Conventional Thinking

You all know I love Joe. And he gave a rousing speech last night. But he also completely gaslit American Jews.

Is he really not aware that antisemitic hate crimes have increased by 50% in NYC, home to the largest population of Jews in America, largely because of the Hamas and Hezbollah supporting anti-Israel Protesters? Does he not know that antisemitism has increased by 900% in America since Oct 7th BECAUSE of these ignorant, hate-fueled, blood libel belching, violent protesters? Is no one telling him what actually went on just outside the Dem convention on the streets of Chicago for the 36 hours preceding his speech?

This is the myopia in the Democratic party and unfortunately, among too many Jewish Americans, as well. Because the threats to Democracy are coming from BOTH the far right and far left. Most importantly, the threat is coming from the youngest generations, who ironically see the world in a falsely binary frame: oppressors vs oppressed, casting the Jews as the villains.

And Joe not only failed to mention those facts, he  encouraged them! No, Joe, for these reasons, they do NOT have a point.

Not once have those protesters, many who can’t vote, won’t vote and who do not consider themselves Democrats called for the hostages to be released. Instead they have called for a GLOBAL INTIFADA – literally the mass murder of ALL Jews. They claim that the atrocities and rapes against Jews were justified. They tell themselves and everyone else lies about Israel and the Jewish people. And sadly, to wrap a bow on it, when polled, they don’t actually care that much about Palestinians.

War is awful. Israel is at war against enemies who want Israel not to exist. All those calling for ceasefire now without calling for hostages to be released and terrorists Hamas and Hezbollah to offer some form of surrender are calling for Israel’s destruction.

Hamas had been planning this war for 10 years and they’re not about to drop it – not to save even one Palestinian life. Not to help get Kamala elected. Not to bring peace. And not to enshrine your great legacy, Joe.

You talked of a woman being murdered in Charlottesville by neo-Nazis. You had most of your life to understand that threat. Jews in America have been murdered by Protesters waving their Palestinian flags this year. Hundreds of American Jews have been violently attacked and injured by these Protesters, including shooting at Jewish children 2 miles from my home.

You saw the neo-Nazis clearly in 2017. It motivated you to run for President in 2020.

But you have done nothing to stop the Islamic influenced Jew-hatred that has come to America now, in 2024. Instead, in one of the most momentous speeches of your over 50 year career, you joined Kamala in empathizing with it.

And then you implied that the hostages – innocents captured by Hamas from their homes, in pajamas,  and from a music festival, mass raped, mutilated and tortured, in the most barbaric attack on Jews since the Holocaust – were in the same category as political detainees in Russia and elsewhere. American hostages included.

It’s ironic. Kamala’s slogan is we won’t go back. Maga wants to go back. But Dems aren’t actually looking forward, either. They’re not doing anything to lead the next generation out of the horrific sickness and Jew hatred that has taken hold of millenials and Gen Z, who by far are now the most antisemitic and anti-Israel generations we have ever seen in America.

Unlike Kamala, Joe, you have fiercely stated that you are a Zionist. And yet, these times call for even more.

Saving democracy will require more courage, leadership, insight and heroism than the Dems have shown so far. I pray to God they get there.

P.S. Joe’s quote, from the song American Anthem, which brought many including me to tears last night, was written by a Jewish American, Gene Scheer:

“The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. What shall our legacy be? What will our children say? Let me know in my heart, when my days are through. America, America, I gave my best to you.”