Accusations of anti-semitism in the Occupy Wall Street movement are flying fast and furious now. Newt Kingrich leveled the charge today on the CBS’s Early Show. David Brooks insinuated it in the NY Times not long ago. And Bill Kristol’s Emergency Committee on Israel has actually bought air time in New York and DC to run a laughably misleading ad that implores viewers to “Tell Obama and Leader Pelosi to stand up to the (anti-semitic, anti-Israel) mob.”
Watch the above clip for the real story. Then read this thorough piece by commentator MJ Rosenberg. It would all be pretty hilarious if it wasn’t such a horribly cynical exploitation exploit the real pain and fear of anti-semitism to slow down a movement committed to justice and dignity for all – which is, in the end, what Judaism is all about.
Shalom Rav 
Rosenberg sums it up well with the comment, “Far be it from me to guess at the number of anti-Semites who might be at a Tea Party event, but they don’t define that movement either. Mass movements attract all kinds of people, some invariably unsavory.” Let’s not get carried away with saying there is no anti-semitism at Occupy Wall Street. Surely there are a few who are. It reminds me of a Tea Party rally I happened to walk through at the Daley Center. Yes, there was one sign that had some racial overtones, but there were probably several thousand people listening to the American-American Tea Party speaker. As liberals, let’s ask ourselves why are we quick to defend Occupy Wall Street from allegations but often silent on defending the Tea Party from similar allegations. The free market versus collectivist spirits of America has been an on-going debate since the country was founded and will be going on long after we are gone. We should not be surprised at mass movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party during times of economic disruption and should encourage the free flow of ideas on both sides of the debate. It is part of what makes America great.
Steve,
When I say “there is no anti-semitism” at Occupy Wall St., I am saying there is no anti-semitism in the OWS movement, which is what these conservative activists are claiming. As you and Rosenberg rightly point out, a few deviant figures at a rally “do not define a movement.”
Brant,
On WLS-TV Channel 7 News last night, they ran a story about anti-Semitism at the Occupy protests. They then tied it in with the demonstrators for Palestinian rights. As far as I could tell, the Palestinian rights demonstrators were not saying or doing anything anti-Semitic. The insinuation was that holding a Palestinian flag was an anti-Semitic act. Then they went further and said that Hatem Abudayyeh “called for the destruction of Israel.” They then showed a clip of Hatem merely calling for Palestinians to win their freedom! Watch here: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8407425
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