To change people’s attitudes against antisemitism in America, “We the People” must unite right away.
Neither in my public nor private life have I encountered antisemitism. Because of this, I’m surprised by the recent outbreaks of anti-Semitic violence and am left wondering if my descendants will experience the same kind of freedom that brought my ancestors to this country.
The most objective proof that I have never experienced antisemitism in my life is my political career. The percentage of Jews in Connecticut was never much higher than 2 percent throughout the 40 years that I served in state and federal posts, chosen by my fellow citizens. Put another way, the vast majority of the votes I earned in each of those elections came from non-Jews. I never once encountered a trace of antisemitism in any of my initiatives.
I was pleased to be chosen by Al Gore in 2000 to be his running mate—I was the first American Jew to be selected on a national ticket by a major party. Not once did I encounter antisemitism. For the first time in American history, a Jewish candidate ran on a ticket that garnered 545,000 more votes than the other. That was a wonderful testament to the equity of American voters as well as to Al Gore, who had the guts to ask me to run alongside him and break through a barrier because he believed in the potential of the American people.
DC residents claim that anti-Semitism is growing worse as more “scary” and “shocking” incidents are reported.
People used to ask me in the years following the 2000 election if I was shocked that there was no antisemitism throughout that national campaign. In response, I said that I was appreciative but not shocked, as it was my experience in Connecticut. Though history has shown me that there were antisemites in America, I would always counter that they were under pressure to remain silent because of the country’s strong national character, which rejected bigotry.
Antisemitism has increased in America in recent years, which indicates a significant shift. Public displays of anti-Semitic sentiment have escalated since the start of the Gaza conflict.
Jewish students have been frightened into silence or driven into hiding on college campuses. At a Los Angeles pro-Israel demonstration, a Jewish man gets hit in the head and perishes. Horrible antisemitic epithets have been yelled during public gatherings, inscribed on walls, and penned on posters carried during protests. Furthermore, the presidents of three prestigious American colleges were unable to convince a congressional committee that acts of bullying and harassment on campus are at least as unacceptable as demands for the murder of Jews.
How could such unthinkable things that happened in the past occur in America?
The unexpected rise in antisemitic incidents in our nation could be one reason for this. Indeed, a study conducted early last year by the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League raises the possibility that this is the case. It discovered that 20% of Americans—nearly twice as many as those identified in a 2019 NORC poll—believe in antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes. However, I don’t think that adequately clarifies the current situation.
A DEBATE ABOUT FREE SPEECH ON THE INTERNET RESULTING FROM THE SURGE OF “PRO-TERROR,” ANTISEMITIC CONTENT ONLINE
The most likely reason for the rise in antisemitism is the deterioration of our prior national consensus against such hatred, which has, in my opinion, occurred as a result of the rise of hate-filled dark web sites and a general decline in decency in speech and conduct in our nation.
What steps can we take to address those root problems and restore national cohesion and respect for one another?
The greatest way to combat the hate that is spread online would be for internet service providers and social media platforms to either self-regulate or shut down the websites that support this intolerance. If that fails, Congress and government agencies need to figure out constitutional means of preventing the incitement of hatred, including antisemitism, on the internet.
It will be considerably harder to reverse the rising rudeness in our society.
The post-World War II decades when I grew up marked a significant shift in American attitudes. Their foundation was “the Judeo-Christian ethic,” especially the Golden Rule, which states that we should not do or say anything about another person that we would not want done or said about ourselves. Both the entertainment industry and political leaders exhibited these ideals in the way they interacted with each other and in the products they provided to the general public.
Exclusive: AT A REMARKABLE UNIVERSITY, THE ADVOCACY GROUP DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY AND ANTISEMITISM INVESTIGATION
However, our traditional faith-based ideals became less relevant over time as society changed. Politicians also changed the way they spoke, and the entertainment industry did the same with their output. The speech and actions of many of our leaders, most notably the former president Trump and politicians from the fringes of both major parties, such as the so-called left-wing “Squad” Democrats and certain right-wing Republicans like Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have reached a peak in recent years in terms of their lack of discipline and civility. I’m not claiming that President Trump is antisemitic, but his careless words and those of far-left and far-right politicians have undermined the limits on the public statements and conduct of the American people.
Laws by themselves won’t be sufficient to address this source of hate. To put an end to the hatred that is weakening and separating our nation, “we the people” must make personal decisions to control our words and behavior. These decisions must come from the leaders of our government, the entertainment sector, and social media. Demanding such modifications from the media, news, and entertainment websites we visit is a good idea. If they refuse, we should carefully evaluate our options.
Voting for or against candidates in elections should take into account not just their stance on policies, but also their speeches and manners, namely whether or not they treat their colleagues and people with decency and respect.
The Jewish community in America is more prepared than ever to put up a strong battle against the growing antisemitism. Actually, the community has responded to the rise in anti-Semitism with strength, bravery, and unprecedentedness thus far.
The majority of American Jews appear to understandably view current events as a post-Holocaust “Never Again” moment. Either out of fear of antisemites or because they think anti-Semitism will eventually fade away, they will not remain silent and passive.
Both of those reactions have failed in the face of such hatred in the past, history tells us.
Today’s Jewish Americans are fighting and defeating the present wave of antisemitism wherever it manifests by utilizing the power and influence they have earned in this incredibly free nation. Their response is noteworthy historically because of this. In all the diaspora, where Jews have faced threats, nothing like this has ever occurred.
But just as African-Americans alone cannot end racism, women alone can end gender bias or sexual assault, or LGBT Americans alone can put an end to hatred based on sexual orientation, so too cannot an aroused Jewish-American community combat antisemitism without the support of the broader American community. Christians might also use supporters in the fight against the prejudice they frequently encounter in popular culture.
Fighting hatred against any subgroup that it targets will require the widest coalition of Americans to unite. That is undoubtedly what each of us is expected to do by our common national beliefs.
I have long held the opinion that this period of Jewish history is the best ever to be a Jew because of the unparalleled freedom, inclusion, and opportunities Jews have experienced in America, the most powerful country in the world, as well as the restoration of Jewish sovereignty in Israel and the creation of a vibrant, democratic, and diverse nation in its ancient homeland.
Can I still make the case that being Jewish is better than it has ever been?
I think I can, but I also worry that it won’t last unless we, the 80% of Americans who reject antisemitic conspiracy theories and stereotypes, can persuade the 20% who do to change their ways, or if that doesn’t work, force them back into the dark caverns where they have kept their prejudices hidden for the majority of American history.
