The obvious answer: because he doesn't believe "hate speech" or "hate crimes" should exist.
The bloodsport tangent: because Bannon and his neo-fascist team-mates rely on being able to access and fan this hate and fear to keep Trump's voters happy and connected.
The "alt-right effect": because ignoring it enables Breitbart to continue publishing articles about crybaby snowflakes whenever a hate crime occurs. The alt-right depends in large part on this ability to challenge what it calls "political correctness" in order to reverse-victimize themselves. Look no further than the Men's Rights Movement.
How was Trump's side-step of the press conference anti-Semitism question interpreted by policymakers, citizens, activists, and Jewish communities? The responses fell pretty much as expected. It should be noted, of course, that Breitbart received front row seats at the press conference just in case any mammal was in doubt about the anointed media mouthpiece for this administration:
“I am the least anti-Semitic person you’ve ever seen in your entire life,” Trump said, in a statement that’s a top contender for the title of most ridiculous presidential statement in history. He didn’t condemn anti-Semitism, of course, because he doesn’t want to and because he’s now equipped with an exemption given him by the Israeli prime minister in a shameful fact that is probably making generations of proud right-wing Revisionists spin in their graves. [Chemi Shalev writing for Ha'aretz]
“His response was baffling,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told Haaretz. The issue “is not electoral votes. It’s about the wave of hate crimes since the election and the spike in anti-Semitism across the country,” he said. “President Trump seemed uninformed about this issue and missed an opportunity to decry the rhetoric of hate that seems to be surging online and in the real world. Intentional or not, this emboldens anti-Semites.” [Ha'aretz]
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, called his response “so bizarre.” “Over and over he has empowered white supremacists and he did the same thing today,” she said. “He’s never said straight up one word that anti-Semitism is not acceptable. Even when he was straight out asked. How hard would it have been for him to say ‘I’m really disturbed about the uptick of anti-Semitism and any of my supporters should cease any anti-Semitic behavior,’" asked Jacobs. [Ha'aretz]
Mik Moore, President of the Jewish Council for Education & Research, laid out his theory on why Trump publicly discredited his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The small Neo-fascist mitten is difficult to overlook:
When push comes to shove, and push certainly will come to shove, Jews should know that Trump doesn’t need them. That’s what he told the assembled at the Republican Jewish Coalition this past December; it’s what he told the press when he undercut his son-in-law. He needs only the mob. Jews are expendable.
Men on white horses return to save the day...
"Expendable" is a gentle way to describe the emboldened Neo-Nazis of Alabama. This past week, nice neighborhoods in Birmingham were leafleted by the United Dixie White Knights. The White Knights are currently battling the neoliberal conspiracy to turn all boys gay, thereby further attacking the potency of white masculinity.
Who are these fellows? In their own words:
The United Dixie White Knights are honorable American Patriots, Beware what you join, we are true White Knights built upon the image of our Noble Confederate Ancestors. We dont do documentarys, hug negros or play politically correct, our security as well as yours is our top priority. We work with the 6 other true Klan organizations and many White Nationalists and Confederate organizations.
If you are an honorable man or woman over the age of 17 then join us today! We need you, your race needs you and most of all your country needs you. If your on the fence, get off it and come kneel before the fiery cross before America turns into some third world cesspool.
We are the most politically active pro White activists in America today. We don’t sit in barns and hide our faces in the sand, we are proud White Knights whose literature is distributed regularly to awaken the white American sheep. If you wish to play Dungeons and Dragons in the dark and just want to join to get a robe, you won’t make it here long. We seek soldiers for the White race, America and God.
The UDWK is led by the elected Imperial Wizard Brent Waller and governed by a three man board. We are here for one purpose and one purpose only, to preserve a future for our children, our race, our country and the word of God. We seek only the best and brightest men and women of high moral character. You must agree to a background check, a home visit to verify you, attend meetings if physically and financially able and help put out literature meant to awaken the sleeping giant in the white Aryan race. If that’s you, then get off your ass white boy and come join us today!
It's no surprise that the UDWK trace their roots back to Georgia's Stone Mountain, a place one has to visit in order to discover the fresh faces and yuppie strollers of modern tea party style racism. The parking lot was filled with SUVs worshipping Sarah Palin. Georgia's white middle class mommies take their god with guns.
