Defender Of The Faith?

In an attempt to defend the indefensible, Bret Stephens felt compelled to address the antisemitism of right wingers.

More or less. But before I get ahead of myself…

Bret Stephens is a conservative columnist for the New York Times, who fights any sign of antisemitism that comes from the left. 

When it comes from the right—that’s another story.

The indefensible he’s recently defended is the Right’s revulsion to immigrants who don’t look like them.

Thus, he felt compelled to confront the right wing’s replacement theory, which blames “the Jews” for increases in immigration.

To be more specific, there’s a significant number of replacement-theory advocates who view “the Jews” as an evil cabal, plotting to erode the greatness of America by replacing real (or white) Americans with brown-skinned sub-humans snuck in from south of the border. And help Democrats win elections along the way.

Here’s what Stephens–the great fighter against anti-Semitism—had to say about it.

“Liberals and progressives typically dismiss replacement theory as antisemitic, racist demagoguery, and no doubt there are plenty of bigots who believe it.”

That’s it. Then he goes on to pound away at those aforementioned “liberals and progressives” while defending replacement-theory advocates. 

Conveniently, ignoring…

Among the earliest proponents of replacement theory were a several hundred neo-Nazis who took to the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia in the summer of 2017, chanting “Jews will not replace us.”

Not very subtle.

They also waved Nazi or Confederate flags and carried signs reading “the Jewish media is going down.”

John Turturro as Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf... 

A few showed up at Beth Israel, a local synagogue, armed with rifles, forcing congregants to take the Torah out of the back door. In case, the neo-Nazis made good on their threat to burn down the synagogue.

In opposition to the neo-Nazis, many “liberals and progressives” (and antifa militants) came to Charlottesville to take a stand against Nazis.

One of the neo-Nazis intentionally rammed his car into counter protestors, killing Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman, and injuring 35 people.

In response, President Trump, then in his first term, told reporters there were “very fine people on both sides.” 

Which, in retrospect, is more even handed than Stephens. Who can’t seem to find anything nice to say about the “liberals and progressives” who oppose replacement theory. 

Now, I’m not saying all replacement theory advocates are neo-Nazis. But I am saying all neo-Nazis are replacement theorists, as they pretty much invented the theory. A disturbing issue Stephens might want to address in more detail, before brushing it off as though it were inconsequential.

Not sure why so many right-wing Jewish Americans stay silent about antisemitism on the right. Maybe they think “the Jews” in the Jews-will-not-replace-us-chants applies to “other” Jews. Or ”bad Jews” as opposed to “good Jews.” Like themselves.

It’s starting to remind me of The Plot Against America, Philip Roth’s dystopian novel about what happens to Jewish Americans when a fascist gets elected president. 

With Bret Stephens playing the role of Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf. Read the book, if you want to know why that’s no compliment.