# "It's all about the Benjamins, baby" -- anti-Semitic? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356 "2019-02-11T20:16:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/1 "2019-02-11T20:16:48Z")
I read that a Muslim Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, has been condemned by her own party leadership for anti-Semitic tweets. I was shocked and wanted to see the despicable tweets with my own eyes. In response to someone else’s tweet (“It’s stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans”) Ms. Omar tweeted back “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby.” There was a second offensive tweet I guess, but the other one didn’t appear in the news article. Perhaps family newspapers are loathe to print such foul language. (\* - ‘Benjamins’ are $100 bills, the largest denomination of currency printed by the U.S. Treasury.) But wait a minute. If someone wondered why Congress passes laws that help bankers rather than bank customers, and I replied “It’s about the Benjamins,” would I be accused of anti-Semitism? Exxon, Pfizer and other big corporations get laws passed that benefit their interests over society at large. Might that also be due to “Benjamins”? _ **AIPAC seems to brag about the power of its Benjamins** _: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to the Congress and Executive Branch of the United States. … > One of several pro-Israel lobbying organizations in the United States, AIPAC states that it has more than 100,000 members, seventeen regional offices, and “a vast pool of donors”… In addition, the organization has been called one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States… > Its critics have stated it acts as an agent of the Israeli government with a “stranglehold” on the United States Congress with its power and influence. The group has been accused of being strongly allied with the Likud party of Israel … Recall that Likud is the party that advocates Jewish settlements in the West Bank and has opposed Palestinian statehood. I thought impugning the motives of Congresscritters who receive large cash donations was _de rigueur_. Or is this now only acceptable only when the donors are Christians, Nuslims or atheists? . ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/2 "2019-02-11T20:32:35Z")
It’s not about banking laws that she is being accused of anti-Semitism for, it’s about her condemnation against Isreal, and her assertion that the only reason that US politicians and others in the US support Isreal, is the money that flows to them from that country. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/3 "2019-02-11T20:35:46Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I thought impugning the motives of Congresscritters who receive large cash donations was _de rigueur_. Or is this now only acceptable only when the donors are Christians, Nuslims or atheists? Generally speaking, it appears that some folks don’t want the general public to know of the massive amounts of lobbying money that flows to Congress on behalf of Israel and when someone points it out they get accused of anti-Semitism (ironically some of the biggest Political Correctness seems to be from conservatives on this issue). ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/4 "2019-02-11T20:36:31Z")
The congresswoman has apologized: > ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/5 "2019-02-11T20:37:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Omar faced increasing backlash after suggesting Republican support of Israel is fueled by donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a prominent pro-Israel group. > On Sunday, Omar responded to a tweet by journalist Glenn Greenwald that reads, “GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatens punishment for @IlhanMN and @RashidaTlaib over their criticisms of Israel. It’s stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans.” > Omar replied, “It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” followed by a musical notes emoji. Omar has been critical of the Israeli government over its treatment of Palestinians and supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, a non-violent activist campaign that aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel over its actions toward Palestinians, including calling for an end to Israeli occupation of the West Bank. From [here](https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/politics/ilhan-omar-aipac-backlash/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/6 "2019-02-11T20:48:23Z")
It feeds on the ‘rich Jews controlling government’ trope. I would liken it to a politician saying that black people support Democrats ‘because of welfare.’ It feeds on stereotypes whose original intent was to denigrate people of a particular race. As such, I would indeed vote that Yes, it is anti-Semitic. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/7 "2019-02-11T20:53:25Z")
> [@senoy](#): > > It feeds on the ‘rich Jews controlling government’ trope. I would liken it to a politician saying that black people support Democrats ‘because of welfare.’ It feeds on stereotypes whose original intent was to denigrate people of a particular race. > > As such, I would indeed vote that Yes, it is anti-Semitic. But she’s not saying the government supports Jewish people because of money. She’s talking about governmental support for the State of Israel and the vast amount of lobbying money that is used to support Israel. It appears to me that by using this viewpoint, one can never criticize the massive lobbying effort on behalf of Israel without being called anti-Semitic. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/8 "2019-02-11T20:59:38Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > But she’s not saying the government supports Jewish people because of money. She’s talking about governmental support for the State of Israel and the vast amount of lobbying money that is used to support Israel. > > It appears to me that by using this viewpoint, one can never criticize the massive lobbying effort on behalf of Israel without being called anti-Semitic. She has now literally conceded that her comments touch upon the “evil moneyed Jews” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/9 "2019-02-11T21:01:16Z")
I’m in a spin. Legislation forbidding boycotts of Israel\* are heinous. But Omar is a nitwit and has in the past expressed genuine anti-semitism. So sometimes I like her and sometimes I dont. \*I expect someone to come along and tell me I’m getting it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/10 "2019-02-11T21:02:27Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > She has now literally conceded that her comments touch upon the “evil moneyed Jews” thing. Because we all know that politicians fully accede to whatever they are apologizing for ;). I don’t think she needed to apologize for her comments, but the political situation being what it was, she did so. Regardless it doesn’t answer the question. How do you criticize the lobby efforts of AIPAC and the like when talking about lobby money on behalf of Israel gets you branded an anti-Semite? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/11 "2019-02-11T21:09:45Z")
tn the book “by way of deception” by a former mossad agent there’s a rather chilling account that describes how the mossad uses such groups like AIPAC in various ways to influence policy and as an ad hoc intel group particularly against any one who speaks out unfavorably about the close ties we have with Israel or against Israeli policy in general So I wouldn’t be too surprised to see some sort of campaign against her ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/12 "2019-02-11T21:14:25Z")
