To borrow and update a famous quote from Martin Niemöller last century, you could frame it for America in 2025 like this:
First they came for the public servants, and I did not speak out - because I am not a public servant
Then they came for the Venezualans, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Venezualan.
Then they came for the lawyers, and I did not speak out—because I was not a lawyer.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
America is on a much darker road than many care to see. By the time the majority of your population decides to open their eyes, it might be too late. The administration is already openly defying judicial orders, so what comes next?
I refuse to use the clinically respectable word anti-Semitism which was a European and more innocuous term for the thinking that there was a "Jewish Problem" that Europeans needed to settle for themselves. We know where that thinking ended up.
The right word is JEW-HATRED. Period. No matter how sophisticated and subtle the discussion might be Joe Rogan and Theo Von are simply platforming JEW-HATERS. Their arguments are simply rationalizations and justifications for their JEW-HATRED. Global Conspiracy? Jew-Hatred. Nefarious banking cartels out to enslave us? Jew-Hatred.
So lets call it what it is and the people who indulge in it what they are: Jew-Haters. The only thing that might differentiate them is how much they prioritize their Jew-Hatred with all their other hatreds.
I've seen some discussion lately that we should be saying “homomisia” instead of “homophobia.” Because people aren't *afraid* of homosexuals. They hate homosexuals.
Last year, we had a houseguest, a relative we did not know well. While sitting outside on a beautiful day, a plane emitting a white trail of steam passed overhead. The relative remarked that “they” can control the weather. I had never before heard anyone say such a thing in any context, so I pursued the conversation. Eventually, I asked, “So why aren’t they?” The relative asked, “Why aren’t they what?” I clarified, “Why aren’t they controlling the weather? Why don’t they relieve droughts and stop hurricanes?” After a long pause and a confused expression, the response—I kid you not—was, “Because they want us to be unhappy.” Oh, now I see. Thing was, this was an otherwise lovely, lovely guy, whose company I sincerely enjoyed. I still don’t know what to make of the whole visit.
That’s painful. I once overheard a perfectly respectable older woman telling a friend at the gym that the Democrats could change ballots in the drop boxes with their thoughts.
No no no....the conspiracy will be along the lines of "Democrats didn't change the ballots in the 2024 election because the left always needs to complain about things. If they won like they did with Crooked Joe Biden, worst President ever, then everything that is happening would be their fault"
This is exactly what I find so baffling about the ADL's willingness to run cover for Elon Musk. There is *absolutely* a huge problem with antisemitism among the activist left in the US, and they are correct to go after it, but do they not see the poisonous tendrils of white nationalism extending throughout MAGA? What do they think is going to happen if Trump crashes the economy and all the far right conspiracy cranks want to find somebody to blame? It seems insane to me for them to bet on using the American far right to combat antisemitism.
ADaL’s willingness is their perception that they are stronger supporters is Israel and cracking down on anti-Israel speech, and that they will conflate anti-Israel as being automatically antisemitic.
Donald Trump has long used antisemitic tropes and stereotypes about Jews, but as long as they are slightly higher on the totem poll than other ethnic groups, and he’ll give them some wins on Israel, they will overlook the white nationalism.
Exactly like the Christians that were happy to have an adjudicated rapist, serial adulterer, fraudster, liar & thief (who quite possibly was also a client of Epstein) as President. It's amazing how quickly people discard their supposed beliefs and principles when it suits them. It's also amazing that they never stop to think how their credibility is destroyed when they do it lol.
Will, great to get the Tim Pool update. Do we know if he and the others had to give up their Russian sourced coin? I know they were not charged with any crimes, but seems like the Feds would want to take back those dirty Russian dollars.
“I can confirm for you 100 percent these are far-leftist political individuals,” he said. “How do I know? They got in my face and threatened me personally at the local Cracker Barrel.”
Welcome Will, and congratulations; excellent newsletter.
That said, I happen to know this particular spectacle with Pool is false, because there’s absolutely no chance in hell that a “far-leftest” would be caught dead at a Cracker Barrel!…:)
Seriously though, anti-semitism is on the rise, and it’s becoming “cool” and “mainstream” in many younger political circles.
And what makes it worse is how the Trump administration is using anti-semitism as part of a wider strategy to obfuscate MAGA anti-semitism in an increasingly fascist regime. I believe a term was recently coined by Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper: “Smokescreen Anti-semitism.”
