Anti-Semitism in California on the rise, Anti-Defamation League says

The Anti-Defamation League reported a sharp uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in California last year, many of them involving taunts, threats and insults by adolescents and teenagers.

In one typical example, a Jewish middle school teacher in Los Angeles found swastikas drawn on her classroom door and a note, also featuring swastikas, that read, "You're next."

“These are not necessarily kids who are filled with hatred in their hearts and mean to be malicious," said Amanda Susskind, regional director for the organization. But she said the trend was still troubling and may reflect the pervasiveness of hate speech on the Internet.

She also blamed the broader increase in anti-Semitic incidents, some of them violent, on the confluence of three events: the election of President Obama, the recession and the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip. Combined, she said, they had emboldened extremists and led to a coarsening of the tone of national debate.

She added that the arrest and conviction of rogue financier Bernard Madoff, who is Jewish, contributed to a lot of anti-Semitic "chatter."

The ADL report, issued Tuesday morning, is somewhat at odds with a report on hate crime issued last week by California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown. That report showed that crimes motivated by anti-Semitism declined in 2009, as did crimes motivated by hatred against other religious and ethnic groups.

Susskind said the ADL was monitoring a much broader range of incidents, many of which are not crimes. She also noted that Brown's report found that 76% of the hate crimes motivated by religious bias were against Jews. Muslims were next, at 6%.

Although the ADL found that anti-Semitic acts in California had increased by 20% for the second straight year, the organization found that anti-Semitic acts nationally had declined from 1,352 in 2008 to 1,211 last year. However, it noted that it had raised the bar in some regions for what counted as anti-Semitism -- for example, including reports of swastikas only when they were clearly aimed at Jews.

In California, Susskind said, the ADL had already been applying the stricter standards after finding that swastikas sometimes reflected hatred for groups other than Jews and sometimes had no apparent meaning as symbols of hate.

-- Mitchell Landsberg

Comments

[upwinger]

Give us a break, and some credit for intelligence. Anti-semitism is no more a problem in California than cholera. There is a noticable increase in criticism of Israel, possibly fueled in part by the discovery that $7 million dollars a day in U.S. tax money is going to subsidize that country, but that is NOT the same thing as anti-semitism.

[Rudi Moschitz]

How about in Arizona?

[Joe]

We want the U.S govt. to stop that 16.8 billion + foreign aid to the rouge State of Israel. We have our citizen here to worry about.

[howardx]

anti semitism is always on the rise around fundraising time.

[Robert]

Upwinger--I hope you will actually read the ADL report before sounding the "all-clear". Anti-Semitic groups are very active. Remember the Nazi demonstration here in downtown L.A. ? There are lots of skinhead websites that are pushing anti-Semitism on our kids

[Accounting 1010]

Exactly... U.S. citizens are beginning to find out how much money the USA sends to tiny little Israel and it just doesn't add up. The U.S. just sent them 7.5 Billion dollars.... why? They already have all of the latest hi-tech military weapons and planes. People of the USA are just starting to wake up and Oliver Stone just recently was pointing out this serious problem and stating the facts.

[Mike Oxbent]

I would say Jews are probably the least picked on ethnic group in California with Hispanics definitely leading the list. I don't hear any anti illegal immigration people screaming about Israelis overstaying their visas.

[Himbie]

"the election of President Obama"

If the left is in control, anti-semitism is on the rise. Oliver Stone is the example.

The only way to stem the tide of anti-semitism is to elect the right into office. This will temper the anti-semitism.

[Jerry]

Cholera is only a problem if you're the one who has it.

[Bradford Talamon]

Criticism of policies implemented by a right wing Israeli Government is NOT anti-semitism. Yes, there have been some anti-semitic comments on the internet, but that's all they have been...comments...and almost every one that is made is usually promptly rebutted by several other comments.

In comparison, anti-Islam and anti-muslim comments are way, way up and the negative comments about Islam and muslims on the internet far outnumber the positive comments.

We should always be vigilant all forms of racial and religious hatred, but anti-Semitic crimes are down in California.

[Disappointed]

They were the ones that carried out the 911 demolition and were hired to clean it up. Yes demolition one building was not even hit. It takes a perfect force to make a perfect demolition. All of the buildings dropped straight.

They are not sitting too well with me at the moment.

[FM]

I have a feeling that the percentage of hate crimes against Muslims is much higher. I believe they are afraid to report it and become a target of the government and local officials.

[FM]

Also, the people who have been the most cruel to me and have made comments about my race, ethnicity and religion have been the Jewish people. Hopefully, someday they will stop the hate.

[Gary M]

@ upwinger : U got a witness...

[Freemind]

I can't believe the Obama is mentioned as one of the reasons for anti-semitism. The biggest reason is the way the Jewish lobbyists have harmed America in order to help Israel. The Jewish community needs to be honest with themselves. The following texts maybe harsh, but there's a lot of truth in it.

