Letters to the Editor: Kanye West's antisemitism is sadly familiar. Our response doesn't have to be
To the editor: Kanye West's antisemitic comments and the hateful fliers circulating in Beverly Hills and parts of Los Angeles are very disturbing. But the sad part is that West has a large following, and right now he is fueling racist and antisemitic groups.
Of course, antisemitism and racist hate have been with us for a very long time, but they still cannot go without good people calling them out. The 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Va., and then-President Trump's remarks that there were "very fine people, on both sides" at that rally, energized far-right hate groups. Today, these hate groups have found a new leader in West, and he has many followers.
If we just ignore West and dismiss him as a man with mental health issues, we ignore that his followers are staying with him. We have come a long way since the end of World War II, but we still have a long way to go.
The best way to confront West is not to support any of the companies, such as Adidas, that do business with him, and to call out people and groups who support his views.
Edward A. Sussman, Fountain Valley
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To the editor: My son came home from middle school one day and asked me, "What is a kike?" Now, he is 34. I have three children, and I would say that none feels comfortable in certain settings letting others know they are Jewish.
They have all been mocked at some point in their lives. One won't put a mezuzah up at her front door for fear of targeting.
And now we have West with his recent antisemitic remarks. My advice to him is to give himself a timeout and then, in a couple of weeks, look in the mirror. He will still see a Black man, and I hope he realizes that white supremacists want his money and fame to advance their hateful agenda. When he is no longer useful to them, they will come for him.
The Black Likes Matter movement has been a wake-up for this country. I suggest that West take history and theology classes from a reputable college, where he might actually learn some real facts.
Melanie Bronstein, Redondo Beach
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To the editor: I am a Jew, noun, not a "Jewish person." When and why did the media, including The Times, stop using the correct word and begin using the longer term?
The word "Jew" has been used as a pejorative for thousands of years. The antisemites who hung the banners over the 405 Freeway this past weekend didn’t bother with softening their choice of words, and that, I fear, makes clear that none of the well-intended attempts to make Jews more comfortable with their portrayals by calling them "Jewish people" will have any real effect.
Similar to other victims of verbal abuse, even many Jews wince at the word. I ask my fellow Jews to think about their choice when they say "I'm Jewish" rather than "I'm a Jew." Be a proud noun.
Sheldon Roth, Northridge
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
