Root causes of campus anti-Semitism 

Thank you for printing an article about anti-Semitism on campus [November 2021]. It would be helpful to probe the root causes of anti-Semitism among the supposedly enlightened academics. One of the prevailing delusions among the intellectual elite is that disparities in wealth or performance must be because of racism. If one person or group is successful and another is not, according to this delusion, it must be because the more successful have exploited the less successful. This justification is used to nullify the Martin Luther King "I have a dream" vision of people being judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. This logic prompts universities to admit applicants with lower grades and test scores because of racial preferences. Typically, Jews need higher scores than other ethnic groups to be admitted to selective colleges. Going back to the flawed premise that the more successful got there by exploiting the less successful, Jews must be part of the oppressor class. Israel is a successful democracy in a geographic area where poverty and tyranny are the norm. There are legitimate grievances Arabs may have against Jews in Israel but these pale in comparison to the oppression endured by the citizens of Lebanon, Syria or Iran. Again, success means you are oppressing somebody in this logical system. Jews and Israel are successful, so any actions (anti-Semitism, BDS, cancelling) against us are considered justifiable. 

 

Farrel I. Klein 

Providence, RI