Responding to Thomas’ column on antisemitism

I don’t even know where to begin in responding the ignorance and immorality of Wednesday’s Cal Thomas column (May 28, “You’ve got to be taught to hate”). I can’t believe a paper like The Gazette would print something so completely vile and incorrect.

We watch as Israel continues to block humanitarian aid from a starving and imprisoned population. We watch as they bomb children, doctors, journalists, government workers. Informed and courageous students and professors have tried to stand up for these innocent lives on their campuses, and Thomas compares them to the KKK? He praises the authoritarian moves of the Trump administration as they imprison people for their basic right to free speech? And he conflates criticism of the far-right, genocidal government of Israel with antisemitism?

Is he aware of all the thousands Jewish Americans and Jewish organizations who also stand against this hatred and murder of innocent civilians? No, Cal, Israel is a country and Judaism is a religion. These are not the same. And anti-Zionism is not the same as antisemitism. Maybe you should turn off the Rogers and Hammerstein and educate yourself. Or keep watching your musicals and leave the opinion writing to those who are actually informed.

Leah Otting

Iowa City