Van Jones examines the rising concerns about antisemitic violence in America and questions if online forces are subtly influencing progressive movements to accept hate against Jewish people.
thank you for saying this Van....as a Jew I am so hurt that we have been abandoned by the progressives. I was a progessive, but no more. It is a very scary time. Thank you thank you. And thank you for continuing to wear the yellow pin. I praise you every time I see you wearing the pin. You are a true ally Van. Elizabeth
What’s new is that progressives are increasingly withdrawing support for any Israeli state at all, and instead want it to be replaced with a Palestinian state - “from the river to the sea.”
Because progressives are increasingly seeing Jewish people as white European colonialist oppressors instead of an indigenous people from the ancient kingdoms of Judea and Israel.
As for being tricked or manipulated, I think the main stream media including CNN, the New York Times, WAPO and many others have done everyone a disservice by presenting information from the “Gaza Health Ministry” as facts. This is taking the “truth” from Hamas without fact checking. Jews have been subjected to Blood libels before but this time the media splashes these falsehoods over and over again and if there’s ever a retraction it’s a tiny blurb that no one ever reads. Who will hold the MSM accountable for smearing Israel and by extension the entire Jewish people?
Finally, I would caution you not to make a distinction between those who support Netanyahu and those who do not. It’s similar to making an argument about who is a “good” immigrant and who is not. Can you imagine people physically attacking Americans because Donald Trump is our President?
Good for you, Van! But, I'm afraid there is no conspiracy, no manipulation. This is simply the logical extension of the simplistic narrative many progressives have adopted that clumps just about every domestic and geopolitical issue into "oppressor" and "oppressed." By this formula, Israel and all Jews have become Oppressors, and therefore the reflexive progressive response must be to side with the Oppressed. They have no patience to deal with the complexities and nuance of the difficult situation in the Mideast. It is beyond depressing in this Age of Trump, in which the Orange One endlessly spouts simplistic nonsense, "our side" seems content to do much the same. Save us, Van!
Thank you. Grateful for the clarity and bravery. As a Jewish mama, it's been a scary and infuriating time, especially as we have historically stood by fellow progressives in all instances of injustice. Today's silence and abandonment, in the face of growing hatred against Jews, has been shattering.
I had an experience yesterday with a friend I made on social media. I thought he was a really good guy, we have mutual friends who I know in person, and we are on the same wavelength about most issues. However, when I posted about how fire-bombing Jewish people in Boulder doesn't "Free Palestine," his response was very disappointing and...isolating. He stated that he doesn't condone violence, BUT then posted photos of Gaza. It is EXACTLY what you reference here in your video. I tried to point out that there shouldn't be a "but" after the first part of his statement, that it actually justifies a terrorist attack on Jewish people just for being Jewish, as these people are not killing children in Gaza. He kept saying no one is innocent and pointed out that he has noticed that I don't post about the war in Gaza, making ME not innocent. That second part brings me to another issue...and that is because I'm Jewish, I'm expected to make my opinion about Gaza known. I have not posted recently about Gaza because my opinion has nuance, it's not black and white.. and that won't please some people. Posting about my opinion after Oct 7 led to cyber-bullying and, in fact, putting my life and livelihood in danger with public (untrue) statements about me by someone who I had known for awhile and, again, is "progressive." (That lasted several weeks, right after my mom had passed away and I was in grief - this supposedly progressive friend became blatantly anti-semitic, even going to the level of posting articles analyzing the facial features of Ashkinazi Jews, after I gave my complicated opinion at that time.) Many of my non-Jewish progressive friends had never paid attention to Israel until Oct. 7 and then suddenly became "experts" by reading quite a bit of propaganda on the internet. So, now, for my own safety, I don't post about it. It's not as though social media posts change things. This guy yesterday seems to think that his rants on social media will stop the war. And, again, he insinuated that the Jewish people in Boulder were "not innocent" because they weren't protesting the war, they were reminding us that there are still hostages that we need to get home. We don't actually know their opinions about the war. Maybe their opinions about that even varied. A lot of assumptions are made because they're Jewish.
