Antisemitic tropes cited by the Texas synagogue hostage-taker have deep roots

[Behind the Aegis]

Malik Faisal Akram’s decision to take four hostages at a Texas synagogue left many wondering: Why Colleyville? Why the Beth Israel Congregation?

The 44-year-old British citizen chose the small, tightknit congregation, according to his hostages and those who heard him on the live stream of Saturday services, because he saw it as the closest gathering of Jewish people to a federal facility in Fort Worth where a convicted terrorist was being held.

Akram wanted the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman serving an 86-year sentence in federal prison in Fort Worth for trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. And he apparently thought the Jewish worshipers assembled for the Sabbath could make that happen — drawing upon centuries-old antisemitic tropes and conspiracies that Jews secretly control the moves of politicians and manipulate world events to their advantage.

Akram told the assembled that he chose to attack a synagogue because “America only cares about Jewish lives,” according to Beth Israel member Stacey Silverman, who viewed the online Shabbat service.

“He even said at one point that ‘I’m coming to you because I know President Biden will do things for the Jews. I know President Trump will do things for the Jews,’ ” Jeffrey Cohen, one of the hostages, told CNN. Akram “came here, he came to us, he terrorized us, because he believed … these antisemitic tropes that the Jews control everything, and if I go to the Jews, they can pull the strings,” Cohen said.

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[Demovictory9]

1. I'll post this here: Woman spits on 8 year old after making anti jewish remarks, New York

They'll catch her fast walking racist ass... nice clear pictures

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/woman-caught-on-video-spitting-on-8-year-old-child-after-making-anti-jewish-statements/vi-AASUwyp

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Great article

We have to "hear" ourselves.

The belief that Jews have too much power over world affairs can also be found on the far-left, Feldman said, particularly when Jewish people are blamed — and at times violently attacked — for actions taken by the government of Israel.

‘Being Jewish and alive shouldn’t be a miracle’: World reacts to Texas synagogue attack
While examples of antisemitic violence attract national attention, “most antisemitism is not violent,” Feldman said. “Most antisemitism crops up in … comments, or slurs, or stereotypes … discrimination and so forth.”

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[Hortensis]

4. For context, Jews are @ 0.19% of the world's population, @2% of ours,

and were about 1% of Germany's pre- Holocaust.

This Jewish threat stuff is about as rational as Alabamans worrying about Shariah law.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. This times 10

I also find it disturbing when people on the Left try to tie treatment of Palestinians to Americans who descend from enslaved people.

Our experiences as descendants of slaves and our enemies in America - are the same as Americans who are Jewish. The KKK and American White Supremacists hate us both.

The same people in America who benefit from our oppression within the USA - are the same people abroad who will throw both black Americans and Jewish Americans under the bus. "They never lift a finger to help our groups.

In this time - the Black/Jewish coalition must be built back up again.

[Hortensis]

6. Yes, white nationalists hate both black and Jewish Americans.

Nasty creeps that they are. Of course, bigotry is a personality trait that can be targeted at any group or number of groups by someone who has it. Thus, bigotry against any group raises the likelihood that there may be other, more hidden, biases. Some people have the notion that only bigotry against blacks is unacceptable, all other bigotries okay, not realizing what they may be exposing.

Unfortunately, LW antisemitism has been rising with RW -- again. It's not new; today's is just the latest in a very long history of tandem rises and long precedes the current excuses that antisemites use as cover. RW antisemitism, like racism against blacks, of course is far more virulent, and violent, and doesn't bother with excuses.

WaPo: Antisemitism on the left is subtler than on the right. But it’s getting worse.... Last week, however, the Sunrise Movement inadvertently alerted us all to another change in the climate: a slow but steady, unmistakable rise of antisemitism among progressive groups. ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/10/27/antisemitism-left-rising/

I believe very on point, though, research has confirmed that LW authoritarianism is real and that LW and RW authoritarians are very similar in many respects. Research had already shown that LW and RW populists are extremely similar, and there's a great deal of overlap between the populist and authoritarian subgroups. We've seen the ugly similarities in the use of extreme lies about Democrats by both groups, attempts to overthrow elections by both groups, and chants of "lock her up" among both -- all in anti-democracy support of their leaders and all conforming to the description below:

British Psychological Society on LW authoritarianism: "However, there were a lot more similarities between the two groups than differences. So much so, that it seems there is a shared constellation of traits “that might be considered the ‘heart’ of authoritarianism”, the team writes. These shared traits include (and again, I’ll quote directly from the paper): a “preference for social uniformity, prejudice towards different others, willingness to wield group authority to coerce behaviour, cognitive rigidity, aggression and punitiveness towards perceived enemies, outsized concern for hierarchy and moral absolutism.”

