There is a blind spot in the Green party in the fight against racism and bigotry.
THERE IS A BLIND SPOT IN THE GREEN PARTY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM AND BIGOTRY, SAYS ITS FORMER PRESIDENT
The Green Party of Canada’s failure to support its leader, Annamie Paul, and her adviser, Noah Zatzman, in the face of anti-semitic attacks appears to be part of the party’s continued effort to exclude Jewish-canadians who are unwilling to check important aspects of their Jewish identity at the door. This is an effort that I know all too well.
In 2014, despite my successes serving as the party’s president, such as doubling the number of MPS the Greens had in Ottawa and kicking the fundraising power of the party into high gear, I was forced out, apparently for the same reason we are now witnessing in 2021, with the continued attempts to unseat Paul as leader, and after successfully expelling Zatzman.
Removing a party president and now attempting to expel a party leader over disagreements about a conflict a world away, whose implications on the Canadian environmental stage are minimal at best, would seem bizarre, except that the conflict in question involves the Jewish state.
This is despicable. The witch-hunt targeting their leader, which has been driven by extreme elements within the party and supported by the silence of much of the membership, shrieks volumes and is once again preventing the Green party from addressing its core agenda, the environment.
The turmoil that results from allowing space within the Green party for outbursts of Jew-hatred is an example of the violent attitudes that pervade the human rights and environmental communities. The
Jewish community is taking note and is rightfully concerned. You should be, too.
As a political party with seats in the House of Commons, the Green party sets an example that other organizations emulate. When hate is allowed to fester, it further normalizes anti-semitism, and is repeated by associations, unions, student groups and in society in general.
Tolerance, inclusion and diversity are key Canadian values. All major political parties are expected to uphold them.
When the Greens selected a Jewish woman of colour to be their leader, they shattered a barrier in Canadian politics, and suggested that there was real hope for the party. But the party has utterly failed to live up to the
promise of that historic moment.
There is a blind spot in the Green party in the fight against racism and bigotry. While laudable efforts are being made to fight discrimination and achieve justice for marginalized groups, in Canada and around the world, the Jewish people remain open to attacks from within the party’s ranks.
These attacks are not coming from those traditionally viewed as racists and anti-semites, but from the very people who are championing the rights and freedoms of marginalized people everywhere.
There are many important social and environmental causes that demand our attention. Yet, Jews who support them are too often forced to confront hatred and bigotry. To actively participate in those causes, more Jews are being asked to choose between their identity, heritage and support for Israel on the one hand, and the progressive, environmental causes they care about and want to fight for on the other. This is being asked of no other identifiable group but the Jews.
The only solution is strong leadership from across the political spectrum. We need leaders to speak up. To stay silent in the face of discrimination is to condone it. Instead of taking this opportunity
TO STAY SILENT IS TO CONDONE IT.
to clearly demonstrate that anti-semitism and discrimination has no place in their party, the Greens appear to be saying once more to Canadians that it is welcome to thrive within their ranks.
Greens should take this opportunity to focus on the important environmental challenges that Canada and the rest of the world are facing, and propose the concrete and innovative solutions that Canadians are asking for. Instead, the party is self-destructing by focusing on Jews and allowing anti-semitism and discrimination to thrive.
Should Annamie Paul be evicted, voters should beware of wolves washed in green.