1/1/20 Trump and the Jewish Problem
Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, revived the Jewish problem. In an attempt to attack his opponents and the opponents of his Jewish allies (20% to 25% of the American Jewish electorate), his minions created a definition of Jews so that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would “apply to institutions that traffic in anti-Semitic hate.”
In making this change, Trump was trying to target colleges he thinks are left wing, students who are critical of Israel, and critics who describe him as a bigot. He curried favor with the minority of Jews who are his supporters and Evangelical Christians who support Israel. Oddly, the speaker at the public announcement of the Executive Order was Robert Jeffries, a preacher who has explained that Jews and other non-Christians are ineligible for heaven.
Trump generated a debate among Jews. Are we a nationality? Is imposing a national identity on Jews playing into the hands of the anti-Semites, those who believe Jews are not sufficiently loyal to America because we have more than a single loyalty.
Jews and non-Jews should instead be discussing what it means to be a member of a nation? Outside of the United States, there are countless countries with minorities. The United States is filled with people who have multiple loyalties. Irish Americans, German Americans, others have gotten themselves involved in the politics of their home country. American Jews ties to Israel should best be seen as a part of the ties that are part of an American tradition.