Accusing leftists of anti-semitism is now the default response

Remember when Bernie Sanders, and all of his fans, were anti-semites? To say that these accusations were in bad faith is an understatement.

President Donald Trump — who earlier in December implied Jews would vote for him because they are greedy and love money — has personally and shamelessly used Omar’s mistakes to justify brazen Islamophobia...
in the Washington Examiner, Tiana Lowe claimed Sanders' campaign was "the most anti-Semitic in decades." (Lowe is not Jewish, and online she has boasted about her Balkan Chetnik grandfather. The Chetniks collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.)

The smears against Sanders are especially frustrating because they are themselves often based in anti-Semitic assumptions and reinforce anti-Semitic tropes. For example, Lowe's article qualifies Sanders' Judaism, saying that he is merely "ethnically Jewish." This is a way to imply Jewish people who aren't religious are not quite authentically Jewish.

It would be a mistake to think that this is limited to the United States. In Britain the accusations of anti-semitism became fully weaponized. The source of the accusations here wasn't so much the Tories (although the Tories fully engaged in throwing around the accusations), but from the center-right of the UK Labour Party.

the OULC has been at the centre of a bitter struggle between pro- and anti-Corbyn factions of the party’s youth wing. The composition of the OULC was transformed by Corbyn’s leadership campaign and subsequent victory. The Labour Right was demoted almost overnight to minority status, and it is from this aggrieved quarter that many of the allegations of antisemitism against left-wing OULC members have issued.

Neoliberals didn't hide the fact that they would rather lose the elections, and even cripple the party, than win with Corbyn.

Why do I bring this up now?
Because another center of neoliberalism is threatening to vote in a leftist.

Chilean Communist Party candidate Daniel Jadue has emerged as the shock front-runner ahead of November’s presidential elections, with a number of polls predicting he could sweep to power.
...
It follows a recent Panel Ciudadano survey, carried out by the Universidad del Desarrollo, which found that Mr. Jadue would win in all possible scenarios, including run-offs against his two closest rivals.

This is an amazing development, and it has caused a most predictable response.

We do not support Daniel Jadue, not because he is a communist, but because he is an antisemite.

Already as a young university student, he prioritized his entirely legitimate support for the Palestinian cause over the necessity of overthrowing the Pinochet dictatorship. We have witnessed how he has constantly harassed Jewish activists and those who disagree with him with regards to Jewish issues. He’s been crassly disrespectful to Israeli diplomats and is constantly reproducing well-known antisemitic slurs.

It's important to remind everyone that this isn't the first time that a leftist in Chile was accused of anti-semitism. The first time was in 1973.

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that the antichrist would twist every virtue into it's opposite. My first thought was "the final solution to the Palestinian problem." Then I reached puberty and discovered carceral feminism.
Just in case anyone was wondering why I hate identity politics so much.

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On to Biden since 1973

There is no way someone with an ounce of compassion can not see that what the Palestinians are going through is terrible. So this is a political test to see if you can pretend to care about people, shed crocodile tears when need about Syrians/Libyans/etc., but not really have an ounce of empathy in your body. Most in Congress pass this test and can therefore can be trusted. A few fail the test and dare speak their mind about the Palestinians. They are shunned. They care about people. Not allowed in Western Liberal Democracy. Being openly racists against Blacks will not get you shunned. Daring to say Israeli policies are bad....shunned.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Mickt

Either that or they tell themselves that they can’t change it so why get emotionally invited. Or compartmentalize in your mind.

Caitlin

https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2021/07/07/the-empire-depends-on-psychologi...

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Shahryar's picture

those are their favorites.

Locally if you oppose big business and developers you're called anti-environment. That's the trick. Accuse you of what you certainly are not, out of the blue, catching you unprepared.

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@Shahryar
Liberals have been throwing around the racist accusation for so long, that it is only logical that the right would invent their own "racist" accusation.

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Pricknick's picture

@gjohnsit
your definition of "the right".
I ask not to provoke but there seems to be no definite definition.
I myself, consider most politicians to be to "the right" of myself and other caring individuals.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.