Welcome! I am Rabbi Jonathan Biatch of Madison, Wisconsin. "Pulpit Perspectives: My Observations as a Congregational Rabbi" is published every two weeks to reflect my observations about life in my congregation and with my members. The opinions expressed here are solely my own. I invite you to join the dialogue!

Monday, July 4, 2016

Who is hearkening to this tune? Who is gobbling down this meat?


Unbelievable!

Anti-Semitic images have come to the campaign!

I thought, among our nation's leaders or would-be leaders, that we were past the use of anti-Jewish bias and symbolism, but it appears that someone in the Trump campaign didn't get that memo.

At this time I do not believe that the candidate himself, or any of his staff, are overtly anti-Semitic. But this Tweet that Trump sent out this past weekend, coinciding with the passing of one of the Jewish icons of combating anti-Semitism Elie Weisel, is like a juicy piece of red meat tossed out to those in our nation who live in the world of right-wing hate groups. I know the metaphor that many use is a "dog whistle", but the current example is far too overt and unsubtle than a signal sent at high, unfathomable frequencies.

If reports are true are that this image originates on a white supremacist web page, this compounds the problem, in that it becomes obvious that someone in the Trump campaign is hoping to lure those who resonate with that point of view to their candidate. And the longer that the candidate stays silent on this matter and refrains from taking action against the individual who disseminated this image, the more one needs to question the motives of the candidate, and his ability to lead our nation.

One's personal integrity, and that of a Presidential campaign, should be above all of this.