How Antisemitism United America’s Political Extremes
Article excerpt
Antisemitic rhetoric has become a rare point of convergence between America's political extremes, with figures spanning the ideological spectrum, from right-leaning Megyn Kelly to left-wing Cenk Uygur, adopting similar tropes and conspiracy theories about Jewish people. The Free Press reports that this phenomenon, detailed in its "This Week in Jew-Hate" newsletter, reveals how hatred of Jews transcends traditional partisan divides. Once-opposing voices now share a common language rooted in age-old antisemitic themes, suggesting the issue has metastasized across the political landscape rather than remaining confined to fringe movements.
For many Jews, it can feel like the walls are closing in on both sides. On the left, the rising tide of anti-Zionism comes with a belief that America is uniquely evil; that capitalism should be uprooted; and that the decline of the West would benefit the world. Meanwhile, among growing sects of the right, virulent nationalism and white supremacy manifest as isolationism, conspiratorial thinking about Israel, and resentment of the Jewish people. It’s a classic example of the horseshoe theory of politics: Extreme views often reach the same destination.
This week, it was the right’s turn for the microphone. Political commentator and former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is a member of a rising cohort of conservative voices, including Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, among others, whose opinions are increasingly interchangeable with those of the most radical anti-Zionist leftists. This week, Kelly sat down with Shawn Ryan, a podcaster who, like her, is a Trump fan turned critic, for an episode of his show.
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