On the far right, there are no contradictions, only virulent antisemitism

[Guno צְבִי]

The dramatic 16-day courtroom trial, which decided that more than a dozen white supremacists and hate groups must pay a whopping $26 million in damages as a result of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, offered a window into what is really happening inside today’s far right.

Among the courtroom observers was the eminent historian James Loeffler. Loeffler, who directs the Jewish Studies program at the University of Virginia, tweeted throughout the trial, providing updates in real time. Forward language columnist Aviya Kushner wanted to hear more about what Loeffler saw and heard — and whether he thought dangerous rhetoric from the past made its way into the courtroom. Their conversation has been lightly edited.


While the journalists searched for news hooks in a slow-moving trial with lots of gruesome detail but relatively little courtroom drama, I focused more on the symbolic language used by the defendants and their lawyers. Many reporters gasped when antisemitic or racist words were uttered in court.

To me, the words themselves were less striking than the subtler deployments of Christian antisemitism. Both in his opening and closing arguments, “alt-right” ideologue Richard Spencer presented a little speech about “two kinds of justice.” He compared himself to the biblical scapegoat and Jesus, both of whom he characterized as martyrs killed by ancient Jews.

Beyond the bombast and self-aggrandizement, his words evoked deep Christian tropes of Jewish bloodlust and deicide, as well as a broader dichotomy between false Jewish justice and true Christian justice: Jewish tribal vengeance and legalism versus the higher law of Christian ethics and universal redemption. Spencer was not only trying to smear his courtroom opponents as vengeful Jews; in my hearing, he was also trying to trigger deep Christian patterns of unconscious bias in his audience of jurors.

https://forward.com/culture/480823/c...t-trial-rally/

[Guno צְבִי]

I’m struck by your phrasing of “false Jewish justice and true Christian justice.” Do you see any connection between that “false” and “true” framing and the popularity of the idea of “fake news?”

That’s a fascinating idea, but I think its origins lie elsewhere. Most of the American idea of “fake news” can be traced back to the Nazi movement’s concept of “Lügenpresse.” They took a World War I-era term for “enemy propaganda” and used it to demonize the media as a Jewish, Communist and anti-Fascist conspiracy. That said, we have definitely seen how Christianity has seeped into Trumpian political culture and shaped many other elements of the political theater so central to the populist imagination.

[Guno צְבִי]

“fake news” can be traced back to the Nazi movement’s concept of “Lügenpresse.”

used it to demonize the media as a Jewish, Communist and anti-Fascist conspiracy. That said, we have definitely seen how Christianity has seeped into Trumpian political culture and shaped many other elements of the political theater so central to the populist imagination.

Very insightful and something the Jewish community has known

[Into the Night]

The dramatic 16-day courtroom trial, which decided that more than a dozen white supremacists and hate groups must pay a whopping $26 million in damages as a result of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, offered a window into what is really happening inside today’s far right.

Among the courtroom observers was the eminent historian James Loeffler. Loeffler, who directs the Jewish Studies program at the University of Virginia, tweeted throughout the trial, providing updates in real time. Forward language columnist Aviya Kushner wanted to hear more about what Loeffler saw and heard — and whether he thought dangerous rhetoric from the past made its way into the courtroom. Their conversation has been lightly edited.


While the journalists searched for news hooks in a slow-moving trial with lots of gruesome detail but relatively little courtroom drama, I focused more on the symbolic language used by the defendants and their lawyers. Many reporters gasped when antisemitic or racist words were uttered in court.

To me, the words themselves were less striking than the subtler deployments of Christian antisemitism. Both in his opening and closing arguments, “alt-right” ideologue Richard Spencer presented a little speech about “two kinds of justice.” He compared himself to the biblical scapegoat and Jesus, both of whom he characterized as martyrs killed by ancient Jews.

Beyond the bombast and self-aggrandizement, his words evoked deep Christian tropes of Jewish bloodlust and deicide, as well as a broader dichotomy between false Jewish justice and true Christian justice: Jewish tribal vengeance and legalism versus the higher law of Christian ethics and universal redemption. Spencer was not only trying to smear his courtroom opponents as vengeful Jews; in my hearing, he was also trying to trigger deep Christian patterns of unconscious bias in his audience of jurors.

https://forward.com/culture/480823/c...t-trial-rally/

The 'Unite the Right' rally (really just a Klan gathering) included Klan members, fascists, white supremacists, and resulted in the usual riots, arson, and white supremacist beatings. All groups funded and supported by Democrats, with the KKK created by the Democrats as well.

The 'Unite the Right' rally. What a lame attempt to blame conservatives.

[Into the Night]

I’m struck by your phrasing of “false Jewish justice and true Christian justice.” Do you see any connection between that “false” and “true” framing and the popularity of the idea of “fake news?”

That’s a fascinating idea, but I think its origins lie elsewhere. Most of the American idea of “fake news” can be traced back to the Nazi movement’s concept of “Lügenpresse.” They took a World War I-era term for “enemy propaganda” and used it to demonize the media as a Jewish, Communist and anti-Fascist conspiracy. That said, we have definitely seen how Christianity has seeped into Trumpian political culture and shaped many other elements of the political theater so central to the populist imagination.

It's also called Pravda in the USSR. You know...propaganda passed off as 'news'.
Socialists. Democrats.

[Guno צְבִי]

Feds talk security with 1,500 synagogue leaders in wake of Texas standoff

Some 1,500 worried Jewish leaders dialed in Tuesday to ask Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to beef up security just three days after an 11-hour standoff at a Texas synagogue that ended when the gunman who had taken a rabbi and three others hostage was killed.

The virtual meeting was organized to "hear directly what the government is doing to prevent future attacks and what resources are available to make our shuls and other institutions more secure,” said Nathan Diament of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, which co-hosted the call with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Garland and Mayorkas, both of whom are Jewish, were joined on the call that lasted more than an hour by FBI Director Chris Wray and Paul Abbate, the deputy director of the FBI, a spokeswoman for the Orthodox Union said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1-...off/ar-AASUF2m

[Matt Dillon]

Feds talk security with 1,500 synagogue leaders in wake of Texas standoff

Some 1,500 worried Jewish leaders dialed in Tuesday to ask Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to beef up security just three days after an 11-hour standoff at a Texas synagogue that ended when the gunman who had taken a rabbi and three others hostage was killed.

The virtual meeting was organized to "hear directly what the government is doing to prevent future attacks and what resources are available to make our shuls and other institutions more secure,” said Nathan Diament of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, which co-hosted the call with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Garland and Mayorkas, both of whom are Jewish, were joined on the call that lasted more than an hour by FBI Director Chris Wray and Paul Abbate, the deputy director of the FBI, a spokeswoman for the Orthodox Union said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1-...off/ar-AASUF2m

Do they talk vetting mosques in America and also possible Muslim terrorists coming in? Yeah, sure; Take security measures at the synagogues, but then there's everywhere else in America.