Bunkum and Balderdash!

Mr. Trump called the Anti-Hate Resolution passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday “disgraceful.”  He described Democrats as the “anti-Israel party” and implied that to be critical of Israel is to be an “anti-Jewish party.” (He has also said that to be a Democrat is to be unAmerican). Bunkum and Balderdash!  Anti-Semitism is not the only form of hate, bigotry and prejudice in the world, and certainly not the only form here in this land of ours,  and criticism of Israel is not necessarily anti-Semitism, just as criticism of Iran is not necessarily Islamophobia.

Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel said, “I’m going to vote yes on this measure today. Obviously all forms of hatred and bigotry are intolerable and we should go on record in saying so….” But, he added, “I wish we had a separate resolution about anti-Semitism.  I think we deserved it.  I think it was wrong not to have it…but I want to say very clearly and very loudly that anti-Semitism will never be tolerated by me.” (What about anti-Muslim attitudes—shouldn’t they be addressed, too? Or the treatment of African-Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and on and on?)  Bunkum and Balderdash!  Rep. Liz Cheney said, “While I stand whole-heartedly against discrimination outlined in this resolution, the language before the House today did not address the issue that is front and center,” and suggested that Rep. Omar “deserves to be rebuked, by name, and removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee so that there is no mistake about the values and priorities the House stands for.”  Why would you rebuke this woman by name and by punishing her?  Bunkum and Balderdash! 

The hypocrisy is so blatant!  The president of the United States can say an African-American woman has a low IQ and Mexicans are rapists and criminals—but a member of Congress (a woman of color) should be reprimanded (by name) for her blunder?  Why would we even suggest that anti-Semitism should be addressed specifically and singularly as a particular hatred or bigotry and ignore the fact that Mr. Trump has continually belittled Muslims, women, African-Americans, and the media?  Bunkum and Balderdash!  Rep. KIng’s comments on immigrants were ignored for years until just a few months ago when he was reprimanded for referencing white nationalism—but the president of the United States says he is a Nationalist and no one seems to care (based on his own rhetoric) what that means?

Donald Trump thinks the Anti-Hate Resolution is “disgraceful.”  What does that mean?  What is he saying?  Is he suggesting that other forms of hatred, bigotry, and intolerance do not need to be addressed in any specific way—only anti-Semitism?  Perhaps that is what Liz Cheney and Eliot Engel want, too.  If only one hatred is addressed, then we can just go on lambasting all the others we hate who are not addressed.  Bunkum and Balderdash!

Bigotry is bigotry.  Intolerance is intolerance.  Hate is hate.