Antisemitism is alive in 2023, not a thing of the past

It all reminds me as a kid learning about things like the Salem witchcraft trials and the Holocaust. You thought to yourself: ”That’s crazy that those things could happen back then.”

SHARE Antisemitism is alive in 2023, not a thing of the past
A rabbi’s hand lights a menorah candle, at a Hanukkah ceremony.

Rabbi Akiva Hall’s hand is show lighting the menorah at a Hanukkah ceremony in Mississippi on Dec. 13.

AP Photos

Some say the Holocaust began in Germany in 1939 with Kristallnacht — ”night of broken glass” — when the Nazis burned synagogues, destroyed Jewish businesses and rounded up Jews to send to concentration camps.

But few know the Germans then billed the Jews for the destruction and cleanup. Yes, you read right: The Germans blamed the Jews for the destruction of their own homes, businesses and places of worship. Since the Jews deserved it — it was their fault — they then must pay for it.

Sound familiar?

Fast forward to 2023, not 1939. Terrorists kill more than 1,000 innocent Jews in the most barbaric fashion — even proudly recording it for all to see — and the response from many is ... the Jews deserved it and caused it.

SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 375 words.

It all reminds me as a kid learning about things like the Salem witchcraft trials and the Holocaust. You thought to yourself: ”That’s crazy that those things could happen back then. They must have been ignorant back then. They must have lacked good communication back then. People must have been cowards or sheep back then. Good thing that was back then because no way that crazy stuff could happen today.”

Well, guess what? Back then is today.

William Choslovsky, Sheffield Neighbors

No more free speech

In the letters to the editor column of Sunday’s Sun-Times, a writer asked, “Do we really believe in free speech?” The answer is no. Ever since our mainstream media decided to abandon its own freedom of a free press, in favor of reporting propaganda for the Democratic Party. Many newspapers have decided that allowing readers to send their own opinions for discussion is a thing of the past.

Do we still have our republic?

Bill Fischer, Plainfield

Trump the comedian

Donald Trump missed his calling. He should have been a late-night comedian. Here’s one of his greatest hits. “I have done more for Black Americans than anybody with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.” A knee-slapper. Guess he never heard of Martin Luther King Jr. or Lyndon Johnson, to name just two.

And then a new one from Dec. 2, 2023: “If Jesus came down and God came down and said, ‘I’m going to be the scorekeeper here,’ I think I could win there (blue states).” Trump lost California by 4.1 million votes in 2016 and by 5 million in 2020.

Of course, Trump doesn’t question the 12 congressional races Republicans won in 2022. If Democrats won five of those seats, they’d still have control of the House. If they are as good at cheating as Trump alleges, wouldn’t they have made sure they still control the House?

And then Trump has said, “I will save democracy.” A guy who said of both elections, the only way he could lose is if the other side cheats and who accepts the results ONLY when he or his side wins. This is the guy who is going to “save democracy?”

Wake up, America. Why do so many of us believe this guy’s lies and “jokes?”

Kevin Coughlin, Evanston

The Latest
Hoerner went through a regular pregame warm-up Thursday, testing his left hamstring as the Cubs evaluated his return timeline.
Officers found a man in the 9200 block of South Perry Avenue about 8:30 p.m. Thursday with multiple gunshot wounds to his body, police said.
Automated ball-strike calls can add excitement and make umpires accountable, players say. But the system can also remove part of the human element of the game.
They’ll play the entire AFC South before facing an NFC North foe for the first time — in Week 11. They have a stretch of three consecutive home games followed by three consecutive road games. What gives?