I have been an American journalist for 64 years.
I am Jewish by birth, and proud of my heritage, but I never wanted to be known as a “Jewish journalist.”
Once I became a columnist at the Philadelphia Daily News, and was free to choose my subjects, I avoided writing about Judaism, or Israel. I almost never went there, unless dictated by news events — such as war in the Mideast, or a “Jewish topic” that went mainstream.
I did that because I did not want to be pigeonholed as a “Jewish journalist.”
Why not?
Because once you are pigeonholed as one thing, there’s a ton of people who won’t read you, thinking you are a partisan ideologue. I try to be a centrist, calling balls and strikes impartially.
Example: In 2017, Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, had a concert coming to Philadelphia, and he had been identified by some as an anti-Semite. There was no question that he was and is anti-Israel and an anti-Zionist, but is that the same as hating all Jews?
In my column, I concluded that, no, it is not the same.
It was not an easy call for me, and some Jews were mad at me, but I went by reason, not by emotion.
I regard the charge of anti-Semitism to be so toxic, I won’t use it without certainty. The same with racism, which is tossed around much too casually.
I sometimes think there is such a shortage of actual racism in America, some people have to invent some. I some of you won’t like reading that.
Anyway, when some called for Temple University to fire Marc Lamont Hill for alleged anti-Semitism for anti-Israel remarks he made at the U.N., I defended him. I think he is deeply deluded, very wrong about Israel, and a wannabe revolutionary in search of a cause, but not someone who hates all Jews. His speech had nothing to do with his employment at Temple, which issued a statement condemning his remarks, and let it go at that. Fine. Hill was fired as a contributor to CNN, which I also disagreed with. If you don’t like cancel culture — and I don’t — you have to oppose it whether it comes from the Right or the Left.
Free speech means just that, and I believe in it to the max, stopping just short of the well-established red lines of physical threats and libel.
In March, I came to the defense of a loathsome Palestinian-American teacher who was fired by Cabrini College for his virulently anti-Israel tweets, and anti-Ukraine tweets, too. But they were on his personal account and had no connection to his teaching duties. The firing violated his freedom of speech, argued his attorney, Mark D. Schwartz, who brought suit against Cabrini. [Schwartz was my lawyer in my successful defamation suit against my former employer, the Inquirer.]
Personally, I would like to see the cockroach fired, but the principle of free speech means free for all, even ugly speech that I abhor.
A corollary: There has been a remarkable increase in anti-Semitism in recent years, and I know some Philadelphia Jews who tell me they are actually afraid to walk the streets.
But, as I wrote earlier this year, while the percentage of anti-Semitic “incidents” increased a lot, the number was extremely small —114 incidents in all of Pennsylvania last year.
Even the word “incidents” is broad and vague. It includes “vandalism,” “harassment,” “assaults,” even conspiracy theories.
Physical assaults numbered 29.
In Philadelphia, 24 “incidents” were reported.
Nationally, the FBI report on religious hate crimes listed 1,005 in all, 31.9% directed against Jews. That is 320 “incidents” in a nation of 332 million — or one hate crime per million people.
Does this mean anti-Semitism is nothing, I asked my fellow Americans, and Jews? No, but it certainly should not freeze you with fear.
Some Jews said I was minimizing anti-Semitism. My feeling — as a journalist — is I go with the facts, not my emotions.
Despite that, some say I am pro Israel because I am a Jew, it’s as simple as that.
Then why am I pro Ukraine? I am not Ukrainian, and Ukraine actually has a sad and well-documented history of anti-Semitism.
So why would you side with Ukraine?, some ask.
Because that was the past, and Ukraine, like Israel, is a democracy that a neighbor is trying to extinguish. Its past is something it will have to bear, but it seems to have rehabilitated itself, as has Germany.
As has America for slavery. I know some of you won’t like reading that.
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They say truth is the first casualty of war, and so it is with any debate over Israel.
Both sides shave the truth, and seek to put forward the facts that put them in the best light. Since I have been thinking about, and writing irregularly about Israel since 1977, I have heard every argument from every side.
There was a terrible tragedy the other day, when a Gaza hospital was damaged by a missile, bomb, or rocket, killing maybe as many as 500 people.
Almost immediately the Internet was filled — with no factual basis — with word that it was an Israeli attack. Shit-for-brains Congresswoman Rashid Tlaib tweeted out a message blaming Israel, and also President Joe Biden. She is a totally irresponsible moron and never retracted her falsehood.
The cable networks reported the attack, the accusations against Israel, and that Israel was looking for evidence of what had happened. Israel took more than six hours, and by that time the “Israel did it” narrative had been planted in Arab nations, and was digested by the Arab street. I reported on this earlier.
