing the current attack as part of a “back and forth cycle.” She then wrote, in reference to Gaza, that the U.S. is in need of “a moral awakening to care about the human suffering we are seeing.”

Representative Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) said in an Instagram post that the correct way for Israel to respond to the terror it faces is “lifting the blockade, ending the occupation, and dismantling the apartheid system that creates the suffocating, dehumanizing conditions that can lead to resistance.” Blaming Israel for the suffering it is currently experiencing, she said that the U.S. must end its support for the Jewish state, writing that “as long as our country provides billions in unconditional funding to support the apartheid government, this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue.”
Related video: UN chief slams 'misrepresented' claims he 'justified' Hamas attack (Daily Mail)
Daily Mail
UN chief slams 'misrepresented' claims he 'justified' Hamas attack

Members of their own party have since offered strongly-worded condemnations of their far-left colleagues. Representative Josh Gottheimer (D., N.J.) said it “sickens” him “that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members shot in their homes, they believe Congress should strip U.S. funding to our democratic ally and allow innocent civilians to suffer.”

Representative Ritchie Torres (D., N.Y.) called the Squad members’ comments “reprehensible and repulsive,” saying in a statement that “Congress must act decisively to provide Israel with whatever it needs to defend itself in the face of unprecedented terrorism.”

“Shame on anyone who glorifies as ‘resistance’ the largest single-day mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust,” Torres said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...ivocating-on-hamas-terrorism/ar-AA1hVPsC

I see nothing there where any of them are "supporting violence against Jews". Actually it provides evidence of what I stated in my last post that many members of their own party are calling them out for their comments.

I think it's wrong to say Israel should not put an end to Hamas. I don't think it's wrong to expect them to try and minimize civilian deaths. Bombing Gaza while Hamas remains safely underground in an elaborate tunnel system doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But I see nowhere that anyone called for "supporting violence against Jews" in what you posted.

"Squad" comments on Hamas reignite Dems’ Israel tensions


House Democrats’ long-simmering divisions over Israel are bubbling to the surface in the aftermath of Hamas' attacks on Israeli civilians.

Why it matters: The overwhelmingly pro-Israel Democratic Caucus tends to tolerate the high-profile, left-wing "Squad," which generally is more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause — but Squad members' comments about the attacks have sparked a swift internal backlash.

Driving the news: To the dismay of some of their Democratic colleagues, Squad members' reactions to Hamas' attack included decrying the "cycle of violence" between Israelis and Palestinians and demanding an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel.

"I was pained to read those comments," Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told Axios.
What they're saying: Squad Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) called for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, while Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) called to end "unconditional" military aid. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) said "this heartbreaking cycle of violence will continue" unless the funds are cut off.

Tlaib, a Palestinian American, did not mention Hamas and made only a passing reference to the recent violence in her statement, which decried the "Palestinian and Israeli lives lost yesterday, today, and every day."
Other Squad members offered more cautious responses. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized Hamas' attacks and urged "de-escalation" between the two sides.
The other side: "I think that it's unfortunate that they made [these statements] at this time," Cohen said. "There's a time and a place ... but this is a time to reflect on the horrific, animalistic butchery of Hamas."

"There should have been reflection on the horrors that were caused to Israeli victims," he added. "I think it's a political mistake, and a moral mistake. It's morally wrong not to reflect on the atrocities."
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) told Axios that "everyone in politics should clearly condemn" the attacks. "No one should blame the victim, no one should explain or excuse the terrorism."
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), in a statement obtained by Axios, said of Bush and Tlaib's comments: "It sickens me that while Israelis clean the blood of their family members ... they believe Congress should strip U.S. funding to our democratic ally and allow innocent civilians to suffer."
The intrigue: The Squad members' comments even got pushback from the White House, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre telling reporters, "We believe they are wrong, we believe they are repugnant and we believe they are disgraceful."

"There are not two sides here," Jean-Pierre added.
President Biden delivered a speech Tuesday that was steadfastly supportive of Israel. He plans to ask Congress to provide additional military aid to the country, Axios' Barak Ravid reported.
The big picture: For House Democrats, this cycle — moderates disavowing anti-Israel comments from their left-leaning colleagues — is familiar.

