On June 10th, April Powers, chief equity and inclusion officer for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), issued a statement condemning antisemitism:
In a sane world, there’d be nothing controversial about that statement.
But our world is not a sane world, is it?
Let me tell you an illustrative story of just how very much #JewsDontCount as ably explained @Baddiel. On 10th June while violent antisemitic attacks were at their peak a kid's book writers' society @scbwi posted a really moving post against antisemitism.https://t.co/LGfCp7i8Ds pic.twitter.com/tt7LMLurWP
— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
On June 27, SCBWI co-founder and executive director Lin Oliver issued another statement:
April Powers, who is black and Jewish, lost her job and was forced to apologize for speaking out against antisemitism. That’s literally all she did. She didn’t mention Israel or Palestine or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She didn’t get political. She merely drew attention to the worsening scourge of antisemitism and the importance of fighting it.
And was punished and humiliated for it.
This is April Powers.
She is a Black Jew who posted a statement condemning the sharp rise in antisemitic hate crimes.
She didn’t bring up the Middle East, just solidarity to Jews living in fear. And she lost her job for it.
Never Again is now. pic.twitter.com/j58H0rFnFx
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) June 29, 2021
This looks VERY bad. On June 10, after anti-Jewish crimes spiked, the Black Jewish diversity officer for the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators @scbwi posted a condemnation of antisemitism. Today, she was fired, apparently for not mentioning Islamophobia? Yikes. pic.twitter.com/qwYAFKKlWp
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) June 28, 2021
Failing to discuss the plight of Palestinians in a statement that isn’t about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is apparently “Islamophobia” now. As is blocking a Twitter user who tweets disgusting anti-Israel and antisemitic filth at you.
Razan Abdin-Adnani was singled out for an apology by Lin Oliver. We fail to see why anyone would bend over for someone like this:
Meet the antisemite who forced a Black Jewish woman out of a job for daring to post about the rise in antisemitism in America.
Razan Abdin-Adnani has the AUDACITY to tell Jews to go back Germany and Poland! https://t.co/hWgYstOtEA pic.twitter.com/K54n1T6Bqz
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) June 29, 2021
The non-political post came from SCBWI's Equity & Inclusion Officer April Powers, a Black Jewish woman. Unfortunately for some, merely *referencing* antisemitism is an affront. Enter Razan. Razan *really* doesn't like people talking about antisemitism as her tweets to SCBWI show. pic.twitter.com/KyiRRmlCnl
— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
As Razan explains, the fact that SCBWI had the temerity to mention antisemitic violence across the globe without mentioning Muslims/Palestine was anathema to her. Apparently #AllLivesMatter after all! (note her equating US Jews with white supremacists)https://t.co/gJ07LVTlxU
— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
From the very long thread we 'understand' April Powers (whose social media accounts now no longer exist after hounding by 'pro-Palestinian activists') was Islamophobic, anti-Arab, insenstitive, erasive & more besides. Of course, Razan would *never* behave similarly.
Would she?🙄 pic.twitter.com/xOCFPYjJzG— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
Yesterday @scbwi crumbled under the hate directed towards a Black Jewish woman, forced April Powers to resign, prostrating itself before an antisemitic bully & her infinitely greater number of supporters.
Antisemitism cloaked in the garb of social justice.https://t.co/WYEkPAGtU9 pic.twitter.com/a6zZtc9XnW— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
And for SCBWI’s troubles, here’s what they got from Abdin-Adnani:
If you want to spend $100 to be harassed, abused, & humiliated, I recommend joining the @scbwi. Your fees will go to the good cause of giving its ED @linoliver damn near 200k a year according to @propublica. 😖
Let’s Boycott #SCBWI today! ✊🏼 #kidlit pic.twitter.com/oGcnXo1t8R
— Razan Abdin-Adnani (she/her) 🇵🇸 (@razanabnani) June 28, 2021
Was it worth it, Lin Oliver and SCBWI? Throwing April Powers under the bus only for an antisemitic troll to double down?
How pathetic.
When I was growing up in a rural southern cow town, I never met any Jewish people.
I did, however, meet a lot of Dixiecrats who REALLY didn’t like Jewish people. Amazing how Wokies picked the mantle right up from them. https://t.co/L3d4DLnKuz
— Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) June 29, 2021
How utterly pathetic.
This apology is one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.
I have news for you: If someone protests a statement condemning antisemitism, IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE ANTISEMITIC. There is no excuse. https://t.co/S7L3g6gX3u
— Elder of Ziyon 🇮🇱 (@elderofziyon) June 29, 2021
There are just 14 million Jews in the world. We will always lose in terms of numbers. There will always be millions of hateful monomaniacal bullies like Razan. There are, however, far many more millions who can choose not to give into their antisemitism.@scbwi should be ashamed.
— Queen of Broccoli 🥦👑 (@jobellerina) June 28, 2021
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