Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Democratic Central Committee will vote on Tuesday, Sept. 1, on a resolution dealing with anti-Semitism. A previous meeting on the subject indicates that there is considerable opposition to the resolution among some of the committee’s membership.
By Matthew Finkelstein
SAN DIEGO — I knew some in the San Diego County Democratic Central Committee were on a mission to make it impossible for Jews to be openly Zionist, but it wasn’t until I saw for myself that I understood how truly dire the situation has become. As a guest speaking in favor of Resolution E “Clarifying How Anti-Semitic Hate Speech Harms Jews and Other Zionists in the San Diego County Democratic Party,” [1] I witnessed rank antisemitism, harassment, and magical thinking about the conflict.
This resolution was submitted by Andrea Beth Damsky, Vice President of Political Action for San Diego Democrats for Peace in the Middle East. I expected a deluge of antisemitic rhetoric at the meeting I attended, but nothing prepared me for what I encountered. When the public comment for or against Resolution E commenced, a significant number of speakers openly advocated for changing the definition of antisemitism to one that included all semitic peoples, including Palestinians. In my testimony [2] I explained about the history of antisemitism and its roots; that by design it is a form of hatred that explicitly centers Jews.
Another speaker, a young student, said that the entire reason that Zionists wanted to equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism was to shut down any criticism of Israel. Resolution E clearly states, “…everyone agrees that criticism of Israel, including its leadership, policies and actions, is not anti-Semitic, but asserting that the Jewish state be targeted as an illegitimate, uniquely evil, and racist entity…goes well beyond the boundary of critique and qualifies as anti-Semitic hate speech which targets Jews individually and the Jewish people as a collective.”
We heard from another speaker that all Zionists are racists. While often critical of Israel’s policies, American Jews overwhelmingly support the existence of a Jewish state . But according to this speaker the majority of Jews—be they White, Black, or Brown—are racists. Matt Corrales, an elected Assembly District 75 delegate, stated on his Facebook page “Israel has no right to exist” “Zionism is racism” “The state of Israel is a terrorist organization….” along with a litany of other derogatory and denigrating statements about Zionists and Israel. He may be one of the loudest in San Diego, but his perspective is far from being marginal.
Harassment outside this meeting has become so prevalent that even the most progressive Jewish Central Committee members in San Diego are afraid to speak out. If a Jewish member supports the platforms of both the state [3] and national [4] Democratic parties—for the self-determination, dignity, and security of the Palestinian and the Israeli people each in their own viable state—they are hounded and verbally attacked by outspoken anti-Israel activists. Among other things, they’re called racist and apartheid apologists — with little to no recourse within the party.
I hope this reveals the pain that Jews often experience when Democratic Party members begin to normalize this kind of language. This is why it is so important that the San Diego Democratic Central Committee pass Resolution E. It’s crucial that there be no place within the Democratic Party where it is acceptable to malign and intimidate Jews because of their connection to Israel.
NOTES
[1] Resolution E reads as follows:
Resolution Clarifying How Anti-Semitic Hate Speech Harms Jews and Other Zionists in the San Diego County Democratic Party
WHEREAS Zionism is defined as the human right to self-determination of the Jewish people in their homeland of Israel; and everyone agrees that criticism of Israel, including its leadership, policies and actions, is not anti-Semitic, but asserting that the Jewish state be targeted as an illegitimate, uniquely evil, and racist entity that deserves to be dissolved – based on criteria applied to no other country – goes well beyond the boundary of critique and qualifies as anti-Semitic hate speech which targets Jews individually and the Jewish people as a collective; and
WHEREAS the use of anti-Semitic hate speech has been regularly employed by anti-Israel activists both inside and outside the San Diego County Democratic Party using demeaning and degrading language about and towards Jews and supporters of Israel on social media and in Central Committee and Club meetings; including but not limited to the use of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, ancient blood libels, and dual-loyalty claims; and
WHEREAS this hate speech encourages discourse that becomes hostile to Jews, both inside and outside the San Diego County Democratic Party;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the San Diego County Democratic Party condemns and admonishes hate speech in all its forms against all ethnic and religious groups including all forms of anti-Semitic hate speech, including anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, both within and without the San Diego County Democratic Party, when used against any individual, or to slur the aspirations of Jews, or those who support Jews; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the San Diego County Democratic Party share copies of this resolution with all locally elected Democratic officials and candidates, County Party officers, Regional Directors, Central Committee members, Club presidents, County delegates to the DSCC and DNC, and other appropriate officials and policy makers.
