Gain-of-function antisemitism
There is a new way to think about the people who relentlessly incite hatred of Jews and Israel: “gain-of-function antisemitism.” The phrase borrows from the COVID-19 pandemic; specifically, former chief medical advisor to the president Anthony Fauci’s misguided funding of gain-of-function transmissibility and virulence research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.Fauci has been accused of facilitating a process that enhanced existing biological characteristics of a virus, making it more powerful and dangerous. Similarly, with the rise in antisemitism, old prejudices have been opportunistically amplified, repackaged, given a new language and spread through powerful new channels. Like a deadly re-engineered contagion, the new Jew-hate is released to a wider audience until what was once fringe becomes dangerously normalized.This is where the “gain-of-function” metaphor becomes useful. An inflammatory podcaster or politician does not necessarily invent hatred from scratch. Instead, he or she takes an existing grievance, strips away nuance, adds sensational accusations,…
The article introduces the concept of "gain-of-function antisemitism," likening it to the controversial scientific research that enhances a virus's transmissibility and virulence. This metaphor describes how existing antisemitic prejudices are amplified, repackaged with new language like "Zionists" or "globalists," and spread through powerful modern channels, including social media and political platforms. The author argues that this process normalizes what was once fringe hatred, making it more dangerous. The article identifies various sources contributing to this phenomenon, including foreign funding from nations like Qatar, far-left philanthropists such as George Soros, Hollywood figures, and certain politicians and media personalities from both the far-left and far-right. It emphasizes that this form of antisemitism often involves stripping away nuance, adding sensational accusations, and relentlessly repeating them, leading to the demonization of Jews and Israel. The author concludes by advocating for deliberate countermeasures, including exposing myths, tracing funding, distinguishing legitimate criticism from demonization, and challenging conspiracy theories.
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