Anti-Semitism is one of those bigotries that is both widespread yet often runs under-the-radar in many people — until it doesn’t. Even in people who wouldn’t normally think of themselves as being anti-Semitic, it can rear itself when given half a chance. Usually it’s because someone Jewish — a banker, a lawyer, a boss, a co-worker — has done something underhanded that is then ascribed to their Jewishness. Catholics and Protestants as a whole are never made to answer for Catholic or Protestant bankers who are greedy and shifty.
Then there are the anti-Semites like Michael Bivens, a journalist who was discovered to be a hater because he confessed it to the wrong people:
A journalist who covered the 2020 Antifa and Proud Boy violence in Portland was arrested and charged with vandalizing synagogues and trying to set fire to a mosque.
34-year-old Michael Bivins was arrested on Saturday after he approached a TV station in Beaverton, just outside Portland, “where he demanded to speak to a reporter,” Portland police said. The station, KPTV, reported that Bivins confessed to reporters, who then called the police.
A station employee also told Oregon Public Broadcasting that Bivins was making anti-Semitic remarks.
Bivins was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, third-degree criminal mischief, and first-degree arson.
The vandalism occurred at three synagogues and the arson at the mosque. Bivins allegedly broke a window at a synagogue, Congregation Shir Tikvah in northeast Portland, on April 30 and, on May 2 and May 4, respectively, put graffiti and threw a rock through a window, at another synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, in northwest Portland. He allegedly set fire to the mosque, the Muslim Community Center of Portland.
I’ve read through some of Bevins’ articles and I see no red flags. Which only goes to show that you never can tell with anti-Semitism.