Friends and Readers, I have been under an anti-Semitic attack on the public Facebook page of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham since Sunday September 10. It began with a post about a New Mexico literary initiative, on which I made a comment in support.
Her page is always full of vitriolic comments from MAGA detractors. Bring a public page, they have a right to express their opinion.
But that is not enough for them. They think they have a right to utterly silence all Democrats and any other group or opinion they disagree with. Too this end they dogpile and harass any supportive posts, hoping to run us off the site.
But that is not my main point.
On Monday the 11th the first thing I saw was a reply to my innocuous comment with just my name and one word—jew. Not capitalized out of disrespect. Posted by a man calling himself “Democrats Hate the Constitution”.
I took a screenshot and posted, asking what I should do. Most said it was exactly what I thought— an anti-Semitic dog whistle. To many it might seem to be in poor taste, but they won’t see the true harm.
Dog whistles serve two purposes— a call to the people they are intended for, and a threat to those they reference. My fellow Jews can see it plainly.
On Monday our twice elected Democratic Governor posted a tribute to the fallen on 9-11. Once again I commented. Three words “thank you Governor”. And this time it was much worse.
I spent more than a hour blocking people and reporting the ones that contained hate speech or harassment.
This morning the original anti-Semite appeared again. I forgot to block him the first time. But there was another: “Big Nosed Bitch”. Which is code for Jew with a sexist slur thrown in.
It occurred to me to read the thread and see what was happening with other supportive comments, of which there were a few. They all had the inappropriate laugh reactions, but no attacks or slurs.
Then it hit me. The most committed anti-Semites had gone looking for a Jewish sounding name and a profile photo that LOOKED Jewish to them.
Yes, I am a proud Ashkenazi Jew. I am a non observant secular Jew. I am an agnostic. My spiritual practice leans towards Wicca and other earth based systems.
There are a few parts of the religion I harmonize with. I have begun to keep the sabbath (Shabbat) because I like the idea of a demarcated day of rest.
It breaks up the capitalist monopoly on our time.
And I like the high holy days. Both the celebration of the new year and a day of atonement hold a great deal of psychological attraction.
There have also been some high-minded and progressive rabbis who have written some beautiful philosophical pieces.
Other than that I find the religion too patriarchal. And I cannot entertain the notion of a personal God.
But being a Jew is more than a religion. It is a connection with ancestors going back 6000 years, and farther, to the Semitic tribes of the Fertile Crescent before the religion was founded. I feel that deeply.
These white supremacists could not know that. They are not attacking my religion, they are attacking my genetic heritage.
From the early sixties till about 10 years ago the scourge of anti-Semitism was almost silent in the United States. I don’t remember living in fear. It was both impolite and impolitic to spout anti-Semitic rhetoric in public. I grew up innocent.
This changed at the beginning of the rise of Trump, which was also the rise of public racism and anti-Semitism.
You know when the last time it was this blatant before this? 1930s Germany with the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. I know that invoking that particular monster is cliche, but in this narrow instance it applies. The Nazi movement was about othering, scapegoating, and finally, slaughtering JEWS.
The “new” anti- Semitism is othering and scapegoating Jews. Does anyone doubt what is next on their list? The number of anti- Semitic attacks has risen in the United States by orders of magnitude since the beginning of the first Trump campaign.
There is a straight line between casual harassment on Facebook and random physical attacks, synagogue shootings, and a second holocaust.
Remember, the holocaust didn’t start with gas chambers. It started with pamphlets and flyers, the 1930s equivalent of social media.
But it didn’t start with the Nazis either. There was rampant prejudice against Jews throughout the Middle Ages.
Jews were forced into ghettos. They were accused of “blood libel”, the ritual drinking of the blood of infants. This bit of defamatory make believe is raising its ugly head once again.
Those things, though evil, we can live through. But it always ends in an extermination drive. From the pogroms to the “final solution”.
We say “never again” but that is a meaningless phrase if we can’t protect ourselves, here in America. If not here, where?
I have heard back from Facebook and they find no fault with any of the comments. This is both predictable and disturbing. I should be able to comment on a public page without fear. I refuse to be run off my own Governor’s page, or any other place of public conversation.
I am including here a screenshot of the post in question so you can find the entire conversation. You can also find my public posts on Facebook under this, my full name, if you would like to know more.
And here is a screenshot of one of the comments. The last one is the big nose remark:
I will end with the following appeal: Please go on some of the public pages being attacked and make comments that reflect the values of decent people and of a democracy.
And if you see comments like these, racist or anti-Semitic, please speak up. Loudly. And do report, even if nothing is done about it.
But most importantly, vote. White Supremacists must be kept out of public office at every level.
Silence is complicity.
Wow. I'm so sorry you even had to write this, but thank you for sharing. I would say this is unbelievable, but...
My heart goes out to you, I am sad that you had to read this vitriol directed at you.