The UDWK is built upon the foundation of the original first era Klan, and reborn atop Stone Mountain GA in 1915. We practise Klancraft to the Knighthood or K Duo level. Our main priority though is not books, it’s preserving a future for our race and children,as such we are true White Knights and are the most politically active order in the business.
Our national office is located in the great southern state of Mississippi. Our state is the only state in which the stars and bars of the Confederate flag are still a part of our state flag. Mississippi has always been the battleground of resistance to tyranny. Many of the battles of the 1960s and during the second war for independence that ended in 1865 were fought here.
Out of the ashes of the great war, a noble order of White men rose to continue the resistance to tyranny, unjust Federal law, and the foreign agenda that removes God from this nation. Although General Forrest disbanded the Ku Klux Klan, our order continues on the similar path of resistance.
We no longer attach Ku Klux Klan to our name for legal reasons and Government listings. Our causes are similar, we seek to restore this nation to its original founding as a republic. To achieve this goal we are very involved in politics, getting our message out through the media, and distributing literature.
We are led by the elected Imperial Wizard Brent Waller and governed by a three man board. We still wear the sacrad robes of our ancestors, but often do things in public in suit and tie or a patched vest. We do not do public rallys, documentary’s for Johnny Jew and your security is our number one priority. We seek to restore this nation by any means necessary and believe men like Louis Beam, Bob Mathews and Sam Bowers were on the right path but got sidetracked.
Some list us as a Conservative Klan, as we won’t be limited to who we will work with, but we are not a Conservative Klan, we are the closest thing to the original that exists today. We no longer use the name Ku Klux Klan as it is listed as a Domestic Terrorist organization, this fact is something you should consider before joining any group foolish enough to put Ku Klux Klan in it’s legal name.
We have members from all walks of life. We are built for the future, not the past. Most of these groups today calling themselves Klan are far from it, don’t be fooled by slick websites, failed old groups, Chameleons, and a leader who only wants your money while he hides his head in the sand. I can count the true Klan organizations on one hand and don’t believe these famous enemy hate map listings, they need a boogyman for their ponzie scheme.
I see so called Klans today hugging negros, making fools of themselves on documentary’s paid for by the ADL, allowing negros into Klaverns and Crosslightings. Let me speak frankly, the UDWK maintains the original intent of the Ku Klux, we are proud pro white activists. We do not play politically correct for anyone, and until the day we drive the spear of God, the American Republic and common sense through our enemies hearts, we will leave the light on for them.
Beware what you join today! My name is Brent Waller, I’m a father, husband, and American welder. I’m a former Sons of Confederate Veterans camp commander and Mississippi Division recruiter of the year and a lifelong registered Republican. I have traveled all over this nation. I do not run, I do not hide and believe strongly in taking the political fight to our enemy’s. I grew up in Laurel Mississippi and have met many of the men you heard about in movies of the civil rights era, like Sam Bowers.
Almost every friend I had in school, had a father, uncle or grandfather in the White Knights of Mississippi. I also have family ties to the original United Klans of America. From the day I was born, until today, I have learned the lessons of men like Bowers, and the wisdom of my grandfather. In short I’m in it to win it, and believe strongly that our newly elected President should continue to swing his hammer. We must purge this land of foreign influence, regain control of our money, build a strong border wall, limit or eliminate immigration, and purge our country and Supreme Court of liberal whack jobs, Jews, homosexuals and foreign agendas.
When Brent Waller isn't heating up iron for Civil War reenactments, he is busy battling the evil "chameleon" and penning thoughtful essays about the "tyrannical Supreme Court":
I awoke today to a beautiful spring morning, the birds are chirping, bumblebees are buzzing around and new life seemed everywhere. Then I turned on the news and hear the Republicans are holding up Obamas Supreme Court nominee. Let’s take a look at the Tyrannical Supreme Court shall we?
Below is a list of Judges and their religious affiliation. By my count, there are 6 Catholics who bow down to a Pope in Rome and three Jews, one of which is a false Jew as It claims to be Gay. Not a single Protestant is to be found.
Ask yourself this, why in a country dominated by Christians does not a single one serve on the Supreme Court? Now let’s look at where they came from prior to being put forth on the Supreme Court.