*This is Resolution 10-05.93 – Adopted by the California Democratic Party in 2019 and rewritten here to reference the San Diego County Democratic Party, rather than the California Democratic Party.
[2] Testimony of Matthew Finkelstein:
Some in the San Diego County Democratic Party seek to expand the definition of antisemitism. Antisemitism is an objective historical phenomena that concerns Jews, and not all semitic peoples. It was an actual movement in Germany by a man named Wilhelm Marr to replace medieval Christian Jew hatred, with a more reasoned and scientific approach so that Jews could be systematically otherized.
To insist that antisemitism be centered on non-Jews, is saying ALL LIVES MATTER to Jew hatred. Not only is it harmful, it is a form of discrimination that targets Jews directly by erasing their history and oppression. There is a word for that kind of discrimination. That word is antisemitism.
It’s simple: Antisemitism is a form of hatred that centers Jews. Non-Jews are not the victims of antisemitism. They are the source of it. I hope I’ve been able to lend clarity. Thank you.
[3] The California Democratic party platform includes these provisions:
• Continue to work toward a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict directly negotiated by the parties that guarantees equality, security and democracy for all; recognizes Israel’s future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders; and, provides Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity;
• We support efforts among representatives of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank to de-escalate tensions through good-faith negotiations that recognize Israel’s future as a sovereign, secure, and democratic Jewish state and that can lead to security and independence for Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror and incitement. Palestinians and Israelis should be free to govern themselves each in their own viable states in peace and dignity;
2020 California Democratic Party Platform – Page 29
• Continue to support an end to the teaching and use of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in discourse throughout the Middle East and beyond.
[4] The National Democratic Party platform includes this language about anti-Semitism and about Israel:
We will give hate no safe harbor. We will never amplify or legitimize the voices of racism,
misogyny, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, or white supremacy. Democrats will protect and promote the equal rights of all our citizens—women, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities,
people with disabilities, Native Americans, and all who have been discriminated against in too
many ways and for too many generations. We commit ourselves to the vision articulated by
Frederick Douglass of “a Government founded upon justice, and recognizing the equal rights of
all.”
*
Democrats believe a strong, secure, and democratic Israel is vital to the interests of the United
States. Our commitment to Israel’s security, its qualitative military edge, its right to defend itself, and the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding is ironclad.
Democrats recognize the worth of every Israeli and every Palestinian. That’s why we will work
to help bring to an end a conflict that has brought so much pain to so many. We support a
negotiated two-state solution that ensures Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state with
recognized borders and upholds the right of Palestinians to live in freedom and security in a
viable state of their own.
Democrats oppose any unilateral steps by either side—including annexation—that undermine
prospects for two states. Democrats will continue to stand against incitement and terror. We
oppose settlement expansion. We believe that while Jerusalem is a matter for final status
negotiations, it should remain the capital of Israel, an undivided city accessible to people of all
faiths. Democrats will restore U.S.-Palestinian diplomatic ties and critical assistance to the
Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza, consistent with U.S. law. We oppose any effort to unfairly single out and delegitimize Israel, including at the United Nations or through the
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement, while protecting the Constitutional right of our
citizens to free speech.
*
Matthew Finkelstein is on the Board of Directors of Progressive Zionists of California. He is an organizer for the Jewish community in Vallejo, California and is an outspoken advocate in California Democratic politics where progressivism and Zionism intersect. He and his twin brother were youth cantors, singing in harmony at the shul where their father was a rabbi and Matthew now performs cantorial duties at his local synagogue in Vallejo. He has a background in sales and theater.
