Anti-Semitic flier attacks white congressman in black Tennessee district

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Steve Cohen, a white congressman representing a mostly black district in Tennesse, is no stranger to political attacks tinged with race. A new political flier circulating in the district is forcing him to confront anti-Semitism, too. The flier, which showed up in mailboxes this week, aims to rally black Christians to oppose Cohen because he is Jewish. "Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen and the Jews hate Jesus," the flier reads in bold letters. The origin of the flier was unclear, but Cohen said he worried it was a sign of more nastiness to come during the campaign. It urges voters to unite behind "one black Christian to represent Memphis in the United States Congress in 2008." "It was very bizarre," said Cohen, a first-term Democrat. Cohen is the first white congressman from Memphis in more than three decades. Nikki Tinker, a black lawyer expected to be Cohen's chief opponent for re-election in the Democratic primary in August, said she was incensed by the anti-Semitic attack.