Esther Erickson
St. Cloud
This is in response to a letter by Sara Magee of Sartell published in the Dec. 6 Newsleaders (“U.S. needs to stop supplying aid, arms to Israel government”). Magee referred in her letter to a book entitled “The Message” by Ta-Nahisi Coates.
Coates’ rhetoric is steeped in bias and hostility. He visited that region once only and thinks he’s qualified to pass judgment. Using mental/moral gymnastics, he trivialized horrific acts against Jews and demonstrated disturbing elements of anti-semitism with false accusations about Israel, an implicit justification for violence as he equates atrocities against Jewish civilians to historical revolutions.
In a recent podcast, Coates expressed empathy with perpetrators who raped, kidnapped and slaughtered 1,200 innocent Jews. He said he could have potentially engaged in such actions as Hamas committed. Where is his moral compass?
His anti-Jewish stance and condoning of violence reflects the sharp increase in anti-semitic attacks worldwide. The most recent FBI report shows Jews experience more than twice the hate crimes than any other U.S. minorities. Anti-semitism has skyrocketed by 360 percent since the Oct. 7 attacks. Lives and communities are at risk.
The claim of “genocide” in Gaza is inflammatory and incorrect. Israel fully withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Since then it’s been controlled by Hamas, a terrorist organization. Not caring about Gazans, Hamas has used militancy, misused humanitarian aid and perpetrated violence, leaving Israelis and Palestinians to suffer. Coates’ words ignore realities and alienate people who seek the facts.