I note that Israelis did not dance in the streets or hand out candy when they learned of the hospital catastrophe — as West Bank Palestinians did when they learned of 9/11 (and Yasir Atafat tried to confiscate the footage, recognizing this joy would not play well in the West).
Can we be 100% certain of Israel’s proof? No, but it does buttress government statements that Israel does not target hospitals or schools, unlike the terrorist it faces. Independent sources provided video that exonerated Israel.
Did I write the above as a Jew? No, as a journalist using what facts I have at my disposal to reach the truth.
I will continue writing about the current war in the Mideast, as I will write about Philadelphia issues, always as a journalist seeking to comment on the facts, without ideology.
But with a point of view some of you won’t like reading.
My only problem is with all the money that we are giving to the Ukraine and to Israel is we are cutting our country short. We should not be financing the wars of other countries. The Ukraine is known as the of the most corrupt countries in the world how much of the aid that we supply is going in the pocket of the top officials? We are spending billions of our much needed tax dollars. I say stop the aid to Ukraine now and give limited aid to Israel for a short time.
So, you’re OK with what will happen if we do stop aiding Ukraine? You’re OK with Russian tanks in Kyiv? We tried appeasing warmongering dictators back in the 1930s. How’d that work out?
We can’t get involved in everyone’s battles. Ukraine will not win in the end. We need to cut our loses.
There is no “the Ukraine.” The name of the country is Ukraine.
There is the Ukraine just like there is the United States.
And that is because the name of our country is also a descriptive phrase signaling a union of states and commonwealths in a federal republic. The phrase “The Ukraine” was relevant during both Soviet Union and Czarist Russian Empire relegating the land of the Ukrainian people to a provincial status. That is no longer the case Ukraine is a sovreign country.
I understand isolationism and parsimony. Forget about defending fellow democracies, don’t you understand that Ukraine and Israel are fighting our enemies, Ukraine especially bleeding and humiliating Russia.
Corrupt? It has been Zelenskyy was elected as a reformer and has been weeding out corrupt officials.
The Ukraine isn’t going to win in the end. We are wasting our tax money on a no win war. You don’t fight a war that will bleed our tax money and will not have a good ending. Israel has been fighting their war forever why should we give them billions of dollars to carry on this lifetime long term conflict. Who is right or who is wrong about these two conflicts in other countries? I believe everyone has the right to have their own feelings and opinions on the subject.
I remember the certainty that Great Britain would defeat the colonists. I’m sure you would have found that fight too costly too.
I can’t predict Ukraine will win, but I will help them every way I can because they are fighting OUR enemy, Russia.
The aid to Ukraine is being effectively overseen by several federal agencies such as the IG, Defense Dept and USAID. Nothing to their ‘top officials’.
BTW, if Putin defeated Ukraine, a NATO country would be next, and if Trump was President he’d weaken us by leaving NATO.
Russia invaded Ukraine when Obama and Biden were in office. He did nothing during the Trump administration but But invaded Ukraine when Biden came in. Who’s in Putins pocket. NATO is still not paying what they should. And we are paying for a war that would not have happened under Trump.
No, the war would have happened under Trump. He would have withdrawn from NATO and left Ukraine & Europe on it’s own (Trump and his ‘freedom caucus’ is weak on national security). Europe has contributed more to Ukraine than us. Many NATO countries are spending more and buying American equipment. We are stronger in NATO and you can’t measure it just by how much some country contributes money-wise. Trump IS Putin’s poodle.
Bullshit
So true.
If Trump was President these two conflicts would never happen.
Stu, two points.
1. “A corollary: There has been a remarkable increase in anti-Semitism in recent years…”. What we know is that there has been a remarkable increase in reported anti-Semitism in recent years. As you note, the number of incidents is incredibly small for a nation as large as ours. I expect there is a lot more anti-Semitism than is reported. Nonetheless, I’m not at all certain that the increase in reported anti-Semitism means that there is actually more anti-Semitism. It may be simply that there is more reporting of what has always happened so that even if actual anti-Semitism has remained unchanged or even declined, reported anti-Semitism may be increasing. Both can be true.
2. “Shit-for-brains Congresswoman Rashid Tlaib…”. One of the things that makes this country great is that we can all say whatever we want about the members of our governing class without fear of retribution. I do, and I’m glad you do too.
1- What you say is true, but one can think an issue to death. I go with the best available information I can find.
2- I seldom resort to language I could not publish in a newspaper, but some people just require obscenities. After all, Tlaib used “motherfucker” at a rally in front of her 10-year-old son.
