GOP Rep. Jim Jordan Tweets an Anti-Semitic Trope
Yesterday afternoon, Republican Congressman Jim Jordan tweeted an anti-semitic trope directed at wealthy Jewish billionaire Tom Steyer.
In a tweet criticizing Democrat Jerry Nadler for announcing that he will be requesting documents from over 60 different people, including Donald Trump Jr., Jordan used a common anti-semitic trope to spell Steyer’s name, by replacing the “S” in his name with a “$”.
C’mon @RepJerryNadler—at least pretend to be serious about fact finding.
Nadler feeling the heat big time. Jumps to Tom $teyer’s conclusion—impeaching our President—before first document request.
What a Kangaroo court. https://t.co/BpNIzdON1e
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 3, 2019
Like reported by The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), just a few weeks ago The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) criticized Democrat Ilhan Omar for her use of the phrase “it’s all about the Benjamins baby,” in describing how much money U.S. political leaders spend defending Israel. The ADL explained that “the notion that wealthy Jews are controlling the government is a longstanding anti-Semitic trope and one of the pillars of modern anti-Semitism.”
The way that the JTA explains an anti-semitic trope is as follows:
But “tropes” are anti-Semitism once (at least) removed. Intentional users employ a trope as code hoping to avoid the anti-Semitism charge while dog-whistling their audiences. (The Hebrew expression for such circumlocution is “hamevin yavin” — literally “those who understand will understand” or, as Rabbi Eric Idle put it, “Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more.”)
Jim Jordan’s use of the “dollar-sign” in place of the “S” in Jewish billionaire Tom Steyer’s name would be classified as an anti-semitic trope. Whether Jordan did this intentionally or not, could be left up for debate.
Republicans who jumped all over Ilhan Omar late last month for her comments, remain silent in regards to Jim Jordan. Omar apologized for her remarks shortly after Democratic leaders requested that she do so. Jim Jordan has not yet apologized.
Many Twitter users, over the past 36 hours, have taken some time to point out the apparent anti-semitism in Jordan’s tweets:
Yeah, I get confused between the letter “S” and the money sign on my keyboard all the time too you anti-Semitic PoS! You need to apologize!
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) March 4, 2019
Wow! You put more time into that anti-Semitic dogwhistle than looking after the guys on your wrestling team that were being molested.
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) March 4, 2019
I guess your allowed to be an Anti Semitic asshole because you aren’t a woman, black, Muslim, and wear a Hijab.
You suck Gym.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) March 4, 2019