Van - thanks for speaking up now and for standing up in the past! As someone who's stood for progressive and liberal values and causes for four-plus decades, I feel it's important to respond since you asked whether Progressives are "being manipulated" into hating Jews, and publicly expressing it through hateful words, defacing/destroying property, and violent acts. Sadly, the "manipulators" who lit the torch that resulted in the spreading wildfire of Jew-hate we're now experiencing are primarily Progressives themselves ... politicians who wrap themselves in the Progressive banner, media who cater to Progressive audiences, and public figures in the arts, entertainment and sports, the world of higher education, and elsewhere, who gaslit the flames of anti-Jewish hate by attacking virtually every action Israel took in response to the horrors of 10/7 since day one. You know better than most that this false and misleading narrative began within hours of Hamas' 10/7 attack, long before Israel had even begun to respond. The proverbial avalanche of hate gained momentum in the ensuing days and weeks (e.g. the knee-jerk false claim that Israel was responsible for bombing Shifa hospital on 10/17, when it actually was caused by a Hamas rocket fired AT Israel). The Jew-hate grew louder and more dangerous over the 18 months that followed, driven, spread and aided by Progressives throughout our country. Given this irrefutable history, I suggest the more appropriate question to be asked is "When are Progressives going to take responsibility for starting this wildfire and what are they going to do to help contain it before it gets any further out of control?" Thanks again for everything you do!
Thank you, Van. You are truly an ally. I have been hurt that many of my non-Jewish progressive friends, whom I have always trusted, have been engaging in hating Jews...and they don't see it. I have sadly lost friends because of this.
Thank you, Van. You are right on. However, the disinformation about the Jewish people seems like an age-old problem that keeps repeating itself. People need to question their own tribe's narrative and that's not usually a comfortable place to be. Living in ambiquity while seeking the truth is a hard road and one not taken by many who would rather dwell amongst their tribe's falsehoods than navigate along a swervy road that takes them in uncharted territory.
Thank you, as always, Van, for your humanity and allyship. We feel increasingly alone in this world. It feels like a coordinated smear attack, aided by algorithms. People are being fed garbage online, and they are believing it. Since when do terrorists (Hamas) get painted as victims, and victims of ACTUAL genocide get painted as perpetrators??? I'm with you. I'm no fan of Bibi. Nor are any of the Jews or Israelis I know. Instead of throwing hate and violence at the Jews, how about a global call for the hostages to be returned -- ALL OF THEM. It's time for Hamas to surrender and put an end to this nightmare, so Gaza can be rebuilt and run by people who actually care about protecting innocent Palestinians and building a thriving society...not warrens of terror tunnels. Israel has a right to exist and to protect itself. PERIOD.
Thank you so much for speaking out.You are spot on! I am Jewish and I can't believe what is happening! Its a very, very scary time and much to my dismay---I don't see it getting better.
Fifty years ago when I was a graduate student at Columbia in NYC, I read a brilliant and heartbreaking article in the Village Voice about the split between African Americans and Jews. It was heartbreaking because the Jewish people in our search for safety from racial hatred (yep!) have by and large been out front in the struggle for justice for Black Americans. I still don't get it - unless anti-semitism is just the go to blame-drug for uncomfortable feelings about the evil and pain in the world. Yes, the situation in Israel and Palestine is a bloody mess. But as Vikram Seth reminds us: if countries in Europe and if the United States had opened their borders to the fleeing Jewish people, a Jewish state would not have been necessary. In this sense, we are ALL complicit - and responsible. And beware the phrase "the Jews..." It is a preface to hate and blame. Thank you Van. I salute you for this podcast (and signed on to membership).
thank you for saying this Van....as a Jew I am so hurt that we have been abandoned by the progressives. I was a progessive, but no more. It is a very scary time. Thank you thank you. And thank you for continuing to wear the yellow pin. I praise you every time I see you wearing the pin. You are a true ally Van. Elizabeth
I feeling exactly the same way. I feel alone completely. Thank you Van. Your clarity is spot on and so appreciated.
