Steven J. Manning Warns 2,000 Years of Antisemitism Show Evil Does Not Negotiate
Updated
Updated · Jewish Journal · Jul 8
Steven J. Manning Warns 2,000 Years of Antisemitism Show Evil Does Not Negotiate
1 articles · Updated · Jewish Journal · Jul 8
Summary
Steven J. Manning’s new commentary argues antisemitism is not merely a political or social problem but a recurring expression of evil that societies repeatedly misread.
Across 2,000 years of expulsions, pogroms, ghettos, quotas and concentration camps, he says Jews have served as an early warning system for broader civilizational collapse.
A Stockholm incident last summer — in which a Hasidic Jew was chased with bricks and a police officer allegedly said, “Why? It’s just a Jew” — is cited as evidence of normalization.
Manning contends ethical restraint must not become passivity, warning that accommodation and reason alone have repeatedly failed when confronting actors who reject moral limits.
The essay broadens the lesson beyond Jews, arguing the 21st century is again testing whether societies recognize and confront evil before it advances.
If antisemitism is a societal warning sign, what does record violence now predict for our collective future?
With AI now fueling ancient hatreds online, are our strategies to combat antisemitism already obsolete?
From a 66% Decline in Campus Antisemitism to Global Warning Signs: Why Evil Must Be Confronted
Overview
Steven J. Manning’s column, "Evil Does Not Negotiate," highlights the persistent and dangerous nature of antisemitism, urging that it must be confronted directly rather than rationalized or ignored. Drawing on Jewish teachings that moral restraint is not passivity, Manning argues that ethical societies have both the right and duty to defend themselves against those who reject basic moral values. The report connects this warning to recent trends, noting a significant drop in antisemitic incidents on North American campuses due to active intervention, but also stresses that antisemitism remains a widespread threat requiring ongoing vigilance and decisive action.