Kerby Anderson

We need to confront antisemitism. Noah Rothman writes, “Your Turn, Democrats.” He explains that mainstream Republicans have confronted right-wing antisemitism, but the left has not done so. It is time for Democratic politicians and liberal thought leaders to do the same.

Yesterday, I talked about the divide in America between those who were shocked at the brutality of Hamas terrorism and others who marched in the streets to support Hamas and oppose Israel. Add to that the increasing number of antisemitic statements and violent actions against Jewish citizens in this country. It is time for leaders to speak up.

Noah Rothman says that “these are times that call for plain language” and reminds us of “the Republican Party’s leading lights and household names” who spoke out years ago against the “antisemitic sentiments on display in America’s streets” and criticized those who paraded through the University of Virginia’s campus. He concludes, “In 2017, it was incumbent on Republicans of conscience to anathematize the noxious elements orbiting their periphery. Democrats are now confronted with the same challenge.”

While it is true that the president and administration give no comfort to the toxic rhetoric from the streets, Noah Rothman says more needs to be done. “It won’t be done though inference, by declining to name names . . . Democrats had the opportunity to throttle the rising antisemitic sentiments in their coalition in their infancy” but now the problem is growing and Democrats will find it harder to speak out.

The lesson for us to learn from this is to confront evil and error when it first appears. When we give it a pass, it becomes more difficult later when the rhetoric and actions ratchet up.