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Antisemitic candidate who openly peddles far right conspiracy theories running for GOP in Oregon

Joshua Powell, a virulent antisemite and anti-Muslim bigot, is standing as a Republican in local elections in Eugene, despite opposition from some Republicans.

Powell frequently peddles antisemitic conspiracy theories, including suggesting that “Jewish liberals are opening up the borders, and innocent bystanders are subjected to this aggressive agenda. And then they wonder why there’s antisemitism”.

A common theme in White Nationalist conspiracy theories is that Jews seek to open the borders of western nations to undermine the position of white people. Powell predictably denies being a racist, instead insisting that he merely wants to “preserve the Western cultural heritage”, yet is peddling virulent antisemitism that portrays Jews as the enemies of civilisation.

In a post in which he referred to “f*cking Jews”, Powell accused the “Jew York Times” of “trying to spin the narrative” about the 2014 Bundy standoff trial, making use of classic antisemitic canards about Jews controlling the media and being dissembling and politically manipulative.

In response to the allegations of antisemitism he responded “if the majority of corruption is done by Jews, then they will suffer the consequences as anyone else would equally under the law”.

He is also deeply bigoted towards Muslims, writing that “Washington (state) is crawling with Muslim rats” and equating the presence of Muslims in Eugene with “ISIS right under out noses”.

Republicans in Eugene have disavowed Powell, with Preston Mann calling on him to withdraw. This is at least the second time in the last few weeks that a virulent antisemite has been able to stand as a Republican, with neo-Nazi winning a nomination in Illinois by default.

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Antisemitic “Jews did 9/11” banner over Portland highway

Am image has emerged on social media of a huge antisemitic banner overhanging a Portland highway.

The banner, which says “Jews did 9/11”, was uploaded onto Reddit by Michael Orranti.

Orranti spotted the banner on Sunday evening.

According to the Definition of Antisemitism, Antisemitism “frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong””. The accusation that Jews were responsible for 9/11 is an obvious example of this, but also mirrors long-standing antisemitic canards of Jewish conspiracies manipulating world events.

The sign had been taken down by the time local authorities went to investigate.

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Nazi posters in Ashland, Oregon, warn that “a storm is coming”

Police in Ashland, Oregon, are currently looking for an individual who put up Nazi posters around the town.

The signs seem to have been put up on Monday morning, and according to Police Chief  Tighe O’Meara, “people just took the signs down and threw them away”.

The suspect goes by the name @NationalistAct on Twitter, which is written on some of the posters.

He uses the phrase “we will secure the existence of our people and a future for white children” – these are known as the “fourteen words”, a mantra used by Neo-Nazis, often referenced in numerical form simply as “14”.

The bio of the account claims it to be “official page of the #Cascadian Nationalist Resistance”, a group which there seem to be no other traces of.

Chief O’Mera has said that the posters amount to “at the very least, it’s criminal mischief…maybe it could turn into something else like intimidation”

The police chief is correct in that it could amount to intimidation, particularly if the posters have been placed to be visible to members of the small local Jewish community. The phrasing on some of the posters – “a storm is coming”, alongside Swastikas and other Nazi imagery, is deliberately calculated to be ominous and to stir up fear.

The FBI has indicated that it may be willing to become involved if the actions are deemed to have crossed the criminal threshold.

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Neo-Nazi truck spotted on public roads in Oregon

Everyday Antisemitism has been alerted to a Facebook post, which has since been taken down, which contained pictures of a truck with antisemitic and Nazi imagery painted on it.

The black pick-up truck was spotted on a public road in Eugene, Oregon, and had “Jew Lies Matter” painted on the back, a reference to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The truck also had part of a swastika painted on it and the words “truth dispels darkness”.

It is unknown whether the truck is connected to other far-right activity in the area, but the police have been alerted.

 

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Everyday Antisemitism Location Medium North America Oregon United States of America Vandalism Ξ Channels Ξ E-mail

Rabbi in Oregon turns antisemitic graffiti into a message of love

Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer turned anti-semitic graffiti outside his home in Portland, Oregon on 14 August 2016 into a message of love and hours later posted his experience on Facebook, reports Lizzy Acker in the Oregon Live website on 16th August 2016.

The graffiti reads “Jews aren’t welcome” and “we hate Jews and n*ggers”, and also features several swastikas.

In a link from the Oregon article to Rabbi Mayer’s Facebook account he described the abuse as a random hate event; he expressed feeling shaken and together with his supportive neighbours tried to figure out who might of done this and why in a residential  area that is ethnically diverse. On the driveway outside his home Rabbi Mayer and his family including his children wipe away the chalked abuse and a Nazi swastikas, then replaced them with chalk hearts and messages of love, such as “Love always wins”. He wrote that the random acts of love in his neighbourhood and on social media helped him : “There is something about the randomness of a hateful occurrence that  required the randomness of a stranger’s love.” The full article and link to Rabbi Mayer’s Facebook comments can be found here.

 

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Everyday Antisemitism Oregon Verbal Abuse Ξ E-mail

Oregon student charged for antisemitic intimidation outside Jewish fraternity house

According police in Eugene, Oregon, a member of a Jewish fraternity noticed Damien Leon Ramirez, 23, in his pickup truck outside the fraternity house. When the Jewish student asked the Ramirez to get out of the truck, he reportedly kicked the truck, shouted antisemitic slurs and made a comment about getting a gun.

Source: JNS