Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: Not unlike the deep political divide in Israel over Judicial Reform, this week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down college affirmative action following their prior ruling overturning Roe v. Wade has once again brought to the forefront the huge political divide in this country. Further, the polarization and bitterness between the right and left from the 2020 election are still simmering as we approach the next presidential election in 2024. Underneath all the day-to-day niceties, there seems to be a latent powder keg in our electorate, especially if the next election is a repeat between Trump and Biden.

1. 7/2/23, 8:14 AM When Politics Gets Personal | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/when-politics-gets-personal/ 1/5
THE BLOGS
Andy Blumenthal
Leadership With Heart
When Politics Gets
Personal
ADVERTISEMENT

2. 7/2/23, 8:14 AM When Politics Gets Personal | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/when-politics-gets-personal/ 2/5
(Credit Photo: John Hain via https://pixabay.com/illustrations/fingerprinting-blaming-division-2203448/)
Not unlike the deep political divide in Israel over Judicial Reform, this week’s US
Supreme Court decision striking down college affirmative action following their
prior ruling overturning Roe v. Wade has once again brought to the forefront the
huge political divide in this country. Further, the polarization and bitterness
between the right and left from the 2020 election are still simmering as we
approach the next presidential election in 2024. Underneath all the day-to-day
niceties, there seems to be a latent powder keg in our electorate, especially if
the next election is a repeat between Trump and Biden.
In this context, I must admit that I had a run-in with someone this week who
sits on the other side of the political spectrum from me. And maybe, as they say,
it’s best not to talk too much about religion or politics, just for the reasons I am
about to convey. Note: I am not trying to argue here for one side or the other.
It started when I shared with others an article profiled at the top of the page in
The Times of Israel expressing concern about the rising antisemitism in this
country. I wanted to hear this person’s point of view because antisemitism is not

3. 7/2/23, 8:14 AM When Politics Gets Personal | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/when-politics-gets-personal/ 3/5
only coming from some on the right but also from far-left Progressives. I was
expecting the other person to say something like, “Jewish hate and anti-Zionism
are terrible things regardless of which party they come from, and after the
Holocaust 78 years ago, we all need to beware of them.” However, the person got
hugely triggered by the politics of it all, and instead I got an earful of such deep,
festering hate, not for the antisemites (wherever they reside), but rather for the
Republicans, with the person telling me something like, “The whole Republican
party should go up in smoke!” I understand that everyone has their own
feelings, but this was clearly an over-the-top reaction. I was like, “Whoa, I
thought we were talking about antisemitism here; what’s up with this?” To
which I got some reply about Trump, Desantis, and others, whom this person
was furious at for their policies, but the Democrats to them were the party of
near saints. Ooookay, I thought, I better let this go, and I basically said
something like, “Nice talking to you, bye!”
But the story isn’t over; the very next morning, the person (who must’ve been
stewing all night) sends me an article from JTA about a small survey of 800 Jews,
which found that most are slated to vote Democratic in the 2024 election. Well,
no big surprise there, as most Jews are historically liberal and have voted
Democratic. So I said something like, “There is certainly a long liberal voting
pattern for Jews, but that pattern has been changing to the right, especially
among Orthodox Jews (actually 75% as of May 2021), many Zionists, and
others.” To that, the other person literally started cursing out Trump, and they
said they were happy not to be associated with Jews that “have holy books and
no moral compass.” At this point, I am realizing that this person is seriously
triggered by both politics and religion.
The story continues and even goes nuclear, with the other person then making
insane comparisons between Republicans and Hitler, who started World War II
and killed 6 million Jews, telling me, “Hitler deserved anger and hate. So do
Trump and DeSantis!” Okay, I am now in the middle of a complete firestorm,
and I can only imagine what is coming next. Yes, it’s now a personal attack on

4. 7/2/23, 8:14 AM When Politics Gets Personal | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/when-politics-gets-personal/ 4/5
me, and I’ll spare you the gory details. It was a complete lashout. Honestly, I
don’t know how I kept my composure. However, I am proud to say that I did. As
Michelle Obama famously said, “When they go low, we go high.” And I did; I
didn’t say one nasty thing in return. To the contrary, when I saw that they
couldn’t or wouldn’t stop, I basically told them, if it makes them feel better,
“Bring it on.”
What was I thinking through all of this?
First of all, you can’t count on civility anymore. The political situation in this
country and maybe for some individuals or groups in particular is in a very
dangerous place, and you never know what can set it off and bring out riots
again, our cities to burn, and even violence. It is truly an explosive situation, and
I don’t know if another Supreme Court decision or the next election will ignite
it.
Second, I thought about whether I should respond to this person, if nothing
else, to try to get them to stop verbally berating and abusing me personally. I’d
even say that my brain was ready to fire and the words were ready to go, but
then I remembered that this is not the way. Maybe it was the old way for me to
defend myself when attacked like this, but I have been growing for many years
now. I am not that person; I am better and stronger in many ways.
Most of all, and truthfully, despite the hurt I was experiencing, I felt the spirit of
Hashem glowing inside me. And I told myself that Hashem would not want me
to get nasty and fight with this person. And in fact, I didn’t. Just the opposite, I
actually told them that I appreciated their opinion. For real, I told them that
despite their hate and anger towards the politicians, Orthodox Jews, even G-d,
and me, I told them to enjoy their blessings in life and politely ended the
conversation with “Have a nice day.”

5. 7/2/23, 8:14 AM When Politics Gets Personal | Andy Blumenthal | The Blogs
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/when-politics-gets-personal/ 5/5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader who writes frequently about Jewish life,
culture, and security. All opinions are his own.
ADVERTISEMENT