I don’t think AIPAC is powerful because of money. J Street gives a million times more in campaign contributions. The Chamber of Commerce spends about 30 times more than AIPAC on lobbying. AIPAC is powerful because it has an extremely strong and motivated membership. If you want to tackle AIPAC, call them out on issues like being totally inseparable from the reprehensible policies of Netanyahu. ETA: are you directly saying that her apology was insincere? If anything, it rang quite true for me. But if you think she’s lying about it, maybe the issue isn’t closed. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/13 "2019-02-11T21:30:14Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > 1. Legislation forbidding boycotts of Israel\* are heinous. 2. But Omar is a nitwit and has in the past expressed genuine anti-semitism. So sometimes I like her and sometimes I dont. > > \*I expect someone to come along and tell me I’m getting it wrong. 1. I don’t know about ‘heinous’. I could see cases where laws telling private entities not to boycott this or that, or making govt funding depend on not doing it, could raise questions about excessive encroachment by government on free political expression. It depends. 2. As often, when a _particular person_ with particular baggage says particular things people make different assumptions than they might about the statement in a vacuum. This lady is AFAIK anti-Israel, and left leaning political activism against Israel has a tendency to run over into antisemitism. It’s not crazy to read into that comment a libel against Jews that was common in the West in the past, and is common in the Muslim world now. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/14 "2019-02-11T21:34:50Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > It appears to me that by using this viewpoint, one can never criticize the massive lobbying effort on behalf of Israel without being called anti-Semitic. It appears to me that many people consider any criticism of Israel at all to be antisemitic. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/15 "2019-02-11T21:39:00Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > ETA: are you directly saying that her apology was insincere? If anything, it rang quite true for me. But if you think she’s lying about it, maybe the issue isn’t closed. I think it was a politician’s apology. More of a I’m sorry I offended others. But she still does point out that she does think money in lobbying for Israel is an issue. If anything I think she probably learned she just needs to be more specific and less meme-ish when criticizing Israeli lobbying. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/16 "2019-02-11T22:26:28Z")
> [@senoy](#): > > It feeds on the ‘rich Jews controlling government’ trope. I would liken it to a politician saying that black people support Democrats ‘because of welfare.’ It feeds on stereotypes whose original intent was to denigrate people of a particular race. ^ I would go along with this. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > But she’s not saying the government supports Jewish people because of money. She’s talking about governmental support for the State of Israel and the vast amount of lobbying money that is used to support Israel. A lot of people - particularly the anti-Semitic - seem to have trouble understanding that Jewish people are individuals and not clones of each other. There is sometimes an assumption that all Jews everywhere are automatically and unquestionably pro-Israel, or pro-this-particular-administration, and that just ain’t so. There are actually some significant differences between, say, American Jews and Israeli Jews, and between various other factions under the umbrella of “everyone Jewish”. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/17 "2019-02-11T22:38:53Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > A lot of people - particularly the anti-Semitic - seem to have trouble understanding that Jewish people are individuals and not clones of each other. There is sometimes an assumption that all Jews everywhere are automatically and unquestionably pro-Israel, or pro-this-particular-administration, and that just ain’t so. > > There are actually some significant differences between, say, American Jews and Israeli Jews, and between various other factions under the umbrella of “everyone Jewish”. Yes, and that’s why Omar didn’t speak about Jewish people or any tendencies of Jewish people as a group or whole. Rather her comments were on why the US government tends to support Israel, to the point of trying to squash localities participating in the BDS movement. The entire twitter conversation doesn’t even mention the word Jewish or Jew once, right? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/18 "2019-02-11T23:55:28Z")
I remember reading an article about AIPAC awhile ago that gave me real pause: they seemed, like the NRA, to wield lobbyist power in a way outsize to their constituency. Criticizing AIPAC in particular, or even the Likud government, is absolutely within bounds. However, the history of antisemitism means that those criticisms need to be very clear and specific. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/19 "2019-02-12T07:33:31Z")
From a comment in a Minnesota newspaper. > [@](#): > > It seems that Rep. Omar has such animosity toward Jewish people that she cannot control her tendency to express the most virulent anti-Jewish stereotypes we have not heard from politicians in the state of Minnesota for many years. Her most recent attack, in which she says that our congressional representatives only support Israel because of the Jewish money they receive, is perhaps the most dangerous, Sorry; I just don’t get it. Is there some other tweet everybody’s talking about? I just don’t see “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby” (which I guess comes from a rap song — is that song anti-Semitic?) as “virulent” anti-Semitism. Is there any doubt that some politicians are swayed by donors’ money? If I write “Senator X voted against consumer finance protection because he’s in the pockets of big banks” would I be castigated and forced to apologize? Google my past SDMB posts and know that I tend to take Israel’s side in the Middle East. But enough is enough! The extremist elements in Israel commit atrocities and seem to have no human compassion for Palestinians. Does calling for change in Israel’s behavior mean I’m a Holocaust denier? I can criticize the actions of the Chinese government without being called a racist chink-hater. I can distance myself from Louis Farrakhan without being asked if I’m a KKK-style hater of blacks. Yet no criticism of the actions of Israel’s government is permitted? Is the problem that a Muslim dared to make this criticism? It would be OK if it were a Christian that spoke truth to power? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356/20 "2019-02-12T08:03:57Z")
Omar has a history of [antisemitism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilhan_Omar#Political_positions) – she’s made comments about how Israel has “hypnotised” the world, for example. You can criticize Israel, but a lot of people seem to think Israel is evil, and doesn’t deserve to even exist. Israel isn’t innocent, they’re just like any other country. But a lot of people seem to give Israel shit, while they excuse Palestinian attrocities. It’s a very complex situation over there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-all-about-the-benjamins-baby-anti-semitic/829356.md?page=2)