What do pro-Israel Jewish Americans, Italian Americans, and American Southerners have in common? First and most obviously, they have proud traditions based on Judeo-Christian ethics. Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism, the predominant religions in the groups, share belief in God though there are many and complex variations in their beliefs and practices. Second, another important thing they have in common is that their cultures are increasingly under attack in America, particularly with respect to removal and desecration of their monuments and symbols.
In December, 2023, a pro-Palestinian protester scaled a large menorah on the town green in New Haven, Connecticut, and placed a Palestinian flag in the candles. In Oakland, California, an 11-foot menorah was broken and thrown into a lake. In Juno, Florida, a menorah made of sand was destroyed. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents are up 360% from a year ago, including 553 acts of vandalism, many involving synagogues.
On June 24, 2020, also in New Haven, Connecticut, the Christopher Columbus statue in Wooster Square Park was removed during a racially-charged violent protest led by an attacker wearing a t-shirt upon which was printed “WHITE LIVES MATTER TOO MUCH.” The statue had been given to the city in 1892, on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s discovery of the new world, by the Italian American community, and the city promised to protect the statue in perpetuity. According to the Washington Post, as of October 26, 2021, at least 40 Columbus monuments had been removed in the US, most of them in the months following the death of George Floyd when violent protesters ran amok in American cities. Despite legal battles in New Haven, Syracuse, New York, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in many other cities, more Columbus statues are vulnerable and more will fall.
And in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on the campus of the University of North Carolina, a Confederate statue in place since 1913 was toppled by violent protesters on August 20, 2018. The base of the statue was removed in January 2019 amid threats of further violence. The Southern Poverty Law Center in February 2021 claimed that over 160 additional confederate symbols were removed in 2020 during and after the violence of that summer. Many more monuments and statues were subsequently removed by local governments, purportedly to prevent further violence. In December 2023, the Confederate Memorial in the Arlington National Cemetery was removed despite legal efforts.
The attacks on the monuments of the three groups have followed similar strategies. Violent protesters attacked from the shadows, frequently with their faces hidden behind keffiyeh, or by masks and hoods, in the name of aggrieved minorities. They then vandalized or removed monuments and symbols and threatened further violence. In the cases of the Italian Americans and the Southerners, irresolute local governments then removed symbols under threats of further violence rather than protect them. Whether local governments will protect monuments and symbols important to the Jewish community remains to be seen. Their track record has not been impressive.
Why are these groups attacked? Are the attacks individual uncoordinated actions carried out by justifiably aggrieved minorities against monuments representing oppressive cultures? The evidence suggests otherwise. The tactics are the same—violence and threats of more violence. The timeframes, at least for the majority of Confederate and Columbus monuments, are the same— in 2020 in the aftermath of the George Floyd death. And the perpetrators also appear to have much in common. Though detailed information regarding their identities is limited—few have been prosecuted—they use violence, disguise their faces, and usually attack at night. Black Lives Matter leaves graffiti and signage. And according to the Anti-Defamation League, the increase in violence in the last year against the Jewish community has also come from the far left.
There have always been attacks on Jewish symbols and monuments. But in 2020 a dramatic increase of violent desecrations and removals came first to the Italian American and American southern communities and then to the Jewish community.
Same playbook, same play.
The Smiths, an 80’s British band, wrote in their popular song Ask, “if it’s not love, then it’s the bomb . . . that will bring us together.” Fortunately, no bomb has yet accompanied the attacks in America, though what a bomb could do in Israel is unthinkable. It is time that these three American cultures whose symbols and traditions are under attack recognize that whatever their differences, they now have a common enemy, and that it is time to share some love and fight back together before it’s the bomb that unites them. A good start is to insist that governments protect their monuments and symbols.
I’m afraid I won’t hold my breath waiting for Italian Americans, Jewish Americans and Southern Americans to join forces. People are too diffuse within the population at large. Besides, giving equivalence to any segment compared to Southern Americans – Confederates – as objects of hatred hardly has any real foundation. In this day, Italian heritage seems part of the fabric, often without objectionable distinction; anti-semitism is undeniable and becoming more evident but Jews protect themselves within their community. Seems to me anyway, on both accounts.
