Chris D’Amato, Migrant Rights, and the Exploitation of Anti-Semitism
I mentioned the campaign for an Immigrant Trust Resolution in Clifton a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I had a scheduling conflict and had to miss the follow-up meeting yesterday. Below the fold is a depressing report from my friend Jeff Hoey, a Clifton resident who’s been leading the campaign. It’s a perfect example of the cynicism that masquerades as philo-Semitism nowadays–and also the right-wing virtue-signaling that passes itself off as “anti-woke.” I encountered a similar phenomenon when I spoke last week in West Orange, which I’ll describe here in the near future. It’s obviously a trend.

To state the obvious: there’s no legitimate connection between the campaign for an ITA Resolution on the one hand, and October 7 or anti-Semitism on the other. No part of the Immigrant Trust Act has any bearing at all on either of the latter two issues. The only other connection is Chris D’Amato’s desire to exploit anti-Semitism for political gain. The whole anti-anti-Semitism insinuation/defamation routine has gotten old at this point, but leave it to flag-waving Christians like D’Amato to worship before this golden calf. Chris D’Amato may think he’s Clifton’s Oskar Schindler, but the sad fact is that he’s just its Aaron, building an altar to the idols of the moment, Zionism and Israel. My (probably superfluous) advice to activists is to reject a resolution on these terms, and insist that D’Amato provide a fuller explanation of his reasons for linking the issues. Like Aaron, I’m sure his rationalizations could fill the pages of a thick book. 

[From Jeff]

Last night, Clifton, NJ Councilman Chris D’Amato had the gall to invoke the memory of the October 7 attack in occupied Palestine to scuttle our Immigrant Trust Resolution, tellng us he will not vote for our ITA resolution unless we tie it to an antisemitism resolution.

Clifton passed an anti-hate resolution, specifically including strong language against antisemitism exactly one year ago–November 18, 2024.

Conflating these two issues, especially after Clifton already spoke out loudly against antisemitism a year ago, and using it to defeat a resolution to keep all our neighbors safe from the illegal detentions by masked ICE agents is shameful and repugnant.

Mr D’Amato can be contacted at cdamato@cliftonnj.org if you’d like to let him know how you feel. No phone numbers are published for Clifton council members. So much for transparency.