re: #29 Sergey Romanov

The problem with the wingnut criticisms of OWS as antisemitic is, first and foremost, lack of evidence. I actually half-expected there to be significant strains of antisemitism, considering who the organizers are, as well as the open nature of the protests.

But a few scattered signs and rants do not even qualify as strains. More as spots. To be strains this phenomenon needs to be systemic. To compare this to the Tea Party criticism or to call it “apologetics” is quite ridiculous - the statistics are simply not there. I mean, if it could be shown that even 1% of the signs are antisemitic, that would already constitute a huge problem. But there were maybe a dozen such incidents, among thousands of signs/speeches. In fact, from what I see, there was a lot more antisemitic activity (by white supremacists and some others) at the TPs, but I would be first to say that claims about TP’s antisemitism are bogus.

The wingnuts are building huge fantasies on minimal evidence.

However, in response to that, I’m also seeing all the usual trappings that the left tends to use to not examine issues of anti-Semitism or racism in their organizations starting to come out.

We had a supercool Kol Nidre service at the event! We love Jews!

We only didn’t let the elderly black man who’s actually been part of a successful social movement talk to us because we’re all equal, and we’ve got jack to learn from some old guy!