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Who are these people who want to change the meaning of anti-Semitism? Are they Jews? If not, where do they get the chutzpah to erase our history? What has entitled them to decide what Jewish words mean? Why in the world would these progressive members of the party be embracing such white-washing?
Thanks so much for this. Ah yes, anti-semitism is commonplace in the Democratic Party. People, please wake up! This is not the Democratic Party of our mothers and fathers.
Thank you Matthew, Robin and Dan!
Miriam, anti-Semitism is not commonplace in the Democratic Party. You have no evidence for this statement. If we look throughout the country, we see most of the people who literally believe in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are much more often supporting Trump and Republicans. The fellow who shot at people at the Poway Chabad was already wanting to torch a mosque, and his anti-Muslim hatred was on par with his anti-Jewish hatred. I think we really need a breather here, and stop confusing a harsh criticism of Israeli government policies with attacking Jews as Jews, which is the traditional definition of anti-Semitism.
Mitchell, you are comparing apples to oranges. In the late 30s, only a tiny minority of Germans gave any credence or support to the Nazi Party. Today, you have a very tiny — but vocal — group in Congress who equate Israel, Zionism and Jews with Apartheid, genocide, etc. Today, we have self-loathing Jews like Bernie Sanders, George Soros and Adam Schiff who ignore the big picture and are hellbent on picking fly sh%t out of pepper. You’re a smart gut, Mitchell, but don’t allow yourself to be blinded by what the Democratic party has become. Wishful thinking won’t save us.
To compare Bernie Sanders, who has been critical of Israeli policies, or Adam Schiff, who has been far more pro-AIPAC, to the Nazis hanging around the Republican Party is disgusting, Steven. The Democratic Party is not an enemy of Jews. There are growing voices who voice frustration with Israeli policies, but outside of Tlaib and Omar, none support BDS, for example. And even those two would probably hide their Jewish friends from Nazis in the region in which they live. You say “wishful thinking won’t save us.” I say “wishful cynicism may yet undermine us.”
Mitchell, I respectfully disagree with some of your take. Jew-hate comes from both the left and the right. This is why criticism of the Israeli government and her leaders are always fine as with any “Sovereign Nation” but to say she is illegitimate and has no right to exist transcends criticism and becomes Jew-Hate. I hope we agree that Zionism is not racism, and a 2 state solution for 2 indigenous peoples is the only real viable solution for both the Palestinians and Israelis.
Cantor, it is not Jew-hate from “both sides” in any meaningful sense, at least in the present. The Jew-haters are the ones with Tiki torches and those supporting Trump’s hateful rhetoric and not-so-subtle-dog whistles. The Jew-haters are the ones who shot up the synagogues in Poway and Pittsburgh. I no longer think the majority of Jewish Israelis want a two state solution, and I therefore think the two state solution is presently dead. The irony is, had Bernie Sanders (who Steve thinks is self-hating) been the nominee and become president, he would have pushed very hard for that two state solution, and there would have had a better chance of changing the minds and hearts of the majority of Jewish Israeli voters. Biden has been an enabler of the right wing elements in Israel over the decades, and I don’t see that changing. Trump has been actively pushing the right-wing and religious elements in Israel, though Trump realized Netanyahu bit off more than he could chew on the annexation plan this year. I do not agree Zionism is per se racism. I do believe political Zionism, once established, has had the same effect as most settler-colonialist movements, as far as the oppressed natives are concerned. There have been plenty of missed opportunities from both sides. Sadly, I have reached a conclusion I am more of a non-Zionist, as opposed to a pro- or anti-Zionist. I find myself in despair as I complete reading AB Yehoshua and Amos Oz novels. I find neither J Street or AIPAC meet my views regarding Israel any longer. I have friends in JVP, but they know I am most pro-Zionist when I meet people there who are truly anti-Zionist, and, sometimes spill over into the Kenneth Stern “working definition” of anti-Semitic. I continue to oppose BDS primarily because of its adverse effects on universities and medical research continuing to be done in Israel. And when I hear someone say, Oh, Israel is just another settler-colonial state, I reply, Jews did not go to Israel the way the French went to Vietnam or the British to India. Zionism was a cultural and political reaction to European (Christian) anti-Semitism/anti-Jew hatred–and the Holocaust proved their fears correct. Plus, Israel was once a land more fully inhabited and led by “the” Jews. The Isaac Deutscher parable remains compelling to me, even if one questions the motivations of the person jumping from the burning building.
