Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s most antisemitic of all?
This year’s “Antisemite of the Year” contest spearheaded by the watchdog StopAntisemitism will soon have its selection.
The contest highlights 10 individuals who have outwardly displayed antisemitism over the last year, aiming to bring attention to their bigoted deeds.
“We want to put these antisemites on display so that they understand when you spew bias and hatred against the Jewish people and nation, you’re going to face consequences,” explained Liora Rez, who heads the three-year-old NGO.
StopAntisemitism says on its website that it aims “to hold antisemites accountable and create consequences for their bigoted actions by exposing the threat that they present to all Americans.”
The antisemites the group exposes come from diverse backgrounds and from all sides of the political spectrum. This is the third year StopAntisemitism is running the contest. Rez said the contest has grown each year, garnering attention on social media and in the mainstream press.
Some candidates have even responded to their nomination and attempted to defend themselves, such as Cynthia McKinney, a former congresswoman (D) from Georgia who frequently blames terror attacks like 9/11 on Jews. Rez noted that McKinney penned an extensive thread on Twitter explaining why she was nominated. “She only dug her hole deeper,” Rez added.
Andrew Torba, founder and CEO of social media platform Gab, also acknowledged his nomination, writing a lengthy post on his own platform. “He was very unhappy that we dared to out him,” Rez said. “When candidates themselves are really noticing they are on the nominee list, it shows us the great magnitude of exposure and solidifies the success of the campaign.”
No. 1 is Shaun King, a self-proclaimed social justice activist who compares America’s early leaders to Nazis and openly defends antisemites such as Linda Sarsour, Louis Farrakhan and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who won the Antisemite of the Year title in 2019.
No. 2 is Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman from Georgia who was stripped of her committee assignments after her many antisemitic conspiracy theories came to light.
No. 3 is Mohammed El-Kurd, who has a long history of glorifying terrorists, encouraging violence against the Jewish people and spreading hatred of the Jewish nation, according to StopAntisemitism.
The full list can be found online on the organization’s website and on its social media channels.
Approximately 5,000 people have voted thus far and more are expected. Voting is open until December 5 and three finalists will be announced the next day. The winner will be announced on December 27.
StopAntisemitism has only been around for three years, but “we have experienced such amazing growth thanks to our dedicated audiences on social media and our disciplined focus on antisemitism,” Rez said. “We do not give passes based on race, gender, ethnicity and/or political affiliations.
“Our strict approach has put us at the forefront of fighting antisemitism and as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished in such a short period of time.”
The group’s ultimate goal, of course, is to reduce antisemitism by partnering with more allies in the media, on college campuses and in government.
“We will never tolerate hatred toward the Jewish nation and people,” Rez concluded.
Vote in this year's Antisemite of the Year competition.
This article was written in cooperation with StopAntisemitism.