Antisemitism and ensuing discussion

I posted something on Facebook and wound up having a conversation with someone who said that Q never blamed the Jews or said anything anti Semitic. He basically, said Q is not Q'Anon. That resulted in the second part of this long piece.

Part One. Facebook post on 2/6/2021. Comments are not included.

I’m still processing tonight’s Temple Israel (Memphis) sermon. The question raised was why do nearly all conspiracy theories circle back to Antisemitism? For those of you who say that’s just paranoia, you are probably not Jewish. You’ve probably never heard someone you know use the phrase “Jew down,” and wondered if they know you’re Jewish. You’ve probably never been called a dirty Jew. You’ve probably never heard a Christian try to explain to you how they understand you because our religions are related, while they say things that indicate Christianity is superior to Judaism or perhaps cite Jews for Jesus as the reason we share a bond.

If you believe Q’anon or any number of far right conspiracy theories, I hope that you will think about what you know about me, a Jew, and reconsider the premise of the theories you are espousing. I hope you think more deeply about the origination of the conspiracy theories and the people who created them. I hope you think more deeply about your religion and my religion and realize the root cause of society’s woes isn’t Judaism. The issue is people who use religion as a way to create fear, build followers, and claim superiority. There is no superior religion. There is no superior race. There is us. People. Human beings of differing backgrounds, religions, colors, socioeconomic status. So why do nearly all conspiracy theories circle back to the Jews? Because people decide it’s easier to believe what someone tells them than to do their own research, easier to blame someone else than look in the mirror, easier to say you’re not hateful than to admit you are. It’s easier to follow than to walk away alone. Easier to be part of a group than be shunned. As the song says, it’s easy to be hard.

Please try to do the right thing.   

Part 1B, response to a comment disassociating Q with Q'Anon.

No, I have not read Q's posts, except what has been quoted in the media (a variety of sources, not MSNBC). The quotes and articles I have read reference the kidnapping and killing of babies. They reference satan worshipping. They echo the "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," a Russian pamphlet from 1902. A children's version was distributed to children in Germany by the Nazis. Q (or Q supporters) have used photos or the name Rothschild in postings. From Britannica: As a Jewish family, the Rothschilds have been targeted by conspiracy theorists as a prime example of Jews allegedly using their money to control global financial institutions. Yes, please send me a link to read what Q has actually said. If you are saying that Q is separate from Q'Anon, that is an interesting twist. Does Q have any responsibility for that the Anons say and do based on his/her writings? Has Q repudiated what the Anons are saying and doing? Lastly, you do not have to use the words Jew or Jewish people or Judaism to blames the Jews. Invoking Rothschild, Soros, or Nazi tenets does that without you having to say the words.

 

Response to that was something about Q not blaming the Jews and child sex trafficing rings and pedophiles being arrested during Trump Years.

My response to that was the numbers, https://trac.syr.edu/tracreports/crim/629/. In federal court, no, the numbers went down. 

There's also this article, but I don't know anything about the source so I didn't post it, even thought the source of their figures seems legit. https://www.legalexaminer.com/legal/fewer-child-sex-trafficking-prosecutions-under-trump/

Part 2. Musings about how the focus of my FB post shifted to Q and how Q is not the same as Q'Anon. This discussion could become a rabbit hole. I'll post some of this on my FB page and see what happens.

 

[People invoke God in so many strange ways

It makes it hard to understand the point of religion

Religion should center us, provide us a spiritual base

Instead it’s been twisted into something sinister]

 

Are Anons related to Q?

Are white supremacists Nazis?

If you don’t explicitly blame the Jews are you really being anti Semitic?

If you believe all lives matter instead of black lives matter does that make you racist?

I don’t know all the answers

I don’t know how to fix us.

All i know is, if you teach hate, you breed hate.

And that doesn’t sound like anything that belongs in religion.

————-

Would Q’Anon exist if Q hadn’t posted?

Would Nazis exist if Hitler hadn’t written and spoken?

Would Christianity exist if Jesus hadn’t been nailed to a cross?

Would Judaism exist if God hadn’t spoken and his words been inscribed in the Old Testament?

Is Q responsible for everything Anons do and say?

Anons would not exist were it not for Q and the original posts.

Is Q responsible for giving Anons a forum,

Validating their views,

And providing provocative fodder

Meant to inflame?

IMHO, yes.

Do you have to explicitly blame the Jews to be anti Semitic?

No.

Posting a photo of Rothschild with an inflammatory caption,

Using language eerily similar to anti Semitic writings from Russia and Germany,

Remaining anonymous and not chastising your followers for anti Semitic words and actions.

Those are all anti Semitic.actions.

You don’t have to explicitly blame the Jews to incite your followers against them,

Pictures and words matter.

Silence matters.

Complicity matters.

Making unproven claims matters.

Feeding the fire matters.

Is Q responsible for Q'Anon?

Is a leader responsible for his/her followers? 

Does a leader have a responsibility to guide followers and advise against hate and breaking the law?

Should a leader be held accountable for the actions of followers who cite his/her words while planning, carrying out, or justifying their actions?

 

These are good questions but they don't address the question in my original post::
Why is Judaism at the heart of conspiracy theories? 

To put it in better context, 

Why is Antisemitism the spark used to ignite the fire?

Why is blaming the Jews the default?
Why are symbols of Jew bashing openly worn?
Why is Antisemitism still prevalent, growing and more open?

Why do people blame a religion?

Why are government leaders unwilling or unable to correct the misinformation and slow the fanning of the flames?

Why are the "Chosen People" the people who are chosen when someone needs a target?

How can religious leaders perpetrate this religious discrimination and hatred of another religion? 

Where is God?

Where is purity?

Where is truth? 

Where is love?