I thought I was informed of the antisemitism in the Democratic Party but what I’ve read now comes as a shock. EVERY JEW living and voting in San Diego must be told of this …..I don’t think that 1% of them are aware of how commonplace antisemitism is in the Democratic Party specifically here in San Diego also.
Antisemitism is unfortunately a stupid, weird, inaccurate term for a very real and bad phenomenon. It should be called anti-Jewish prejudice or Jew-hatred. People don’t hate Jews usually in this day and age beecause they think all Jews are middle eastern, Levantine, West Asian, exotic, swarthy, Arabesque in features and culture. That has almost nothing to do with it. Most Jews in the US don’t even appear very or in many cases even mildly “Semitic”. And Arabs are not only population wise a much more gigantic Semitic population, but have overwhelmingly maintained Semitic appearance, culture, language and continued residence in their original Semitic lands. I’ve always hated that dumb, inaccurate word anti Semitic and situations like this show how it causes a needless semantic argument to try to throw out the whole concept of hate and discrimination toward Jews.
I feel badly, and even depressed, for what occurred at that SD County Democratic Party meeting. However, I do not believe the Resolution was crafted in an effective way, which may have heightened what was already going to be a bitter argument. There are two phrases in the resolution which would have led me to vote down Resolution E–though not for reasons of some of the angry and potentially anti-Semitic (in the sense Mr. Finkelstein properly states it) people Mr. Finkelstein was alluding to (though I withhold judgment on anyone he specifically names for reasons of not knowing Mr. Corrales, for example).
First, there is a WHEREAS paragraph which states “anti-Israel activists” are “regularly employ(ing)” “anti-Semitic hate speech” language. To state this in such a manner strongly implies “all” by not saying “some” or even a “few.” That is mighty broad brush and is the type of generalization that would certainly make non-anti-Semitic, but anti-Israel, activists feel they are being demonized.
Second, earlier in the Resolution, it states “asserting that the Jewish state be targeted as an illegitimate, uniquely evil, and racist entity that deserves to be dissolved – based on criteria applied to no other country – goes well beyond the boundary of critique and qualifies as anti-Semitic hate speech…” That language is problematic because, initially, one could say the apartheid South Africa was dissolved when its government was dismantled and replaced with a bi-racial state–so that calling for Israel to be turned into a bi-national state, for example, is not something unprecedented. Certainly, Serbs, Croats, etc. who were banded together after WWI to form Yugoslavia, without even a vote, strikes me as precedent of a sort, though we know how that ended up in any event. I also think, if Europeans were now colonizing North America, there would be people saying precisely the same of the European led governments, namely that these colonies were “illegitimate” and “racist.” The idea that Israel is “uniquely evil” strikes me as a rhetorical flourish as I can’t imagine many anti-Israel and anti-Zionist people speaking in that manner to justify the need for this resolution–at least not at present.
As we know, the lead author of the “working definition” of anti-Semitism, Kenneth Stern, has been warning against using his group’s “working definition” in a manner that de-legitimizes legitimate criticism of Israel. While the Resolution E says the denunciation of anti-Semitism should not be used in such a manner, these other phrases in the Resolution struck me as an abuse of the definition of “anti-Semitism.” I get it there are some really bad people out there in the anti-Zionist world, and I am never more pro-Zionist than when I encounter such people. I just wonder if a differently worded resolution would have passed with far less rancor. And maybe next time, be specific, and blunt, in saying “anti-Jewish”–since, as Mr. Finkelstein notes, the person who coined the term was himself doing so for anti-Jewish reasons.
