As a Jew, I Am Disgusted by the Trump Administration Weaponizing Anti-Semitism to Cynically Attack Freedom of Speech, Expression and Religion

The Trump administration professes to be very concerned about anti-semitism. It has used fighting anti-semitism as an excuse for cracking down on free speech, protest, freedom of expression and academic freedom. 

Trump’s ghouls insist that one of the main reasons they ordered Harvard to eject all its foreign students was because the internationally respect university had become a hotbed of anti-semitic sentiment. 

The president’s people cynically posit righteous criticism of Israel’s genocidal conduct in the Gaza Strip as anti-semitism at best, and terrorism at worst. 

Anti-zionism and anti-semitism are different. You can be against zionism and not be anti-semitic.

Pretending that being against the actions of the Israeli army is tantamount to hating Jews does a disservice to Judaism as a whole.

Trump doesn’t actually care about Jews. If he did, he would not have not have appointed a Christian nationalist as Secretary of Defense. He would not have broadcast his contempt for the separation of church and state. 

The president’s people are only interested in weaponizing anti-semitism so that it can be used to target Muslim immigrants, international students and protesters. 

The Trump administration decided that freedom of speech is only for American citizens who agree with the president and his rabidly xenophobic worldview. 

If you criticize Israel’s genocidal policies, then you are an anti-semite, a promoter of Hamas/terrorism, and quite possibly a terrorist as well. You’re a troublemaker to a government that has no interest in listening to you but is excited about punishing you and like-minded souls, possibly by sending you to a prison in South America where you’ll disappear and never be heard from again. 

Though Trump would like to pretend otherwise, being anti-Zionist doesn’t make you anti-semitic any more than being critical of Trump’s policies makes you anti-American. 

If anything, the opposite is true. Being in favor of Trump and his assault on American democracy, due process and freedom of speech, religion and expression makes you unpatriotic. It makes you anti-American. It means that you  hold a deranged hatemonger who makes no effort to hide or conceal his rampant corruption and disdain for the American people in higher esteem than the principles that once made our country the envy of the world. 

Opposing Trump is patriotic. Trump’s patriotism isn’t true patriotism. It’s performative. It’s self-congratulatory. It’s rooted in one man’s collossal ego and sense of himself as a god-like savior rather a true understanding of our country’s strengths and weaknesses. Trump’s patriotism is all about Trump. It’s hero worship, not reverence for customs and traditions Trump has taken great delight in trampling. 

Trump pretends that he’s doing this for Jews. He’s not. He’s aligned with Netanyahu because he’s also an authoritarian right-wing dictator whose interests align with Trump’s. 

Christian nationalists have a hard-on for Israel not because they love Jews but rather because Jews and Israel play a major role to play in Jesus’ return. Once we’ve done our part and rebuilt the Temple, they have no more use for us. 

As a Jew and an American, I am disgusted by the idea that using your voice to speak truth to power about the excesses and abuses of the Trump and Netanyahu administrations is anti-semitic or anti-American rather than what our country is all about.