Are the Protesters Really Anti-Semitic?

The "Jewish banker" is a stereotype that has pervaded anti-Semitic rhetoric for centuries, and lately these sentiments have been popping up on signs at Occupy Wall Street rallies. But Tablet's Michelle Goldberg, also a Newsweek/Daily Beast columnist, dismisses the notion that the movement is anti-Jewish—an idea that has been pushed by conservative groups. (As Jonathan Chait notes over at Daily Intel, the conservative media has had a field day with the story.) Still, the presence of a few anti-Semites could signal a larger problem for the movement: “Occupy Wall Street lacks tools for enforcing any sort of discipline or ostracizing troublemakers.” The anarchy of the movement is a source of pride for protesters, but a lack of leadership will hinder any chance of channeling demonstrators’ demands into tangible results.