The caucus was in a similar position just a few months ago, when many Democrats condemned Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal's (D-Wash.) for calling Israel a "racist state."
The bottom line: Democrats' broad support of Israel was reflected by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who called on Congress to "stand with Israel until the invasion by Hamas has been crushed."

"Being loud does not make you right, nor does it make you strong, it just makes you loud," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who cited the 390 co-sponsors on a bipartisan pro-Israel resolution first reported by Axios.
"Support to Israel is not a question. I mean, it just isn't," said another House Democrat. "Yes, there are these tweets from a couple members, but the rest of the United States Congress ... [is] fully there."
In an unusual show of unity, all 24 Jewish House Democrats — including some staunch progressives — signed onto a statement Saturday saying they "are united in standing with and supporting our ally Israel as it responds to terrorist attacks from Gaza."

https://www.axios.com/2023/10/11/squad-democrats-israel-hamas-tensions

Once again, can you show me anywhere that they are "supporting violence against Jews"?

I'm not sure what your end game is here. I don't support their comments. The vast majority of democrats don't support their comments. But that isn't the same thing as "supporting violence against Jews". Thus far you have shown nothing of the sort.

'Squad' Member Tlaib Speaks at Rally Where Radical Activists Call for Destruction of Israel


Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib spoke at a fringe rally in Washington on Wednesday where she equated Jews with white supremacists and where other speakers issued calls in support of the elimination of Israel.

The event took place even as Israel was being attacked with thousands of rockets by the Gaza-based Islamic terrorist organization Hamas.

A large group at the “Free Palestine” rally outside of the U.S. State Department building issued chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” the group (still growing) chanting outside the US State Department #Palestine #Israel pic.twitter.com/7Su1Q4hSYn

— Lisa Bennatan (@LisaBennatan) May 11, 2021

Trending: Hillary Clinton Gets Into Heated Screaming Match with Anti-War Advocate: 'I'll Still Meet You Outside'
“From the river to the sea” is a catch-all phrase used to express the desire for Palestinians to conquer the entirety of Israel’s territory, according to the American Jewish Committee.

Tlaib, a Muslim of Palestinian descent, attempted to capitalize on the mood and to ally the Black Lives Matter movement with Hamas’ brutal terror in the Middle East by conspiratorially connecting the Jewish state of Israel with white supremacy.

“What they are doing to the Palestinians is what they are doing to our black brothers and sisters here,” said Tlaib, a member of the “squad” of far-left congresswomen. “It’s all interconnected.”


That she would not only support violence against Jews but also actively seek to connect the growing anti-police insurgency in America with Islamic terrorism in the Middle East is frightening beyond belief.

Combine this with knowledge of Tlaib’s previous attempts to blame “white supremacy” for black-nationalist attacks on Jews, and it becomes clearer that the sick stunt demonstrates nothing but Tlaib’s desire to see the United States burned to nothingness.

Truly, it is difficult to say how any elected official could hope to get away with defending the actions of Hamas, which earlier this week called for Palestinians to buy knives so that they could cut the heads off of Jews.


Senior Hamas Official Fathi Hammad to Palestinians in Jerusalem: Buy 5-Shekel Knives and Cut Off the Heads of the Jews #Hamas @StateDept #terrorism #Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/dTTOaOqa5H

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) May 10, 2021

Related: Rashida Tlaib Shamelessly Triples Down on Hamas' Hospital Claims, Demands 'Independent International' Action
But, alas, that Tlaib essentially endorsed terrorism should surprise no one.

Indeed, she and the so-called squad have a long history of hypocritically encouraging violence and making antisemitic remarks.

Just last month, Tlaib argued that the United States was irredeemably racist and that the nation should abolish all police, prisons and militarization because such efforts could never not be racist.

“No more policing, incarceration, and militarization,” Tlaib said. “It can’t be reformed.”


That statement was made following reports that the squad spent tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money on private security as liberal cities were burned by rioters.

A fellow squad member, New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also championed the antisemitic myth that Israel is illegally occupying its own land.


Gilad Erdan, Israeli ambassador to the United States, accused Tlaib of encouraging terror against Jews in a tweet Monday.

“Maybe you don’t realize that your words encourage terror groups such as Hamas to fire rockets into civilian populations and carry out attacks against Jews,” Erdan said.


For many Americans, regardless of political affiliation, Tlaib’s stance no doubt seems vulgar and strange.

