New in Civitas Outlook: "Anti-Semitism and Anti-Christian Zionism On The Right"

"It is perverse to include Anti-Zionists and cozy up to antisemites."

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We often repeat, reflexively, "Never again." Yet far too many people forget the "again" part. Antisemitism has been with us since the beginning of recorded history. While it is important to study the Holocaust, modern education fixates on that Shoach at the expense of obscuring the long train of hatred towards Jewish people that continues to this day. That education also portrays Jews as victims, and teaches that anything short of mass extermination is not that big of a deal.  I would commend a new op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, titled "Holocaust Education Obscures Antisemitism." It begins:

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jan. 27, it's important to reflect on, mourn and remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis. As time passes and the Holocaust fades further from memory, this somber day grows increasingly important. Yet with antisemitism surging and Jews being murdered in attacks worldwide, it's clear that remembering is no longer enough. If our understanding of Jew-hatred remains locked in the past, there's a risk that current and future forms of antisemitism will spiral out of control.

Today is a very fitting day to publish my new essay in Civitas Outlook, titled Anti-Semitism and Anti-Christian Zionism On The Right. From the introduction:

On the political left, antisemitism has long been cloaked under the garb of anti-zionism. Those advocating for Palestinian rights insist they have no animosity towards Jews, but simply reject Zionism: the belief that Israel is the Jewish state. The defense of Zionism invariably falls to Jewish people, who explained that this purported anti-zionism was little more than a ruse for anti-semitism. And in recent times, Jews found allies on the right with Christians who zealously supported Zionism as both a matter of policy and faith. But a rupture is forming. A rising tide on the right is attacking Zionists and Christian Zionists alike. In every civilization, antisemitism has morphed to match the circumstances of the day on all sides of the political spectrum. Regrettably, this movement to oppose Christian Zionism is little different than left-wing anti-Zionism on college campuses. As the very bounds of conservatism continue to ebb and flow, stark lines are being drawn of how those on the right view Israel and the Jewish people. Conservatives need to account for how this shift is drastically altering American domestic and foreign policy.

It is tempting to start this analysis with Kevin Roberts's ill-fated defense of Tucker Carlson. But we should step back a bit further. It has been widely reported that Carlson did nothing to push back against Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier, when Carlson interviewed him. But Carlson did express some opinions of his own. He described Christian Zionists as a "Christian heresy" whom he "dislikes more than anybody." Among these heretics were Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Senator Ted Cruz, former President George W. Bush, and others. Carlson actually said that Cruz was "serving for Israel." Tucker charged that this Zionism is a "brain virus." The implication was clear: disloyal American Jews have infected Christians to advance Israeli interests over American interests. Stop me if you've heard this trope before.

And from a somewhat hopeful conclusion:

Perhaps there is some room for hope. In a recent interview, the New York Times asked President Trump, "Do you think there's room within the Republican coalition, the Make America Great movement, for people with antisemitic views?" Trump replied, "No, I don't. I think we don't need them. I think we don't like them." Trump is right. It is perverse to include Anti-Zionists and cozy up to antisemites. Christian Zionists should be welcomed, and antisemites excluded. 

Never again means never again.

Comments

[Botaglove]

"Zionism: the belief that Israel is the Jewish state."

THis is not an accurate definition of Zionism. Zionism is the theory that to protect the Jewish people, they must (and have a right to) establish a religious identity state in a particular location, former Palestine, with or without the consent of the people otherwise there.

You can agree or disagree with the prescription but should be reasonably clear as to what you're arguing about.

[Michael P]

"the people otherwise there" -- you mean Arab colonizers who greatly postdate Jewish residency in the area?

[The Margrave of Azilia]

There are plenty of good *secular* reasons to cooperate with Israel on key issues (regional issues, anti-terrorism), and it's not necessary to add dubious theology (Christian Zionism) to the reasons.

While nationalism in general has some bad manifestations, singling out the Jewish variety of nationalism while winking at the others is of course anti-Jewish. So, making out (Jewish) Zionism as some kind of unique evil is beyond absurd. And you don't have to be an actual Zionist (of either kind) to acknowledge this.

