December
7, 2023
In
a recent article for The Nation, Dave Zirin, host of Edge of Sports, described
a recent national march in support of Israel held in DC as a hate rally. This
incurred the wrath of Senator Chuck Schumer, who has accused our very own Dave
of anti-Semitism. Dave Zirin responds in this special edition of “Choice
Words.”
Transcript
Dave
Zirin: Welcome to Edge of Sports only on
The Real News Network. I’m Dave Zirin and I have some choice words about a
burgeoning, heated debate between Senator Chuck Schumer and me. Yes, you heard
that correctly. So let’s go. Okay, look, at first I was shocked when Chuck
Schumer standing in the well of the US Senate called an article I wrote
antisemitic. I was told his problem was that I described last month’s massive
Stand With Israel march, where Schumer spoke,” a hate rally.”
I
was gratified that he’d seen the piece and I was ready to argue that the
anti-Palestinian hate on display that day, as well as the platforming of
anti-Jewish Christian Zionists, gave me more than enough validity for my harsh
description. But then I read Schumer’s full remarks – Remember, said in the
well of the US Senate – And I was horrified. As a proud Jewish dude, I was
shocked that Schumer would use my article as an example along with synagogue
vandalization and Nazi hate crimes as part of a rising tide of antisemitism.
But
by the way, in his litany of antisemitic examples, Elon Musk’s recent actions
curiously did not merit a mention. Look, let’s be clear, Schumer is weaponizing
the incendiary charge of antisemitism against me and the magazine where I wrote
the article, The Nation, as a cover to slander the left, generally, and
specifically the movement of a new generation of Jews marching and getting
arrested in the name of a permanent ceasefire. He is also obfuscating his own
craven efforts to ally with antisemites and genocidal Israeli politicians in
the name of this war on Gaza.
Is
that too harsh? Am I being too harsh? Well, I attended the Stand With Israel
rally, like Chuck Schumer, and I know what I saw. I saw Chuck Schumer join
hands with Christian Zionist, speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and share a
stage with notorious anti-Jewish bigot Reverend John Hagee. I also saw a
rousing ovation for Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who has recently called for
a total war on all Palestinians saying, “It’s an entire nation that’s
responsible.” In addition, I saw a way-over-his-head Van Jones call for peace
only to be shouted down by the crowd as he stumbled off the stage.
Now,
Schumer either spent that day with his head in the sand or he supports these
kinds of alliances, and my fear is that it’s the latter. Calling the rally a
hate rally could not have been more appropriate. Also, let’s be clear,
antisemitism is not criticizing an intensely pro-war rally held in your home
city, days after thousands marched for a ceasefire and lasting peace;
Antisemitism is when people like Schumer bind Zionism, a 150-year-old political
ideology, and Judaism, a 5,000-year old religion, to such a repugnant degree
that he wants the world to believe that Israeli war crimes are being justly
committed in our name as Jews. In addition, Schumer’s desire to hand over
billions in weapons to the Elon Musk and the Christian Zionist-supporting
government of Benjamin Netanyahu also aids antisemitism. He is providing cover
for people who despise our faith because they also unconditionally support
Israel’s total war on Gazan civilians.
So
Chuck Schumer, heal thyself and stop supporting war crimes being committed in
our name. This posture is dangerous to Jews everywhere because it stokes even
more antisemitism. I have to say, I’m also disturbed that Schumer would choose
this week to engage in these attacks, a week where so many of us are still in
shock over the shooting of three Palestinian US college students in Burlington,
Vermont. The war has come home and Schumer’s instinct in the face of these
fires is to put it out with gasoline.
So
let me be clear; Senator Chuck Schumer, you are invited to come onto The Real
News Network with me and debate these questions of who in fact is aiding
antisemitism. I will posit that it’s you. The invitation’s out there, we’ll see
what you say. For The Real News Network and Edge of Sports, I’m Dave Zirin.
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