This is not a portrait of a society at peace.The Pittsburgh attack was the deadliest crime against American Jews in history. We no longer have the capacity in America to pull together and grieve. There have been too many mass shootings, and polarization has supplanted solidarity in too many hearts. Even among Jews, there is little common ground. Some are quick to blame President Trump for the demagogic tone he has brought to the presidency. Others respond that Trump is a great friend of Israel, has Jewish grandchildren, and has condemned the attack.The whataboutism is dizzying and dangerous. Liberals tolerate Linda Sarsour and booed the mention of Jerusalem at the Democratic convention in 2012. They close their eyes to intimidation of Jewish and pro-Israel students on American campuses. And conservatives bristle at the suggestion that Trump’s demagogic language and sinister conspiracy-mongering could have anything to do with the actions of Cesar Sayoc or Robert Bowers.
It is so very late in the day.
Trump said in his inauguration speech that we would unify around patriotism so perhaps the best is yet to come.
ReplyDelete