Neo-Nazi Theory (American founding fathers)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Over the past few decades, neo-Nazi groups in the United States and elsewhere have floated rumors that the founders of the United States held antisemitic views. Recent years have seen even wider distribution of such statements, through the Internet. [1]

[edit] George Washington

A number of antisemitic groups have promoted a forged "quote" supposedly written by George Washington. Historians have debunked this quote as a forgery [2].

In fact, in 1790 Washington sent a letter to the Jewish community in Rhode Island, writing that he envisioned a country "which gives bigotry no sanction ... persecution no assistance". For the first time in modern history, Jews lived in a country where they enjoyed full and equal human and political rights - as a birthright of citizenship [3].

Benjamin Franklin

See also: The Franklin Prophecy

A similar allegation regarding Benjamin Franklin has also been thoroughly discredited. [4] He was a patron of the first synagogue in America.