I feel the same way.
Thank you for saying what more people should be saying. I wish more people had your moral clarity.
What’s new is that progressives are increasingly withdrawing support for any Israeli state at all, and instead want it to be replaced with a Palestinian state - “from the river to the sea.”
Because progressives are increasingly seeing Jewish people as white European colonialist oppressors instead of an indigenous people from the ancient kingdoms of Judea and Israel.
As for being tricked or manipulated, I think the main stream media including CNN, the New York Times, WAPO and many others have done everyone a disservice by presenting information from the “Gaza Health Ministry” as facts. This is taking the “truth” from Hamas without fact checking. Jews have been subjected to Blood libels before but this time the media splashes these falsehoods over and over again and if there’s ever a retraction it’s a tiny blurb that no one ever reads. Who will hold the MSM accountable for smearing Israel and by extension the entire Jewish people?
Finally, I would caution you not to make a distinction between those who support Netanyahu and those who do not. It’s similar to making an argument about who is a “good” immigrant and who is not. Can you imagine people physically attacking Americans because Donald Trump is our President?
Good for you, Van! But, I'm afraid there is no conspiracy, no manipulation. This is simply the logical extension of the simplistic narrative many progressives have adopted that clumps just about every domestic and geopolitical issue into "oppressor" and "oppressed." By this formula, Israel and all Jews have become Oppressors, and therefore the reflexive progressive response must be to side with the Oppressed. They have no patience to deal with the complexities and nuance of the difficult situation in the Mideast. It is beyond depressing in this Age of Trump, in which the Orange One endlessly spouts simplistic nonsense, "our side" seems content to do much the same. Save us, Van!
This! 👆🏼
I’ve been having this conversation over and over with friends to try to get them to examine this reflex. You said it beautifully.
Thank you. Grateful for the clarity and bravery. As a Jewish mama, it's been a scary and infuriating time, especially as we have historically stood by fellow progressives in all instances of injustice. Today's silence and abandonment, in the face of growing hatred against Jews, has been shattering.
You are a brave, essential and courageous voice, thank you for speaking up.
I had an experience yesterday with a friend I made on social media. I thought he was a really good guy, we have mutual friends who I know in person, and we are on the same wavelength about most issues. However, when I posted about how fire-bombing Jewish people in Boulder doesn't "Free Palestine," his response was very disappointing and...isolating. He stated that he doesn't condone violence, BUT then posted photos of Gaza. It is EXACTLY what you reference here in your video. I tried to point out that there shouldn't be a "but" after the first part of his statement, that it actually justifies a terrorist attack on Jewish people just for being Jewish, as these people are not killing children in Gaza. He kept saying no one is innocent and pointed out that he has noticed that I don't post about the war in Gaza, making ME not innocent. That second part brings me to another issue...and that is because I'm Jewish, I'm expected to make my opinion about Gaza known. I have not posted recently about Gaza because my opinion has nuance, it's not black and white.. and that won't please some people. Posting about my opinion after Oct 7 led to cyber-bullying and, in fact, putting my life and livelihood in danger with public (untrue) statements about me by someone who I had known for awhile and, again, is "progressive." (That lasted several weeks, right after my mom had passed away and I was in grief - this supposedly progressive friend became blatantly anti-semitic, even going to the level of posting articles analyzing the facial features of Ashkinazi Jews, after I gave my complicated opinion at that time.) Many of my non-Jewish progressive friends had never paid attention to Israel until Oct. 7 and then suddenly became "experts" by reading quite a bit of propaganda on the internet. So, now, for my own safety, I don't post about it. It's not as though social media posts change things. This guy yesterday seems to think that his rants on social media will stop the war. And, again, he insinuated that the Jewish people in Boulder were "not innocent" because they weren't protesting the war, they were reminding us that there are still hostages that we need to get home. We don't actually know their opinions about the war. Maybe their opinions about that even varied. A lot of assumptions are made because they're Jewish.