I respect JR’s opinion, but I feel the exact opposite. It is incumbent for the United States, as the leader of a free world, if it chooses to remain as such, to support and defend democracies around the world. Sure, every country, even our own has its warts, its past ugly incidents and policies. But if a totalitarian regime tries to intimidate or worse, as is the case with both Hamas and Russia, tries to overthrow them, we must fight back. If we don’t, eventually we’ll be the only democracy standing, and who will help when they come for us? At least, that’s my view.
I respect your opinion also. But why didn’t our Jewish brothers speak up for Ukraine when they were first attacked. It seems now that Israel is attached our Jewish brothers are ok with aid to Ukraine.
Who says the Jewish brothers did not speak up for Ukraine? Mine did.
My poker group, six Jewish guys and me — the token goy — vehemently supported the US aiding Ukraine.
Just think what the world would be like today if Trump was re-elected. A booming economy. Low inflation, low interest rates. Millions of illegals aliens would not have invaded our country.we would have stopped a lot of the drugs that are killing our people. Gas prices would be low. There would be more money in our pockets. Fewer people on welfare and food stamps. He would not have made our enemies rich so they could start wars. Thousands of people would still be alive. I could go on and on. Biden and the democrats are destroying our country. How can people be so blind not to see it.
Really? Have you not seen videos of the January 6th invasion of Congress? Why were these insurrectionists there, what was their cause? Why did the then President of the US, who retains the authority to call out the DC National Guard, did not do so?
Oh, I dunno. Maybe because we get our news from places other than right wing propaganda sources, and those sources tell us that the world is a lot more complex than you think it is. Since when did the president determine gas prices? Since when was the U.S. president responsible for world wide inflation? Or the economy? (let me enlighten you s/he is NOT). Illegal immigrants have come in on the watches of both parties. How do you account for that? Do you understand that SNAP benefits children and disabled people? You would deny them this benefit? While we are at it, you do realize that SNAP recipients have a work requirement, eh? All adults ages 16 to 59 who are not otherwise exempt must comply with a general work requirement to receive SNAP benefits: they must register to work, accept a job if offered, and not quit a job without good cause. What enemies were made rich? By whom? Putin was the Trumpster’s buddy, not Biden’s. And I am not sure how Hamas is the Democrats’ buddy. So, in a nutshell, you need to educate yourself dude and stop spouting simplistic OAN talking points.
Millions were coming off the welfare rolls and food stamps when Trump was president.
I’m trying to figure out what your comment has to do with my post, which didn’t even mention Trump.
They remind me of the feeble-minded Mr. Dick in “David Copperfield.” He keeps trying to write his Memorial, but no matter what he tries to say, the head of King Charles I creeps into the narrative. He just can’t help it.
I bring it up because the biggest story in my lifetime is the democrats destroying our country and the free world. In less than 3 years the world is in chaos wars breaking out everywhere. It’s just a matter of time before China invades Taiwan. And I pray to God the we don’t have an attack over here. But hardly a bad word from you or the main stream media about what a screw up Biden is. Trump did a great job domestically and his foreign policy was spot on. Yet everyday nothing but negative press. And Biden gets a pass for being the biggest fuck up in American history. You
That’s because “the biggest story in your lifetime” is in your demented mind. Bigger than 9-11? Bigg than your god Trump being elected?
The country is NOT being destroyed. We have problems and people like you are among them.
We will see what you think when Biden abandons Israel.
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, but note Trump has been dissing Netanyahu and praising Hezbollah. Or didn’t StormFront announce that?
Yes bigger than 9/11 you stupid demented fool. How dumb can you be. Looks what’s happened the last 3 years you blind old fuck.
You are so scared, you need to buy a dog. You think America is finished because you don’t like the American president. I am not crazy about him either, but unlike a feeble coward like you, I have faith in America and our democracy to right itself, as we did after the asshole you worship.
Jesus christ, you people with January 6th 🤣
I love it. Like Daniel said above, we all could afford gas and our 401’s were doing great, but you people scream ‘January 6th’ at everything.
The most overhyped event in American history.
What a loser.
If people weren’t so full of hate they would have voted for Trump. The democrats and the dishonest media lied to the American people telling them he was a traitor and a communist spy. They said he would cause a nuclear war. Look at us now. Wanda what news were you watching. Bidens foreign policy is reason you wrote your post Stu he put money in Irans pocket so they could conduct this war. Jan 6th was a demonstration that got out of hand and would have never happened if the dummies in this country didn’t elect Biden. The idiots who elected him are bigger enemies too our country than Russia, China and Iran.
