Jonathan S. Tobin
JNS, June 7, 2023
“The reason why Ukrainians wear these symbols is not exactly a mystery. While Ukrainians have the right to self-determination and independence, their nationalist movement has been linked to antisemitism since its beginnings.”
How important is the struggle against antisemitism to the liberal corporate media? How much of it a priority is it for the organized Jewish world? In both cases, the answer is that it is not as important as their commitment to support the war against Russia being fought by Ukraine. That’s the only conclusion to be drawn from a troubling story reported this week in The New York Times.
According to the Times, the wearing of insignia and symbols associated with the Nazis and their allies are prevalent among the troops fighting for Ukraine. It even acknowledged that antisemitism is baked deep into the history of Ukrainian nationalism—something that explains why these symbols are being worn by Kyiv’s soldiers. But as the article also made clear, it’s a bad idea to mention or discuss these facts unless you’re prepared to be labeled as a tool of Russian propaganda.
The dynamic here is a familiar one to anyone who has been following press coverage or commentary since Russia’s authoritarian President Vladimir Putin launched his brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. Nothing the Ukrainians or their popular President Volodymyr Zelenskyy say or do can be allowed to distract from the prevailing narrative about the conflict. This mandates that not only must everyone acknowledge the awfulness of the Putin regime and the consequences of the war it started. It also means we must adhere to the dubious notion that Zelenskyy is the reincarnation of Winston Churchill, and Ukraine is an exemplary nation that is fighting not just for its own independence but for Western democracy and freedom.… [To read the full article, click here]