Van - thanks for speaking up now and for standing up in the past! As someone who's stood for progressive and liberal values and causes for four-plus decades, I feel it's important to respond since you asked whether Progressives are "being manipulated" into hating Jews, and publicly expressing it through hateful words, defacing/destroying property, and violent acts. Sadly, the "manipulators" who lit the torch that resulted in the spreading wildfire of Jew-hate we're now experiencing are primarily Progressives themselves ... politicians who wrap themselves in the Progressive banner, media who cater to Progressive audiences, and public figures in the arts, entertainment and sports, the world of higher education, and elsewhere, who gaslit the flames of anti-Jewish hate by attacking virtually every action Israel took in response to the horrors of 10/7 since day one. You know better than most that this false and misleading narrative began within hours of Hamas' 10/7 attack, long before Israel had even begun to respond. The proverbial avalanche of hate gained momentum in the ensuing days and weeks (e.g. the knee-jerk false claim that Israel was responsible for bombing Shifa hospital on 10/17, when it actually was caused by a Hamas rocket fired AT Israel). The Jew-hate grew louder and more dangerous over the 18 months that followed, driven, spread and aided by Progressives throughout our country. Given this irrefutable history, I suggest the more appropriate question to be asked is "When are Progressives going to take responsibility for starting this wildfire and what are they going to do to help contain it before it gets any further out of control?" Thanks again for everything you do!
Thank you, Van. You are truly an ally. I have been hurt that many of my non-Jewish progressive friends, whom I have always trusted, have been engaging in hating Jews...and they don't see it. I have sadly lost friends because of this.
Amen
Thank you, Van. You are right on. However, the disinformation about the Jewish people seems like an age-old problem that keeps repeating itself. People need to question their own tribe's narrative and that's not usually a comfortable place to be. Living in ambiquity while seeking the truth is a hard road and one not taken by many who would rather dwell amongst their tribe's falsehoods than navigate along a swervy road that takes them in uncharted territory.
This is so well said, Van. The silence is deafening and indefensible. All allies need to stand up against anti-Jew hatred.
Thank you, as always, Van, for your humanity and allyship. We feel increasingly alone in this world. It feels like a coordinated smear attack, aided by algorithms. People are being fed garbage online, and they are believing it. Since when do terrorists (Hamas) get painted as victims, and victims of ACTUAL genocide get painted as perpetrators??? I'm with you. I'm no fan of Bibi. Nor are any of the Jews or Israelis I know. Instead of throwing hate and violence at the Jews, how about a global call for the hostages to be returned -- ALL OF THEM. It's time for Hamas to surrender and put an end to this nightmare, so Gaza can be rebuilt and run by people who actually care about protecting innocent Palestinians and building a thriving society...not warrens of terror tunnels. Israel has a right to exist and to protect itself. PERIOD.
Thank you so much for speaking out.You are spot on! I am Jewish and I can't believe what is happening! Its a very, very scary time and much to my dismay---I don't see it getting better.
Fifty years ago when I was a graduate student at Columbia in NYC, I read a brilliant and heartbreaking article in the Village Voice about the split between African Americans and Jews. It was heartbreaking because the Jewish people in our search for safety from racial hatred (yep!) have by and large been out front in the struggle for justice for Black Americans. I still don't get it - unless anti-semitism is just the go to blame-drug for uncomfortable feelings about the evil and pain in the world. Yes, the situation in Israel and Palestine is a bloody mess. But as Vikram Seth reminds us: if countries in Europe and if the United States had opened their borders to the fleeing Jewish people, a Jewish state would not have been necessary. In this sense, we are ALL complicit - and responsible. And beware the phrase "the Jews..." It is a preface to hate and blame. Thank you Van. I salute you for this podcast (and signed on to membership).
We're much stronger when we're together. Thank you for being here!!