Video shows driver trying to run over Jews near Los Angeles synagogue

[MosheFeingold]

The Hill
By Emily Birnbaum - 11/26/18 11:41 AM EST


Los Angeles police over the weekend arrested a man who was allegedly caught on video repeatedly trying to run over two men near a synagogue. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Video from a security camera shows the driver apparently trying to hit two men dressed in clothing typically worn by Orthodox Jews on Shabbat. The driver, who has been identified as 32-year-old Mohammed Mohammed, reversed and tried to hit them again, according to the the local outlet. The man reportedly insulted a group of Jewish people leaving the synagogue before he got into his vehicle and attempted to run them over, the Los Angeles Police Department told the local NBC affiliate. The suspect's car crashed into another vehicle. No one was injured during the incident, according to NBC Los Angeles. Mohammed, who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with a vehicle, is reportedly being held on $55,000 bail. “Why he chose us? Probably because of the yarmulkes on our heads,” one of the people targeted, who asked to remain anonymous, told CBS Los Angeles.

There has been an increase in anti-Semitic hate incidents in recent years, with an almost 37 percent spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2017, according to the FBI in a recent report. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said earlier this month that he is "particularly troubled by the increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes — which were already the most common religious hate crimes in the United States." "The American people can be assured that this Department has already taken significant and aggressive actions against these crimes and that we will vigorously and effectively defend their rights," he said.

Last month, a mass shooter committed the deadliest attack against Jewish people in U.S. history, killing 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/418238-video-shows-driver-repeatedly-trying-to-run-down-jews-walking

Video at link

[question everything]

1. Open season. On Jews, on black, on Latinos

"Making America Great again."

[MosheFeingold]

2. Somehow

I am thinking a guy named "Mohammed Mohammed" is not motivated by love of Trump.

I could be wrong, mind you. But I am probably not.

I'm extremely careful when calling people antisemitic. Perhaps overly so. I don't want to cheapen the call by "crying wolf".

Hence, I stick to the overt, like this putz who tries to drive over Jewish people. Or the cabbie in NYC who randomly picked a Jewish man to beat on the street. Or the shooter in PA.

Now, I've certainly seen plenty of overt prejudice by Trump against Hispanics (excepting, strangely, Cubans), Muslims, and, to a lesser degree blacks. Certainly, when a person holds overt prejudices against a given race or religion, that tends to mean he or she holds similar beliefs about any "others". Prejudice seems it's often sold in a matching set.

So, I'd be inclined to suspect Trump is antisemitic. He certainly has most of the matching set.

But Trump, candidly, has shown zero overt hostility to Jewish people. His daughter, son in law, daughter-in-law, (soon to be) former daughter-in-law and all his grand kids are Jewish religiously or ethnically. Bit hard to believe that the children of a family raised in a hot bed antisemitism would ALL choose Jewish spouses.

And it's a bit hard to believe a grandfather would ever think any grandchild was anything less than perfect. (I know this personally.)

Regarding Israel, he's been overly friendly.

And his walls are covered with awards and honors from the Jewish community in NYC, who, before he delved into politics loved him. The Orthodox community still does. One Sunday each month, I teach classes at the shul. Half the cars had "Trump" stickers on them.

And, yes, many of his closest friends and advisors (and even his scummy lawyer) are Jewish.

Long way of saying, Trump has many, many, things legitimately wrong with him.

He's a complete putz.

But the "Trump is antisemitic" bit is not particularly persuasive and lacks tangible evidence.

I'd ask you to avoid it, to avoid cheapening the call. (Until Trump proves me wrong, and he probably will. He is, after all, a putz.)