GOP Rep. Steve King doesn't understand how American Jews can support their own president over Israel

attribution: REUTERS

One of the uglier forms of modern American anti-Semitism takes form in the belief that Jewish Americans are more loyal to Israel than to the United States. Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King has managed to take this form of anti-Semitism to its next level. King so takes for granted that American Jews should be loyal to Israel first that he's baffled that they aren't:

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) criticized "Jews in America" who, in an effort to align themselves with President Obama's stance on Israel, are "Democrats first and Jewish second," BuzzFeed reported on Friday.

King's comments were made during an interview on Friday with Boston Herald Radio about the members of Congress who refused to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on March 3.

"Well, there were some 50 or so Democrats that, that decided they would boycott the president's speech," King said. "Here's what I don't understand, I don't understand how Jews in America can be Democrats first and Jewish second and support Israel along the line of just following their President."

Um.
There are so many ways to go with this. Not that someone with a cantaloupe where his brain should be is capable of understanding, but let's try explaining this as one would to a child. A very small and not particularly bright child. Perhaps "Jews in America" can be Democrats first because to whatever degree they hold national loyalties they are loyal to the United States first. Because Israel is a foreign country and Jews in America are, you know, American.

Perhaps "Jews in America" can be Democrats first because they feel that the Democratic Party in the two-party system of their home country (you know—the United States) best represents their political values.