Senators Cruz, Cotton, Banks, and others on antisemitism and national security

We invite you to watch and share the symposium session video. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Dear Friend, Thank you again for your friendship and your commitment to National Review's mission. Earlier this week, we held an antisemitism symposium in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the Republican Jewish Coalition. You may already have seen some of the coverage in the press or online, but the substance and seriousness of the gathering deserve fuller notice. As recent events indicate, it was a bracing and necessary few hours. More than two dozen speakers including Senators Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Jim Banks. Trump administration officials Ambassador Yehuda Kaploun, Leo Terrell, and Noah Pollak. Thoughtful conservatives including Matthew Continetti, Tal Fortgang, Rebeccah Heinrichs, and David Azerrad. As well as several other elected officials and media figures — including Rich Lowry and editors of National Review.   Together we examined not only the present resurgence of antisemitism, but also the historical pattern by which it advances: first as insinuation, then as fashion, and finally, if unopposed, as conviction. We considered the old poisons in their new disguises — the way algorithmic outrage, influencer culture, and the incentives of digital media can magnify extremism; the way conspiracy and grievance are dressed up as courage or authenticity; and the way what ought never to be tolerated is gradually made to seem discussable, then defensible, then normal. We invite you to watch and share the symposium session video here. Again and again, our speakers returned to a central truth: this is not a peripheral matter, nor one that can be dismissed as somebody else's problem. It imposes real obligations on those entrusted with authority in politics, media, education, business, and religious life. Moral clarity is required. So is civic courage.   Senator Tom Cotton gave voice to that clarity in terms that admitted no ambiguity: "I do not agree that I share a political movement or a political party with anyone who traffics in antisemitism."   Senator Ted Cruz spoke with similar candor about the gravity of the moment: "I have seen more antisemitism in the last 18 months on the right than at any point in my lifetime. A year and a half ago, I could not have imagined we would be here having this conversation. And it is growing, and it is gaining real purchase, especially with young people."   Shabbos Kestenbaum offered a particularly sobering reflection on the appeal such ideas can acquire among the young when alienation is fed by myth and resentment: "If you tell young people that the system is rigged against you by these shadowy, undefined forces, you know what young people are going to do? They're going to believe you, and they're going to drop out of that system entirely. And I can think of nothing more anti-American, anti-conservative, or anti–Judeo-Christian than telling young people that they will never get ahead because of forces outside of their control." Leo Terrell rightly reminded the audience that the stakes are not sectarian, but civilizational: "Fighting antisemitism is not a Jewish issue. Fighting antisemitism is an American issue. It's a Western civilization issue. It's everyone's issue to fight antisemitism." That, in the end, was the burden of the day. The conservative movement exists to conserve what is best in the American experiment. It is a movement of ideas, not a shelter for grievance; it is a defense of ordered liberty, moral responsibility, and the dignity of the human person. Antisemitism negates all three. I hope you will take the time to watch the full symposium. The speaker lineup was exceptional, but more important still, the conversation was serious, concrete, and morally urgent. I believe it will leave you with a deeper understanding of the challenge before us and a clearer sense of what faithful and serious opposition to antisemitism requires. Please also share the video with friends, family, and colleagues who care about the health of our country and the moral integrity of our public life. In gratitude, Chuck DeFeo Chief Executive Officer National Review & National Review Institute P.S. If you believe in National Review's mission, I hope you will consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the National Review Institute so that we can continue and expand this essential work. National Review Institute is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), journalistic think tank that preserves and promotes William F. Buckley Jr.'s legacy, supports the National Review mission, and advances the principles of a free society through educational and outreach programs. All contributions to it are deductible for income, gift, and estate tax purposes. EIN# 13-3649537 National Review Institute | 19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701 New York, NY 10036  info@nrinstitute.org · 212.849.2806 · www.nrinstitute.org  You received this email because you indicated that you'd like to receive news, alerts, and special invitations. If you no longer wish to receive emails, adjust your preferences here.