Canary in a Coalmine

It's the Jews that we refer to in our title; and has anyone checked on the canary lately? Victor Davis Hanson did, and he reports:

A new virulent strain of the old anti-Semitism is spreading worldwide. This hate -- of a magnitude not seen in over 70 years -- is not just espoused by Iran's loony president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or radical jihadists.

The latest anti-Semitism is also now mouthed by world leaders and sophisticated politicians and academics. Their loathing often masquerades as "anti-Zionism" or "legitimate" criticism of Israel. But the venom exclusively reserved for the Jewish state betrays their existential hatred.

Cowardice explains a lot. Libeling Israel won't earn someone a fatwa or a death sentence in the manner comparable criticism of Islam might. There are no Jewish suicide bombers in London, Madrid or Bali.

This new face of anti-Semitism is so insidious because it is so well disguised, advanced by self-proclaimed diplomats and academics -- and now embraced by the supposedly sophisticated left on university campuses.

Hanson wrote this on Thursday; today's Washington Post has, unfortunately, an excellent example of what he's talking about. Colbert King:

What is it with Jim Moran?...
In the run-up to the March 2003 invasion, during an event at a Reston church sponsored by a peace coalition, Moran said: "If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this."...

Now he's at it again.

In an interview published in the September-October issue of Tikkun magazine, Moran said that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) "has pushed this war from the beginning . . . They are so well organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful -- most of them are quite wealthy -- they have been able to exert power."

Moran's own words:...If you cross AIPAC, AIPAC is unforgiving and will destroy you politically. Their means of communications, their ties to certain newspapers and magazines, and to individuals in the media are substantial and intimidating."

This irks King, who apparently is not on the Zionist payroll:

Having made those charges, Moran is obligated to provide evidence supporting them. He should start by naming names.
Which "newspapers and magazines" are tied to AIPAC, and how? Who are the "individuals in the media" with AIPAC ties? What does that mean, anyway?

The canard that a powerful Jewish lobby controls the media is a well-known anti-Semitic staple.

Yup. And with the exception of King, the media is turning a blind eye to Moran's Jew-hatred, because, well...let's just say, could you imagine it going unreported if these racist libels were hurled by a Republican?

And the Brussels Journal reports what happens when you display the Israeli flag in Europe:

After further inquiry, they explained that the reason for the arrest was the display of the European flag, the black-red-gold colours on a sign as well as my Israel flag. The German flag in postcard size, likewise fastened to my backpack, did not attract any attention.

....a group of policeman/law officers observed me. For a repeated time this day, when seeing the Israel-flag I was asked whether I was a Jew and why I was carrying this flag with me. Rejection was written in nearly all the faces of the police officers - two of them in the Palais de Justice mumbled something and pointed at the flag.

In the metro I sat on one of the free seats and placed the backpack beside me. The flag of Israel was bound outside to the backpack and I had to raffle it together, so that it did not touch the dirty floor. This awakened the curiosity of two roughly 40-year old men, who by their dress style and language could clearly be identified as Muslim. Unquestioned, one of the men rose and tried to seize the flag at my backpack. I quickly reacted with a strong blow to his fingers and shouted a loud and furious “Finger weg!” (German: "Hands off!")

Ah, "Enlightened" Europe.
Ah, the "Progressive" Democratic Party of the United States.

Keep an eye on the canary - when it goes, we all will....