WHAT’S IN A NAME? GEORGE SOROS AND RESURGENT ANTI-SEMITISM

The name George Soros is often a target of derision and scorn in right wing circles. Whatever fringe groups think of George Soros as a person is beside the point; the name no longer refers to the man. Through semantic substitution, the name has morphed into a reflexive epithet that has no bearing upon his character.

I refer to the use of code words as disguised bigotry. Since it is considered "verboten" (German for "forbidden") to use the K-word or the N-word when referring to certain ethnic groups, the idea is to disguise hate speech under cover of substitution — a form of bigotry by proxy. Code words avoid the outward appearance of bias, racism, or anti-Semitism — leaving room for plausible deniability.

Another convention is the triple parens to highlight the ethnic identity of a person, as in (((George Soros))). This convention identifies persons of Jewish heritage. In avoiding direct use of the K-word, this convention sends a clear message under cover of punctuation.

Why single out George Soros for special derision? As investor and hedge fund trader, Soros is one of the highest profile men in the world with an estimated net worth of $25 billion. Like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, his philanthropies support numerous humanitarian causes. Yet, unlike Gates or Buffett, Soros is singled out for special scorn. Why?

Symbolically, the name George Soros has become synonymous with “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” a forged hate screed first published in Russia, circa 1903. The Protocols allege a worldwide conspiracy of Jews whose goal is to subvert Christianity and dominate global economies. The Protocols gained wide circulation in the 1920s — inciting pogroms against Jews in Russia and justifying the Holocaust in Germany. Despite a dark and discredited past, the Protocols remain in worldwide circulation today via the Internet.

These historical reference points account for the special hatred of George Soros, both as a man and as a symbol. As Jew, Holocaust survivor, hedge fund investor, philanthropist, and supporter of progressive causes, right wing hate groups regard George Soros as an Elder of the Protocols.

Whenever you hear or see the name George Soros, keep these historical reference points in mind. Those who wield his name in scorn reveal a hidden and sinister purpose: Resurgent anti-Semitism under the banner of Breitbart and Bannon.