Additionally, we have a fascist regime in Israel who is complicit with this cause, as well as the right-wing American Jewish groups, that are cheering this on, and even submitting Palestinian names for deportation.
I’m Jewish, and this isn’t doing Israel or American Jews any favor. It will backfire, and the blowback will be incalculable. We’re already seeing the world blame Jews, while Trump and his cabal of religious fanatics and fascists, skate by as usual.
This is fascism by any other name. And while all Nazi’s were fascists, not all fascists were Nazi’s. In Nazi Germany, it started with the Jews, socialists, communists, gays and Gypsies; however, it certainly didn’t end there.
As of today, it’s about Palestinians and immigrants, but once they are gone, the MAGA mob will move on; even more ravenous, thirsty and vengeful than ever before.
Bottom line: These movements always take on a life of their own, and in the end, no one is safe. Just some thoughts….:)
I'm an Aussie and whilst I abhor what Netanyahu is doing in Gaza (and what Trump plans to do), I do not tar the Israeli people or the Jewish people worldwide with that responsibility. Prior to the horrendous attack by Hamas, the Israeli population was trying to get rid of Netanyahu, which says they are no fans of his either. Certainly there are dickheads that happen to be Jewish that cheer on the slaughter, just like there are non Jewish dickheads that cheer it on - cases in point are Trumpelstiltskin & Jared Kushner.
I don’t disagree. The majority of Israeli’s want Netanyahu gone. I’m talking about the extremists in America and in Israel.
And my point is that the fascists here, are using anti-semitism as an excuse to enact their nefarious agenda, which is going to hurt Jews everywhere around the world. They’ll label this a Jewish conspiracy.
And what you and I think is irrelevant. It’s how others perceive these actions, and how it’s disseminated to the world; not unlike all the misinformation and disinformation campaigns that helped get Trump elected in the first place.
Don't misunderstand the power of individual thought. Holding one's beliefs and being willing to voice them can be a counter to those that think the opposite. When the powers that be are willing to spread hatred, or encourage it to be spread, then it is important for those that feel different to stand up and voice their own opinions. You could say that you and I posting here in agreement is preaching to the converted (and therefore irrelevant), but who knows whether our thoughts posted here aren't enough to give someone else courage to speak out to friends, family or acquantances that might be rehashing tropes or conspiracies.
1) Welcome to The Bulwark. I look forward to reading about the latest conspiracy theories that the right wing has cooked up (although to be fair there are plenty of left-wing folks who believe in chemtrails).
But you really have to go back well before 2016 to see the growth of the right-wing conspiracy playbook. Starting in the mid-oughts I watched Fox and after retirement in 2014 started listening to Limbaugh (in short but frequent bursts). On a whim, I started keeping a list of the conspiracies that those folks espoused. I also tried to keep a list of left-wing conspiracy theories. Three things struck me about these lists:
a) It was heavily skewed to the Right. I had a list of about 45 right-wing conspiracies and 6 left-wing ones.
b) The absolute insanity of most of the conspiracies. Think Q-Anon and Pizzagate and Jade Helm. But my favorite one is this one from Limbaugh: United Artists released the movie The Dark Knight Rises in the summer of 2012 and named the villain Bane in an attempt to hurt Romney’s campaign (given that Romney founded Bain Capital). Never mind that the movie release was scheduled long before Romney was even a candidate. Never mind that the name Bane was used in the comic book that the movie was based on.
c) The absolute staying power of the right-wing conspiracies. No matter how many times some conspiracy is debunked, it just won’t go away. It may go on the back burner for awhile, but it’s still there.
2) I don’t excited about who some podcaster has as a guest. What gets me excited is if the podcaster treats some nut job as if they have something insightful to say. So Theo Von interviewing Candace Owens is fine; it might even expose her for the lunatic she is. But if he just sits there and nods along and doesn’t challenge anything that she says – well, really, how much different is that than when Trump goes on Fox & Friends?
Maybe Rogan can be prodded into going full-on Hamas. *That* would backfire.
At any rate, we’re doomed when the likes of Joe Rogan get paid $250 million to spew this bile. By a Swedish company.
To borrow and update a famous quote from Martin Niemöller last century, you could frame it for America in 2025 like this:
First they came for the public servants, and I did not speak out - because I am not a public servant
Then they came for the Venezualans, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Venezualan.
Then they came for the lawyers, and I did not speak out—because I was not a lawyer.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
America is on a much darker road than many care to see. By the time the majority of your population decides to open their eyes, it might be too late. The administration is already openly defying judicial orders, so what comes next?
