Yesterday, FBI Director Kash Patel became the latest public figure to vilify the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) by formally cutting ties with the Jewish civil rights organization. Patel made the following claims against the ADL:
James Comey disgraced the FBI by writing ‘love letters’ to the ADL and embedding agents with an extreme group functioning like a terrorist organization and the disgraceful operation they ran spying on Americans. That was not law enforcement, it was activism dressed up as counterterrorism, and it put Americans in danger.
Keep in mind that Patel isn't some run-of-the-mill social media influencer. He is the top law enforcement official in the country. Instead of taking that role with the seriousness and sobriety it requires, Patel is claiming a long-standing civic organization "functioning" like a terrorist organization. For all intents and purposes, Patel is claiming the ADL is no different than al Qaeda, ISIS or, for that matter, Hezbollah. If that wasn't enough, Patel is also accusing the ADL of "spying on Americans." In so doing, Patel is essentially calling ADL "unAmerican" and othering Jews. Furthermore, Patel is making these claims without evidence.
Irresponsible and reckless statements like this from top public officials give legitimacy to anti-Semitism. It is only a matter of time before someone attacks an ADL office, another Jewish civic institution or a synagogue (like we saw in the UK today) resulting in a mass slaughter. Should such an event come to pass, Patel will undoubtedly condemn the attack. But he will have enabled the conditions to allow such an attack in the first place.
Patel's attack on the ADL follow broadsides by Elon Musk, Zohran Mamdani and AOC. I'm afraid there will be more to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment