Would the Jews have been persecuted if Huey Long was elected in 1936?

[WildBoulder]

I'm fascinated by what a Huey Long presidency would have looked like in the 1930s-40s. The man never publicly expressed such views, but he was certainly anti-Semitic like all populist politicians of this time. Would Huey Long have left the Jews alone or can we go so far as to imagine pogroms in America?

 

[marathag]

I'm fascinated by what a Huey Long presidency would have looked like in the 1930s-40s. The man never publicly expressed such views, but he was certainly anti-Semitic like all populist politicians of this time. Would Huey Long have left the Jews alone or can we go so far as to imagine pogroms in America?

US antisemitism, other than the rabid Klanners, was was mostly low grade, not wanting them in the local Country Club or marrying into the Family, than giving them the Cossack treatment

 

[WildBoulder]

US antisemitism, other than the rabid Klanners, was was mostly low grade, not wanting them in the local Country Club or marrying into the Family, than giving them the Cossack treatment

It was not uncommon in America for Jews to be the target of murderous violence. I sincerely believe that all it takes is for an anti-Semitic politician to take office for the lynching of Jews in the South to become as commonplace as the lynching of Afro-Americans.

 

[Comte de Geneve]

No, No way, Never Ever! Not even possible. ASB.

 

[The Tai-Pan]

No, No way, Never Ever! Not even possible. ASB.

America has committed widespread and systemized violence to lots of groups in its history. Do I think a Long presidency would instantly mean Jewish pogroms? No, but it isn't magical or something. ASB is too overly used.

 

[marktaha]

Long was liberal.on. race and regarded Hitler as a "son.of a bitch " for using race in politics.

 

[JohnBull]

US antisemitism, other than the rabid Klanners, was was mostly low grade, not wanting them in the local Country Club or marrying into the Family, than giving them the Cossack treatment

Germany was quite a peaceful place for Jewish people in the 20th century and we knew what happened. And as the US had an awful history of murderous attacks against Black people during that time, unfortunately this is within the realm of plausibility.

 

[Risenemperor7]

Long was not averse to authoritarian maneuvers but he certainly wasn't playing any race politics games. He's an interesting figure, for a every positive trait he has, there's also an unsavory one

 

[Citrakayah]

Is there any actual evidence that Huey Long was anti-Semetic, or are you assuming he is on the basis of his populism?

 

[longtimelurker]

Is there any actual evidence that Huey Long was anti-Semetic, or are you assuming he is on the basis of his populism?

Especially bizarre considering that the Deep South has traditionally been one of the least anti-Semitic parts of the USA

 

[The Tai-Pan]

Especially bizarre considering that the Deep South has traditionally been one of the least anti-Semitic parts of the USA

Wait, what?

Leo Frank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[longtimelurker]

Wait, what?

Leo Frank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I said least - not, not Anti-Semitic
My understanding was that it was the American Midwest that was the worst in this regard

 

[The Tai-Pan]

I said least - not, not Anti-Semitic
My understanding was that it was the American Midwest that was the worst in this regard

It is a hard thing to measure. How many college application denials is one lynching worth? But I don't think the South was any less anti-Semitic?

 

[marathag]

Germany was quite a peaceful place for Jewish people in the 20th century and we knew what happened. And as the US had an awful history of murderous attacks against Black people during that time, unfortunately this is within the realm of plausibility.

Not saying that it couldn't happen in the US, but was more likely against those of Black, Chinese or Italian ancestry, than Jews, whom tended to integrate easier to mainstream America. Race was always a larger issue than creed.

 

[wcv215]

You can criticize Huey Long for a lot of things, but I don't really think anti-semitism was one of those things.

 

[rainsfall]

I'm fascinated by what a Huey Long presidency would have looked like in the 1930s-40s. The man never publicly expressed such views, but he was certainly anti-Semitic like all populist politicians of this time. Would Huey Long have left the Jews alone or can we go so far as to imagine pogroms in America?

You'll need President George Van Horn Moseley for that.

Have him overthrow Huey Long in a Business Plot of sorts.

 

[brunohusker]

Especially bizarre considering that the Deep South has traditionally been one of the least anti-Semitic parts of the USA

In some ways. Sure they could build themselves up like anywhere but I doubt they’d be truly welcomed. I doubt Long would be able to turn that into German style hatred though unless he really wanted to.

 

[brunohusker]

Also, while I don’t know about Long’s views, we had people like Lindbergh and Henry Ford and Father Coughlin around and maybe if Long runs they kind of join his cabinet or as advisors but I think it’s more likely a Ford or Lindbergh runs and starts truly fascist jew hating like that.

 

[TRH]

I'm fascinated by what a Huey Long presidency would have looked like in the 1930s-40s. The man never publicly expressed such views, but he was certainly anti-Semitic like all populist politicians of this time. Would Huey Long have left the Jews alone or can we go so far as to imagine pogroms in America?

Huey Long on Hitler: "I don't know much about Hitler. Except that last thing, about the Jews. There has never been a country that put its heel down on the Jews that ever lived afterwards."

Maybe you're being a bit too reflexively anti-populist here.

 

[brunohusker]

Not saying that it couldn't happen in the US, but was more likely against those of Black, Chinese or Italian ancestry, than Jews, whom tended to integrate easier to mainstream America. Race was always a larger issue than creed.

Eh it depends. They still were encouraged to keep to their own kind but so were other white ethnics.