Why America is Not Poland (or Even England)

Republican Candidate for Congress and American Nazi, Arthur Jones (CNN)

There been a bit of an uproar here in Illinois and in some Jewish and other publications about Arthur Jones. He is running as the unopposed Republican candidate for Illinois’ 3^rd Congressional District. What is unusual about this fellow is that he is an avowed Neo-Nazi and white supremacist. Jones is seeking the seat in the House of Representatives currently held by Democrat Dan Lipinski who is seeking reelection.

Although this south side and suburban Chicago district was known to be more conservative than the rest of Chicago, it has nevertheless held true to the Chicago tradition of a near non existent Republican party. 

Democrats are assured of winning any election in Chicago. The real elections take place in the Democratic primary. Once nominated, the general election is only a formality. In my own congressional district Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky is running unopposed.

I assume that is the case in just about every area in Chicago and nearby suburbs, including the 3^rd district. (In fact in the last Presidential primary, Bernie Sanders won that district by 8 points!) What happened is that Jones took advantage of that fact - and with no Republican taking the trouble place themselves on the Ballot, Jones took the initiative to get the 800 signatures required to do that. By the time anyone realized what happened, it was too late for any Republican to oppose him on the ballot - or even as a write-in candidate.

There is no question that Jones will lose the election. He will be trounced - even if he wasn’t a Nazi. The fact that he is allowed to run is one of the great freedoms of America. No matter how disgusting an individual’s personal views are – they have the freedom to espouse them and even run for public office. It is also the greatness of America that he will be so wildly rejected by voters (other than his fringe base).

If one wants to know how the Republican Party has reacted to Jones, all you have to do is read an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. It was written in the form of an open letter to Jones by Richard Porter, the national committeeman for Illinois to the Republican National Committee. Here in part is what he said: 

Given that you're not actually a Republican, I should tell you something that you won't like about me or others in the Republican Party. You should know:

I love Jews. I am not saying “I have friends who are Jews,” I am saying I love Jews.
I love the stories of the Old Testament, the trials and tribulations, and the miracles and the disasters, that befall this family that grew into a tribe and then into a people — a people who have thrived despite thousands of years of persecution that culminated in the Holocaust.

Arthur, denying the cruel reality of the Holocaust is unforgivable.

I love Israel too. Indeed, I am a proud Christian member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and we lobby for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

I love what Jews have done for this country. I marvel at art created by Jews, I help Jews build amazing companies, and I read brilliant legal analyses by Jews.

I love my Jewish law partners — such amazing people. Brilliant, hard-working and decent. We give to each other's charities — they are so generous, I find it hard to keep up.

I love to attend bar and bat mitzvahs. Seeing 12- and 13-year-olds get up and chant beautifully in Hebrew and then discuss their Torah selection so maturely, I always find myself asking: “Why don't we ask more of kids where I worship?”

Actually, you should know that the Republican Party is filled with Jews who are passionate advocates of liberty and smaller government.

Gosh (and I say that because the God of the Jews commands me not to take the Lord's name in vain), you could say the Republican Party is the party for Jews and those who love Jews and Israel. 

He then goes on to ask Jones to voluntarily leave the Republican party and basically run as the long time member of his other political party - the American Nazi Party. 

It is Porter that represent the real America. It should also be evident that the Republican Party is increasingly becoming the party of the Jews – as Porter indicates.  The tables have been turned. Jews were always more comfortable among the more liberal Democrats. Blue blood Republicans were rightfully considered to be guilty of at least soft antisemitism. This is no longer the case. Republicans seem to have purged any and all antisemitism from their midst - as indicated by Porter. 

And while Democrats are not antisemeitic either, their support for Israel is becoming increasingly tepid while Republican support seems to be increasing. One will find a lot more criticism of Israel among liberal Democrats -  as opposed to conservative Republicans. Most of whom unabashedly express views like Porter’s. Or express enthusiastic support for Israel like UN Ambassador Nikki Haley... or just about any notable Republican one would care to mention.

Contrast that with what is going on in Poland. Instead of admitting their clear history of persecution against their Jewish citizens, and apologizing, they have opted instead to erase it from the collective memory of the world. They have outlawed any reference to a Nazi Death camp being Polish - subject to a fine and even possible jail time! 

As noted here recently, it is technically true that the death camps were built and operated by Germans. But this new law is deceptive. It ignores the fact that so many Poles were willing accomplices! And although the Poles were victims of Nazi Germany too, it makes them seem like they were never the rabid antisemites they actually were. Long before the Nazi Party ever existed! And you will never see the kind of genuine love expressed by Porter for the Jewish people by any government official there. Probably not even in England either!

There is also the rabid anti Israel views of activists in Jeremy Corbyn’s liberal Labour Party, England’s major opposition party. Activists that Corbyn refuses to deal with. You will never see such views expressed by our liberals, the Democrats. Contrary to Corbyn, Charles Schumer, the Democratic Senate Minority leader is a very strong supporter of Israel and a proud Jewish American. (He actually bucked his own party’s Orthodoxy and voted against the nuclear deal with Iran!)

Which is why I continue to believe that Esav Sonei L’Yaakov clearly still applies to Europe (especially Poland)  – even after the Holocaust. And why it does not apply to America - the greatest democracy the world has ever known.  A country where Jews are not only NOT hated, but are appreciated and loved.  God Bless the United States of America!