We need a Will podcast!
Conspiracy theories will inevitably lead you to anti-Semitism, because it includes such a rich tradition of imagined conspiracies.
Tim Pool confronted in a Cracker Barrel in WV 👌
Does anyone remember the woman who thought the rainbow in her sprinkler spray was caused by chemicals in the water?
https://youtu.be/_c6HsiixFS8?si=ZTqdUvV15LzAGuvc
Oblig xkcd:
https://xkcd.com/966/
I refuse to use the clinically respectable word anti-Semitism which was a European and more innocuous term for the thinking that there was a "Jewish Problem" that Europeans needed to settle for themselves. We know where that thinking ended up.
The right word is JEW-HATRED. Period. No matter how sophisticated and subtle the discussion might be Joe Rogan and Theo Von are simply platforming JEW-HATERS. Their arguments are simply rationalizations and justifications for their JEW-HATRED. Global Conspiracy? Jew-Hatred. Nefarious banking cartels out to enslave us? Jew-Hatred.
So lets call it what it is and the people who indulge in it what they are: Jew-Haters. The only thing that might differentiate them is how much they prioritize their Jew-Hatred with all their other hatreds.
Absolutely.
I've seen some discussion lately that we should be saying “homomisia” instead of “homophobia.” Because people aren't *afraid* of homosexuals. They hate homosexuals.
As a resident of a small town near Martinsburg, I couldn’t be more thrilled at the prospect of Pool exiting West Virginia.
How selfish of you! That means some other community in America has to put up with him in their town lol.
Last year, we had a houseguest, a relative we did not know well. While sitting outside on a beautiful day, a plane emitting a white trail of steam passed overhead. The relative remarked that “they” can control the weather. I had never before heard anyone say such a thing in any context, so I pursued the conversation. Eventually, I asked, “So why aren’t they?” The relative asked, “Why aren’t they what?” I clarified, “Why aren’t they controlling the weather? Why don’t they relieve droughts and stop hurricanes?” After a long pause and a confused expression, the response—I kid you not—was, “Because they want us to be unhappy.” Oh, now I see. Thing was, this was an otherwise lovely, lovely guy, whose company I sincerely enjoyed. I still don’t know what to make of the whole visit.
Our telepathic powers were cut off by Starlink 😬
That’s painful. I once overheard a perfectly respectable older woman telling a friend at the gym that the Democrats could change ballots in the drop boxes with their thoughts.
I guess we forgot how to do that in November(?)
No no no....the conspiracy will be along the lines of "Democrats didn't change the ballots in the 2024 election because the left always needs to complain about things. If they won like they did with Crooked Joe Biden, worst President ever, then everything that is happening would be their fault"
Welcome to The Bulwark, Will. Great first False Flag newsletter!
This is exactly what I find so baffling about the ADL's willingness to run cover for Elon Musk. There is *absolutely* a huge problem with antisemitism among the activist left in the US, and they are correct to go after it, but do they not see the poisonous tendrils of white nationalism extending throughout MAGA? What do they think is going to happen if Trump crashes the economy and all the far right conspiracy cranks want to find somebody to blame? It seems insane to me for them to bet on using the American far right to combat antisemitism.
ADaL’s willingness is their perception that they are stronger supporters is Israel and cracking down on anti-Israel speech, and that they will conflate anti-Israel as being automatically antisemitic.
Donald Trump has long used antisemitic tropes and stereotypes about Jews, but as long as they are slightly higher on the totem poll than other ethnic groups, and he’ll give them some wins on Israel, they will overlook the white nationalism.
Exactly like the Christians that were happy to have an adjudicated rapist, serial adulterer, fraudster, liar & thief (who quite possibly was also a client of Epstein) as President. It's amazing how quickly people discard their supposed beliefs and principles when it suits them. It's also amazing that they never stop to think how their credibility is destroyed when they do it lol.
Come for the Tim Pool skater drama stay for the disappointed chemtrails conspiracy theoriests -- love it!
Will, great to get the Tim Pool update. Do we know if he and the others had to give up their Russian sourced coin? I know they were not charged with any crimes, but seems like the Feds would want to take back those dirty Russian dollars.
“I can confirm for you 100 percent these are far-leftist political individuals,” he said. “How do I know? They got in my face and threatened me personally at the local Cracker Barrel.”
Welcome Will, and congratulations; excellent newsletter.
