Deceptively taking credit for fighting antisemitism

What do you call a politician who wants to appear to be making every effort to better society but, in reality, is just trying to bolster his image and appear to be presidential material? California Gov. Gavin Newsom!

At first glance, the impressive headline reads, “CA’s Newsom touts plan to fight antisemitism,” but as you start to delve into the text, it becomes clear that the bulk of the plan is dedicated to “rising hatred against a variety of minority communities in the state, including Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, LTBTQ+ individuals and religious minorities, including acts of antisemitism and Islamophobia, among others.”

By the time you reach antisemitism, way down at the bottom of the list, it becomes evident that taking credit for fighting antisemitism is more a deceptive claim, meant to court the fairly large Jewish community of California, than a real effort solely dedicated to putting an end to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations throughout the State as well as the very toxic atmosphere found in California’s college campuses, which have stirred up great fear and anxiety for Jewish students within those universities.

This bogus effort is all too reminiscent of the 2019 US House resolution against antisemitism, following the very inflamed remarks made by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar who insinuated that “Israel’s supporters in the US have split loyalties.”

While the bill was initially intended to exclusively address the issue of antisemitism, it took on a much broader definition, which included, “anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities as hateful expressions of intolerance.” In the end, the seven-page document became so all-encompassing, mentioning Latinos, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, Hindus, Sikhs, the LGBTQ community and immigrants, that it was no longer seen as the punitive measure it was meant to be, following Omar’s comments, but more as a general position paper of the legislature. 

It’s no wonder that even the congresswoman, herself supported it, since her benefactor, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made sure to dilute the wording in order to prevent Omar from being the object of ridicule for her very inappropriate remarks. It was actually a very clever way of killing two birds with one stone, because credit could be taken for introducing a measure which would fight antisemitism (along with a host of other things) while protecting a Democratic party protégé who represents an ever-growing anti-Jewish segment of its base.

Omar, whose name was never mentioned in the resolution, essentially got off scot-free while Pelosi assured everyone that “she hadn’t understood the weight of her words and it’s not about her but about these forms of hatred.”

It would seem that Newsom, in a dishonest attempt to champion beleaguered Jews who have been portrayed as the antagonists, in a war that began with a savage massacre of innocents in Israel, borrowed a page from the Omar/Pelosi/Congress resolution episode. But it wasn’t his first attempt.

Making the long trek to Israel in October, following the attack, Newsom’s visit drew a lot of criticism – probably because it became quite clear that his sympathies were feigned and less than an authentic expression of real regard for the immense pain which took place in the Jewish homeland. That was evidenced in his statement, which attempted to place the suffering of both sides on a level playing field as he stated, “My heart is heavy for all innocent people under the crushing pressure of loss and grief, no matter which side of the fence they quite literally find themselves on.”

Although he detailed a number of meetings he had with survivors, family members and others who were truly victims, citing their resilience and indomitable spirit, the statement lacked any strong condemnation of Hamas terrorists or the profound evil that they perpetrated upon innocent civilians. It was this type of forceful and unambiguous denunciation which should have been voiced by the governor in order to convince everyone that he recognizes depravity and is not afraid to call it out without having to resort to the “suffering of others on a different side of the of the fence.”

But a level playing field is crucial for politicians who don’t have the backbone or real conviction to call a spade a spade, for fear that they will offend prospective voters. So, in his attempt to look presidential and “grieve” with the broken and hurting, Newsom made the essential pilgrimage to the Promised Land for the purpose of a really good photo op and the appearance of deep concern. 

These are the calculations which are planned in order to maximize one’s profile and boost your exposure if the 2028 presidential election is a real consideration for your future. But until then, it doesn’t hurt to make it appear as if you’re doing something to alleviate the blight of antisemitism in your own state.

The problem with that is the silence that has followed the many incidents of antisemitism which have been rampant in California since October 7. According to the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), there has been a 2,000% increase in antisemitic incidents at California campuses alone, compared to the same period a year ago, as reported by them in March 2024. These attacks have taken place at such schools as the University of California at Berkeley and Santa Barbara, where “200 protesters grew violent, smashing window glass during a protest on February 26, prompting a response from the administration.”

Other California campuses, such as the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) also had their share of explosive antisemitic incidents, including “physical abuse, threats, intimidation, hate speech, online harassment and exclusion from academic opportunities.”

California imams have, likewise, “voiced their hatred for Jews,” calling them “Zionist dogs and colonizers” in their sermons, but the governor hasn’t been heard specifically cracking down on such hate speech or making any effort to shut down these dens of iniquity rather than the places of worship they claim to be.

The vast number of incidents in so many California cities is mind-boggling, and while the governor is immensely proud of his new measure to fight a diverse cross-section of hate crimes, which are being perpetrated throughout his state, no one has reported a 2,000% increase in any of those other communities which are mentioned in his plan.

So, here’s a piece of unsolicited advice to Gavin Newsom, which he would be wise to accept. For now, why don’t you concentrate solely on your state's anti-Jewish problem before you tackle all the other groups you’ve mentioned, because it seems as if it’s the most pressing of all the hatred over which you are so concerned. 

Remember, when one group is being attacked on the level of Jews in the State of California, it simply isn’t a level playing field when they stand out head and shoulders above all the rest.