I would love to see what happens in an alternate universe where Palestinian (mis)leaders *don't* engage in terrorism or other war crimes to make their points. Would Israel have behaved better toward the Palestinians? I can't travel to that alternate universe, but my best guess is that, yes, Israel and the Palestinians would be getting along much better.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

The best we can say of Israel's Christian minority is that it's treated better than in (say) Iraq or other heckholes. But the various Christian Patriarchs certainly shouldn't be expected to support "Christian Zionism." I don't know these patriarchs and it's possible that some of them are Bad People, but it's also possible that they are simply trying to do what's best for their beleaguered flocks.

[Katall]

Really? You think Israeli Christians are maltreated, but not as bad as in some Muslim countries? What is your basis for this view?

The Israeli government regularly meets with Christians visiting the country. And Christians are a significant part of the tourist economy.

That said, religious minorities have issues in the West Bank, but generally, they are caused by Jewish zealots (who the government now supports).

Are they treated any worse than, say, Jewish people in Mississippi, whose synogogue was torched? Or are they called evil by an Alabama senator as Muslims are?

I would submit that, in Israel, religious minorities are treated better than those in the vast majority of the world.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

"The Israeli government regularly meets with Christians visiting the country. And Christians are a significant part of the tourist economy."

How the Israelis treat Christian *visitors* is not entirely the same issue as how they treat Christian *residents.*

However, I've *already acknowledged* that it's better to be a Christian in Israel than in Iraq or similar heckholes (like Syria), where the longstanding Christian communities are getting driven out.

Should Israeli Christians be Christian Zionists? The used to be under Muslim control, yet the Christian minority weren't expected to be "Christian Arab nationalists." Some of them joined political movements based on Arab solidarity, but now they're losing many of their erstwhile Muslim "partners," who want Muslim-only rule.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

I should say that any previous invitation that the local Christians received to become "Christian Arab nationalists" has become problematic because of loss of support among putative Muslim allies.

They would receive a similar cool reception if they decided to become "Christian Zionists." Of course the Israelis would profess sympathy, but how much of that would translate to practical assistance? And the newly-minted "Christian Zionists" would be expected to adopt a basically Protestant theology, and believe it or not, there are Israeli Christians who are not Protestants.

[Katall]

Well, in an alternative universe, for one, Jordan would be in control of the West Bank and Egypt would rule Gaza. But, most likely, biblical scholarship would have suffered from it.

[hobie]

"singling out the Jewish variety of nationalism while winking at the others is of course anti-Jewish"

Explain. And be very careful when you do.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Let the galled jade wince - I'm sure *you* don't single out Zionism as uniquely evil among nationalisms.

[gormadoc]

"Antisemitism has been with us since the beginning of recorded history."
Recorded history began well before the Israelites existed. The unification of Egypt happened almost two millennia before the word "Israel" existed and was commemorated throughout the First Dynasty in writing and art.

[MarkJawz]

I can understand why nationalists in the West don't want Jews around, as I don't believe Jews are a force for good in the West.

But it doesn't make sense to me why those people would oppose Israel's existence. If Israel exists as a strong and prosperous Jewish state, it's more likely that they'd have somewhere to go if removed, involuntarily or constructively, from other Western nations.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Above I commented that nationalism had its bad side, but that singling out the Jewish variety of nationalism was wrong.

Now MarkJawz comes along to demonstrate my point, that nationalism doesn't have to be Zionistic to have its bad side.

On the contrary, *any* nationalism can have the side-effect of turning non-ethnically-favored inhabitants of the nation-state into "the other" - not fellow-citizens but enemies.

A multicultural republic - if we can manage it - would be far better than an ethno-state. But such idealistic sentiments are no excuse for singling out one particular ethno-state (and its presumptive supporters) for terrorism and other horrors.

[MarkJawz]

I don't think nationalism is bad, either from Western Christians or Israelis Jews.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Posts like yours don't show the goodness of nationalism, they show the *dangers* of nationalism.

