This interview of Daphna Ziman by Roger L. Simon (which Glenn Reynolds linked) deeply disturbed me, as I worry it may be an indication that anti-Semitism is becoming mainstream, if not downright respectable.

Daphna Ziman is an Israeli American who runs a charity for children and right after she was honored with an award from national African-American fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi (this was on the fortieth anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination), the Director of the Los Angeles SCLC chapter (a respected civil rights organization started by King) launched into a viciously anti-Semitic diatribe, which she describes in detail in the interview with Roger.

I found it very painful to watch, but I recommend watching it to get a full idea of what happened.

Solomonia has a comprehensive summary (from Stand With Us):

I have to tell you of an experience I had last night that was so anti semitic and frightening:

Last night I was honored by Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, for my work with Children Uniting nations with African American children who are living out of home care. I have dedicated my life to saving these children from abuse, neglect and a life of crime. We created 'adoption day' and "Day of the child" determined to recruit caring adults to be mentors and life savers for our at risk children in the inner cities...

...After I spoke and thanked the fraternity and their members, Rev. Eric Lee, pres. and CEO of Southern Christian Leadership Conference of greater Los Angeles, was introduced as the key note speaker.

He began his speech by thanking Jesus for Obama, who is going to be the leader of the world. He continued by referring to other leaders Like Dr. King,being that this was the moment of celebrating Dr. King's spirit on the anniversary of his death, and Malcolm X.

It was right after the mention of Malcolm X that he looked right at me and started talking about the African American children who are suffering because of the JEWS that have featured them as rapists and murderers. He spoke of a Jewish Rabbi, and then corrected himself to say "What other kind of Rabbis are there, but JEWS". He told how this Rabbi came to him to say that he would like to bring the AA community and the Jewish community together. "NO, NO, NO,!!!!" he shouted into the crowd, we are not going to come together. "The Jews have made money on us in the music business and we are the entertainers, and they are economically enslaving us"

He continued as to how now the salvation has come and the gates have open for African Americans to come together behind Barack Obama, because now is the time to show them.(meaning the jews).

He continued to speak about ' White supremecy' vs the talents and visionaries in the core of African Americans. He demeaned being given freedom, by saying "To what?" to a country that kills women and children.

I could no longer be polite and sit in front of the crowd, so I walked out...

However, if Lee does not apologize, I'd say the SCLC of Los Angeles has to be considered a bastion of anti-Semitism, and I hope it's not a trend.

I can't help notice that despite his attacks on Jews, Lee does not hesitate to defend Muslims against what he calls "racial profiling" (religion is a race?), and he is described here as a "keynote speaker at ANSWER's 3/15/08 antiwar rally, along with CAIR and some other lovely individuals."

If this was just one isolated loony tune preacher spouting anti-Semitic garbage, I might have ignored it. But this guy heads an important and respectable civil rights organization -- one started by Martin Luther King, Jr.

That makes his anti-Semitism not kooky, not isolated, but mainstream.

Few things are more dangerous than the mainstreaming of anti-Semitism.

I don't think examples are needed.

UPDATE: As skepticism about the facts was expressed in one of the comments, it should be noted that according to Roger L. Simon, Lee himself has confirmed the truth of what Ziman said:

Since doing the interview and writing the accompanying text, I have learned that Reverend Lee has written a response, which I had read over the phone to me. I want to read it in detail, but from what I gathered he essentially acknowledges that Ziman is correct, at least in part, in what she said he said. Lee seems genuinely to espouse the belief that African-Americans should only reconcile with Jews if Jews apologize for the supposed evil stereotypes they created of blacks via, I assume, the movies.

I think the idea that anyone can apologize for the alleged actions of other people is illogical. However, Lee can -- and should -- apologize for himself.