Sunday, March 17, 2019

New York Jews Abandon the Democratic Party


Has the Democratic Party finally succeeded in alienating its Jewish voters? Faced with the blatant anti-Semitism of Rep. Ilhan Omar, not to mention her posse, composed of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Rashida Talib, Democratic leaders in Congress tried to offer up a condemnation of anti-Semitism. Their new anti-Semitic base rejected the resolution and forced them to recraft it as a resolution against hate.

Many of us have been wondering when and how Jewish Democrats would see that they are no longer welcome in today’s “woke” Democratic Party. A political coalition that blames its failures on white people and whose leaders have openly consorted with notable anti-Semites like Jeremiah Wright, Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton cannot long welcome a group that so conspicuously overachieves. That would be: Jews.

Today The New York Post reports that the message is getting through to some New York Jews, at least:

Jewish voters furious at Democrats’ defense of Rep. Ilhan Omar say they’re done with the party that has held their support for generations.

“We felt we had a home there,” said Mark Schwartz, the Democratic deputy mayor of solidly blue Teaneck, NJ. “And now we feel like we have to check our passports.”

Jordan Manor of Manhattan, who calls himself a “gay Jewish Israeli-American,” laments, “The party I thought cared about me seems to disregard me when it comes to my Jewish identity.”

Mark Dunec, a consultant in Livingston, NJ who ran for Congress as a Democrat in 2014, says, “I’m physically afraid for myself and for my family,” adding, “I see my own party contributing to the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States.”

Many Jewish New York Democrats have seen the light. They refuse to accept Nancy Pelosi’s idiotic defense of Rep. Omar—namely, that she did not understand what she was saying. Obviously, enough, since Omar keeps saying it, we must assume that her anti-Semitism is deeply ingrained in her mind:

Many Jewish Dems in the city aren’t buying it.

“The fake defense she doesn’t know what she’s saying? I don’t believe it,” said Sara, a Queens teacher who asked not to be fully identified. “This is a grown woman and a member of Congress. Trying to excuse this as naivete is inexcusable.”

For her and others, anger is sparking immediate action.

“The watered-down resolution triggered my decision to walk away from the Democratic Party,” said Allison Gangi of Manhattan.

“I never dreamed anti-Semitism would have become mainstream on the left, but it has.”

Sara said she is “not comfortable anymore being a Democrat” and will register as an independent.

Among his Teaneck neighbors, Schwartz said, “Our only question now is, do we start voting Republican, or do we become Republicans?”

It’s the right question to be asking.

7 comments:

Sam L. said...

I've been wondering why, Jews being smart, they've stayed with the Dems.

Stuart Schneiderman said...

The phrase was... "earn like Episcopalians..."

sestamibi said...

Tribe member and lifelong Republican here. I had their number right from the start.

UbuMaccabee said...

I know, I updated the line because nobody knows what an Episcopalian is anymore, and they don't have any cache left. A Hindu once commented to me that is was tough going for his daughter now that she was competing against Jews for the remaining spots at a prestigious music school in NYC. He said that in America, Jews were the Brahman class. I thought that was funny, and agreed with him. He had no envy, just admiration. We both thought Yehudi Menuhin was the finest violinist of the past century. Frankly, I'm glad to have the Hindus push out the Episcopalians, they have a deeper understanding of the problems with Islam.

Walt said...

Sorry, rumrot, but Jews have never wanted "free cheese," and as for the rest, only a few very old people even know who Trotsky was. There's still a reflexive identification with the underdog among even the most successful in the older generations and their gradchildren and great-grandchikdren have been steeped in anti-Israel cant for their entire academic lives. But as for how they'll vote in 2020, I think it will depend on who the Democrat candidate is and how well he (or she) tap dances. Schumer will still be Senator for Life.

rumrot said...

walt you made my point if you are waiting for the right democrat you will remain the same not a clue that the whole democratic party will support sharia law over your beliefs you keep waiting.

UbuMaccabee said...

Walt, agreed, when you go to college they carefully avoid explaining who the mass murderers of socialism were, so recollections of Trotsky are going to be hazy. Trotsky is just a stand-in for the longing to replace God with man, to create a “new man” whose character is shaped by equality. Jerrold Nadler is no Trotsky but he has all the same destructive impulses, and given enough power, the same arrogance. The devotion to ethical monotheism is replaced by the longing to reshape human nature—by compulsion if necessary.