From /Why I Won't Debate Critics of Israel/ by Sam Harris
5 June 2026
--

"Why does antisemitism matter? Well, for the Jews, it's obvious why it
matters, but why should it matter to everyone else? It matters because when
you look at what antisemites also hate, you find they hate everything that
makes culturally rich, diverse, open societies possible. Real antisemites
bring with them more than just their hatred of Jews: they bring censorship,
political repression, conspiracy thinking, and the politics of dehumanization
and scapegoating. So decrying antisemitism is not an act of special pleading.
It is a defense of the moral and institutional architecture that free
societies require."

https://samharris.substack.com/p/why-i-wont-debate-critics-of-israel?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e233_tv2_tp1_a1dennhb5tnsos&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqGtVmSx5T1xzJBBm0HP6M91neQ6ghrcQ2TxK1DAtKnuPTBg-jhjCNLDDtM4_aem_juhHFOqFrBRE2qtlaH55QQ