Barbara Sprunt

And it feels, you know, kind of even silly to have to point this out.

But given what the internet is showing, I think that to add to Odette's point here about the broader environment, I mean, the perpetrator of the attack on the synagogue in Michigan, given what Odette shared about

the Israeli strike in Lebanon that killed some of his family members.

I've seen things kind of on the Internet in the darker corners, sort of using it as an explanation or a justification of why he did this.

And it feels, again, kind of silly to have to state this, but like it is objectively nonsensical and anti-Semitic to take the actions of the Israeli government and

And attack American Jews at a place of community or worship.

And so sad to even have to say that, but it does feel like it's worth saying.

I laugh at this because I'm sure that folks have seen a clip going around the Internet of someone saying that because it had Israel in the name of the temple, it is tied to the state of Israel, which I think shows sort of an ignorance, a lack of understanding.

Temples have had the word Israel in them for far longer than the creation of the state of Israel.

Yeah.

And to be clear, like this has been brewing for some time, but it has it really ratcheted up in the last week.

Last Monday, incidentally, right as House Republicans were meeting for their annual retreat in Florida, Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee House member said,

Posted on X, Muslims don't belong in American society.

Pluralism is a lie.

And this is not the first time that he has trafficked in that kind of language.

He gave a speech last December where he said America is and must always be a Christian nation.

But what was interesting to me over the course of this week was that

A lot of Republicans actually stayed silent on the issue.

There were a few who doubled down.

Brandon Gill of Texas said no more Muslims immigrating to America.