Why I Stopped Fearing Antisemitism
Sooner or Later, These Racists Will Learn Their Lesson
Antisemitism, like prostitution and Joan Collins, is eternal. It just won’t die. And Joan, if you’re reading this, I hope you never do.
In the aftermath of the October 7th Palestinian Hamas atrocities against Israelis, we’ve seen an incredible outpouring of antisemitic activity around the world. Regular protests, defacings, beatings, harassment, murders, chants and boycotts have hounded Jews from Pico Robertson to Paris’ 3rd, and everywhere in between.
Like many Jews, I’ve been deeply anxious and afraid since those days. Seeing friends and allies suddenly go “full Marx” on us — Karl, not Groucho — has left me with a gnawing concern in the pit of my stomach. My former political “home” — the progressive left — has suddenly found common cause with the neo-Nazi right. Sure, they’ve both always obsessed over thrifting from army surplus stores and skipping leg day, but rarely did they agree so wholeheartedly on one issue:
The Jews are at fault, and they must be punished.
Now, I love an S&M fantasy way more than the next guy, but this isn’t the sexy kind of punishment I had in mind. The left, it seems, thinks we should all leave Israel, renounce our assertive Jewishness, accept that we’re all…
