Hi Deborah, I feel that those who claim that antisemitism fueling the right is in any way comparable to instances of AS on the left need to take a long hard look in the mirror. Yesterday— if not the last 4 yrs! — should’ve made it clear how flawed & dangerous this is. THREAD. https://twitter.com/deborahlipstadt/status/1347263639275892739

Democrats have been working to protect the right to vote for every citizen of this country. GOP has been working to disenfranchise, suppress, & now to actively violate & overthrow the right to vote of every citizen of this country. Let’s be clear that's what yesterday was about.

The right, from the grassroots up, is overflowing w & fueled by violent antisemitism & other forms of hate. Antisemitic conspiracy theories have moved from the internet into the hands of murderers in our synagogues & fascist insurrectionists in our streets, statehouses & Capital.

There is simply no excuse or justification for invoking the left to soften the blow of this truth— that the American right is overrun with fifty shades of hate —& of the violence they will employ & the democracy they will shred to pieces to protect their white supremacist vision.

Facing enormous crises, the left is fighting for multiracial democracy, healthcare, stopping climate catastrophe & for human rights & dignity. The right is choosing conspiracies, lies, racism, antisemitism, violence. There is simply no valid comparison between these movements.

What evidence is there that both-sides-ing antisemitism has made anyone more receptive to this message? Or that is has helped us fight actual antisemites? From Charlottesville, to yesterday, white nationalists have only grown more emboldened, more paranoid, more hateful.

Jewish leaders who don’t recognize that are complicit in enabling it. I don’t care if it makes some uncomfortable, including in our own community. Most American Jews recognize the right’s antisemitism as a grave threat to our safety and to our democracy. https://www.howtofightantisemitism.com/ 

Both-sides-ing the issue is not helping us dialogue or move forward. On the contrary, the right uses the fact that respected, mainstream Jewish leaders both-sides antisemitism. They weaponize it to attack, weaken, & divide the left — while giving a pass to AS within their ranks

Of COURSE they attacked Warnock on Israel. They saw how well it worked w Ilhan, Rashida & others — while a deeply corrupt & racist Loeffler cavorted with a whole cast of KKK & Qanon members. This time, the stakes were too high for Dems, who saw through it, but the damage is done.

Lastly, the elephant in the room will always be Israel. The refusal to wake up to the reality of the incredible pain & suffering that Palestinians experience at Israel’s hands — & the absolute legitimacy of their demands for rights — is the core of the both-siders moral failing.

Bc the both-sides argument promotes the heartbreaking & sickening idea that supporting Palestinian rights is a threat to the Jewish people. & Those who think that are unable/ unwilling to fully direct their rage & fear towards the fascist movements threatening our very democracy.