1. Do you like coconut and chocolate candy bars? Well, you’re in luck: you can go to your local grocery store and buy an Almond Joy bar. Oh, you don’t like nuts? That’s okay—the Hershey company also makes the Mounds bar, which is the same candy bar only without the almonds.
2. Isn’t that convenient?
Some conspiracy theories offer the same convenience. Specifically, some popular conspiracy theories come in two flavors: with or without anti-Semitism. White supremacists and other anti-Semites can employ the version that includes Jew-hating, while
Some conspiracy theories offer the same convenience. Specifically, some popular conspiracy theories come in two flavors: with or without anti-Semitism. White supremacists and other anti-Semites can employ the version that includes Jew-hating, while
3. others, such as anti-government extremists, can enjoy a version of the same conspiracy theory that does not place Jews at its heart.
We can look at three examples, to keep things reasonable. Perhaps the broadest example of this phenomenon are the “global communist
We can look at three examples, to keep things reasonable. Perhaps the broadest example of this phenomenon are the “global communist
4. conspiracy” theories that were so prevalent for most of the 20th century. The anti-Semitic version of this theory was quite popular, especially in the first half of the century, promulgated by fascists and Nazis, who even coined terms like Judeo-Bolshevism or Jewish Bolshevism
5. to emphasize how inextricably linked the two concepts ostensibly were.
At the same time, others could promote global communist conspiracies that did not focus on Jews. These were more common after World War II, and a prominent American example is the John Birch Society, one
At the same time, others could promote global communist conspiracies that did not focus on Jews. These were more common after World War II, and a prominent American example is the John Birch Society, one
6. of the key promoters of such conspiracy theories. The JBS version of the conspiracy did not emphasize Jews; indeed, there were (and are) Jews in the JBS.
Though there were also anti-Semites in the JBS, many eventually became frustrated at the society’s unwillingness to
Though there were also anti-Semites in the JBS, many eventually became frustrated at the society’s unwillingness to
7. address the “Jewish question” and often left to form or join more explicitly white supremacist groups (Ben Klassen, founder of the Church of the Creator, is a good example of this).
8. The end of the communist bloc caused global communist conspiracy theories to mutate and evolve into anti-New World Order conspiracy theories—and there, too, one can find anti-Semitic and non-anti-Semitic versions.
9. A second example of two-flavor conspiracy theories are the Federal Reserve conspiracy theories. Federal Reserve conspiracy theories posit that an elite group of conspirators, most of them "elite international bankers," created the Federal Reserve in the U.S., as well as other
10. agencies and institutions in the U.S. and elsewhere, in order to control and manipulate the world to their own benefit. Fed conspiracy theories sometimes even encompass the global communist conspiracy theories, claiming that the conspirators actually created and aided
11. the rise of communism for their own dark purposes.
Both versions of the theory place the Rothschilds—a famous family that has had many connections to banking—at the heart of the conspiracy, surrounded by a panoply of other famous bankers and wealthy individuals and families,
Both versions of the theory place the Rothschilds—a famous family that has had many connections to banking—at the heart of the conspiracy, surrounded by a panoply of other famous bankers and wealthy individuals and families,
12. from the Warburgs to the Rockefellers. Anti-Semites emphasize the Jewishness of the Rothschilds and some of the other families, falsely associate some others with Jewishness (either describing them as Jewish or as agents of Jews), and deemphasizing the others.
13. The non-anti-Semitic version typically identifies the same people as being part of the cabal, but doesn’t focus on Jewishness. For example, the very popular 1971 conspiracy book None Dare Call It Conspiracy (amarilloteaparty.net/uploads/none-d…) claims that “Anti-Semites have played
14. into the hands of the conspiracy by trying to portray the entire conspiracy as Jewish. Nothing could be farther from the truth. [J. P. Morgan and Rockefeller institutions] have played a key role in the conspiracy.” Probably not coincidentally, the author, Larry Allen,
15. was connected to the John Birch Society.
One of the most prominent anti-Semites who promoted Federal Reserve conspiracy theories was Eustace Mullins, an American white supremacist (he was an adherent of the racist and anti-Semitic religious sect known as Christian
One of the most prominent anti-Semites who promoted Federal Reserve conspiracy theories was Eustace Mullins, an American white supremacist (he was an adherent of the racist and anti-Semitic religious sect known as Christian
16. Identity) who wrote books such as The Secrets of the Federal Reserve (1952), which Glenn Beck got in hot water in 2010 for promoting (see mediamatters.org/research/2010/…). Black anti-Semites have also recommended Mullins’ book (see adl.org/news/article/m…).
17. But sometimes the anti-Semites were sneaky. Another Christian Identity white supremacist, Sheldon Emry, published a popular tract in the 1980s dubbed “Billions for the Bankers; Debts for the People” (infogristle.com/sheldon-emry/b…), which produced a short version of the Fed
18. conspiracy theory that avoided anti-Semitic references. Presumably Emry thought that if people bought into a more general version of the conspiracy theory they could be lured into the anti-Semitic version down the road.
19. By far the most popular of non-anti-Semitic books promoting Federal Reserve conspiracy theories in recent decades has been G. Edward Griffin’s The Creature from Jekyll Island, a book endorsed and recommended by people such as Ron Paul (see thedailybeast.com/the-story-behi…). Again,
20. perhaps not surprisingly, Griffin has also had a long association with the John Birch Society.
The third example is the most recent and one that can be seen all over the web and on social media: George Soros conspiracy theories. Soros, a wealthy investor and philanthropist
The third example is the most recent and one that can be seen all over the web and on social media: George Soros conspiracy theories. Soros, a wealthy investor and philanthropist
21. of Jewish background, has in recent years become one of the most popular bogeymen for not just the far right but for segments of the mainstream right in the U.S. as well. Glenn Beck was an early and very vocal leader in the right-wing demonization of Soros
22. (see) thedailybeast.com/glenn-becks-an…) and was responsible for many on the right learning who George Soros was.
Since then Soros has become for many on the right what Trotsky was for Stalinists—a convenient figure to demonize and blame for almost anything. Soros has been accused
Since then Soros has become for many on the right what Trotsky was for Stalinists—a convenient figure to demonize and blame for almost anything. Soros has been accused
23. of being behind everything from Antifa to the Parkland kids and is often described as masterminding a vast conspiracy to orchestrate the downfall of Donald Trump. Anti-Semites emphasize Soros’ Jewish background, wrapping him into other anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
24. However, many others, from the militia movement to more mainstream groups and individuals, demonize Soros without emphasizing (or in some cases, knowing about) his Jewishness.
These two-flavor theories are dangerous, first, because they are conspiracy theories & on that
These two-flavor theories are dangerous, first, because they are conspiracy theories & on that
25. basis alone can lead to violence (like Byron Williams & Tide Foundation); , and second, because the anti-Semitic versions promote hate and even the non-anti-Semitic versions can be used as an on-ramp into the world of hate and anti-Semitism (as Sheldon Emry intuited).
