David Mills: GOP's Strategic Anti-Antisemitism Will Embolden Hate Groups

No noble cause cannot be hijacked to promote an ignoble one. As I pen this, three university presidents are appearing before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor, discussing their efforts to combat anti-Semitism and safeguard Jewish students and staff at their institutions.

It would seem more credible if this were coming from a president not previously known for opposing anti-Semitism or for confronting members of his own party who endorse such views. Following that, after — The rapper Kanye West/Ye commended Adolf Hitler and stated he was initiating “Level 3 Alert against Jewish individuals,” Donald Trump invited him along with a prominent white supremacist (who we can reasonably presume harbored anti-Semitic views) for a meal at his residence, later describing West as "a truly nice person" with a "kind heart."

It's quite a predicament for Jewish people.

Perhaps he does care about combating antisemitism. However, if this is true, I doubt that addressing antisemitism is genuinely why he and his group have adopted this stance.

Suggesting they pamper and thus promote anti-Semitism serves as an effective strategy to undermine prominent universities and colleges—a substantial institutional entity capable of standing against the president. He dislikes individuals who have the authority to refuse his requests and takes pleasure in overcoming and controlling such entities. Wedge issues that allow him to fracture opposing groups hold particular appeal for him.

Whether sincere or not, these hearings and threats do draw focus to anti-Semitism and (I genuinely hope though I'm skeptical) might render it slightly less socially acceptable than before. However, using this issue for political gains diminishes the gravity of such a profound wrong and merely fuels the resentment and hatred that antisemites have towards Jewish people.

It poses a threat to a small and fragile minority group that should, according to the principles of American liberalism, be safeguarded from hatred. As Rabbi Seth Adelson noted, "There are only about 5 million American Jews, which constitutes just 2.2% of the total population."

A survey carried out by the ADL the previous year revealed that 24% of Americans concurred with at least 6 out of 11 assertions deemed anti-Semitic. This figure serves as an imperfect indicator of antisemitism; however, nobody ought to endorse even a single statement like these. The statistic indicates more than 50 million people in America hold such views. Fifty million! Moreover, the data shows that the proportion rises among younger individuals—their agreement with multiple statements tends to be greater.

Many Jews believe they're in a difficult situation at present," Rabbi Adelson shared with me. As the leader of Congregation Beth Shalom in Squirrel Hill, he elaborated: "One side sees that antisemitic events have surged dramatically following the Hamas assault from October 7, 2023. It feels as though our community has been under constant attack over this past year and a half. Therefore, the focus placed by political figures on curbing antisemitism among students on university grounds is largely welcomed within the Jewish population.

Conversely, we recognize that antisemitism is a issue spanning political boundaries, and the way this age-old prejudice is being exploited for political gain is profoundly troubling.

Encouraged hate groups

Trump and his allies aren’t wrong about the academic world. Many universities failed to protect the Jewish members of their communities, letting pro-Hamas protesters violate campus rules and disrupt campus life.

At places like Columbia and UCLA, the protesters kept “Zionist” and “colonizing” Jewish students out of some parts of campus and verbally and apparently physically threatened many, especially those who challenged them. Many groups of protesters were hate groups, or at least hateful groups. At Pitt, the second of the handwritten “camp rules” for last year’s protest encampment said “Don’t talk to Zionists!” with an arrow pointing to the instruction “[Expletive] pigs!”

Apparently, university administrators failed to grasp the intensity of anger among the protesters and their unwavering belief in their moral superiority—along with the prejudice against "Jews" that numerous radicals harbor, present on both the left and the right, though they seldom get the chance to express it openly. The genuine concern for Palestinians remains questionable. (For what it’s worth, I’m speaking based on personal experiences from my younger years, excluding the issue of anti-Semitism.)

These administrations were equally unaware of how easily the protesters disregarded the fundamental principles of a liberal democracy, which form the foundation of university life. These guidelines, developed partially due to Jewish influence, enabled coexistence among individuals who sharply disagreed over contentious issues like Israel’s stance towards Hamas. The protesters dismissed these norms as oppressive.

Trump’s dangerous game

This leads us back to the perilous game being played by Donald Trump. As Rabbi Daniel Fellman from Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill pointed out to me, "Employing anti-Semitism as a political weapon seems like a significant danger to Jews and Jewish existence in America."

He stated that "it has grown into a significant issue," with one key reason being "its adoption by the political right. These individuals, under the guise of backing a specific presidential candidate, have been ready to receive support from sources previously considered unacceptable. One faction fuels hatred, permits it to thrive publicly, and then attempts to address the problem without acknowledging their role in generating it!"

Jews along with all Americans thrive when we gravitate towards the center and engage in respectful listening. Moving towards extremism adversely affects everyone involved. Currently, Jews are experiencing the repercussions from both ends of the spectrum. In time, I worry that an increasing number of Americans will also endure this suffering. The quicker we can return to the moderate position, the better off we'll be.

David Mills' earlier piece was titled " Donald Trump and the reckless cruelty of ICE .”