[Brett Bellmore]

I think Israel presents two problems for anti-Semites.

1. It's a whole lot of Jews who aren't being subjugated or exterminated. Anti-zionism is an excuse why the mother lode of Jews should get genocided.
2. Israel is visibly such a nice place compared to the general neighborhood, that it really becomes hard to paint Jews as awful. "Look, Jews are so bad that, if they end up in charge you get Israel!"; Just doesn't work does it?

Yeah, if you were some sort of Jewish separatist, who didn't mind Jews so long as they were someplace else, Israel is great. Gives them someplace else to go.

But there really aren't a lot of people who just wants them to be someplace else, without otherwise wishing them ill.

[MarkJawz]

That's a very good point.

But of course, the fact that there aren't a lot of people in such category doesn't mean that that position is illegitimate.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Let's see...you talked about Jews being "removed, involuntarily or constructively" from Western countries. Assuming you live in a Western country, this means you want to denationalize and expel many of your own fellow-citizens on racial and/or religious grounds. That's wishing ill to your own people. What a selective nationalist you are!

[MarkJawz]

Look, I grew up in a Jewish family, and converted to a Protestant denomination when I married my wife decades ago. That gives me special insight as to the way they think. Some people still consider me a Jew, but I don't.

These people are not loyal to America, and never will be. They have such ingrained hatred and distrust for Christianity that they will always seek to undermine any majority culture based on that. Of course, the third world immigrants they seek to use to weaken the majority culture will be worse for them, but they don't see that far ahead.

There was a brief period of time where Jews were generally loyal to America and grateful to be here. During that time, they provided a lot of medical and scientific advances that made America better.

In recent times, most Jewish "business" is rent-seeking in nature, and the money is used to propagate leftist causes. While most white immigrant groups eventually reach a 50/50 political divide, Jews have never done so. The most Republicans can expect from them is 20%. They have shown over the past 100 years that they're so damaged from past discrimination over the millennia that they are not capable of living in the diaspora without feeling and acting like outsiders.

That means they belong in their own place, where they are the majority, and don't belong anywhere else

[Purple Martin]

A "special insight." How special.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

"I grew up in a Jewish family"

So you're not an anti-Semite, you're a self-hating Jew.

It would be in your and your family's interest to be in a country with full Jewish equality. I hate to break it to you, but anti-Semites will see you and your family as Jewish, with all that implies to the anti-Semitic mind.

[MarkJawz]

Or, a third option, I'm not a Jew at all, regardless of what Jews claim about halakha.

I don't care how other people see my birth family, as I haven't had any contact with any of them since I married my "shiksa" wife.

Anyway, America has always been a place with full Jewish equality.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

"Anyway, America has always been a place with full Jewish equality."

Yes, and I appreciate that fact. So should you, since it protects you against anti-Semites who, despite your disclaimers, would regard you as Jewish.

[MarkJawz]

I haven't advocated to remove the legal protections. But I also don't think the Jewish population's propagating of hate whitey nonsense and open borders "because we were once strangers in the land of Egypt" should be tolerated. Everyone, including Jews, should be told that the majority is the majority, and if they don't like it, they can leave, not seek to undermine it from within.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

What exactly do you mean by not tolerating?

[MarkJawz]

I mean, telling them it's unacceptable and that they'll be socially and economically ostracized.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Or - follow me closely here - outvoting them if they have bad policy ideas, and voting with them if they have good ideas. You know, free and open debate.

[MarkJawz]

It's tough when they use their disproportionate share of the country's resources, including financial, media, academic, and corporate, to help push those goals.

I don't think a group that is 2% of the population has a right to be 50% of the country's billionaires, and to use that money for leftist causes.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Does this mean expropriating the property of rich Jews?

You're like a rogue AI programmed to utter all the anti-Semitic tropes.

But if you're human and Jewish, I reiterate that you will be subject to anti-Semitic persecution, if anti-Semites get the power to carry out their ideas. Which God forbid.

