But if Arendt’s mistake was to trivialize Eichmann’s actions, Lipstadt does the same, just in reverse. The net effect of comparing President Trump with the Nazis’ chief propagandist is to make the Nazi campaign about dishonesty rather than about centuries of hatred. Indeed, according to Lipstadt, anti-Semitism was part of the “bedrock” of European culture. It should be acknowledged that her position stems from her broader study of modern anti-Semitism and the association between elements of the far right and support for President Trump. However, in her own book, “Antisemitism: Here and Now,” Lipstadt acknowledges that Trump is “probably not an anti-Semite,” but that he enables anti-Semitism, which is in itself anti-Semitic.

Source: National Post October 12, 2020 09:56 UTC