In the recent “Hate is contagious” editorial, the Salt Lake Tribune editorial board correctly pointed out that antisemitism has been a centuries old hatred that has resulted in horrible crimes against Jewish people.
Certainly, some of that hatred is still being directed at Jews today. There are definitely people who hate Jews just for being Jews, which is deplorable.
However, much of the anger being expressed by protestors is directed at the government of Israel not necessarily to Jews themselves. The editorial writers write that “everyone with a conscience must speak out now against this new wave of antisemitism.” I would argue that anyone with a conscience needs to object to Israel’s massively disproportionate response to the horrible Hamas attack of Oct. 7.
1.8 million Gazans displaced out of a population of 2.2 million. Over 17,000 people killed, mostly women and children. This onslaught is called for in the same type of hateful, discriminatory language that is rightly condemned in the Tribune’s editorial.
Israeli President Herzog claims all Gazans are guilty of Hamas’ crimes. Prime Minister Netanyahu makes reference to the biblical times story of Amalek in which every enemy of Israel be they man, woman or child is deserving of death.
Lindsey Graham, referring to Gaza, says, “Level it.” Congressman Brian Mast of Florida claims that Palestinians civilians are all Nazi civilians. Not to be outdone, Congressman Max Miller of Ohio, who said hatred and antisemitism won’t be tolerated, tweets out calls for eviscerating Gaza and seeing it turned into a parking lot.
Yes, hate is contagious, and the hatred being directed at Palestinians needs to be condemned as strongly as that which is directed at Jewish people. Sadly, the Tribune editorial failed to do that.
Jim Astin, Salt Lake City
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