Sanders is a Virus? The Old Anti-Semitism

Bernie Sanders is the first Jewish frontrunner for any political party in American history and most establishment Jewish organisations are not only actively working against him, but also silent on the antisemitism he faces.

Just this week CNN compared Bernie’s momentum to the coronavirus; an old trope about Jews bringing diseases like rats. Meanwhile conspiracies are abound about Bernie hoarding our money, being hungry for our money, and being a communist. All old racist tropes.

You might also notice that many Jewish orgs e.g. AUJS, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, AIPAC, are all for encouraging Jews to be involved in politics and mentoring young Jews in leadership roles.

For centrists and conservatives (and even Trump supporters) these Jewish orgs will say that the best way to deal with antisemitism in these groups is engagement with political Jews who are already a part of their ranks. The Jewish orgs are generous in their support, even with Christian Zionists like Scott Morrison or Mike Pence.

Bernie is facing the spectre of another manufactured ‘antisemitism crisis’ just like Jeremy Corbyn. AIPAC has slandered Bernie as antisemitic for refusing to attend their conference despite that they were actively campaigning against him (source in comments). Politicians don't address explicitly hostile crowds.

So we can now say that for these Jewish orgs it's never been about supporting Jews. It's about supporting Jewish or Christian Zionists who have nothing bad to say about the most far-right Israeli government in history.

March 4, Yaakov Aharon