Indeed, how could someone who has spent the last year launching into vitriolic diatribes about the terrors of white supremacy simultaneously suggest that Jews simply shouldn’t exist?

Horrifically, the “logic” behind the thinking appears simple enough.

For Tlaib and the squad, Jews are white supremacy.

https://www.westernjournal.com/squa...dical-activists-call-destruction-israel/

I know what your commentary piece from that right wing rag suggests and claims, but where in her words was she "supporting violence against Jews"? As I said, just like yourself they made those claims but the words she spoke say nothing of the kind. I didn't like her comments. I don't like that she was at the event and spoke at the events. But her words in no way support your accusation.

Stuart Varney: The Squad's 'rabid pro-Hamas' position could push Jews to flee the Democrat Party
The Squad is vigorously supporting an organization that terrorizes and kills Jews, Varney argues

By FOX Business Staff FOXBusiness

Stuart Varney: The Squads rabid pro-Hamas position could push Jews to flee the Democrat Party
Varney & Co. host Stuart Varney condemns far-left Democrats who are supporting an organization that terrorizes and kills Jews.

During his "My Take," Tuesday, "Varney & Co." host Stuart Varney criticized ‘Squad’ Democrats for lying about the Israel-Hamas war, arguing their support for a terrorist organization is offending Jewish progressives and could push voters to abandon the Democrat Party.


STUART VARNEY: The so-called Squad has no shame.

This group of far-left Democrats lies to the American people.

SQUAD DEMOCRATS GET PASS FROM PARTY LEADERSHIP ON ‘DISGRACEFUL’ RESPONSE TO HAMAS CHILD EXECUTIONS

You have to wonder how they can be in good standing in their party.

Rashida Tlaib
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) arrives at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol Building. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

They are rabidly pro-Hamas. They vigorously support an organization that terrorizes and kills Jews.

They put out propaganda to influence public opinion.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has still not taken down her tweet accusing Israel of attacking that hospital in Gaza.


RASHIDA TLAIB IS PUSHING HAMAS LIES IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS: VARNEY

That's a lie and has been thoroughly discredited. The tweet has been viewed 37 million times.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar calls for a cease-fire as if Israel should not be allowed to pursue the terrorists.

Omar wants to lock in a Hamas victory.

Fox Business host Kennedy slammed Rep. Ilhan Omar for blaming police for rising crime in Minneapolisvideo
Kennedy: Progressive squad darling Ilhan Omar doesnt stand for justice
Fox Business host Kennedy slammed Rep. Ilhan Omar for blaming police for rising crime in Minneapolis

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez charges Israel with "war crimes."

Where was she on October 7th when Hamas butchered Israeli civilians?

The Squad and their supporters are a powerful block within the Democrat Party.


ISRAEL CONTINUES TO BOMBARD GAZA WITH AIRSTRIKES AFTER HAMAS RELEASES MORE HOSTAGES

They have deeply offended other progressives, especially Jewish progressives.

Until October 7th, liberals were united behind their causes; but then Hamas committed atrocities on Jews and there was barely a murmur from the left.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez, and Ayanna Pressley.
Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., conduct a news conference in the Capitol. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Many Jewish folks feel abandoned by their former friends.

It just may be that the traditional loyalty of Jewish voters to the Democrat Party is about to unwind.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politic...-hamas-position-jews-flee-democrat-party

So still more right wing rants with nothing that actually backs up your claim that anyone in the squad has stated anything to "supporting violence against Jews".

And here I thought you had something of substance. But no, just more unsubstantiated accusations in yet another right wing opinion piece.

“The Squad” Pushes the Formula for Jew-Hatred and Their Party Keeps Accepting It

Since well before the German agitator Wilhelm Marr first utilized the phrase “antisemitism” in the late-19th century (in order to make Jew-hatred sound race-based, scientific and academic), the formula for justifying antisemitism and inciting Jew-hatred has been to find what people hate, fear or are most upset about, and attach it to the Jewish people.


Scapegoating Jews for the problems in a society has always been a central feature of Jew-hatred.

Since well before the German agitator Wilhelm Marr first utilized the phrase “antisemitism” in the late-19th century (in order to make Jew-hatred sound race-based, scientific and academic), the formula for justifying antisemitism and inciting Jew-hatred has been to find what people hate, fear or are most upset about, and attach it to the Jewish people. Call it the “Jew-hatred incitement formula.”

