The writing on the wall: Being a Jew in Trumpland
Melanie Steinhardt comforts Becca Richman at the Jewish Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia. Police say more than 100 tombstones were vandalized a week after a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis was also desecrated. DOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images
It started during the presidential campaign with anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish journalists, but since Donald Trump’s election the ripples of hatred have turned into a giant wave. In a special coast-to-coast project, Yedioth Ahronoth presents excerpts demonstrating the extent to which American Jews have become consumed with trepidation and who are beginning to realize that ‘never again’ is a very fragile phrase in the current climate.
Local television channels in the United States were flooded with footage of small children holding the hands of adults walking next to them and trying to catch up with them. The adults, meanwhile, were trying to get the little ones to walk a bit faster, without making them panic. From North Carolina to Maryland, from Alabama to Rhode Island, thousands of children were evacuated from at least 12 Jewish community centers and schools.
t was the fifth wave in a month and a half of telephone bomb threats against Jewish centers. Only one day earlier, desecrated headstones were discovered in Philadelphia’s Jewish cemetery .
A week earlier, vandalized gravestones were discovered in the St. Louis Jewish cemetery . Several days prior, dozens of Jewish centers were evacuated. A week earlier, swastikas were taped to the front doors of a synagogue in downtown Chicago, and swastikas were scrawled on the windows of a New York City subway train.
The day before that, and a day after, and pretty much every day since the change of administration in the US, America’s Jews have been facing provocations and insults which they never thought they would experience there, in that enlightened democracy.
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It started during the presidential campaign with anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish journalists, but since Donald Trump’s election the ripples of hatred have turned into a giant wave. In a special coast-to-coast project, Yedioth Ahronoth presents excerpts demonstrating the extent to which American Jews have become consumed with trepidation and who are beginning to realize that ‘never again’ is a very fragile phrase in the current climate.
In the middle of the week, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a new security advisory to workers and visitors of Jewish institutions. This followed 90 bomb threats in a week and a half, including one threat directly against the ADL headquarters in New York, although they all eventually turned out to be false threats. It began during the presidential campaign, when Jewish journalists were the main victims of anti-Semitic harassment, whether on social media or in emails with images of ovens.
But since Donald Trump’s election—after gaining the support of neo-Nazi organizations, leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and the new generation of white supremacists—the ripples of anti-Semitism have turned into a big wave .
But since Donald Trump’s election—after gaining the support of neo-Nazi organizations, leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and the new generation of white supremacists—the ripples of anti-Semitism have turned into a big wave .
The inclusion of Steve Bannon and his support by Donald Trump in the White House make the White Supremacists and other Anti-Semitic groups feel like they have friends "on the inside" and that gives them courage to operate more openly and with less fear. They feel like they have permission now to increase their activities with less fear.
The inclusion of Steve Bannon and his support by Donald Trump in the White House make the White Supremacists and other Anti-Semitic groups feel like they have friends "on the inside" and that gives them courage to operate more openly and with less fear. They feel like they have permission now to increase their activities with less fear.
I think you're exactly right.
We've always had an occacional bigot committing acts of violence, but the fact that trump was elected president makes his views carry more weight-- he really has encouraged the crazies to act boldly.
This should not come as a surprise. The writing has been on the wall for awhile now.
I had heard of one or two incidents, but had not realized how widespread this had become as a result of Trump's continuing hate-mongering.
What I find interesting is that some Jews refuse to see the connection between Trump and the uptick in antisemitism. How quickly some forget about the horrors that antisemitism produced.
Liran Braude, an ADL employee: 90 threats in 2 months
The place: San Diego, California. The time: February 27, 2017. The incident: Bomb threats.
“Today, Monday, we received a threat that bombs and explosive charges had been planted in Jewish centers. This is the fifth time that we have received such terror threats. At first, the threats were mostly made against the JCC (Jewish Community Centers), but today threats were also directed at a Jewish school. In total, some 90 terror threats have been received so far in 55 Jewish centers in a short period of about two months. This is a rough estimate. It’s very likely that there will be further warnings.