[MarkJawz]

Not likely. Who is going to know? Anyway, even if anyone did find out, I'd be valuable as someone who could help subvert from the inside.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

It's sad that I'm having this conversation, but I feel impelled to answer anti-Semites/self-hating Jews, and since I have some time, I'll do my best to do so.

If nobody knows you're Jewish, how could you subvert the supposed Jewish cabal from the inside?

And if you're discovered, do you think the anti-Semites would make careful distinctions among their potential victims?

In the unlikely event they spare *you,* would you be able to persuade them to spare your family?

I don't think you're thinking this through.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

And supposing the anti-Semites capture you, and you protested "wait - I can gather information for you!" do you think they'd even buy it? Would they think they needed to "prove" their delusions with "inside evidence" when they're *already* convinced of their conspiracy theories?

If they wanted you to infiltrate the Jewish community, the information they'd be looking for would be the location of more Jews to persecute. They'd want you to be the basest of informers.

Again, God forbid that American anti-Semites should ever be in a position to enact the persecution scenarios which are so familiar in history.

[MarkJawz]

They wouldn't know, and I'd let them do as they pleased.

Why would I need to convince them to save my family? I haven't spoken to them in decades. Hell, I don't even know where they live and who is alive or not.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Again, I'm deeply saddened to be having this conversation.

All I can say is think of what you're saying - gaze into your inmost heart - pray - and reconsider! I refuse to believe you're as evil as you're representing yourself to be on the Internet.

Did you ever have happy times with your family as a child? Could you think of those happy times instead of your alienation from your family? And then change your mind about all this hate!

Now look, you've made a random Internet commeter (me) cry.

[MarkJawz]

Of course I had some happy childhood memories. Who hasn't?

But I'll never forget not forgive their refusal to accept that I married a Presbyterian girl and converted prior to the ceremony.

That made me realize that I wanted nothing to do with them nor with the Judaism that created them.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

If they did badly, that's on them. I'm sorry to hear it.

But when you start talking like a movie supervillain who is taking out his personal tragedies on the world, that means it's time to rethink. Please. I don't believe this supervillain persona you've assumed is the real you.

[David Nieporent]

So you're not an anti-Semite, you're a self-hating Jew.

Or just a liar.

[MarkJawz]

If you want to see a liar, look in the mirror.

[SRG2]

So you're not an anti-Semite, you're a self-hating Jew.

The opposite of Krusty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0wbApVCWnc

[hobie]

You see, you make the same mistake all the other hayseeds here do. All us Libs want everyone to have a safe home to live in. But when the strong victimize the weak, our liberal sensibilities kick in. So exactly what am I supposed to say or think when I see the state of Israel or it's agents torch an entire village and take from them land that they have owned for a thousand years?

[Daddyhill]

In October, 1973, I flew back to Israel from Greece as soon as flights resumed. The entire first class cabin was full of young, clean-cut Americans singing Christian hymns and praise-type songs. One such guy passed through my coach section, and I asked him what was going on. I gathered that they were a fundamentalist or evangelical group on their way to Jerusalem to be on hand for the apocalypse, which they believed was more imminent than usual. They saw as their Christian duty the conversion of as many Jews as possible before all the unconverted were killed by God or Jesus or Gog or Magog or somebody (I was too tired to figure that out). They were delighted and thankful for the opportunity to serve Jesus, to clear the way for his return.

I didn't realize at the time that these folks were, in effect, what we now call Christian Zionists. They believed that the existence of Israel as a Jewish state is essential to God's plan for the end times. Essential, that is, until the final war begins and all Jews and Muslims are given their last choice: "Your religion or your life." These people don't care very much about Israeli Jews, Christians, and Muslims per se, but only about the roles they are expected to play to help speed up the second coming. I'd like them to be honest about that, if possible.

[Brett Bellmore]

You know, if they didn't care much about them, they wouldn't have any reason to convert them so they'd be saved, right?

[Mitch]

This headline should be rewritten, because "anti-Christian Zionism" looks like Zionism that is anti-Christian, rather than opposition to Christian Zionism.

[Brett Bellmore]

I have to admit I read it that way myself, until I got reading the article.