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The Breitbart Writer Who Protested Anti-Semitism

At the age of 32, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro added to his resume a title he’d never wished for: the No. 1 target of anti-Semitic attacks aimed at journalists. According to an Anti-Defamation League study, Shapiro, a former rising star at Breitbart who turned against Donald Trump, was the subject of more than 7,400 hateful tweets, all launched by Trump supporters.

Shapiro has been a far-right’s wunderkind for more than a decade. In his books, columns and talk show punditry, he led the charge against what he viewed as a liberal takeover of American culture and liberal bias in the media. Shapiro found his natural place at breitbart.com, where he became editor-in-chief of the online publication, which is home to conservatives disaffected with the GOP.

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But then Shapiro announced that he would not support Trump’s presidential bid and called out the candidate’s supporters for being racists. What followed was a barrage of anti-Semitic tweets and rants. “I’ve experienced more pure, unadulterated anti-Semitism since coming out against Trump’s candidacy than at any other time in my political career,” he [wrote.

Even his former colleagues at Breitbart, which Shapiro left earlier this year, mocked him for “playing the victim”](http://www.nationalreview.com/article/435527/anti-semitism-donald-trump-right-nationalism-white-supremacism Even his former colleagues at Breitbart, which Shapiro left earlier this year, mocked him for “playing the victim” when he spoke out against anti-Semitism.

Shapiro, who is an Orthodox Jew, did not give up his conservativism, nor his passion to take on the liberal establishment. But now he is also a leading voice in the battle against right-wing anti-Semitism.

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