Disclaimer
No one person can speak for the Jewish community. While I believe that what follows validly describes the feelings of many fellow members of the Jewish community, I do not have data to support that belief, and Jewish opinions are highly varied. As the saying goes, “2 Jews, 3 opinions”. …
The context
From rising anti-Semitism in the US, France, Germany, Belgium, the UK, etc. to multiple anti-Semitic murders in France, an anti-Semitic massacre in the United States, an anti-Black racist massacre in Charleston, an Islamophobic massacre in New Zealand, to an anti-Christian massacre in Sri Lanka, etc. it is clear that the world is now in the middle of an epidemic of resurgent hate.
Combatting this epidemic of hate requires the ability to clearly and consistently identify those statements, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to this rise in hate so that they can be addressed. However, despite there being a pressing need…
The discussions taking place around the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and anti-BDS legislation reflect worrisome viewpoints across the political spectrum. On one end of the spectrum, there is a troubling inconsistency on the role of government in passing legislation against discrimination as well as a shocking lack of recognition of the discriminatory and hateful nature of the BDS movement. On the other end, there is a disturbing willingness by some to achieve short-term legislative wins at any cost no matter how poorly worded or detrimental the legislation.
Tackling discrimination is the government’s job and does not violate the…
