The goalposts just shifted, and I definitely noticed.

We were talking antisemitism, a specific hatred of Jews and Judaism that has a horrible historical precedent beyond simply being attacked under the umbrella of “organized religion”. The USSR cracked down on Church authority, but did not specifically target Jews [or Muslims, for that matter – I recommend giving Lady Idzihar a watch, she is a Muslim communist woman who shares fascinating (well-sourced) histories regarding Soviet respect for Sharia and so on] on the basis of their ethnicity or religion, or ethnoreligion.

Regarding the USSR’s antireligiosity in general, Parenti quote.

The USSR was far ahead of its time on the so-called Jewish question, as it were especially given its temporaries… yes, I am saying the Nazis were far, far worse, and it shouldn’t be considered fallacious whataboutism to critically examine these nations within the confines of their material circumstances – including “the times”, as it were.

The USSR, incorrectly in hindsight, were a major proponent for the creation of the state of Israel, deeming it necessary to create a sanctuary for Jewish folk after witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust. They immediately flipped the switch when Israeli settlers started massacring Palestinians, of course, and collectively understood the ramifications of the Zionist settler project. Was this ideological pivot a case of a resurgent Soviet antisemitism? Or are we missing the forest for the damn trees, here?

I consider Cornell West more of a comrade than any so-called communist who does not incorporate meaningful anti-imperialism into their praxis. Still, I do not devote much time thinking of him, beyond my dismay at the understanding that this is almost certainly a losing strategy.

I am first and foremost thinking of the vicious slander levied so frequently against the saviors of Europe (and, according to some, JEWS!) and the existence of contrary truths. I am hoping to enlighten some readers with a small history regarding Jewish people in the USSR. I am hitting back against what I perceive as intellectual injustice.

There were human beings living in the USSR, plenty of them antisemitic - many of them fascists, enemies of the state! That was never the party’s line, never the worker’s line, never the theorist, the farmer, the people’s line. The people and the party (and thusly the state) practiced material opposition to antisemitism, meaningful opposition to antisemitism. The kind where open antisemitism was punishable by death, if deemed necessary.

How the fuck does the U.S. protect Jewish people? By spending billions propping up its puppet state in a strenuous effort to keep the Arab world divided? By having lawmakers who support the creation and expansion of Israel on the basis that it will bring about the end times?