Karin Warsha, a housewife: Not the last time
The place: The Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The time: February 26, 2017. The incident: Gravestone vandalism.
“I arrived at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery after hearing a report on TV that 75 to 100 gravestones had been vandalized. My grandfather is buried there, and I wanted to see if his grave was damaged as well. I was glad to discover that his gravestone was not damaged, but I feel terrible that so many headstones were toppled and graves were damaged. I don’t cry easily, but when I got there and saw the destruction, I couldn’t stop crying. I don’t understand what the people who did this want from the dead. What did they ever do to them?
“Only a week ago, we heard about what happened in the Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, and now it’s happening here. Who would have thought? I’m shocked. I’m afraid that this is not the last time we will hear about gravestones being smashed, because as soon as it happens once or twice, it creates a chain reaction and pushes other anti-Semites to act the same way.”
I don’t understand what the people who did this want from the dead. What did they ever do to them?
Their irrational fear and hate has made them sick in the mind. They are the true sub-humans among us.
"I don’t understand what the people who did this want from the dead. What did they ever do to them?"
Perhaps they just enjoy seeing the kind of picture that accompanies this article.
Anti-Semitism in North America has existed since long before I was born, and that was 80 years ago. For a while it settled down to quiet conversations in safe places (watch the movie "Gentleman's Agreement") perhaps due to hate crime legislation, but now, with even Jewish organizations supporting the demise of Israel through such organizations as BDS, J-Street, Jewish Voice for Peace, followers of Noam Chomsky, and increasing harrassment of Jewish students on campus, etc. and those who false flag to discredit your elected POTUS it has now opened up and blossomed, so to speak.
and those who false flag to discredit your elected POTUS
These are not false flag attacks-- they are real. And neither were the attack on these Indian-Americans.
Sure there's always been anti-Semitism in the U.S.-- but its skyrocketed since Trump's election.
But i'm surprised that you are echoing Trump & David Duke's propaganda:
Trump echoes David Duke, reportedly suggests Jews are behind threats to Jewish schools
During a meeting with state attorneys general on Tuesday, President Trump reportedly suggested the repeated bomb threats against Jewish community centers and schools around the country in recent weeks could be false flags.
Those comments echo former KKK Grand Wizard and outspoken Trump fan David Duke, who has been pushing the false flag conspiracy theory.
Buzz-- I am a bit surprised at your admiration of someone like Trump-- but even more so that you are apparently taken in by David Duke. here's a recent twet of his-- which apparently you agree with...?
________________________________________________________________
President Trump, do you think it might be the Jews themselves making these calls to get sympathy to push their ethnic agenda? @ POTUS https:// twitter.com/NBCNews/status /834064422897332226 …
Buzz,
I have to agree with Krish here. There has only been one known false flag known to the authorities, since Trump's election. The who did these acts might answer the why, but that is not known at this point.
I tried to amend what I said but I was too late. I didn't realize I had posted that version of what I wanted to say, went to eat lunch and then was surprised to see it had been posted. Anyway, in my amended version I wanted to say that IMO Trump's wishy-washy statements about anti-Semitism were I am sure a big disappointment to the Jewish community, because it deserves a really effective statement and an actual war to be declared and carried out against hate crimes, rather than the "I don't know if it's really a hate crime" attitude that seems to exist today (unless, of course, it's Islamophobia, in which case everyone needs to shake in their boots.)
Birds of a feather:
President Trump will hold a rally in Nashville on Wednesday, March 15th. #MakeAmericaGreatAgan #Tennessee #TrumpRally
Trump supporters call for ‘liberal genocide’ and deportation of Jews at Arizona Rally
Rawstory, Kavika? Really? You use them as a source of the unvarnished truth? That undermines your credibility on this story.
