Letter to the Editor: August 30, 2019

Letter to the editor:

Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, distinguished Holocaust scholar and Emory University professor of Jewish studies, has released her newest book, “Anti-Semitism Here and Now.”

She told Bob Bahr, a local journalist, that her message today is that the new anti-Semitism is like the old anti-Semitism in many ways. “It is rooted in the New Testament and demonizes Jews for their rejection of the Christian messiah.”

According to the ADL, the anti-Semitic marches in Charlottesville, Va., of Aug. 11-12, 2017, inspired the violence in Parkland, Pittsburgh, Poway and, recently, in El Paso. The white supremists were chanting, “Jews will not replace us! You will not replace us.”

Dr. Lipstadt states that today’s racism and violence is nothing new. She makes an analogy that anti-Semitism is like a piano on which different tunes can be played but the instrument remains the same.

So, we have Ilhan Omar from Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan spewing their vile hatred of Israel and Jews. Joining them are the Democratic women, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts.

Omar joined with Georgian Congressman John Lewis to write a BDS bill trying to hide the intentions of trying to destroy Israel through this movement.

We also have NO condemnation of anti-Semitism from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. We have DEAD silence from Jewish Sen. Chuck Schumer and Congressman Jerry Nadler of New York and other Democrats in Congress.

Are they afraid to speak up against anti-Semitism from these four? Are they more concerned about being liked and not wanting to hurt their future re-election campaigns? Do they really care about their Jewish constituents and Israel, our only ally in the Middle East? Is power more important?

We have DEAD silence while the Democratic House is preparing a bill to give American taxpayer money, through a government agency, to the Palestinian Authority, so they can continue their “pay for slay” program. Believe me, not one cent has gone to their people to alleviate their squalid living conditions.

Dead Israelis cannot cry out about the injustice of subsidizing the families of those who kill Jews. However, WE can cry out and SHOULD cry out about this.

However, DEAD silence.

Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib wanted to visit Israel as a propaganda tool against Israel and Jews. When Ms. Tlaib was given permission by Israel to visit her elderly grandmother for humanitarian reasons, she declined because she was asked not to make any negative, political remarks against Israel.

Years ago, Georgia Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson made his first trip to Israel. He came back not inspired, not balanced about the situation there, but came back and called Jews “termites.”

Today’s Democratic Party is NOT the party of our parents or grandparents. It has become the party of hate, the party of divisiveness, the party of anti-Semites and Jew haters, the party of slavery of the past, hijacked by the younger radicals and leftists in the party.

No Jew should vote Democratic today. We must stop the silence because we want to be liked by the non-Jews and our fear of rocking the boat.
We must open our eyes and see the reality and climate of Jew-haters in the Democratic party.

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in Europe and here. Wake up to this reality. Do not be the Jews of Germany who wanted to be good citizens, thinking they would be protected. They ended up with the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, Hitler, yimach shemo [may his name be erased] and the Holocaust.

My husband and I are both children of Holocaust survivors who lost most of their families in the Shoah. The Democratic party is no longer a party for Jews.

No matter if you like who is in the White House, who happens to be the greatest friend of Israel, or not, no Jew can vote Democratic anymore.

Chaya Leah Starkman, Atlanta