The Israeli lobbyists in America have turned Americans into human shields and bank accounts for Israel. The sooner there is peace in the Middle East the better for America.

American foreign policy in the Middle East is influenced by the the Israeli lobbyists. As a result, the Israeli lobbyists have American blood on their hands. Why?

America's support of Israel (giving Israel $3 billions a year in aid, refusing to diplomatically attack Israel for violating UN resolutions, etc.) has invited terrorism in America and elsewhere. Furthermore, Americans are losing trillions of dollars fighting terrorism in the Middle East, Africa, and here at home. The Israeli lobbyists have gotten America to do Israel's dirty work while sacrificing American lives, money, and reputation.

Just recently, an Israeli newspaper criticized Obama for being tough on Israel because doing so makes it harder for Israel to take "calculated" risks. Well, what do these calculated risks mean? Does Israel want to take whatever risks it wants so long as it's the Americans who end up dying and losing money?

So yeah, Obama should definitely pressure Israel to make peace. To be fair, Obama should also pressure the Palestinians.

[Rational]

I agree with upwinger. When Jews admit that they're all about race (a meaningless concept since genetic research proved there is no such thing), not religion, that will be a step in the right direction. Secondly, when people are allowed to criticize Israel without being branded anti-semitic, that will go a long way toward making people respect Jews. The ADL is, as usual, hysterical and out of line.

[Michael]

Anti-Israel sentiment isn't the same as anti-semitism but unfortunately the two do seem to go hand in hand. The intelligent can separate the actions of various arms of the Israeli government from the Israeli population itself and certainly from Jewish groups throughout the world. Hate, however, tends to foster amongst those that confuse such things. Blind hatred of Israel tends to accompany blind hatred of Jews. And yes, Madoff-types that fit the worst stereotypes don't help.

But I'm surprised and skeptic that Muslims aren't more targeted. I don't read reports that Jews aren't allowed to build houses of worship. People can and do blame innocent moderate Muslims for Islamic terrorists.

[Duped Tax Payer]

Anti Israel and anti Jew is not the same. The sentiment is more like anti Israel due to AIPAC controlling the US congress & senate plus the occupation of Palestine.

[mary]

I am not American but I am black and have lived in many cities around the world, Europe, Africa, and other cities in the U.S. Los Angeles is where I am least comfortable. There is a lot of tension everywhere. This city has a lot to offer, but needs to work on racial harmony big time it is not livable.

[javier]

I agree with upwinger. Discrimination has no place in the world, but do not confuse anti-semitism with an increased opposition and awareness of how wrong and harmful the US-Israel relationship is. I can't help but agree with Oliver Stone's comments from yesterday, which by the way WERE NOT anti-semitic for crying out loud.

[GW]

Antisemy is a joke that is sadly destroying our nation.

As a minority who has encountered epithets and taunts, I still rather have freedom of speech than have censorship of hate speech. If I experience a crime such as vandalism and threats, I report it. Why try to censor news and hide facts from the public?

All these jews and jewish politicians and israeli lobbying groups calling for internet censorship of Israeli crimes and jewish criminals is basically trying to destroy this country until it's censored like Communist China.

There are already laws in place to punish vandals. New laws that destroy our Constitution and hide news from the public is the worst thing to do.

That's why I don't ever believe in the ADL who tries to hide jewish criminals and Israeli crimes. That is shameful. Jews need to wake up and quit trying to hijack our nation's Constitution. If jews hijack our Constitution for their own gain (including criminal gain) then they will definitely experience a lot more "hate" with just cause.

[Winski]

Interesting data..supports an observation that we've been working on for a couple of years now..

Part of my crew are transplants out here in SoCal (Laguna Beach) from Colorado.. We also have a member of the crew that grew up in downtown Chicago. Both sets of individuals were astounded by the level of race-oriented hate here in SoCal but also the amount of blatant, open racism toward blacks, latinos and the current President - generally. We actually saw a small booth set up in front of a US Post office a couple of weeks ago with hand painted signs calling for Obama's impeachment??

What's up with that??

This is California and we set the trends for the rest of the country if not the world. This is NOT a positive development...

[Cal Worthington]

There's definitely a difference between anti-semitism and anti-zionism. Remember the USS Liberty.

[Carlos]

This is heartbreaking ...As a fundamentslist Christian I believe the 4th factor is the large anti Jewish flavor of political commentary which characterizes Jews as opportunist animals, Palistinians as helpless victims. The 5th factor is a general desensitization of our morals and decency. Most shows on TV make light of disrespect, and encourage opportunism.....as Jesus said Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself..

[Richard]

The article's headline might appear a bit alarmist, but keeping track of these
things helps nips it in the bud. As to the money going to Israel its not exactly
a secret. Egypt receives a similar amount. Most of the money is used to buy
arms from US suppliers. The US has also given billions to the Palestinian
Authority over the years. If what I read is correct, more money has been
sent by us than their Muslim "brothers".