VIDEOS: Democrats Push Back Against False Claims of Antisemitism
Cynical claims of antisemitism by the Trump administration have been denounced by scholars, civil society, and now, Democrats
As the Trump administration weaponizes false claims of antisemitism against people it sees as Trump’s enemies, more and more people across society are pointing out that Republicans and the administration itself are riddled with antisemites and racists. In what academics have called “cynical” claims of antisemitism, the White House has said nothing or done anything about the real culprits behind the rise of hate and bigotry in the U.S.: white nationalist hate groups.
With people who have beliefs that fall under Christian nationalism, white nationalism, outright racism, and bigotry holding positions of power in Trump’s cabinet, the highest-ranking government officials in the country, they now wield more authority than they have in decades and have attacked everything that represents marginalized groups that include Black people, Indigenous people, Latinos, the LGBTQ community, and anyone that isn’t a straight white male.
On Wednesday, Republicans held yet another hearing about antisemitism on college campuses. After more than a year of seeing Democrats willingly appease the far-right redefinition of antisemitism to target anti-war protesters, it was nice to see them fight back. If I didn’t know better, I would say they read my last article on the subject of weaponizing false claims of antisemitism. They sounded a lot like what I’ve been saying about other groups being targeted and ignored, and cited some of the same sources.
For example, Rep. Robert Scott (D-VA) pointed out how the focus on the cynical claims of antisemitism is taking focus away from other groups being targeted by racist hate groups. As I noted in my last article, Black people are by far the most targeted group in the U.S., and the country rarely ever talks about it.
For Scott, the hypocrisy is untenable.
David Cole, the former legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other Civil Rights groups, has represented free speech cases in federal court and pointed out many problems with lawmakers trying to equate anti-war speech with support for terrorism. Cole also indicated that suggestions made by Scott referencing Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act only apply to very specific cases.
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) found a unique way to point out Republican hypocrisy by asking them to condemn statements made by Trump, Republican lawmakers in Congress, and members of Trump’s cabinet. While Republicans refused to participate in Casar’s exercise, their silence throughout the last few years speaks volumes about where they stand on the issue of racism and bigotry.
Meanwhile, Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) wasn’t deterred by being called out for his and his colleagues' duplicity. Allen echoed Republicans with his rant. Focusing on a couple of the very few cases that might actually qualify as antisemitism can’t be investigated after the Trump administration dismantled the Office of Civil Rights. Allen is representative of Republicans lying to invent problems, and how they cannot back them up when the time comes.
Like the administration struggling to find migrant criminals after boasting about the nonexistent “migrant crime wave,” this is yet another example of their absurd strategy.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called out the “cynical work of the majority party.” Omar mentioned specific cases of students and faculty being targeted for exercising their right to free speech and freedom of expression. She highlights the details around the cases, exposing how dangerous the current environment is for non-white groups who speak up for peace and justice. Omar also made comparisons to a case in 1987, which David Cole participated in.
In a separate speech on the House floor, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) also called out the absurdity of weaponizing antisemitism to silence dissent and blindly support Israel’s actions in Palestine. She not only focused on Republicans but on lawmakers who remain silent as women and children are slaughtered using U.S.-made bombs paid for with taxpayer dollars.
While many feel that Democrats haven’t been doing enough, getting back to calling out the racism and bigotry within the Trump administration and fact-checking the Republican Party’s blatant lies may be a great place to start pushing back. As Trump is losing support across myriad issues like immigration and the economy, it would behoove Democrats to target those weak points instead of ignoring them.
However, with some of the biggest voices in Democrat politics embracing far-right voices and calling the Democrat brand “toxic,” others are saying Democrats shouldn’t take the Abrego Garcia bait, and Republicans, not Democrats, shooting down a bill to criminalize criticism or boycotts of Israel has voters wondering if the current leadership in the Democratic party are the right people to fight back against Trump’s brand of fascism.
It’s worth noting that prominent Jewish leaders oppose the Antisemitism Awareness Act. You can read the final language of the recently amended bill below.
Arturo is an independent journalist whose work can be found at Unicorn Riot, The Antagonist Magazine, Latino Rebels, and more. Arturo is also on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and Threads. To support his work, become a paid subscriber or donate via Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App.