Chicago Anti-Semitism Watch: Mayor Johnson “Permits” Pro-Palestinian Protests, Denies Pro-Israeli Group as DNC Comes to Town
Brandon Johnson’s DEI-led administration may go down as the most anti-Semitic in the history of any major city in America, bringing irreparable harm to the black community
Despite overwhelming national support for Israel vs. Hamas at over 80 percent (see the recent Harvard Pew study data below), the City of Chicago appears to once again be making a public statement that it wants to destroy the Jewish state by applying separate rules to radical progressive groups calling for the destruction of Israel versus those that support it.
In the latest example of the Johnson administration's DEI-led anti-Semitism, during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) it will allow (by permitting) pro-Palestinian groups to march during the convention. These groups are entirely anti-Israel and pro-Hamas. However, at the same time, it is denying permits to supporters of Israel. Specifically, a pro-Palestinian group has received approval to protest at the DNC and a pro-Israeli group has not.
Let that sink in.
We trust the pro-Israeli group will file a lawsuit against the city. In an article published on Fox News, the pro-Israeli group had not received any information from the city with regard to their permit application, which, according to the piece, was submitted well in advance.
Due to the lack of communication on the part of the city with the group, the pro-Israeli group was forced to cancel the demonstration. Moreover, the group stated that “their cause was deliberately sidelined, undermining the principles of free speech and equal access to public spaces that the city should uphold.”
But for the blue-haired riot club, wishing death to all Jews is not enough. Ironically, the pro-Palestinian group also complained that the city is not allowing its protest (for up to 25,000 people), according to Second City Cop, to march “within sight and sound” of the convention site, the United Center. Specifically, a judge on Tuesday ruled that the proposed city perimeter by the city and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network will work. The city has placed a “vehicle screening perimeter” around the event, according to SCC, to minimize disruption.
Obliterating western society: Chaos is what they want
Perhaps the most telling element of the larger story, however, relates to the commentary that the Johnson Administration claims to support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), as long as Jews fall outside of that description.
The elephant in the room, however, lies in the strategies behind the protests in general. According to an insightful article from the Free Beacon, also referenced by SCC, the origins of protests and riots have the aim of destabilizing Western society overall.
How? In every Marxist struggle, a conflict between systems and people occurs. Whether it’s capitalism vs. socialism for the best means to allocate capital or the working class vs. the elite class, the protests can accelerate distrust and anarchy.
Of course, anyone living in the City of Chicago during the summer of 2020 has experienced the impacts of the BLM riots, including a shift in how the State’s Attorney for Cook County prosecuted or rather failed to prosecute crime. To this date, the Loop remains in a state of disarray with a considerable amount of vacant retail space, crime, including violent crime, and continued summer shenanigans, including car takeovers, wildings, and looting.
In short, progressive riots and protests aim to erode public trust in the government, and since 2020, many of these protests have generated the desired effect. In 2020, for example, after the George Floyd riots downtown, the CTU and CPS hijacked the educational curriculum, abandoning standard, widely accepted texts and curriculum for the “new religion,” featuring flimsy, politically motivated, and poorly researched Critical Race Theory doctrine such as the 1619 Project and many texts on gender theory. In addition, other changes went into effect as a direct result of the riots, including the implementation of the SAFE-T Act and the elimination of cash bail.
There is no question that these riots and protests, in general, aim to create conditions where revolutionary ideas can take root and ultimately lead to systemic change.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease
But perhaps a more interesting element of these protests and riots involves where these positions lie within what is termed the “Overton Window." The Overton Window explains the spectrum of ideas or policies considered mainstream or acceptable in public debate at any one moment. This "window" shows what the public is ready to pay attention to, so politicians usually work within this range to maximize their prospects of success. Ideas outside the window appear to be too extreme or inappropriate. The Overton Window also shifts over time, so ideas once considered extreme (e.g., COVID-19 came from a lab leak) eventually become acceptable or common precepts.
