Bernie Sanders, the Anti- NJB
With rage and in his eyes and Manischewitz in his hand, my great Uncle Sidney, courageously states, “And that is why I sued Obama in the Supreme Court, he showed a neglect for Israel and the pattern continues.” I used to shrug off the famous story of Uncle Sid suing Obama. It is just Uncle Sid getting mad about Israel again, nothing out of the ordinary. However, in 2016, when Bernie Sanders seemed to be gaining a lot of attention and praise, I too worried about Israel.
Bernie Sanders hit the ground running, attracting the attention and praise of millennials for his refreshing economic and social policies. A socialist Jew, it seemed almost a dream for all of the northeast liberal Jews crusading for better economic protections and healthcare plans. However, swooped up in the temptation of free college and free medical care, many of Sanders’ past statements were carefully tucked away, clouding the shadier decisions and policies of his past. This article is not designated as a slam piece architected to retract all Jewish support for Sanders. Instead, this article serves as a warning that while Sanders’ policies might appear appealing and alluring, they nevertheless are a threat to Jewish values and issues.
To begin, many news sources such as the Washington Post, and New York Times have grappled with the question, “Why has Sanders lost so many Jewish votes?” Political commentators seem stunned that a Jew from Brooklyn that was raised on egg creams and Dodgers games is failing to secure the Jewish votes. Sanders is losing the Jewish vote with only 6% of Jewish support in the polls. It seems most Jewish voters support Bloomberg who has received 28% of Jewish voters and Biden only securing 10%.
Before diving into the reasons Jewish support for Sanders is dwindling, it is important to reference the surrounding ‘Sanders Skepticism’ that has emerged due to a light shed on Sanders’ past publications. In an effort to explain where the ‘Sanders Skepticism’ stems from, I want to draw attention to an article Sanders wrote in 1972 in the Vermont Freeman. Sanders writes about a woman fantasizing about being raped by three men. The article is, to give a diplomatic answer, disturbing. As a candidate who boasts about endorsing universal healthcare since the 1970s, it seems his attitude towards women has been a beat behind. The article has conveniently been downplayed by the Sanders campaign, pushing instead free healthcare and college to attract the young voters and patch up Sander’s “oopsie” past statements. Thus, all women, not just Jewish women should take this into consideration when voting for Sanders.
Not only has Sanders written some questionable articles in his past but, this year alone he has made statements that were considered so lethal that even the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) was forced to Tweet at Sanders, protecting the Jewish identity from the name-calling Sanders was dooling out. The decision of ADL to put out a response to Sanders was not done lightly, but the product of a large build-up of arguably ‘anti-Jewish’ behaviour on the part of Sanders. To illustrate, Sanders has consistently supported the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS), a movement that urges countries to boycott Israeli products in an effort to pressure Israel to change their international laws and give back land to Palestinians. The BDS movement is incredibly detrimental to the Israeli economy, forcing an already ostracised nation to be even more self-sufficient. Many Jews feel strongly about the BDS movement, putting in jeopardy the prosperity of the Jewish homeland. Sanders makes a dangerous conflation, supporting Israel is not the same as being a Zionist. Many Jews support Israel, seeing it as a country of immigrants who were turned away by the U.S during WWII and needed to seek refuge from the Nazi regime. Many Jews trace their roots back to ancestors who fled to Israel looking for an escape from Eastern Europe. Israel was a place of refuge and a home for Jews when the rest of the world rejected them. This does not mean Jews that support Israel want a specifically Jewish homeland or want to kick-out the Palestinians. It merely means Jews are sensitive to Israeli issues because Israel is one of the only places in the world where Jewish people feel protected by the government. Thus, when the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Conference invited Sanders to come and speak, he declined stating he would not participate in an organisation centered around a platform of ‘bigotry.’ This was a missed opportunity. Not only has Sanders never attended an AIPAC Conference, making his dismissal a bit premature, he missed an opportunity to share his views and come to a compromise or have an engaged discussion about Israeli issues. AIPAC, gave Sanders an opportunity and he ignored it, showing a carelessness that should not be overlooked by voters.
Sanders claims, "I am pro-Israel. I am pro-Palestinian. I want to bring people together to finally achieve peace in that region." However, how can a candidate who pledges he wants to make progress within Israel refuse to speak at one of the only bi-partisan conferences designated for Israeli issues? It seems hypocritical. As Rabbi Rick Jacobs poignantly tweeted, “If Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to lead the Democratic Party and the nation, I hope he can speak to, engage with, and even debate everyone. Don’t skip AIPAC; speak to –and with – participants at AIPAC." Washington Post writer Dana Milbank applauded Sanders for being ‘brave enough’ not to attend the conference. I challenge said ‘bravery.’ If Sanders were brave he would have attended, speaking out against the alt-right policies he takes issue with. Refusing to partake in the conversation heeds progress and sends a message: Sanders will always put Palestine over Israel. This may not be true, but to not even agree to discuss Israeli issues sets off warning lights. Sanders’ stance towards Israel was considered so aggressive that the ADL was forced to put out a statement warning Sanders that his cutting comments towards Israel tread the line of being blatantly anti-Semitic.
On April 6th 2016 the ADL made the statement:
“In an interview with the editorial board of the New York Daily News, Senator Sanders said, ‘I believe 100 percent not only in Israel's right to exist, a right to exist in peace and security without having to face terrorist attacks.’ But he then called Israel’s actions during the 2014 war in Gaza ‘disproportionate’ and greatly overstated Palestinian civilian casualties, saying ‘my recollection is over 10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza.’ ‘Even the highest number of casualties claimed by Palestinian sources that include Hamas members engaged in attacking Israel is five times less than the number cited by Bernie Sanders,’ said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. ‘As Mr. Sanders publicly discusses his approach to key U.S. foreign policy priorities, including Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, accuracy and accountability are essential for the voting public, but also for U.S. credibility in the international community. We urge Senator Sanders to correct his misstatements.’”
Overall, while Bernie Sanders may have seductive economic plans, his candidacy comes with its fair share of baggage. The Jewish identity is complex, versatile, and diverse. However, some main tenets of Judaism include a respect and understanding of past Jewish history, showing compassion for those who are not as fortunate, and preserving the Jewish religion. While Sanders claims he is religious, he is merely Jewish when convenient. He has openly stated he does not believe in God, or organised religion, even holding a campaign rally on Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar. The bottom line is, Sanders is not concerned with Jewish issues, he is only concerned with securing the Jewish vote. Sorry Sanders, being a New York Jew by blood is not going to cut it. Masquerading as a candidate who “cares about Israel” or considering himself a “religious Jew” is merely fictitious and hurts his credibility. Sanders needs to own his truth; he did not fool Uncle Sidney and he sure as hell is not fooling me.
Cover Image Source: National Observer (labeled for resue) https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/12/22/news/bernie-sanders-wont-take-bait
