Not An Easy Time To Be Jewish-American
By Bob Small
It’s not an easy time to be Jewish-American
The theme of members of their religion being blamed for the actions of “their” nation-state continues.
Let’s simplify. Not one of us Jewish-Americans has a direct line to Benjamin Netanyahu nor do any Russian-Americans speak to Vladimir Putin.
The latest local expression of this was Barstool Philadelphia posting a sign reading “F##k the Jews”.
The two employees were fired and Dave Portnoy, the Jewish owner of Barstool, then pledged to send the two customers who ordered the sign to a tour of Auschwitz
“Rather than ruin a couple 20-year-olds lives maybe this can be used as a teaching moment,” said Portnoy.
The customers were later identified as students at Temple University.
Temple University suspended them.
We should add that we don’t believe antisemitism comes from Temple anymore than it comes from from, say, Swarthmore. Nor any less.
The Daily Mail notes that Portnoy credits New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft with the tour of Auschwitz idea. Kraft, by the way, has his own foundation.
In a further complication, Portnoy accused ABC’s Katie Katro of doing a “bait and switch” interview,
There have been other developments since then, which local news is carrying breathlessly.
See also Temple University student suspended after an antisemitic …
We either have a First Amendment or we don’t.
Political speech IS protected speech. Volatile speech IS protected speech. Unpopular speech IS protected speech.
There is no such thing as “hate speech.” That is a construct of so called political correctness designed to chip away at our rights. I firmly and fully reject this.
If we subjectively apply or deny free speech then we are no better than the communists and marxists that seek to destroy us. We will wind up like the UK or worse.
Obviously, Jewish Americans should not be blamed for the actions of Israel, and the sign mentioned in this post is abhorrent. Free speech should be protected, and that includes your and my right to say that we disagree with the sign.
Have you considered the fact that the Israel lobby, along with the U.S. politicians they sponsor, consistently equate Jewish people, including Jewish Americans, with Israel, to the point of saying that criticism of Israel is the equivalent of criticizing all Jewish people?
It seems to me that, if you disagree with the premise that Jewish Americans and the state of Israel are interchangeable, you might wish to conduct a broader examination of why this idea is so prevalent.