The following is a letter to the Editor of the New York Times that has apparently not been published.
Given an excellent opportunity to draw parallels between the denial of anti-Semitism in the 1940's and today, Arthur Miller instead cites "current attacks on ... Middle Easterners." Jews did not invade Poland, Jews did not attack Pearl Harbor, and those weren't Aryan refugees turned back at Ellis Island. Middle Eastern immigrants did hijack some planes and crash them into the World Trade Center, and are spreading anthrax through the mails.
The cultural denial of anti-Semitism today, the multitude of articles about anti-Western, anti-American, anti-secular - but never anti-Semitic - Saudi Wahabism, the very thinly-veiled anti-Semitism of anti-Zionist rhetoric from the left, Miller's own denial of his Judaism (in his personal life and in his plays), the almost-conscious reluctance to admit that Hamas should be included in the "war on terrorism," bin Laden's attempt to link himself with Palestinians, Pakistani newspaper attempts to blame Mossad for September 11 - all illustrate that we are as reluctant to discuss anti-Semitism now as we were then.
Shame on Arthur Miller for grabbing for a weak metaphor when a direct connection was obvious.
Link back to My Personal September 11 Page.
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