That said, I happen to know this particular spectacle with Pool is false, because there’s absolutely no chance in hell that a “far-leftest” would be caught dead at a Cracker Barrel!…:)
Seriously though, anti-semitism is on the rise, and it’s becoming “cool” and “mainstream” in many younger political circles.
And what makes it worse is how the Trump administration is using anti-semitism as part of a wider strategy to obfuscate MAGA anti-semitism in an increasingly fascist regime. I believe a term was recently coined by Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper: “Smokescreen Anti-semitism.”
Additionally, we have a fascist regime in Israel who is complicit with this cause, as well as the right-wing American Jewish groups, that are cheering this on, and even submitting Palestinian names for deportation.
I’m Jewish, and this isn’t doing Israel or American Jews any favor. It will backfire, and the blowback will be incalculable. We’re already seeing the world blame Jews, while Trump and his cabal of religious fanatics and fascists, skate by as usual.
This is fascism by any other name. And while all Nazi’s were fascists, not all fascists were Nazi’s. In Nazi Germany, it started with the Jews, socialists, communists, gays and Gypsies; however, it certainly didn’t end there.
As of today, it’s about Palestinians and immigrants, but once they are gone, the MAGA mob will move on; even more ravenous, thirsty and vengeful than ever before.
Bottom line: These movements always take on a life of their own, and in the end, no one is safe. Just some thoughts….:)
I'm an Aussie and whilst I abhor what Netanyahu is doing in Gaza (and what Trump plans to do), I do not tar the Israeli people or the Jewish people worldwide with that responsibility. Prior to the horrendous attack by Hamas, the Israeli population was trying to get rid of Netanyahu, which says they are no fans of his either. Certainly there are dickheads that happen to be Jewish that cheer on the slaughter, just like there are non Jewish dickheads that cheer it on - cases in point are Trumpelstiltskin & Jared Kushner.
I don’t disagree. The majority of Israeli’s want Netanyahu gone. I’m talking about the extremists in America and in Israel.
And my point is that the fascists here, are using anti-semitism as an excuse to enact their nefarious agenda, which is going to hurt Jews everywhere around the world. They’ll label this a Jewish conspiracy.
And what you and I think is irrelevant. It’s how others perceive these actions, and how it’s disseminated to the world; not unlike all the misinformation and disinformation campaigns that helped get Trump elected in the first place.
Don't misunderstand the power of individual thought. Holding one's beliefs and being willing to voice them can be a counter to those that think the opposite. When the powers that be are willing to spread hatred, or encourage it to be spread, then it is important for those that feel different to stand up and voice their own opinions. You could say that you and I posting here in agreement is preaching to the converted (and therefore irrelevant), but who knows whether our thoughts posted here aren't enough to give someone else courage to speak out to friends, family or acquantances that might be rehashing tropes or conspiracies.
A few comments….
1) Welcome to The Bulwark. I look forward to reading about the latest conspiracy theories that the right wing has cooked up (although to be fair there are plenty of left-wing folks who believe in chemtrails).
But you really have to go back well before 2016 to see the growth of the right-wing conspiracy playbook. Starting in the mid-oughts I watched Fox and after retirement in 2014 started listening to Limbaugh (in short but frequent bursts). On a whim, I started keeping a list of the conspiracies that those folks espoused. I also tried to keep a list of left-wing conspiracy theories. Three things struck me about these lists:
a) It was heavily skewed to the Right. I had a list of about 45 right-wing conspiracies and 6 left-wing ones.
b) The absolute insanity of most of the conspiracies. Think Q-Anon and Pizzagate and Jade Helm. But my favorite one is this one from Limbaugh: United Artists released the movie The Dark Knight Rises in the summer of 2012 and named the villain Bane in an attempt to hurt Romney’s campaign (given that Romney founded Bain Capital). Never mind that the movie release was scheduled long before Romney was even a candidate. Never mind that the name Bane was used in the comic book that the movie was based on.
c) The absolute staying power of the right-wing conspiracies. No matter how many times some conspiracy is debunked, it just won’t go away. It may go on the back burner for awhile, but it’s still there.
2) I don’t excited about who some podcaster has as a guest. What gets me excited is if the podcaster treats some nut job as if they have something insightful to say. So Theo Von interviewing Candace Owens is fine; it might even expose her for the lunatic she is. But if he just sits there and nods along and doesn’t challenge anything that she says – well, really, how much different is that than when Trump goes on Fox & Friends?