At a time of rising antisemitism, we need moral clarity from our elected officials
"The goal posts setting the bounds of acceptable anti-Israel speech seem to be shifting, trending toward the normalization of antisemitism, and we are greatly concerned."
Our Pittsburgh Jewish community knows firsthand the immense power of words and the devastation that can come from dangerous rhetoric. During his trial last summer, the evidence was overwhelming that the man who committed the most violent act of antisemitism in U.S. history was inspired by the antisemitic and anti-immigrant ideologies he was reading online.
That’s one reason why we are closely following the social media posts and other statements by our elected officials as anti-Israel campus demonstrations and antisemitic incidents proliferate here, around the country and around the world.
The goal posts setting the bounds of acceptable anti-Israel speech seem to be shifting, trending toward the normalization of antisemitism, and we are greatly concerned.
Last weekend, anti-Israel demonstrators — for the second time — erected an encampment on the grounds of the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning (see story on Page 4), and, as is typical of these types of protests, they submitted a list of demands to the university. But this time, the demands went beyond asking the university to divest from its interests in Israel. This time, any line between what some might consider to be legitimate anti-Israel speech and grave antisemitism was clearly crossed.
This time, the demonstrators called for the termination of the university’s relationship with two prominent Jewish student organizations — Hillel Jewish University Center and Student Coalition for Israel — following a trend that is starting to gain traction around the country.
The demand is textbook antisemitism. It’s hard to imagine university students calling for the abolishment of any other student group that serves a minority population. The Jews, though, seem to be an exception.
While the anti-Israel students — and the professional agitators helping to organize them —often say they are following in the footsteps of students in the 1960s who helped move the needle on ending the Vietnam War, what is happening now is clearly different. In the 1960s, students were pitting themselves against a questionable foreign policy. Now, students are pitting themselves against other students — Jewish students.
We applaud our local politicians who issued statements or posted on social media unequivocally calling out the demands and chants of the protesters — including “Globalize the Intifada” — as antisemitic.
State Rep. Dan Frankel: “[C]alling for the immediate termination of Pitt’s Jewish student orgs is a clear effort to isolate and demonize a group of people for their ethnic and religious heritage. This is not a close call: it’s antisemitism, and it’s dangerous.”
State Rep. Abigail Salisbury: “Calling for the expulsion of Jewish organizations at Pitt while still claiming not to be antisemitic is an interesting intellectual exercise…”
City Controller Rachael Heisler: “I respect the right to protest, but calling for an intifada is calling for the murder of Jews. This is anti-Semitic hate speech and must not be tolerated.”
Other politicians released statements supportive of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community without specifically labeling the protesters’ statements as antisemitic.
Mayor Ed Gainey: “We have seen a rise in Anti-Semitism, and a rise in Anti-Arab activity, and in order to build a city where everyone can feel safe it is clear to me that the only way we can reach that goal, is to honor the humanity of all people. That means continuing to meet with and support our local Jewish community and speaking out against Anti-Semitism and the loss of innocent Israeli lives. It also means that we must condemn Anti-Arabic activity and recognize the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the loss of innocent Palestinian lives.”
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato: “The mayor and I cannot speak on behalf of [the protestors’] demands, but have encouraged all those involved to engage in meaningful and respectful dialogue to address their concerns. As the leader of this county who strives to build a community where everyone feels safe and welcomed, we will continue to balance and keep everyone’s First Amendment rights intact while standing resolute against antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and hate in all of its forms.”
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger: “My constituents’ safety will always be my first priority. Sadly, actions and statements from the group currently protesting at Pitt have made many students and families I represent feel profoundly unsafe. I unequivocally condemn demands to ban Jewish groups from campus.”
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Barb Warwick: “[T]roubling for many of my constituents are the slogan ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ and the word ‘Intifada.’ There is no doubt that these particular terms — both in Arabic and in English — hold different meanings for different groups. And we are navigating this global conflict — and the words we use to describe it — in real time.”
We are alarmed that Rep. Summer Lee neglected to acknowledge her Jewish constituents’ pain and fear, and instead wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Police escalation in protests always leads to violence. That’s why it’s never the answer. Instead of meeting calls for justice with unnecessary force, we need to listen, understand & address the root cause of the outrage. Our communities demand change, not violent confrontation.”
Lee visited the first encampment in April in support of the protesters.
There is a difference between making broad statements condemning antisemitism and calling out particular instances of Jew hatred. We implore our elected officials to be clear in their condemnation of antisemitism and to speak with moral clarity and specificity.
Words matter. PJC
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