Fox News Regular Breaks Down: 'It's Really Hard to Be a Jewish Parent Right Now'
Panelist Morgan Ortagus became emotional during a segment Oct. 30 on Fox News dealing with the rising tide of anti-Semitism since the outbreak of war in Israel.
“It’s really hard to be a Jewish parent right now,” the former Trump State Department spokeswoman said on “Outnumbered,” following a video clip being shown of a Muslim mob looking to attack Jews at a Russian airport.
The attack took place in Dagestan, a republic of southern Russia that’s predominantly Muslim, according to National Review.
“We are here for the Jews. We came to kill them with knives and shoot at them,” a member of the mob reportedly said.
Mob at Russian airport: “We are here for the Jews. We came to kill them.”
Absolute must watch video of @MorganOrtagus, @EmilyCompagno, and @HARRISFAULKNER tearing up at the existential threat to Jews today unlike anything our generation has ever seen. pic.twitter.com/azMuYvSfmm
— SAFE CAMPUS (@_SAFECAMPUS) October 30, 2023
Ortagus looked at “Outnumbered” co-host Harris Faulkner.
“I thought about you this weekend, too, Harris, when I saw this because your husband is Jewish,” she said. “And whenever Hitler was going after the [Jews], they didn’t care if your kids were half-Jewish. And I thought about you as I was thinking about coming to ‘Outnumbered,’ and I thought, ‘they would go after my daughter.’
“They would go after yours as quickly as they would mine. And it’s … it’s just terrifying to be a Jewish parent right now. I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to keep her composure.
The entire Fox News segment is below.
Ortagus converted to Judaism before her 2013 marriage to Jonathan Weinberger. Weinberger, a business executive and former former U.S. Treasury executive secretary, is Jewish.
Faulkner responded by saying it is clear what the mob wanted to do and “they were screaming it, proudly screaming it.”
“I have all the hope in the world it’s not going to be everybody against the Jews again,” she added.
Ortagus did not believe that would be the case, saying that some will stand by them. But she knew it would be difficult.
“The one thing I thought through all of this is, ‘I’m going to teach her to fight,'” Ortagus said, referring to her daughter. “I’m wearing my Star of David. I’m not taking it off. I’m not going to hide, and that’s what I’m going to teach my daughter.”
Ortagus then referenced the protests seen on U.S. college campuses, including in New York City at Cooper Union college and Columbia University.
At Cooper Union, Jewish students barricaded themselves in a library during a pro-Palestinian protest on campus that turned violent, the New York Post reported.
Protesters came into the building where the library is located and began making their way to the seventh floor where the Jewish students had locked themselves in.
The hallways of @cooperunion today.
This is not ok. @cooperunion please protect your students@jakejakeny pic.twitter.com/BYxLkJ4AuQ
— Jakey Kluger (@JakeyKluger) October 25, 2023
“When they started banging on the door, my heart started pounding. I was crying. I think if the doors weren’t locked — I don’t know what would have happened,” a Jewish senior at the school told the Post.
“I don’t want to speculate what would’ve happened. It just makes me too nervous. I was absolutely terrified in that moment.”
A school administrator was able to later escort the Jewish students out a back entrance of the building.
“This is happening in America,” Ortagus said. “We are not protected. We are not immune from this in America… This is why we have to fight them.”
Ortagus, a former Fox News contributor who still appears on the network regularly, later posted on X: “I pride myself on being able to keep my cool on tv, radio, or at the podium. Today just hit differently.”
I pride myself on being able to keep my cool on tv, radio, or at the podium. Today just hit differently. While it’s hard to be that vulnerable in front of millions of eyeballs, it’s the reality of what Jewish parents face today. I want to thank the @OutnumberedFNC team for having…
— Morgan Ortagus (@MorganOrtagus) October 30, 2023
“While it’s hard to be that vulnerable in front of millions of eyeballs, it’s the reality of what Jewish parents face today.”
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