I sincerely hope the situation in San Diego improves. Resolution E is a very good start and it’s heartening to see people begin to step forward. I hope their voices will be heard and that the attacks on them will stop.
The bottom line is this:
Forget Resolution E and all of the mumbo jumbo. LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE! If the Dems really cared about people and injustice, they would be focusing their attention on MUCH BIGGER issues, like Syria, where Assad kas killed 650,000+ of his own people, like Chicago, where 100 people shoot each other every week. It is Jew-hatred — plain and simple. Don’t try to rationalize away what the Democratic Party has become.
This week, the Chabad Jewish Center in Portland caught fire. Twice. The University of Delaware Jewish Student Center was burnt to the ground. Other synagogues were vandalized. Swastikas regularly appear as graffiti at our middle schools and high schools. Hate crimes directed towards the Jewish people have gone up 12% in California, while incidences of other hate crimes have have down.
To fight such an insidious phenomenon, you first need to define it. Resolution E is an excellent first step.
We must never minimize any form of antisemitism–whether from the extreme right or left. Nor should antisemitism be used to gain political advantage which tragically has happened throughout history and up to the present.
Though the anti-Zionist forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, was published in Russia in the late 1800’s and harshly debunked in the early 1900s, it was used by the Nazis to convince the public that a Jewish conspiracy was in the works, Hitler even mentioned the Protocols in Mein Kampf and in speeches. The Protocols have helped to provide a denunciation of Zionism as the source of all problems in Arab lands. Hamas, which now rules Gaza, has made excerpts of the Protocols actual articles of its charter. According to Hamas’ political agenda, calling for the destruction of Israel is justified as a means of survival necessary before Zionists take over the rest of the world.
This antisemitic forgery is still sold in bookshops throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Holocaust deniers have also contributed to the legacy of the Protocols. They claim that the Holocaust never happened and that it was a Jewish plot aimed at establishing the State of Israel and receiving financial compensation from Germany. They cite the Protocols to confirm their fantasies, and they provide editions in various languages on the Internet.
Jew hatred takes many forms and all of those forms must be addressed swiftly and decisively. Resolution E is an important part of education and activism so the same type of language from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion does not get normalized in anyone’s political home. In this case in the San Diego Democratic Party.
I agree with Mitchell J. Freedman about the problematic language in Resolution-E. Nonetheless what stands out for me is the hate spoken and witnessed, the lies and distortions. Clearly it is necessary for our community spokespersons (ADL, Board of Rabbis, etc) to seek to educate the SD Democrats on antisemitism and Israel no matter the outcome of the vote today. As the 75 yr old “child” of Holocaust survivors, I find this article deeply disturbing. I will be supporting the Biden/Harris ticket nonetheless as both candidates have been clear about antisemitism and support for Israel.
A couple of points that I wanted the readers to know:
1. Resolution E, is largely a restating of the stated position of the platform of the national Democratic Party and the state Democratic Party. That means even though it has not been taken up by the San Diego County Democratic Party, it is already the position of the Democratic Party as a whole. That cannot be changed by a vote of the SDCDP.
2. I want to make sure that everyone knows that there is absolutely a recourse for dealing with anti-semitic discrimination (which is racist) within the Democratic Party in San Diego county. It is the ethics committee which I founded this year. It took some time for us to get this off the ground but in this last meeting we censured a member and proactively prevented him from becoming a member of the Central Committee in large part because of his targeting of Jewish members of the committee and anti-semitic hate speech. This demonstrates that the Party has some tools at it’s disposal to address this behavior granted we are not a judicial body and are thus limited in what we can do.
3. The Party will be working with various members of the Jewish Community including Andrea Beth Damsky and Sheri Sachs to put together a townhall on Jewish Voices in the Democratic Party in order to better educate on this issue and so that we can uplift Jewish voices and remind people of the humanity in all of us.
Just wanted the readers aware of these three points. I can be reached at chair@sddemocrats.org should you have additional thoughts.
In Solidarity,
Will Rodriguez-Kennedy
Chair | San Diego County Democratic Party
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