Southerners, as a distinctive people, are the only ones left without a place at the table. It’s as if we’ve been playing musical chairs and the music has stopped, Southerners the ones left standing. I turn on the radio or TV, hear a southern accent and the speaker is usually on defense or in the minority regarding the issue. I don’t concede a thing anymore regarding culture and my history – engage me if you need to but I’m not giving you what you want – but as has been mentioned here very recently, even “conservatives” are telling us, “Let me blame your people so I can win election and everything – everything else – will be great”.
It’s been so for a long time, only now our numbers are too small to be of help for people seeking authority. “If it’s not love…. “? Twenty five years ago in Richmond, Va., long before monument desecration, a large tapestry of Robert E. Lee on the James River flood wall was torched in the middle of the night. Sparking some outrage at the time, a local race activist claimed it an “act of love”. The Lee tapestry was not restored.
We are all alone.
“We are all alone.”
Fine! Bring ‘em on! I’ll be here!
You sound very much like a glass half empty person, Gordon. When one looks back at the long term history we find that we Southerners have been on the outs before. Even before the war the North vilified us for decades. Brion M. has talked about this and I am pretty sure several of the other contributors here have as well. At the turn of the 20th C. there was the reconciliation between North and South and most of the monuments were put up and that lasted until approximately 1990. When I grew up the war was most often called The War Between the States and historians were not Marxist liars who said it was all about slavery for both sides. By ’90 the Marxist ‘teachers’ had managed to infiltrate most of public education and were aggressively brainwashing the youngsters born starting at about that same year, 1990. My point is that there is hope, so hang in there. We’ll make a comeback.
It’s just my opinion of course but I see the country breaking up. The Yanks, you know the types descended from New Englanders that Dr. Wilson has talked about, will always hate us, but who cares? The country is moving back to the right/original intent. I can even imagine these Yankee types getting so frustrated with we ‘Rebs’ and other Deplorables that THEY secede! Don’t forget that they were the first ones to consider secession in our history and they did so several times. You can help things along by ‘Starting Ruckuses’ by resisting them and being the best un-reconstructed, deplorable, Johnny Reb you can in public and private to make the Yanks go bonkers and leave the Union. Believe me, we DO make them bonkers. I’ve seen it many, many times.
In describing our prospects versus a powerful and resolved majority I’m in good company – Gen’l Lee. We should expect no help from anyone but ourselves and should realize the determination to retain and strengthen authority by D.C.. In the three decades-plus since race activists proclaimed their intention of eradication of all things Confederate there have been no gains for us. The monuments are not coming back. As recently as last night I learned the Virginia State General Assembly has in committee to rescind and discontinue the RE Lee state license plate. All I can do is call my representative.
We certainly continue to look for allies, the ones named by Philip Dickey should be willing, as should anyone whose definition of being an American is not obedience to the government. We never quit, we educate when and where we can. I voted for and gave to Pat Buchanan in the ’90’s, just couldn’t quite pull him over the finish line. I’ve given my share, at least, to the SCV – and Abbeville recently. I don’t shut up about the Southern states’ legal, moral and political right to government of their choosing in 1861 and don’t think anything has changed, including the Federal government and it’s intention to never let it happen.
I know of the threat to state and individual sovereignty since its nascency with Jefferson v. Hamilton. It hasn’t abated since career soldier Robert E. Lee lamented the loss of Jeffersonian and agrarian principles following the War. I don’t believe in not facing the threat as it exists and in not recognizing we are the ones – at this moment – with very little recourse.
I am sorry I was unable to give you a more hopeful outlook.
Best wishes,
Jim
I learned last night that the Virginia State Senate has voted to rescind tax-exempt status from the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
I hope the House doesn’t pass the bill. If they do, I hope the governor doesn’t sign the bill.
If the SCV and UDC lose tax-exempt status, I hope they can continue even with the enormous added expense.
