Just Another Antisemite

(Note.  I had planned on this post being about the war with Iran.  But this one is intervening, because a conservative friend sent me an Instagram post of a guy (I'm reluctant to give his name as I don't want to participate in giving him more hits) who put up a video of Israelis - kids and adults - spitting on and hitting a woman that the guy describes as a Christian.  The discussion follows.)

Needless to say the video was disturbing.  What this Instagram poster does not tell his viewers is that these perpetrators were condemned by Israeli officials and Rabbis.  I know that my Rabbis at Chabad would also condemn the behavior seen on the video.  As would every Jew that I know.  Instead, this antisemite concludes that "Jews are just as filthy and grimy as camel humpers."  

He then says that Jews don't even believe in Jesus.  No, we don't.  And he repeats what some Christians believe - that those who do not believe in Jesus will not get into heaven.  As an outsider to Christianity, that sounds an awful lot like Islamists who insist that you must believe in Allah or else.  Jews do not demand that others believe as we do.  Then, he goes for what he thinks is the jugular - Jews think we are better than other people because we think we are the chosen people.   

Here is my rebuttal.. Let's start with the video.  As I said, it is disturbing.  I would ask this poster if any Christians ever misbehave.  If they ever commit crimes, including rape and murder.  Obviously they do.  Following this guy's reasoning, should we then conclude that all Christians are "filthy and grimy?"  The only way to reach such a conclusion is that either you are a child lacking in the ability to reason, or an antisemite looking for any reason to condemn all the Jewish people.  He is not a child, so...that leaves antisemite.  I've said it many times before - whether antisemitism comes from the Right, the Left or Radical Islam, it's all bad.  In this instance, it comes from the Right.    

As for comparing Jews to Arabs (whom he calls camel humpers), let's take a quick look.  Because he uses the video as evidence that Jews mistreat Christians.  Over the last 50 years, where have Christians thrived in the Middle East?  Iraq?  An estimated 1 million to 1.4 million in the 1980's is now down to 150,000 to 300,000.  No doubt war was a factor.  But ISIS was also, destroying Christian holy sites and murdering Christians.  No surprise that Christians fled.

How about Syria?  Again, a decrease in population from about 1.5 million Christians in the 1970's to 300,000 to 500,000 today.  Why?  With the all the fighting, civil war and the increasing influence of Islamists, Christians fled when they were able.

Lebanon?  Had been a majority Christian country.  Again, a civil war.  Again, Islamists (Hezbollah) taking control of the country.  Again, Christians had to flee.  Now, Christians may make up a third of the population.  How about Nigeria?  While not an Arab country, it has seen the growth of radical Islamists, such as Boko Haram.  And one estimate has over 50,000 Christians being murdered between 2009 and 2023.  

What about Israel?  Given how badly Jews treat Christians according to this Instagram poster (I really do not want to call him an influencer), how much has the Christian population of Israel decreased over the last 50 years?  In the 1970's there were approximately 75,000 Christians in Israel.  As of 2023 there were approximately 185,000 Christians in Israel.  Wait...what?  The Christian population of Israel actually grew by nearly 150%.  How is that possible if Israelis so mistreat Christians?  The answer is Christians are free to practice their religion in Israel.  But this poster took a few bad apples to support his obvious antisemitism.

Let's talk about the "chosen people."  In the Torah (also accepted by Christians) G-d tells Abram (later known as Abraham) to "go to a land that I will show you."  He directs Abram to the land of Canaan (which ends up being the land of Israel).  G-d makes a covenant with Abram and his descendants - the people who will become the Jewish people.  And G-d tells Abram "I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you."  This poster who claims to be a Christian does not seem to know that Christians accept that G-d made a covenant with the Jewish people.

But what does it mean to be "chosen?"  No, it does not mean that Jews are better than others.  We are all G-d's children.  Jews were actually chosen to fulfill G-d's mission here on earth - to be a "light unto the nations."  To bring monotheism into a world that celebrated pagan gods.  And Jews did.  Jews were to bring justice and righteousness into the world.  And we did.  Just think of all of our laws that are based upon the teachings of the Torah, and other Jewish texts such as the Talmud.  Does this mean Jews are perfect?  Obviously not, as perfection does not exist on earth.  

But Jews understand that we were given a burden by G-d - to fulfill his commandments.  And, I'd say the Jewish people have done a pretty good job.  Not perfect, but pretty good.     