As far back as when Jews were held responsible for the killing of Jesus, blaming Jews for what most angers people, thereby inciting hatred of and violence against Jews, has been an integral feature of antisemitism.

In the Middle-Ages, when the Bubonic Plague was the greatest ill of society, Jews were blamed for its spread. They were accused of poisoning wells and breeding spiders and vermin to spread the disease among non-Jews. This led to ethnic cleansing and widespread attacks against Jews.

In Czarist Russia, deprivation and economic hardship were regularly blamed on Jews, often with very deadly consequences. So common was the scapegoating of Jews, that between 1880 and 1920, pogroms (riots aimed at massacring Jews) exploded over and over again. And while hard data about the numbers of casualties is hard to come by (given the time period and the lack of free press in Russia) conservative estimates are that over 100,000 Jews were murdered during this time and at least three times that many were wounded.

Hitler and the Nazis took full advantage of the history of antisemitism in Europe, as well as of the Jew-hatred incitement formula, by blaming Jews for the Great Depression, Germany’s loss in WWI, the shortcomings of Capitalism, and, with no concern for how contradictory it appeared, the spread of Communism.

Now, in the 21st century, the Holocaust has become distant history for many people, and the Jew-hatred incitement formula is once again being utilized as a political tool by Jew-haters, including, sadly, many members of the U.S. Congress.

Now, in the 21st century, the Holocaust has become distant history for many people, and the Jew-hatred incitement formula is once again being utilized as a political tool by Jew-haters, including, sadly, many members of the U.S. Congress.

Considering also the historic obsession with focusing hate on Israel, the only Jewish country, it should surprise no one that some of the “Squad” members would use this formula to incite hatred of Jews. What should be surprising is that so many of their fellow Democrats have turned a blind-eye to the antisemitism coming from members of their own party.

No other countries were referenced by Ms. Pressley as a parallel to the horror of the noose and the stain of Jim Crow racism—only the one Jewish state is shoehorned into that mendacious comparison.

On May 13, 2021, in a speech before Congress, Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley compared the Israeli army to the “violent white supremacists” who erected “a noose on the west lawn.” Not the Chinese Army, which rounds up Uyghur Muslims in the dark of night and takes them to slave labor “re-education” camps. Not the Iranian PAVA (security police), who literally use nooses to murder gay people. Not the Pakistani army, which regularly beats and oppresses the Baloch people. No other countries were referenced by Ms. Pressley as a parallel to the horror of the noose and the stain of Jim Crow racism—only the one Jewish state is shoehorned into that mendacious comparison.

Perhaps Ms. Pressley was inspired by fellow Squad member Rashida Tlaib, who just two days earlier, in a speech she gave in front of the State Department decrying Israel’s response to Hamas rocket fire, claimed: “What they are doing to the Palestinians is what they are doing to our Black brothers and sisters here.”

Who is the “they” in this statement? And how is it that Tlaib can claim that the Israeli response to Hamas firing rockets on Israel is connected to the struggles of Black people in the U.S., but cannot be bothered to mention what Turks do to Kurds, what Egyptians do to Copts, or even what Syrians and Lebanese do to Palestinian Arabs?

The answer is that no one in the Democratic leadership challenged her effort to attach the one Jewish state to the more than 400-years of racism in America. Later, on August 1, 2021, in a speech at the 2021 Democratic Socialist of America National Convention, Tlaib took her use of the Jew-hatred incitement formula to the next level when she said:

“We also need to recognize, as I think about my family and Palestine that continue to live under military occupation and how that really interacts with this beautiful black city that I grew up in. … you know, I always tell people cutting people off from water is violence from Gaza to Detroit. And it’s a way to control people, to oppress people. And it’s those structures that we continue to fight against.”

It wasn’t enough that Tlaib attached legitimate clean water concerns in Michigan to the fraudulent claims about Israel denying water to Palestinian Arabs; she took her speech to the Democratic Socialists yet another step further:

“I know that you all understand the structure that we’ve been living under right now is designed by those that exploit the rest of us for their own profit. I don’t care if it’s the issue around global human rights and our fight to free Palestine or to pushing back against those that don’t believe in the minimum wage or those that believe that people have a right to healthcare and so much more. And I tell people, those same people, that if you open the curtain and look behind the curtain, it’s the same people that make money and, yes, they do, off of racism, off of these broken policies. There is someone there making money, and you saw it!”

