View this email in your browser ([link removed])

FAIR

It’s Media—Not Bernie Sanders—That Have an Antisemitism Problem ([link removed])

by Alan MacLeod

Election Focus 2020 Have you heard the news? Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders is antisemitic. Yes, yes, he’s Jewish, and has along history ([link removed]) of anti-racist activism—but that doesn’t matter.

So goes the story in several prominent media outlets, who accuse him of leading “the most antisemitic [campaign] in decades” (Washington Examiner, 12/13/19 ([link removed]) ). While unable to point to Sanders’ own actions or words, the national press has associated him with hatred of Jews by attacking those around him. Throughout 2019, for example, Sanders supporter Rep. Ilhan Omar was constantly labeled ([link removed]) antisemitic across the media for comments she made about the undue influence of the US/Israeli lobbying group AIPAC on American politics (e.g., New York Times,3/7/19 ([link removed]) ; Wall Street Journal, 7/12/19 ([link removed]) ; Washington Post, 8/20/19
([link removed]) ).
National Review: Of Course Bernie Sanders Has a Jeremy Corbyn Problem

The National Review (12/17/19 ([link removed]) ) charges that Bernie Sanders, like Jeremy Corbyn, has "rationalized reinvigorated leftist antagonism toward Jews."

Fox News (1/9/20 ([link removed]) ) claimed Sanders would be “the most anti-Israel” president ever, conflating criticism of Israel and/or the Netanyahu administration with antisemitism:

It’s disgraceful that instead of taking a stand, instead of taking this opportunity to change people’s minds about the dangers of antisemitism, Sanders enables and endorses the anti-Zionist rhetoric of his base.

The National Review (12/17/19 ([link removed]) ) claimed that the “ugly characteristics” of Bernie’s campaign, “already normalizing anti-Jewish antagonism,” were “appalling.” Commentary (12/13/19 ([link removed]) ) agreed, claiming Sanders was “tolerating” the antisemitic “indulgences” of his followers. At times, conservative outlets seemed to be trying to replicate the success that the British press had had in tarring Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as an antisemite—a smear that certainly contributed to his decisive 2019 loss (FAIR.org, 12/21/19 ([link removed]) ).

Antisemitism is certainly on the rise in the United States; the number of incidents recorded by the Anti-Defamation League is approaching an all-time high ([link removed]) . In October 2018 an anti-immigrant gunman attacked ([link removed]) the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11. In April during Passover, a white nationalist opened fire ([link removed]) at the Poway Synagogue near San Diego. And last month, an assailant stabbed ([link removed]) five people celebrating Hanukkah in Monsey, New York. Much of the worst violence has been perpetrated by the far-right, who, in 2017, led a well-publicized ([link removed]) rally in Charlottesville,
Virginia chanting, “Jews will not replace us”—and afterwards President Donald Trumpdescribed ([link removed]) the marchers as “very fine people.”

Trump has frequently evoked antisemitic tropes like the accusation of dual loyalty, telling American Jews that Netanyahu was “your prime minister” and Israel “your country ([link removed]) ,” and describing Jews who vote Democrat as “disloyal ([link removed]) ” to the US and Israel.

Trump, who once insisted ([link removed]) that he only wanted “short guys wearing yarmulkes” to count his cash, has repeatedly invoked the stereotype that Jews are interested only in money. In 2015, he told a group of Jewish Republicans (Real Clear Politics, 12/3/15 ([link removed]) ), “You’re not going to support me because I don’t want your money.... You want to control your own politicians.” To go along with the slur of Jews as puppetmasters, Trump threw in the stereotype of Jews as obsessive bargainers:

Is there anyone in this room who doesn't renegotiate deals? Probably 99% of you. Probably more than any room I've ever spoken in.... I'm a negotiator, like you folks.

Last month (CNN, 12/9/19 ([link removed]) ), Trump told a largely Jewish audience at the Israeli American Council National Summit that they were “brutal killers, not nice people at all”—because "a lot of you are in the real estate business.” But, he added, “you have to vote for me, you have no choice,” he said, because "you're not going to vote for the wealth tax”—implying that Jews care only about their own wealth: “You're going to be my biggest supporters because you'd be out of business in about 15 minutes if they get it."


** Support the Tropes
------------------------------------------------------------
New Yorker depiction of Bernie Sanders

The New Yorker (10/5/15 ([link removed]) ) depicts Bernie Sanders as a "populist prophet."

While media express concern ([link removed]) about the use of antisemitic tropes by the left, they seem oblivious that their own discussions of the Sanders campaign might evoke them. One analogy that appears frequently in Sanders profiles is associating the Vermont senator with the Old Testament, what Christians call the Jewish holy scriptures. The Washington Post (8/29/19 ([link removed]) ) claimed that Sanders is “content to thunder against evildoers like an Old Testament prophet,” while the New York Times (8/2/19 ([link removed]) ) described him as “wild-eyed, scowling and angry as an Old Testament prophet on the downside of the prediction racket.” The Detroit News (7/30/19
([link removed]) ) wrote that Sanders “presents as an Old Testament prophet of doom, a zealot shouting at the immovable mountain."

