The Volokh Conspiracy

Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent

About The Volokh Conspiracy Editorial Independence Who we are Books Volokh Daily Email Archives Search DMCA RSS

Bill Maher On The Blatant Double Standard For Antisemitism

"But China, Russia, Sudan, Iran, Myanmar, Haiti, the Congo, North Korea, all way worse. And that's how you know it's anti-Semitism. It's the inconsistency."

Josh Blackman | 5.19.2026 10:59 AM

I am not a fan of Bill Maher. I saw him perform when I was a Summer Associate in 2008 in Washington, D.C. I found him far more smug than funny. Whatever. Not my cup of tea. But I was moved by his recent segment titled "New Rule: No Jews, No News." He makes the obvious, and powerful point, that modern discourse about "colonialism" and "genocide" is simply anti-semitism dressed up in academic garb. It is also noteworthy that there were only scattered applauses in the crowd. The reliably liberal audience was unsure whether it was safe to laugh. Watch it all, or read the transcript after the jump.

Since yesterday was Israel's birthday, having become a nation on May 14th, 78 years ago, everyone must either wish her a happy birthday or admit they're anti-Semitic.

Now, it's everyone's right in a free country to be anti-Semitic, but enough with hiding behind Israel or Zionism or Netanyahu.

If you think, as so many do now, that when it comes to human rights, Israel is the monster country of all time, you either don't read or you don't care about your own hypocrisy.

Because there are so many worse places. But that's where we are these days. No Jews, no news.

But China, Russia, Sudan, Iran, Myanmar, Haiti, the Congo, North Korea, all way worse.

And that's how you know it's anti-Semitism. It's the inconsistency.

People talk about Jews these days like something out of Stormfront, except it's not Stormfront.

It's an editor from The American Prospect, which is a venerable liberal publication that launched the careers of journalists like Ezra Klein.

And yet no one blinks when one........

© Reason.com