Stop Anti-Semitism

Dear Editor:

Anti-Semitism is on the rise in America with no sign of stopping anytime soon. This hatred of the Jewish people is antithetical to everything we, as Americans, stand for. The Rockaway Republican Club had the honor of meeting former Democrat Assemblyman Dov Hikind in our last general meeting on October 4. Mr. Hikind spoke passionately and proudly of his Jewish heritage and made it known that anti-Semitism has no place in America. We also found mutual agreement with one another in recognizing the growing anti-Semitism in NYC.

Members of the state assembly, our senators, and even our higher learning institutions are enabling its spread in this once great city. Whether it is Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, the NY Progressive Caucus, or CUNY, they are enabling this hatred with their anti-Israel and anti-Jewish rhetoric. CUNY institutions have been caught kicking Jewish members of the faculty off of leadership positions, even going so far as to hire fewer Jewish professors as part of their employment practices! I agree with Mr. Hikind that it is time to do more than just talk about it, we must create and implement ideas on how to stop it.

Solutions proposed and supported by the Rockaway Republican Club include: education to promote how Judeo-Christian values and Jewish citizens have benefitted America, extensive promotion of the outsized role that Jewish Americans have played in the Civil Rights movement and ongoing battles against discrimination, explaining the importance of Israel and why it needs to exist, sponsoring cross-religion conferences to foster solidarity and dispel myths that lead to religious hatred, organizing support for the victims of anti-Jewish violence whenever it occurs, rejecting anti-Israel policies such as Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and blocking funding for Israel’s defensive Iron Dome, recruiting highly qualified members of the Jewish community for senior leadership and faculty positions to reverse the negative effects of CUNY’s policies, firing anti-semites from CUNY and government positions, prevent taxpayer dollars from being spent on antisemitic programs that disguise themselves as being simply anti-Zionist or pro-Palestinian, opposition to funding for Iran and other aggressors against the Jewish people, and electing officials who represent all of the above sentiments.

We need to stand strong with our Jewish brothers and sisters against this rebound of anti-Jewish behavior. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, we can all agree that hatred against any person because of their religion is not welcome here.

Katie Larkin
Rockaway Republican Club