The New York Times apologized for an "anti-semitic" toon in its international edition depicting yamulka-wearing Trump being led by dog w/ Star of David collar.
I see the toon as more anti-Israel, specifically their RW influence on US policy and Trump's backing of Netanyahu, than anti-semitic. There is a difference between ethnic bigotry and opposition to policy. It's a shame that sensitivity to our current divisive culture can't seem to recognize the difference.
Yes, Israel and Jews are an inseparable pairing, but the opposition of nearly two thirds of American Jews to the invasive land stealing and discrimination of Palestinians and AIPAC's influence in our policy decisions is evidence that displaying antagonism to policies is not the same as ethnic bigotry.
Some may say that it's too soon after the vicious killings at synagogues to bring this up, but I say it's more necessary now. The white supremacist terrorists make us too sensitive to the targeting of an ethnic group indelibly linked to a whole country when their targets are more diverse (don't forget the African-American churches in Louisiana) and even American Jews separate Israeli policy from Jews in general.
Don't let wholesale bigotry cloud the picture of who the real enemies of sanity and community are.
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I also posted this on Democratic Underground. One response there noted:
"It was anti-semitic. The dog is wearing a Star of David and Trump was wearing a yamulka. Both jewish symbols not just Israeli symbols. Now remove those symbols, give the dog Netanyahu's face. Even better, showing Trump as Netanyahu's lap dog."
Point taken on that.
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