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/10/01/left-wing-authoritarianism-is-real-and-needs-to-be-taken-seriously-in-political-psychology-study-argues

From a think tank specializing in national security studies for Israel:

Antisemitism has been significant in American left-wing movements since their emergence in the nineteenth century. It was, however, much more strident on the far left—in the Communist Party, among Trotskyites, and in the New Left of the late 1960s and early 1970s. In recent decades, antisemitism has penetrated the liberal mainstream and has become normalized within the principal moderate socialist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America.

Yes, people should consider the source for that last, but also consider what a thing that is for anyone to be able to say about the DSA, who many here say they admire. We know the statement is somewhat true. Is it just plain true? IS antisemitism normalized in the DSA? Noting that some on the left often express admiration of DSA-affiliated politicians who've been accused of public antisemitic behaviors.

[JustAnotherGen]

7. Wonderful post and links

I'm glad you posted about the DSA. The behavior and language of one Congress Woman in particular is why I'm supporting her challenger in this year's primary. In particular, her analogies between Palestinians and Black Americans is unacceptable. Language about 'them/them' pulling the strings are flat out tropes used against Jews for centuries.

In my opinion - it was an effort to gin up anti Jewish sentiment in Americans who are black. Never forget - Americans who are Jewish activists represented a disproportionate number of white people in the Civil Rights movement. Americans who are Jewish made up half of the young people who participated in the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964.

That Congresswoman needs to understand - My Americans who happen to be Jewish and the hatred enacted upon them in this country, outweigh her friends in a foreign country.

[Hortensis]

11. My opinion also, including trying to weaponize race and religion

to splinter people in and away from the Democratic Party. As before, but like so much else these days hyperenergized, sowing the wind TO reap the whirlwind we all see forming.

Putin said in 2016 that Russia would work to unite RW white nationalist and LW anti-establishment populists to defeat Democrats -- and with us the U.S.'s ability to stop Russia's hegemony. Destructive populists flooded into and took over farther-left organizations like the DSA just as they did RW churches and others. And here we are.

Regarding race/religion, etc, DUers should remember that regarding race, populists tend to draw people who are both "progressive" economically (they want government to serve them) and socially conservative (uh-oh). Proportions vary according to the movement, but all draw a lot of people with socially conservative tendencies. And that affects what members of LW populist movements want, specifically regarding other groups like America's blacks, nonwhite Hispanics, Jews, etc.

Look at what they do, not what their leader says.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. "the Black/Jewish coalition must be built back up again."

I can only say, "AMEN!"

When looking at the "mission statements" of various hate groups, two groups are almost always mentioned specifically, Jews and Blacks! These groups, of course, hate others, but our two communities are always at the top of the list. As small as our respective communities are, together, I feel we would be a larger force than they.

Anti-Semitism, as you know, is frequently brushed under the rug until something like the event last weekend happens, and even then, it usually is muddied with other issues and the real issue, anti-Semitism, gets pushed to the wayside. Attack Jews in a synagogue on the Sabbath while demanding the release of a terrorist who attacked Israelis and made anti-Semitic comments? Well, it may not be anti-Semitism.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. Yeah - I've had just about enough of that

It's enough.

I'm calling as I see it - and shunning folks going forward who deny it. . . same way I do those who deny racism towards blacks, Asians, Latinos, Indigenous, Muslim, etc. etc.

When we IGNORE the truth, the lie enables the hateful. Average Germans in the Weimar republic fell for - well it's not about 'the Jews' its about . . . and look what happened.

[Hortensis]

12. Hear, hear! My husband's Jewish. I'm not confused.

Not when people and their (especially repetitive) behaviors are part of a stew of beliefs and alliances that's been growing antisemitism and is not innocent.

[PCIntern]

9. But... But... But...

The FBI guy said it had nothing to do with the people being Jewish… How could it be?

It was like when the terrorists were in India at that hotel and went to a store as well owned by Jews and people were saying it was a random selection of stores. I would like to know the percentage of retail establishments in India owned by Jews. Just bad luck I guess…

[Budi]

13. K & R & Thank You for your OP. We are right to speak & name those who promote antisemitism

It is often found wrapped in subtle but well pointed statements.

There is no more hiding from it.
They will be named.

Max Berger
Waleed Shahid
Cenk Uyger
Saijat Chakrabarti
Zack Exley
Pete Thiel
Congressmembers
E t.c....

[JustAnotherGen]

14. Waleed Shahid - that guy

In particular - is insidious. He's Thiel's *Martha*. Hat tip to Atwood for the analogy.

[Budi]

15. He also organizes the Sunrise Movement antics, with camera ready photo shoots

Waleed also writes the scripts that get sent out in mass email fundraisers with every political name attached.

This is why alll their anti-Democratic fundraising Emails sound exactly the same.

From Nina Turner to Elected officials.
They are scripted by Waleed Shahid & as attachments. All he does is write the script & hit 'send', in their names.

That's Antisemetic Waleed Shahid.

The others I listed are as corrupt.

[Yandex]

16. Diversity is out strength! n/t