According to Tlaib, the “they” who keep offering to create the first Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan River, and who have the temerity to fight back when the people who have rejected those offers repeatedly since 1937 try to kill them, are the same people nefariously pulling strings “behind the curtain” to “make money … off of racism.”

Appropriately, Congresswoman Tlaib gave this trope-laden speech in Detroit, where Henry Ford laid the groundwork with his infamous “International Jew” pamphlets, also scapegoating Jews and deploying classic antisemitic tropes about greedy Jews.

Three days later, on August 4, 2021 another Squad member, Cori Bush, took the antisemitic baton from Tlaib, and in a speech before Congress invoked the Jew-hatred incitement formula to blame U.S. aid for Israel for the crime, homelessness and poverty in her hometown of St. Louis. Not the $2 trillion the U.S. spent in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, including over $90 billion for the now defunct Afghan Army. Not the $3 billion per year on average that the U.S. has provided to Egypt and Jordan since 1979. Not the near $35 billion that the U.S. spent just between 2016 and 2019 on U.S. military presence in Japan and South Korea. Nor anything else in the annual federal expenditure of over $5 trillion.

According to Bush, out of the over $5 trillion per year that the U.S. federal government spends, the only part responsible for the problems of crime, homelessness and poverty in her Congressional district is the part that goes toward America’s military aid package with Israel.

The irony is that unlike our aid packages to other countries, almost every dime of the U.S. aid package with Israel is spent in the U.S. on American-made products, and benefits the U.S. in numerous other ways, including shared technological innovations. Blaming the less than one tenth of one percent of the annual budget used in connection with the one Jewish state on domestic problems like homelessness, crime and poverty is a blatant use of the Jew-hatred incitement formula.

As with Pressley’s and Tlaib’s use of the formula, not a single Democratic leader stepped forward to rebuke, let alone formerly censure or sanction, Bush for her overt antisemitism. Instead, most of the Democratic Party leadership is silent in the face of this incitement to Jew-hatred.

When another Squad member, Ilhan Omar, received well-deserved criticism for her use of antisemitic tropes—her “all about the Benjamins” or multiple “dual loyalty” claims, and her recent comparison of Israel to the Taliban (though she has been remarkably quiet about the Taliban lately)—the Democratic leadership in Congress quickly backed down from any effort to censure Omar for hate speech (in contrast with how the Republican leadership responded to Marjorie Taylor Green’s use of antisemitic conspiracy theories).

Even worse, Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi actually supported the dangerous deflection promoted by other Squad members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bush, that people were criticizing Omar because of her gender, faith and ethnicity rather than the inflammatory content of her speech.

Not only is there a Jew-hatred incitement formula, but also there is a different formula for how Jew-haters are treated depending on whether their hate-speech comes from the perceived left or right.

The math is clear. Not only is there a Jew-hatred incitement formula, but also there is a different formula for how Jew-haters are treated depending on whether their hate-speech comes from the perceived left or right.

While David Duke is universally and rightly vilified for his Jew-hatred, Louis Farrakhan’s anti-Jewish remarks and conspiracy theories get a pass from many members of Congress and other so-called progressives who refuse to criticize or distance themselves from him. A Republican Congresswoman who promotes dangerous conspiracy theories about the Rothschilds is sanctioned almost immediately, while the Squad members continue to get a pass for regularly employing antisemitic tropes and using the age-old Jew-hatred incitement formula to blame Israel and the Jews for problems including unclean water, homelessness, racism in America, police brutality, and poverty.

The problem is that whether incitement comes from the left or the right, it always leads to violence against Jews. The political ideology of the person engaging in antisemitism should have no bearing on our response to it. When people believe Jews are a cause of their problems, violence against Jews will follow.

We often hear from many of the same progressives who defend the Squad, that “silence is violence” or “silence is complicity.” They are right. If only they would take their own words to heart when it comes to their own silence in the face of the Squad’s consistent use of the Jew-hatred incitement formula. Hopefully they will do so before the cancer of this incitement spreads any further.

https://jewishjournal.com/commentar...tred-and-their-party-keeps-accepting-it/