For some reason, this particular metaphor comes to the minds of a great number of journalists covering Sanders: e.g., Washington Post, 9/24/19 ([link removed]) ; Newsday, 9/17/19 ([link removed]) ; London Independent, 1/24/16 ([link removed]) ; New Yorker, 10/5/15 ([link removed]) ; xxxxxx, 1/8/20 ([link removed]) ). The New Yorker (10/19/19 ([link removed]) ) wrote that Bernie’s tone is “equal parts old Brooklyn grandpa and Old Testament preacher,” managing to squeeze two
stereotypes into one sentence.

Corporate media have also made some highly questionable graphic choices while discussing Sanders. Numerous cartoonists have chosen to make a hooked nose—prominent in anti-Jewish stereotypes, not so prominent on Sanders’ actual face—a hallmark of their caricatures of the candidate.

A number of outlets have featured images that bear a distinct resemblance to the “happy merchant” meme, a common alt-right image ([link removed]) condemned by both theSouthern Poverty Law Center ([link removed]) and the Anti-Defamation League ([link removed]) as a hate symbol and described by Buzzfeed News (2/5/15 ([link removed]) ) as “the Internet’s favorite antisemitic image.”

On the news that his campaign had brought in over $34 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, the Huffington Post (1/2/20 ([link removed]) ) and a number ([link removed]) of ([link removed]) NPR affiliates decided to illustrate their stories with an image of Sanders rubbing his hands together and smiling. In case you think the symbolism was accidental, the Washington Post (1/2/20 ([link removed]) ) covered the same story about a Jew amassing a great fortune with a different image of Sanders rubbing his hands in happy merchant style, changing it only after a public outcry
([link removed]) .
HuffPost depiction of Sanders compared to antisemitic stereotype

HuffPost (1/2/20 ([link removed]) ) chose an image to illustrate Bernie Sanders' fundraising success that bears a disturbing resemblance to a famous antisemitic caricature.

The practice is not limited to Sanders, however. On the story of freshman New York congressmember and Sanders supporter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealing distant Jewish ancestry at a Hanukkah event, both USA Today (12/11/18 ([link removed]) ) and Fox News (12/12/18 ([link removed]) ) used an image of her clasping her hands together in a manner similar to Sanders.
USA Today: Incoming congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez reveals Jewish ancestry at New York Hanukkah event

Reporting on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Jewish heritage, USA Today (12/11/18 ([link removed]) ) also chose an image that visually echoed crude stereotypes.

Ocasio-Cortez has called out the media on antisemitic portrayals before. She took Politico (5/24/19 ([link removed]) ) to task on Twitter (5/25/19 ([link removed]^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1132333655961919488&ref_url=[link removed]) ) for photoshopping money trees onto a picture of Sanders. The article it illustrated was headlined “The Secret of Bernie’s Millions,” Politico introducing it with the words: “Sanders might still be cheap, but he’s sure not poor.” Hey! Why is my dog suddenly barking?!

A media so sensitive to antisemitism that they could see the word “bedbug” as an anti-Jewish trope (as the New York Times’ Bret Stephens did ([link removed]) ) cannot claim ignorance at all the antisemitic dog whistles it is blowing with regard to Sanders.
Tiana Lowe: So @Nero is just as awesome in real life.

Tiana Lowe, the right-wing journalist (Washington Examiner, 12/13/19 ([link removed]) ) who launched the campaign to call Bernie Sanders "antisemetic," called Milo Yiannopoulos "awesome," despite his neo-Nazi trolling ([link removed]) .

The corporate press has also played its part in normalizing far-right ideology, giving glossy portrayals of prominent American fascists (FAIR.org,11/23/16 ([link removed]) ,11/1/19 ([link removed]) ). Indeed, the writer of the Washington Examiner article quoted at the beginning of this article, worrying that Sanders is bringing with him an era of antisemitism, is herself a friend of far-right antisemitic troll Milo Yiannopoulos, whom she calls “awesome ([link removed]) ,” and regularly boasts ([link removed]) of her pride in her Nazi-collaborator grandfather, whose organization participated in the Holocaust that killed Sanders’ close relatives.

Media motives appear less to do with genuine concern over anti-Jewish sentiment and more about weaponizing smears against a progressive campaign taking on the power of the wealthy—and multi-confessional—elites that own and control the corporate press. If media wish to seriously discuss the very real rise of antisemitism, they should probably start by taking a look at themselves.
------------------------------------------------------------

Featured image: Caricatures of Bernie Sanders in the Washington Examiner (7/13/18 ([link removed]) ), San Jose Mercury News (5/24/16 ([link removed]) ) and Augusta Chronicle (4/19/19 ([link removed]) ).
Read more ([link removed])

© 2018 Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up for email alerts from
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting

Our mailing address is:
FAIRNESS & ACCURACY IN REPORTING
124 W. 30th Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10001

FAIR's Website ([link removed])

FAIR counts on your support to do this work — please donate today ([link removed]) .

Follow us on Twitter ([link removed]) | Friend us on Facebook ([link removed])
unsubscribe ([link removed]) .