Richard Spencer Quotes A Jewish, Gay Composer When Trying To Invoke Nazis
Image by Getty
By Thea Glassman March 20, 2017
White supremacist and anti-Semite Richard Spencer isn’t having a great week.
Nope, he wasn’t punched in the face again — but he did lose tax-exempt status for his National Policy Institute “think tank” and accidentally tweeted out a song written by a Jewish, gay composer.
It all started when Josh Marshall, editor of Talking Points Memo, told Spencer over Twitter to take his “trash philosophy back to the 1930s.” Spencer responded: “1930s? No, tomorrow belongs to us” and then posted a clip of the “Cabaret” song “Tomorrow Belongs To Me”
Image by twitter
On the surface, the song, sung by a Nazi youth and known as the unofficial anthem for white supremacists, is pretty fitting.
Then, came a response from Jason Kander, nephew of John Kander, the song’s composer. Jason Kander is a Democratic politician and Army veteran from Missouri who narrowly lost a race to represent the state in the United States senate in November. He’s considered a rising Democratic party star.
“Hey buddy, that song you love was written by my uncle. He’s been married to my other uncle for 40 years. And he’s a Jew. Sing it proud.”
Image by twitter
Oh yeah, and bonus points, Kadner added that it was his uncle’s 90th birthday that day.
His tweet has since garnered almost 127,000 likes — and a whole lot of happy commentators.
“Best. Tweet. Ever.”
@JasonKander Best. Tweet. Ever.
— Anita Creamer (@AnitaCreamer) March 18, 2017
“Not all Nazi-punching is physical. Well done, sir.”
@JasonKander Not all Nazi-punching is physical. Well done, sir.
— John Scalzi (@scalzi) March 18, 2017
“I love how Richard Spencer can love Cabaret and somehow not realize it’s like the gayest musical ever, in a good way.”
@JasonKander I love how Richard Spencer can love Cabaret and somehow not realize it’s like the gayest musical ever, in a good way
— Benjamin Schouten (@benGSchout) March 18, 2017
Maybe time for a new Nazi anthem?
Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @theakglassman.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