Anyone can say they support someone else. That doesn't make them a close confidant, advisor or anything like that. It's sad that people are willing to take clickbait like that as the real thing.
Too bad that you can't accept that it really happened Spike. Attack the source is your best defense?
Sounds like a lot of deflection to me. But play it the way you want.
BTW, your credibility isn't at the top of the list.
Did you bother to watch the video, Spike?
As usual no one addressed my questions in the comment above. I have to say it is hard to accept so many intelligent people can be so ignorant. I mean look at this.
Buzz,
I have to agree with Krish here. There has only been one known false flag known to the authorities, since Trump's election. The who did these acts might answer the why, but that is not known at this point.
Should the name be changed from "The Newstalkers" to something more appropriate?
Out of all the reports of bomb threats and the destruction of the grave sites, which I abhor, no matter who the perpetrators or victims are, what is that false flag? Was it this one?
Tombstones damaged at New York cemetery not vandalism, say police
Mon March 6, 2017
(CNN) Authorities have determined that tombstones disturbed at a historic Jewish cemetery in New York this weekend were damaged by environmental causes and not by vandalism.
liberals keep getting arrested for these acts of hate but the blind fool keep blaming Trump.
No, anarchists (and some libertarians) keep getting arrested for these acts of hate but the blind fool keep blaming liberals.
That's what your statement should have said.
From what has been discovered as far as I know, none of these incidents have been committed by anyone who would support Trump. If there are some show them to me. We want to know who they are.
Not too long ago it was reported some KKK literature was being put on some people's doors south of Charlotte. They stopped that crap right away.
And how many of these Trump supporters do you see cheering this man?
"(CNN)Authorities have determined that tombstones disturbed at a historic Jewish cemetery in New York this weekend were damaged by environmental causes and not by vandalism."
I guess there was an earthquake in New York.
That's awful convenient (suspect). I wonder just who determined that it was environmental and maintenance issues? It says that the NYPD task force after consulting with the cemetery management, made this determination. Did they call in geologists and hydrologists to figure this out, or did the conversation go something like..."it would be in everybody's interests to blame this on an accident or something".
Interesting fun fact, I worked at the cemetery in Grand Forks, ND for three years. I was in my early twenties and was in great shape,,,,very hard work. I would like to see the cemetery in the article myself, those stones are M*F'n heavy as shit, and they move and land with a very certain characteristic. I have never seen so many stones move so dynamically and quickly with out moving water or tornado type wind.
I smell bullshit.
“When you see dozens of tombstones, you can’t ignore it,” councilman David Greenfield said. “When you see a hole in the fence where there used to be barbed wire, you can’t ignore it.”
Hikind released a statement Sunday casting doubt on the NYPD investigation.
“More than 40 headstones were overturned. These stones were all in the same section where barbed-wire had been cut. Despite the fact that there are thousands upon thousands of graves stretching over many blocks, this was the only section where gravestones had been turned over. This area is less than 5% of the total cemetery grounds,” Hikind said.
“So strong winds hit this section and left the other ones alone? I find that hard to believe. Something is definitely not kosher.”
There has been a rash of vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and 122 bomb threats against Jewish organizations in three dozen states since early January.
The NYPD said anti-Semitic hate crimes are up 94 percent this year. Overall in New York City, hate crimes are up 55 percent this year.
~LINK~
A bunch of media hype over a few pranks. Nothing compared to the real violence problem of black on black crime the nation really faces. If I was a Jew I wouldn't worry about it.
The hatred is palpable … the denials and equivocations, nauseating.
Fucking losers who need scapegoats to justify their own failures, disappointments and rejections in life, are grist for the mill of tyrants and politicians who rise to power by sucking up to racists, xenophobes, anti-semites, misogynists and haters of all stripes.
What sort of piece-of-excrement gets off by knocking over gravestones? And what sort of ass wipe tries to rationalize such acts, looks the other way and/or tries to minimize its significance?