Vandals Awaken Trump White House to Anti-Semitism
Vandals who toppled tombstones in a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis last weekend did more than an act of desecration. Their vile crime prompted the new Trump Administration to finally speak out on a growing wave of anti-Semitism.
鈥淭he anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,鈥� President Trump said Tuesday at during a visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
His response came two days after as many as 200 headstones were tipped over or vandalized in the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Missouri, near St. Louis.听 There have been no arrests.
Muslims and other faith-based groups stepped forward, raising money for repairs at the Missouri cemetery and raising public awareness before there was comment or reaction from the Trump White House.
In recent weeks, there also have been numerous telephone bomb threats, resulting in evacuations and searches at Jewish Community Centers throughout the United States.
Several Jewish and civil rights organizations said the response from the Trump Administration was tardy or bland.听 Some had harsher criticism.
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鈥淢r. President, your too little, too late acknowledgement of anti-Semitism today is not enough,鈥� said Steven Goldstein, executive Director of the , a New York-based organization that address civil and human rights issues.
The new administration 鈥渃ommitted grotesque acts and omissions reflecting anti-Semitism,鈥� Goldstein said, noting the White House failed to mention Jews in its Holocaust remembrance.
鈥淭he anti-Semitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration,鈥� Goldstein said.
Goldstein called on Trump to fire his 鈥渁nti-Semitic鈥� chief of staff, Steve Bannon, and 鈥渄eliver a prime-time address to outline the specific steps his Administration will take to combat anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, sexism, anti-LGBT bias and other hatred.鈥�
听The organization also called on the Trump Administration to 鈥渨ork with Congress to establish a national blue-ribbon commission on Combating Hate in America that would have sufficient independence and bipartisan representation.鈥�
The White House apparently heard the growing criticism.
On Wednesday, Vice President Pence visited the vandalized Missouri cemetery.
鈥淭here is no place in America for hatred or acts of prejudice or violence or anti-Semitism,鈥� Pence said as he surveyed the vandalism being repaired and cleaned up by workers and volunteers, the reported.
As a symbolic gesture, the vice president briefly assisted in the cleanup, raking leaves, according to media reports.
At the vice president鈥檚 side, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens denounced the 鈥渧ile act of desecration鈥� and said he had received a private phone call from Trump.
听鈥淗e asked me, on his behalf, to personally thank all of you 鈥� for standing up in the fight against anti-Semitism,鈥� the governor said.
鈥淭oday, Vice President Pence proved to be the ultimate mensch by visiting, and even cleaning, the desecrated Jewish graves in St. Louis,鈥� responded Goldstein, of the Anne Frank Center.
鈥淲e have been critical of President Trump for his gross insensitivity to anti-Semitism, including through his omission of Jews in Holocaust remembrance. But through the Vice President's visit to St. Louis today, this Administration finally showed America the kind of response our nation was waiting for all along 鈥� a response filled with proactive heart.鈥�
