The problem is, the antisemites won. There's now more talk about the nefarious, insidious "Jewish lobby" than about the antisemitism behind people blaming it on all their problems.
The blaring headline at The Guardian reveals that "Pro-Israel donors spent over $22m on lobbying and contributions in 2018." Sounds like a lot, right?
16 paragraphs about how influential Jewish money is in Washington.
Then, in the MIDDLE of paragraph 17 we learn that the amount spent by the pro-Israel lobby (including millions from the not pro-Israel J-Street) is dwarfed by dozens of other causes, not even reaching the top 50, as I've noted elsewhere.
Then, in the MIDDLE of paragraph 17 we learn that the amount spent by the pro-Israel lobby (including millions from the not pro-Israel J-Street) is dwarfed by dozens of other causes, not even reaching the top 50, as I've noted elsewhere.
How's that for context? 16 paragraphs on the Jewish $22 million and a bare mention of the nearly billion dollars from other causes, most of which spend far more.
Even the numbers about the pro-Israel lobby are deceptive in the Guardian piece. Because the amounts they are mentioning are being given by Americans, not by foreign countries. As opposed to the FAR greater amounts spent by foreign countries directly to lobby Congress, much huger amounts than the amount given by Jewish Americans.
Israel is #3, but much lower that Gulf nations, South Korea, Japan.
So why does The Guardian choose to write such a large story on the Israel lobby that, in context, is a small percentage of the money spent influencing the US government?
It means that the haters of Israel have won. Omar's antisemitic tweet seems to have brought a backlash against her but it has turned the antisemitic meme of outsize Jewish influence on American politics into mainstream thinking.
It means that the haters of Israel have won. Omar's antisemitic tweet seems to have brought a backlash against her but it has turned the antisemitic meme of outsize Jewish influence on American politics into mainstream thinking.
The Guardian reporter obviously knows he is doing this since he included part of the context - but buried it where no one would notice.
So, yes, Omar's antisemitism has won. Left-wing social media is exultant over this "exposure" of Jewish power over Washington and how anyone against Omar is by definition a racist, misogynist and Islamophobe.
So, yes, Omar's antisemitism has won. Left-wing social media is exultant over this "exposure" of Jewish power over Washington and how anyone against Omar is by definition a racist, misogynist and Islamophobe.
The haters won.