Media Matters' New Malicious Lies About Glenn Beck: Accuses Him of Antisemitism

"Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: On three things does the world endure: justice, truth and peace, as the verse states, 'Truth and peace judge in your gates'" (Zechariah 8:16).

People should be very careful using the term Anti-Semite, because if used too much (and for the wrong reason) the words lose their meaning. Same thing with the words racist, Nazi, Holocaust and Apartheid. All are horrible words and each time they’re used they become a little less horrible. As a Jew I feel that one thing that Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel meant by the quote above is it’s my job to defend a non-Jew when he’s falsely accused of being of Antisemitism. 

Drifting through Media Matters today (it’s important to see what the other side is saying), I spotted a most disgusting headline. 

‘Beck revives anti-Semitic Soros conspiracy theory

Furthering his long history of smearing George Soros, Glenn Beck advanced former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's anti-Semitic claim that Soros was "helped trigger the economic meltdown" of Southeast Asian currencies in 1997, which Mahathir had reportedly suggested was part of a Jewish "agenda." In fact, Soros and other hedge funds were found not to be primarily responsible for the currency crisis, and Mahathir later retracted the claim…’

Mahathira did make that claim. In an interview with the BBC in October 1997 he said:

We do not want to say that this is a plot by the Jews, but in reality it is a Jew who triggered the currency plunge, and coincidentally Soros is a Jew. It is also a coincidence that Malaysians are mostly Moslem. Indeed, the Jews are not happy to see Moslems progress. If it were Palestine, the Jews would rob Palestinians. Thus this is what they are doing to our country.

But Beck didn’t make that claim; watch the video below used by Media Matters as to prove Beck’s Jew hatred.

Glenn Beck's speech was all about George Soros destroying currencies after first warning people via a newspaper op-ed.  The word Jew wasn’t mentioned or even hinted at. 

If pinning the title of currency speculator on George Soros makes one an anti-Semite I am going to get some dirty looks when I go to synagogue on Saturday, because I have made similar accusations about Soros many times.

What Media Matters isn't revealing is Soros is a major funder of the Organization. Three different Soros Charitable Foundations, individual members of the Soros family and the Geosor Corporation give hundreds of millions of dollars money to The Open Society Institute (see page 18 of the Institute's nonprofit tax return posted here). Open Society gives money to the Center for American Progress who gives money to Media Matters.  Another Soros funded group that helps Media Matters is the Democracy Alliance. Keep in mind that Media Matters is not required to list its donors, this information comes from the tax returns of the foundations that give it money. So there may be other donations we don’t know about.

The Media Matters attack on Glenn Beck is designed to help its “Sugar Daddy” by deflecting attention away from Beck’s currency argument.

There is something else Media Matters is not telling you.  Soros and Mahathira had a major feud going on which may have been the reason for Prime Minister’s charges Lee Han Shih the publisher and editor of asia! Magazine reported:

“Like a pair of bad tempered boys, Mahathir Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, and George Soros, the US billionaire speculator and philanthropist, had been feuding for a decade, using all sorts of platforms including a World Bank meeting for their fight. Then they kissed and made up in December 2006 when Soros took up an invitation by the London School of Economics Society to visit Kuala Lumpur”

That’s when the two reversed all charges they made about each other.

Soros on Mahathir:

• "Dr. Mahathir is a menace to his own country."- September 20, 1997 

• "I think Mahathir has made a great contribution to Malaysia’s material development but like all great men, he has made some great mistakes."- December 2006

Mahathir on Soros:

• '"There is definite evidence that we cannot disclose. There is no doubt he did it."- Mahathir 1997, on Soros' role in triggering the Asian Currency Crisis
• "Mr Soros said he is not involved. I accept that.- December 2006  

Mahathir the Jewish Hater:

• "Soros is part of a worldwide Jewish conspiracy."- Mahathir, 1997
• "Somehow or other, I have been labeled anti-Semitic. I would like to say that I am not anti-Semitic, not anti-Jew."- Mahathir, December 2006  
• "I accept that Dr. Mahathir is not anti-Semitic."- Soros, December 2006.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should inform you that I am an extreme subscriber to Beck’s radio show and regular viewer on TV. Therefor most Mondays through Fridays for the past 18 months I have had "two doses” of Glenn Beck. Not once has he ever said anything that could remotely be called anti-Semitic.

Media Matters charge of Antisemitism is more than a lie it takes an ugly term and cheapens it.  Even worse it breaks Jewish laws against Loshen Hora (disparaging speech). The harm done by speech is even worse than the harm done by something like theft because amends can be made for monetary harms, but  harm done by speech can never be repaired. As the Torah says Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people (Lev. 19:16)

An old Chasidic tale teaches:  A man once went around spreading lies about the rabbi. Eventually he began to feel remorse for the wrong he had done. He went to the rabbi and begged his forgiveness, saying he would do anything to make amends. The rabbi said, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man followed the request gladly. When he told the rabbi that he had done the task, the rabbi said, "Now, go try and gather the feathers. Because you cannot take back the damage your words have done, the same way you cannot than recollect the feathers."