Ukraine fights, the do not need our soldiers. Israelis will fight, they do not need our soldiers. If there is corruption in Ukraine, can it really be any worse than we have in the United States? Trump handed out billions in PPP aid which was needed for businesses and employees to survive. Was there corruption in that process? Of course there was, but it was a necessary program which was one of the good things done by Trump. We can support Ukraine and Israel, no doubt and if we do not, we are empowering the countries that want to destroy us and our allies throughout the world. So though not everything as black and white as the haters would want us to believe, there is good and evil, and what Hamas and the Russians have done qualify as evil in my book. Stu, very well positioned and explained
Excellent point on PPP (which, of course, contributed to inflation, one of the usual charges against Biden) 😃
Great article. You are consistent with your impartiality and integrity. I take slight issue with your premise that there’s a “shortage of actual racism in America, some people have to invent some.” I say there is so much actual bigotry in this country and the world, let’s not make false accusations of racism where it’s not. A subtle nuance but a different take. This country is extremely divided by race, political beliefs and religious tolerance. Racism and Antisemitism aren’t really on the rise, it never left. The problem is, they used to hide their hatred, 2023 they are emboldened and openly racist and antisemitic. It’s frightening actually.
I see your point but I question “there is so much actual bigotry.”
The quantity of known anti-Semitism is very small. The amount of provable racism is larger, but still not the majority.
Just to nitpick another good article…
Should Temple employ someone who “is deeply deluded, very wrong about Israel, and a wannabe revolutionary in search of a cause” as an educator?
Why would CNN keep Hill, and Cabrini that teacher, if they bring unnecessary controversy, extra work for their bosses, and cause many in the public to feel less about the institutions that pay them?
Cancel culture is more of a grudge. These people are no heroes deserving of job security. They can easily be replaced.
You understood your responsibility as a high-profile person, when you still had a boss. And reputation, since your lawsuit showed you have something valuable worth defending. These people don’t; they did it to themselves.
The quote about Hill is MY opinion about his politics. It doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective teacher.
In his case, and the Palestinian, I HATE their opinions, but I will defend their right to speech until they cross a line — as the asshat who defamed me did.
I never asked for her to be fired. I asked for an apology from her and Inky.
I am still waiting, even after a jury ruled that they had lied about me. Shame on them.
“It doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective teacher.”
Respectfully, therein lies the rub. And the radical lies. Political viewpoint influences what is taught. Evidence of indoctrination is exploding on campuses across the U.S. Like the Mainstream Media, professors used to pretend to be impartial — now they take pride in being progressive activists. And shame anyone who questions them and isn’t in lockstep, pun intended. Scary times, put mildly ….
Max, we all have our beliefs. As a news reporter, when I had to be objective, I could put them aside. If I didn’t an editor would.
IF Hill’s awful beliefs bled into his instruction, then I’d be for firing him. There is no evidence that ever happened.
I do believe in the humanities, many colleges are indoctrination factories. But weren’t they always?
How did Trump get into this? I agree with backing other countries espescially in the name of Democracy. I see doing away with Hamas by any means possible. I see the Ukraine beating down Russia with any means possible. There is corruption in both parties, this has NO reason to bring them into helping out two nations at war. I hate to burst some peoples bubble, antisemitism is alive and growing in some of the weathiest sections of south Florida. Leaflets in bags dropped in your driveway with NAZI hatred. You can’t blame Trump or Biden for this. This is home grown. So start looking at the real need to get out to vote, we have to back our own towns, cities, and the country without predjudice, before we can help others.
You wrote clearly and concisely why you are NOT a “Jewish Journalist,” but most of the responses miss the point and wander into politics, January 6th, Trump, etc. In many ways your writings remind me of Nat Hentoff’s in the Village Voice: a writer, yes, and Jewish, yes. But not a Jewish writer.
That’s a big compliment, and thanks.
In 2011 I was in a conference in the Knesset in Israel with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I asked him how much of the $3.8 Billion of aid that Israel receives from the United States must be spent back in the United States. His answer was that it was required that almost all of the aid must be spent in the U.S. a large part of this money has paid for the two squadrons of F25 fighters that are now at the Nevatim Air Base in the Negev. If this aid was cancelled, thousands of jobs in our country would be lost.
Almost ALL U.S. aid to Israel is military $$$ which must be spent in U.S., so that is correct, Frank.
The aid to Israel can be viewed as aid to aid to American defense workers.
Stu’s favorite meal is a Corned Beef Special, that is enough for me.
Actually, I preferred pastrami, before I cut meat out of my diet. ☹️