Hark, a small swamp monster arises from the muck to salvage Waller's spring and make white Christian America great again. Behold Waller's heartfelt thoughts on Trump:
Donald Trump won because the liberal lefts 8 years under Obama practically drove Americans in some parts of this nation into a third world status. It takes Americans to run out of jobs and cheap beer and to awaken to our NWO wars that are bankrupting us and watch as Obama’s Muslim friends kill other Americans to get pissed off. If the polls are evidence, they are finally pissed off. Many are out of work, millions of jobs were sent overseas, our debt is through the ceiling and at the same time he opened the gates to illegal immigration while at the same time he pratically begged so called refuges from the very wars he helped create to come here. This man should have been impeached and he will go down possibly as the worst President in United States history.
Donald Trump has announced his nominee and the winner is Neil Gorsuch. A man who as you probably guessed attended one of the few colleges most Supreme Court Judges come from, Gorsuch attended Columbia University, and then earned his doctorate from Oxford.
During his childhood, Gorsuch attended Catholic School but today his religious affiliation is Protestant, he is a member of St John’s Episcopal Church in Boulder, Colorado. One would be correct to assume that any man trained in Catholic schools who later changed his religious affiliation has some type of issues with Catholicism.
The true Klan has always had an issue with Catholicism, We only believe in God, and kiss no man called a Pontiff’s ring. We believe only Christ can absolve us of our sins as our Holy Bible teaches us. Catholics bow to a foreign pope, and as the leading proponent of America first, last and only for 151 years we dislike this point of contention with Catholics.
Eight years of a Trump Presidency will ensure more Supreme Court nominees for Trump. Kennedy is talking of retirement, and you can see the fear in the extreme lefts eyes and hear it in their voices on the liberal left propaganda machines that some American sheep think is news.
The Jews of the NWO are frightened, they are losing the grip of the show and they know it. They will be pulling the puppet masters strings hard, we can expect to see more puppets in the streets marching, burning and looting. Money being paid to these puppets will be tripled. It’s the puppetmasters strings we must cut, we must destroy them now during the Trump Presidency or we may never get another chance.
A Protestant Christian will soon sit on the Supreme Court after a hard fought defeat for the liberal left, and oh what a great day that will be. Kagan will no doubt curl up like the viper she is, when Gorsuch takes his seat.
A second Protestant nominee by Trump will be the death toll of the lefts agenda. That day should be celebrated as the day America is reborn into her relationship with God and the day Satanic influence over the highest court in our land was killed.
The South shall rise again... in Leakesville....
To Waller and his fellow fallen, the sun has come out and the future is bright with Trumpism. All is well in the Realm of Alabama. Not even logic is required to see that Trump's failure to address rising anti-Semitism is taken as a sign of approval by local neo-Nazis.
And so I turn back to the response of the American Jewish community, specifically, Bradley Burston's hard-left reprimand (Bradley's position on Trump has been consistently oppositional):
We largely let him get away with marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day by pointedly omitting any mention of the Jews, then choosing that very day to issue an order choking off immigration of non-Christian refugees fleeing genocide.
What is true – and as an obsessive CNN viewer he knows this – is that there have been scores of bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers, his own followers have issued rafts of threatening, Nazi-themed tweets against his Jewish critics, and he has done nothing, nothing at all, to condemn them or act against them.
On the contrary. Here is a political animal with a superhuman sense for what and whom his followers want him to say, do and attack. When he was out working the crowds, he knew in his bones that white supremacist anti-Semites saw him as their great hope. He fed them all the red meat he could dish out.
You can argue that a man disassociated from reality cannot be held accountable for the consequences of his actions, or for enabling or encouraging others to do his dirty work for him. Dirty work which works to his direct advantage. No more. A man who initiates, fuels, and fans anti-Semitism, a man who is in a direct position to combat it and does not, is, in my view, an anti-Semite.
Trump's silence speaks volumes to avowed, proud anti-Semites. Trump's silence is loud and clear: I'm with you.
And perhaps that is where I should drop the mike. The silence is deafening. The cliches are rotting on the laundry lines. Trump has left intelligent observers with nothing to express apart from disbelief and continuous disgust.