(Final note.  There is no room in this post, without it going on forever, to discuss the many ways that Israel has been one of the most, if not the most, stalwart ally of the United States.  Nor is there room to discuss the numerous scientific, medical and technological advances the Jewish people have made to the world.  Just one example - Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin - two men responsible for eradicating polio.  So, this antisemite discussed above can go...you know.)   

"Republicans see hate as a strategy," so says the LA Times

Technically, it was not a Times editorial.  Rather, it was an Op-Ed by Robin Abcarian in the Sunday, March 22, 2026 edition.  But I am familiar enough with the Times to know that their Op-Ed writers are overwhelmingly leftwing.  If the Times felt differently, there would be far more balance in their news articles and Op-Eds.  So, as far as I am concerned, the Times is speaking through these leftwing Op-Ed writers.

Abcarian:  "Who can white people blame now for their woes?  Hey, I know!  How about Muslims?  The election of New York City's first Muslim mayor, a democratic socialist, along with Trump's poorly thought-out war on Iran, has given the bigots in his party a new bogeyman..."  There is so much to discuss in that one paragraph.  But, before I get there, here is Abcarian's proof of her thesis.

Senator Tommy Tuberville:  "The enemy is inside the gates."  Representative Andy Ogles:  "Muslims don't belong in American society."  Representative Randy Fine:  "We need more Islamophobia, not less.  Fear of Islm is rational."  And a Georgia state senator:  "Keep Georgia sharia free."  

So much to discuss (unpack in today's vernacular) in those two short paragraphs.  "White people?"  That sounds racist.  Are all white people the same?  Do all white people feel a need to blame someone?  For what?  Yes, Mamdani was the first Muslim elected to be mayor of NYC.  So what?  Conservatives do not believe in identity politics.  We believe in good values, in American values not socialism, and oppose antisemitism.  As for the quotes from elected officials?  I will assume for this discussion that she is accurately quoting them, and not taking them out of context.  I would make one modification:  "radical Muslims," and therefore "radical Islam."  (The discussion regarding "Trump's poorly thought-out war on Iran" will be covered in the next post, in connection with an editorial in the 3/22/2026 NY Times.)

So let's talk about Mamdani.  I've said much of this in prior posts, but it bears repeating as the assertion by Abcarian is that Republicans hate Mamdani because he is a Muslim.  Speaking for myself, I hate him because I believe he is an antisemite.  (I've said the same about Tucker Carlson, who, as far as I know is a Christian and not a Muslim.)  I also believe he hates America.  Mamdani refused to condemn the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 10/7/23.  (He may have done so much later for political purposes.)  Men, women and children brutally raped and murdered.  Americans in Israel murdered and kidnapped.  The worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and Mamdani could not bring himself to issue an immediate condemnation.

What else has Mamdani done?  He refused to condemn the genocidal phrase "globalize the intifada," yet ironically accused Israel of genocide.  Clearly genocide by his fellow Muslims against Jews does not concern him.  He reversed orders of Mayor Adams that: prevented city agencies from supporting BDS (the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement against Israel); used the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitsm; and Mamdani removed extra security around synagogues in NYC.  Then, we have his willingness to order the NYPD to arrest Israeli P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters NYC.  How about arresting Putin for starting two wars against Ukraine, and targeting so many civilians?

Mamdani's wife is an equally detestable person.  After 10/7, she "liked" various posts.  One approved of "resisting apartheid since 1948."  After 2000 years, Israel again became a country in 1948.  What apartheid in 1948?  Israel was immediately attacked by the Arab world in an effort to eliminate the brand new country and kill all the Jews.  She approved of the false allegations that Hamas terrorists did not rape and sexually mutilate Israelis, calling it a "hoax."  She also approved of posts saying that "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free."  From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is what that phrase means.  It also means there would be no more Israel.  And, to clarify, there was never an actual country called Palestine. 

But, Abcarian did not see fit to mention even one of the antisemitic, and anti-American, words and actions by the Mayor and his wife.  Because isn't it so much easier to just accuse white Republicans of being bigots.  I'll say it:  Sharia law has no place in American society.  Unless you believe in the subjugation of women and lack of religious freedom.  Fear of radical Islam is rational.  The FBI just announced that the recent attack on the largest synagogue in Michigan was, in fact, a terrorist attack inspired by the radical Islamist group Hezbollah.  Just one of many recent attacks on Americans by radical Islamists.  So that fear is quite rational.  

And what does Abcarian's article say about the Los Angeles Times?  What does it say about a newspaper that sees no problem in allowing an Op-Ed to be published when that article has such glaring omissions of such salient facts?  I think it is just another example of why the mainstream media is so untrustworthy.  And why Trump rightfully calls them the "fake news media."