To Gordon,
“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
The following is said in the genuine spirit of bonhomie:
Goodness gracious, Gordon, you are really deep in the well of negativity. Maybe you see me as some cockeyed optimist unaware of all the bad stuff you have entered in your replies. I’m not. I’m aware of all you’ve posted. I encourage you to keep in mind what old Tom Paine said about things, the operative part being “Tyranny like hell is not easily conquered”. So, keep on being a Johnny Reb as I suggested before. I have survived so many personal, professional, and historical disasters that I know to just keep on plugging away, never give up and lo and behold things are headed back in the right direction, toward original intent. History isn’t a straight line. It’s up and down like the stock market. The trend is upward and has been since around 1990 when the leftists began spewing their most tyrannical propaganda and policies. Our side is fighting back successfully.
BTW, what are you doing up at 4:30 in the morning thinking/reading about this stuff, friend? I’ve been there, done that. Not good. Get some more sleep. Put all these troubles you feel in God’s hands, if you are a believer. That will help. Or go fishing, hunting, or whatever pass time you do. That will help to get your mind off all this stuff [expletive deleted].
Again, best wishes,
Jim
Sir Jim,
Replying to the below, I’m one of the most contented, borderline happy, people you’ll ever meet. At this time, my only general problem is a lack of stress. My most pressing immediate problem would be to find someone I trust to keep my Jack Russell company if I have to leave for a few days in the next couple years for the funeral of my Southern Belle aunt. Let me listen to some Lynyrd Skynyrd and watch the Atlanta Braves and I’m golden.
There is some difficulty describing my intense devotion to the memory of my various Confederate ancestors, the fierce resolve to protect them and the frustration in seeing that everything we do now amounts to rear-guard action. Yet, while being content from having done my best, it’s difficult to consider in any positive way the eradication of Confederate history of the last decade, or to deny the unrelenting trend. I still suit up every day.
I lose no sleep over it. I spent decades working long days beginning at midnight. 4:30am is just a time of day. If I’m awake, I do stuff.
We certainly are closer in perspective than appears in limited and remote space such as here.
See you,
G
I think it would be great if the ‘Red States’ would unite with the ‘red’ Provinces of Canada and form a new nation.
Covadonga
harvard recently admitted, “Thousands of our mega-donors suddenly and simultaneously ceased their contributions”. It seems those funding attacks on White Christians and in particular, White Southern Christians, finally realized their bulldogs could turn upon them. Strange how supporting insanity could lead to creating insane conditions for everyone, including the protected classes.
Reap what you sow.
I will not capitalize harvard, in any shape or form.
I asked myself why did Abbeville print this yankee streed. We Southerners are an afterthought in this essay. Perhaps i’m wrong. I don’t recall the Italian American Defense League coming to the defense of Confederate monuments. I could be wrong about that. However one point of which I stand firm, I am not a judeo-christian, or a Catholic.
I think it’s a stretch to say that Italians are under attack simply because of Columbus. And the engine behind the destruction of the west and our history is the international Jew. It’s our history that is being destroyed and every white nation invaded by military age foreign men.
Our people fight for a Greater Israel but we’re not allowed to defend our own borders. The purpose of this article seems to be to generate sympathy for Jews and Israel rather than any real concern for southerners. You can be their useful tool as long as you understand that when they don’t need you any longer you would be purged goyim.
I STAND WITH THE PALESTINIANS.
I support a deportation force for the Jew. We have all justification for it given their history and their current machinations. Since they claimed to be able to make the desert bloom they should live in the Sahara and Palestine should be given back to Palestinians who have DNA more like the ancient Hebrews than any Ashkenazi.
What is the position of the Council for American Islamic Relations on Confederate monuments?
Please stop using the erroneous term “Judeo-Christian”. It is an abomination. Add nothing to Christianity, certainly not the anti-Christian religion of Talmudic Judaism. Modern, Talmudic Judaism has nothing to do with the faith of the Old Testament Saints, of Abraham, Moses and the Prophets. We Southerners are historically Biblical Christians, disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ashkenazi Jews have contributed nothing but slander and destruction to our heritage and culture. I did not read the entire article, because I could not bet beyond the first two paragraphs which I found totally distasteful. I am surprised that Abbeville Institute printed it.
Thank you.
Thanks to all the commentators. Although my heart is in Dixie, I live in Connecticut, and it breaks that Southern heart to see beautiful statues and symbols desecrated.