An 'antisemitism czar' could put a stop to rampant Jew-hatred on campuses
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National security expert and former CIA officer Laura Ballman tells 'Fox News Live' the presidential election was, among other issues, a choice between being pro- and anti-Israel.
The magnitude of radicalization and Jew-hatred in America cannot be understated. It has become systematized in our education from kindergarten to college. It’s become normalized in our media and daily lives.
Progressive politicians and academics are accelerating the entrenchment of an anti-American agenda to destroy our democratic values and replace them with failed Marxist-Islamist ideologies. "Death to America" and "Death to the Jews" have been chanted steadily on our streets and campuses by people carrying Hamas and ISIS flags.
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The so-called Intifada has been globalized and its effects are being felt on the streets of New Orleans and on our campuses. The Trump Administration has promised it will use the tools - and people - necessary to coordinate a whole-of-the-government approach to this crisis.
In prior administrations, the government office tasked with combating Jew-hatred has been the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, an ambassadorial role whose main responsibilities are tracking antisemitism globally and representing the United States in addressing the subject internationally. However, the special envoy will not be regarded as a moral authority if we are unable to effectively manage extremism within our borders.
During the hearing on antisemitism, Magill, Gay, and Kornbluth all gave "evasive" answers when asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik if calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their institution's policies on bullying and harassment. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Given the magnitude of the problem, and the fact that domestic antisemitism is inherently linked to systemic radicalization, either the special envoy role needs to be expanded to include tackling domestic Jew-hatred and its causes, or the administration would benefit from an additional position - an "Antisemitism Czar" to coordinate the government’s response at home.
Modern antisemitism in America stems from a broader anti-American ideology often labeled as "progressive," which has adopted elements of Marxism, embraced radical Islam and promotes narratives of "oppression" to justify violent actions. Such radicalization has taken root in our media, academia, and among certain individuals in government. It’s being expressed in Diversity Equity and Inclusion doctrine, critical race theory, efforts to defund the police, and occupy campuses.
During the Biden-Harris administration, we witnessed a troubling surge in domestic ideologies that justify the murder of insurance executives in New York, pedestrians in New Orleans, and endorse the Hamas kidnapping of American hostages as "resistance by any means."
President-elect Donald Trump has decried rising antisemitism in the U.S. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)
President-elect Trump has demonstrated unwavering moral clarity in addressing Jew-hatred as part of the larger, more systemic problem that it is, making the protection of Jewish Americans' civil rights a key part of his vision to restore democracy and make America great again.
An "expanded" special envoy or an antisemitism czar would coordinate the federal law enforcement response to Jew-hatred and its underlying causes, ensure the National Guard is employed when needed, root out malign foreign influence and dark money, help prosecute unregistered foreign agents, coordinate investigations into shadowy entities parroting terrorist propaganda, and oversee Office of Civil Rights investigations to ensure Jew-hatred is remedied.
After Oct. 7, 2023, people are waking up to the threat that anti-Jewish hatred poses not just to Jews and Israel, but to the stability of the West.
Many of the tools used by previous administrations to combat anti-Black extremism can also effectively address Jew-hatred: assuring that the FBI opens field offices where they’re most needed, directing resources to ensure federal laws are enforced, and closing loopholes in the law that have allowed Jew-haters and other bigots to escape legal consequences for their actions.
Of utmost importance is making the connection between international lawfare and domestic radicalization, particularly regarding the efforts to pervert international law and delegitimize Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. These actions serve as justifications for domestic radicalization and the motivating factors behind acts of homegrown antisemitism.
Sen. Bernie Sanders would not say if he would hold HELP committee hearings on campus antisemitism. (Getty Images)
After Oct. 7, 2023, people are waking up to the threat that anti-Jewish hatred poses not just to Jews and Israel, but to the stability of the West. The call for the genocide of Jews is part of the larger call for the destruction of Western democracy, and I have long argued that combating Jew-hatred must be an instrumental part of addressing the issues affecting all minority communities and upholding the civil rights of all Americans.
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President-elect Trump has outlined several critically important measures to fight Jew-hatred, including withholding accreditation and federal financial support from universities that continue permitting antisemitism, revoking the visas of foreign students involved in pro-Hamas activities, and banning refugee resettlement from terrorist hotspots like Gaza.
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Americans voted for Trump believing he can accomplish this, and I have every reason to believe that he can. He understands, as I do, that antisemitism isn’t just an attack on the Jewish people. It’s an attack on all of us. Expanding the role of Special Envoy, or appointing an antisemitism czar, would be monumental.
Whichever option President-elect Trump chooses, treating Jew-hatred as a domestic civil rights issue with national security implications will be essential to an effective approach.
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Brooke Goldstein is a human rights attorney, author, and filmmaker. She is executive director of The Lawfare Project, which provides pro bono legal services to protect the civil and human rights of the Jewish people worldwide.
