PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Perhaps Jared Kushner could not resist. When the NBA shut down last week, Kushner told CNBC. “The NBA players are very fortunate that they have the financial position where they’re able to take a night off from work without having to have the consequences to themselves financially. So they have that luxury, which is great.”
”His response was as condescending as it could be without answering the question,” wrote New York Daily News writer Dennis Young. He was referring to how Kushner responded to a question of the White House’s position on the shutdown.
Like all political leaders, President Trump’s son-in-law should know enough to weigh his words before opening his mouth. I feel a tad unnerved when some Jews in high positions speak their piece. Those who are careless could prod more turmoil, and they might even prove chaotic.
Kushner embodies Jewish stereotypes. He is white, wealthy, a power behind a throne that is branded as racist, a member of his family’s sprawling development business and a fervent supporter of Israel. He even proposed a peace pact that predictably offended the Palestinians, who had turned down more generous offers in the past.
After wondering if my paranoia was showing, I took a break at this point to check Facebook where I found a post questioning if anyone thinks Kushner is “creepy.” Several respondents likewise thought this way, and one called Kushner a kapo, defined as a Nazi camp prisoner who was assigned by SS guards to supervise forced labor. I would not know if any of these people are Jewish, and it did not sound as if the “kapo” remark was meant to demean Jews.
For unrelated reasons, Iranian suprme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned Kushner for his role in establishing the normalization pact between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. He tweeted, “The nation of Palestine is under various, severe pressures. Then, the UAE acts in agreement with the Israelis & filthy Zionist agents of the U.S. – such as the Jewish member of Trump’s family – with utmost cruelty against the interests of the World of Islam.”
Kushner is not the only Jewish appointee who can serve as a lightning rod. In fact, Trump speechwriter Stephen Miller, who grew up in Santa Monica, leads in the dishonor roll so far.
However, Kushner’s comment has potential for inciting an anti-Semitic backlash from the Black community at a time when conflicts between Blacks and Jews have intensified. The NBA players and other athletes have deep grievances about police brutality and other forms of racism. They must resent Kushner’s patronizing response from his perch as a close advisor to the current president.
For much of the summer, Jews and Africans in Philadelphia were locked in a dispute over an anti-Semitic meme posted by Rodney Muhammad, then president of the local NAACP branch. The two camps reached an initial resolution when chapter members dissolved the branch, allowing the national office to run the chapter for the time being. Black Lives Matter, or some variation of the movement’s sponsor, had posted anti-Israel provisions in its platform, but that may be changing.
So why toss more coal into the boiler? That is what Kushner did when he answered with that statement.
Out of fairness to Kushner, he dropped the snark by adding, “I think the NBA, there’s a lot of activism, and I think that they’ve put a lot of slogans out. But I think what we need to do is turn that from slogans and signals to actual action that’s going to solve the problem.
“If LeBron James reached out to the White House, or we could reach out to him, we’re happy to talk with him and say, ‘Look, let’s both agree on what we want to accomplish and let’s come up with a common pathway to get there,’”
James, the NBA superstar, led the shutdown.
Kushner’s words surely sounded conciliatory, but they contradict the actions of the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Senate. Trump’s record for finding “a common pathway” is…well, what record? Democratic leaders have described surreal sessions with Trump in which nothing was accomplished. At this writing, Republicans refuse to extend aid to those who lost jobs amid the coronavirus crisis. How can Kushner ensure cooperation with the NBA players?
The Republican convention exemplifies Trump’s contempt for the law and the American public. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s address to the convention from the King David Hotel in Jerusalem overtly violated the Hatch Act, which bars federal officials and employees from engaging in politics while at work. He was exploiting our relationship with Israel, though many supporters of the Jewish state believe that team Trump has earned the right to do that.
Three women with questionable attitudes about the Jewish people were scheduled to speak, and one of the speakers was canceled out.
Most disgraceful were the twin spectacles of Donald and Melania Trump appearing in front of the White House asking American voters to re-elect him. They could have delivered their speeches at Trump’s hotel located a short jaunt away.
It is always a proud moment when the chief executive entrusts Jews to join him in holding the reins of government, but what good is it if they lack qualifications? Then again, what does Kushner’s boss know about qualifications?
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Bruce S. Ticker is a columnist based in Philadelphia. He may be contacted via bruce.ticker@sdjewishworld.com