In this case, the pro-Palestinian movement, much of it pro-Hamas, particularly for those shouting “From the River to the Sea” or who advocate on behalf of BDS (boycott, divest, and sanctions) against Israel (wait for those “strikes” by college kids this fall in attempting to get their universities to divest from Israel), has attempted to shift the Overton Window.
Yet a recent Harvard Harris Poll conducted at the end of July showcased some interesting results with regard to American sentiment toward Israel, against Hamas, the freeing of the hostages before a ceasefire, and whether Israel should retaliate against a government attack. This chart comes courtesy of AIPAC, the "reviled" pro-Israel lobby, reviled by Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman among others.
Thus, these protesters and rioters have attempted to shift the Overton Window as a means of trying to legitimize their own “unacceptable” positions.
For the pro-Israel protestors who have tried and failed to receive the necessary permits to march at the DNC this week, a couple of Democratic politicians hope to provide support through a new organization called the Zioness Action Fund according to Crain's Chicago. It has taken on the mantra of supporting many Democratic positions on LGBTQ, diversity, etc., and will attempt to develop support during the DNC. This group will try to appeal to Democratic Jewish voters who have felt ostracized by the political left.
Whether that group gains traction remains to be seen.
In the meantime, acts of anti-Semitism far outstrip nearly every other kind of hate crime or incident, such as anti-LGBTQ, white supremacist incidents, extremist murders, terrorist plots, or extremist/police shootouts, according to the Anti-Defamation League, or ADL. They also far outnumber Islamaphobic incidents, which pale in comparison (see this Wikipedia page). The heat map below shows the degree to which anti-Semitic events trump all others combined:
Green: Anti-Semitic acts
Pink: Anti-LGBTQ acts
Light Blue: White Supremacist Propaganda
Darker Blue: White Supremacist Events
Red: Extremist murders
Purple: terrorist plots and attacks
Yellow: Extremist/Police Shootouts
The sea of green you see above represents anti-Semitic incidents compared to other hate crimes. Simply put, Jewish hate represents the vast majority of all hate crimes in the U.S. and in Chicago. While there is no question that Chicago’s already large circle will get even larger following the DNC this week, the question that should be on the minds of all of those who care about the future of the city is as follows: As more Chicagoland Jewish residents get the message that they are not welcome here (even to protest), how many will feel safe staying?
To Mayor Brandon Johnson and his Jew-hating DEI allies that run City Hall, it’s pretty clear that the concept of actual “safe spaces,” literally, does not extend to the one community that has likely done more than any other on a per capita basis to support underprivileged communities by giving back and building bridges to those most in need (see postscript for two examples within the black community, specifically — there are countless others).
One wonders, as more Jews get the message that Chicago does not want them here by violating their civil rights, how this will further harm the communities that Johnson and his cronies claim to be trying to help as more pack their bags and decamp for places that will afford them the same rights as everyone else, versus treating them like Germany did before World War II.
Postscript (source: ChatGPT):
The Jewish community in Chicago has been actively involved in supporting black communities through various initiatives that foster collaboration, cultural exchange, and practical assistance. Two examples include:
- Mishkan Chicago and Lawndale Christian Community Church Collaboration: In Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, Mishkan Chicago, a Jewish congregation, has been working closely with the predominantly Black Lawndale Christian Community Church. This partnership focuses on community-building initiatives, such as co-creating a sukkah during the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The collaboration is rooted in a shared history and aims to bridge gaps between the communities by fostering mutual understanding and support. This initiative is part of a broader effort to address historical disinvestment in black neighborhoods and encourage deeper connections across cultural lines (The Forward).
- Anshe Emet Synagogue and Brightstar Community Outreach: Another example is the partnership between Anshe Emet Synagogue and Brightstar Community Outreach in Bronzeville. Together, they have initiated several projects, including a tutoring program for youth and the construction of a playground in the Brightstar community. These efforts emphasize practical applications of interfaith cooperation, with a particular focus on supporting young people and addressing trauma within the black community. Brightstar has also adopted a trauma resilience model from Israel, with training provided to local faith leaders to help address PTSD within their community (The Forward) (Chabad.org).
