Thomas Sowell brilliantly explains the reason Jews are historically so hated

In the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel and in the midst of pro-Palestinian rallies occurring across the globe, those who support Israel may find themselves wondering where all this anti-Semitism comes from.

Why, historically, has there been such enmity for the Jewish nation?

A number of years ago, beloved author, economist, and social commentator Thomas Sowell addressed this very issue.

When asked where the hatred for the Jews originates, Sowell explained that of all the persecuted groups on the planet, including the “Chinese,” the “Armenians ... in the first World War,” and “all the blacks lynched in the entire history of the United States,” no ethnic group has seen such persecution as the Jews.

“The question is why these particular kinds of people are the targets of so much venomous hatred,” he said, “and I think the answer is that they not only succeed, they succeed in a way which is a threat to the egos of other people.”

Giving an analogy, Sowell continued, “The guy who comes here, let's say, from Vietnam or Korea and arrives here with little more than the clothes in his back ... a decade later, he has his own little business,” so “you've got to hate yourself for saying, 'My God, I've been stagnating and this guy was nothing and now he's risen up,' or you're going to have to hate him.”

Sowell then told the story of being asked years ago by an official in one of the Jewish organizations in New York what “the Jews themselves [can] do in order to minimize the hostility they face.”

“I gave him a one-word answer,” Sowell said. “Fail. Because as long as you succeed, you’re going to be hated.”

“That probably is the story of the Jews,” says Dave Rubin, adding that, “You have Jews who are not only succeeding,” but “there is a sense in the country that they are going to be stronger than ever on the other side of this — that this is ironically bringing them together.”

“That is why they particularly hate Israel because it's a place where not only Jews are succeeding but then Jews refuse to fail,” he says, echoing Sowell’s words.

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