How You Can Love Israel, Hate Jews, and Still Get a Podcast Deal

Once upon a time, antisemitism wore uniforms.
Then it wore keffiyehs.
Today, it wears a suit, speaks fluent English, quotes “free speech,” and hosts a wildly successful podcast.

Welcome to the age of the New Antisemitism, where you don’t need to hate Jews – you just need to understand why everyone else does.

And leading this brave, confused, algorithm-friendly movement are some of the most recognizable figures on the American Right: Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Dave Smith, and a rotating cast of “just asking questions” influencers who somehow keep landing on the same answers Jews have heard for centuries.

Antisemitism, But Make It Sophisticated™

This isn’t the old-school antisemitism of pogroms and slurs. No no – that would be inelegant.
This is high-definition, Ivy League-compatible antisemitism.

It comes with phrases like:

• “I support Israel’s right to exist, but…”
• “Zionists are not Jews.”
• “We’re just criticizing power structures.”
• “Why are Jews always accusing people of antisemitism?”

It’s antisemitism that insists it isn’t antisemitism – which, historically speaking, is the most reliable kind.

Tucker Carlson: The ‘Just Asking Questions’ Messiah

Tucker Carlson is not antisemitic.
He just:

• Rehabilitates people who are.
• Platforms conspiracy theorists who blame Jews for global chaos.
• Suggests America shouldn’t care if Israel disappears because “it’s not our problem.”
• Frames Jewish self-defense as provocation.

But remember – he’s just asking questions.

In Tucker’s world, Jews are always overreacting, Israel is always escalating, and Hamas is always a “complex situation.”
Somehow, the only people never granted complexity are the Jews themselves.

Megyn Kelly: The Liberal Who Learned the Wrong Lessons

Megyn Kelly represents a fascinating subtype of modern right-wing antisemitism:
The Enlightened Convert Who Still Blames the Jews.

She understands cancel culture.
She’s suffered from progressive mobs.
She knows what ideological bullying looks like.

And yet – when Jews warn about rising antisemitism, she suddenly becomes very skeptical.

When Israel defends itself, she worries about “optics.”
When Jews speak too loudly, she hears “influence.”
When antisemitism is pointed out, she demands tone moderation.

It’s empathy – but with a ceiling.

Dave Smith: Libertarianism Until Jews Exist

Dave Smith’s antisemitism is particularly impressive because it hides behind libertarian philosophy.

States are bad.
Borders are fake.
National defense is immoral.

Except when it comes to everyone but Israel.

Suddenly, the Jewish state is uniquely illegitimate.
Jewish sovereignty is “colonial.”
Jewish self-defense is “genocide.”

Funny how libertarianism collapses the moment Jews stop being powerless.

The Pattern No One Wants to Admit

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

The American Right didn’t invent the New Antisemitism.
But it adopted it with enthusiasm once it realized it could be:

• Anti-globalist
• Anti-establishment
• Anti-left
• And still recycle ancient Jewish tropes without saying “Jew”

Replace “Jews” with:

• “Zionists”
• “Neocons”
• “Global elites”
• “Dual loyalists”

Same story. New fonts.

Israel: The Jew Among Nations

Israel today plays the role Jews have always played historically:

• Expected to behave better than everyone else
• Punished for surviving
• Condemned for defending itself
• Lectured on morality by people who outsource theirs

The American Right claims to oppose identity politics –
until Israel reminds them that Jewish identity includes power, borders, and guns.

And that’s when the discomfort starts.

Why This Matters (Even If You Don’t Care About Jews)

Antisemitism is never about Jews.
Jews are just the early warning system.

When the Right starts flirting with antisemitism, it’s a sign that:

• Conspiratorial thinking is replacing analysis
• Emotion is replacing facts
• “The West” is becoming a slogan, not a civilization

Today it’s Jews.
Tomorrow it’s anyone inconvenient.

Final Thought: Zionism Isn’t a Problem – It’s the Test

Zionism is the idea that Jews deserve what every other people takes for granted:

• A state
• Borders
• Self-defense
• The right to exist without permission

Those who can’t accept that will never be allies – no matter how many Israeli flags they wave when it’s convenient.

And if the American Right wants to be taken seriously as a moral alternative to the progressive Left, it should start by asking a harder question:

Why does Jewish sovereignty make you so uncomfortable?

Because history suggests the answer is never flattering.