There has been no shortage of anecdotal evidence demonstrating how anti-Semitism – among other bigotries – is running rampant among Donald Trump supporters. Indeed, Jewish journalists who cover Trump have seen an incredible surge in anti-Semitic attacks, as have Jewish organizations and individuals, regardless of their political leaning.
In the National Review, Ben Shapiro – who admits he spent his career “arguing that anti-Semitism in the United States is almost entirely a product of the political Left” – recently realized he was wrong after coming out against Trump’s candidacy:
I’ve experienced more pure, unadulterated anti-Semitism since coming out against Trump’s candidacy than at any other time in my political career. Trump supporters have threatened me and other Jews who hold my viewpoint. They’ve blown up my e-mail inbox with anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. They greeted the birth of my second child by calling for me, my wife, and two children to be thrown into a gas chamber.
This isn’t a majority of Trump supporters, obviously. It’s not even a large minority. But there is a significant core of Trump support that not only traffics in anti-Semitism but celebrates it — and god-worships Trump as the leader of an anti-Jewish movement.
I too have been visited by such folks in the past. However, Trump’s “vigorous defense” of his anti-Semitic Star-of-David Tweet has only further emboldened them, as I learned today.
I also learned that white supremacists who cling to Trump are particularly riled by graphics-based humor. Witness my admittedly veiled, yet snarky Tweet:
Now witness a select sampling from my Twitter mentions, which blew up instantaneously as an army of supporters – who rushed to defend Trump’s sullied honor – released a vehemence which would have been upsetting if it weren’t so curious given the context and, well, amusing. You know, in a I-can’t-believe-this-is-real-life sort of way.
And so I present, with snarky commentary, Trump’s Anti-Semities™:
Why are his braces shaped like that? I know of no orthodontist who would approve of such a configuration.
How does he know I enjoy baking, and am a little neurotic about the quality of my oven mitts?
Now this is what we call the research-assistant anti-Semite. He studies names, Yiddish words, and even obscure Jewish rituals, likely from a public-library computer.
Well, I am colonizing the anti-Semitic wing of the Republican Party with snark-settlements. So he’s not wrong.
Why are his hands so small compared to the rest of his body? I’m just asking questions.
I call it the Larry David effect.
Instead of “Make America Great Again,” it’s more like “Make America [Hate] again. Amirite?
Trump is making those who hate feel as though they have been granted sufficient cover to step into broad daylight and expose themselves. And of course, that’s not funny.
Though it is instructive.
As the election intensifies, so too will the hatred coming from the white supremacy wing of Trump’s contingency. Those of us who are Jewish, black, gay, Muslim, Asian, Latino, female, have two last names … must steel ourselves against it. (I often choose humor as a defense.)
However, what we must not do is allow such hate to intimidate us into silence. I never have with regard to my supporting Palestinian rights, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ equality, women’s health … and I sure as hell won’t in my opposition to the hatred upon which Trump feasts.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, published by Oneworld Publications (London).
Follow on Twitter @David_ehg