FDR_Reagan
Platinum Member
- Nov 20, 2023
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Comment.
1. What would his uncle [mother's brother] Kentucky state Rep. Robert "Bob" Heleringer respond to Lauren Witzke's false claim?
2. Do these fascists ever retract their lines?
$$$
From link
Exposing the Antisemitic Smear: Robin Westman Was Catholic-Bred. An Antisemite, Not Jewish. Of German origin just like racist Nazi like Lauren Witzke German roots.
In the wake of the horrific mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, 2025, where 23-year-old Robin Westman (formerly Robert) murdered two innocent children—an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old—and wounded 17 others before taking his own life, a vile wave of misinformation has surged online. Far-right extremists, white supremacists, and self-proclaimed "Christian nationalists" have peddled the baseless lie that Westman was Jewish, attempting to twist this tragedy into fuel for their antisemitic agendas. This claim is not just false—it's a deliberate distortion designed to deflect from Westman's own rabid hatred of Jews and to perpetuate Nazi-inspired tropes about "Jewish conspiracies." As we mourn the victims and condemn all forms of bigotry, let's dismantle this racist fabrication with facts, while shining a light on Westman's true motivations: a toxic brew of hatreds, with antisemitism at its core.
The False Claim: A Tool of Modern-Day Nazis.
Immediately after the shooting, accounts on X (formerly Twitter) began spreading the rumor that Westman was a "transgender Jewish man" responsible for killing "Christian children." One prominent example came from fascist Lauren Witzke, a failed Senate candidate from Delaware who identifies as a "Christian nationalist" and promotes QAnon conspiracies. Her post, which garnered over 530,000 views and 8,000 likes in a single day, exemplifies how antisemites exploit tragedies to stoke division. Other users, including one ironically named "Six Million" (a grotesque nod to the Holocaust's six million Jewish victims), echoed the claim, insisting Westman was "Ashkenazi[sic]Jewish[sic]." These assertions often hinged on misinterpretations of family names like "Heleringer," which Witzke falsely labeled as Jewish—ignoring its German origins, much like her own surname "Witzke."
But this is pure fiction, rooted in the same hateful ideology that fueled the Nazis' genocide. Fact-checkers, including Snopes, have thoroughly debunked it. There is zero evidence that Westman was Jewish by birth, conversion, or any other measure. Under Jewish law (halakha), Jewish identity is typically matrilineal—passed through the mother—or acquired via conversion. Westman's maternal lineage is unambiguously Catholic, with no Jewish ties whatsoever.
Westman's Deep Catholic Roots: Family Ties That Disprove the Lie.
Westman's family history paints a picture of generational Catholicism, not Judaism. His mother, Mary Grace Westman (née Heleringer), worked as a secretary at the very Catholic school he targeted, from 2016 to 2021. Westman himself graduated from Annunciation Catholic Church's school in 2017, as confirmed by yearbook photos reported by CNN and local ABC affiliate KSTP.
Digging deeper, Westman's maternal grandmother, Mary Lou Heleringer (née O'Donnell), was a devout Catholic who received a Catholic education. Her 2004 obituary described a funeral Mass and encouraged donations to the Dominican Renovation Project at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, Kentucky—a Catholic institution. Westman's maternal uncle, former Kentucky state Rep. Robert "Bob" Heleringer, graduated from Catholic high school and university, and served as chairman of a legislative committee for Catholic PTAs, as noted in a 1985 Courier-Journal article. In a 2016 opinion piece for the Courier-Journal, Heleringer himself affirmed his lifelong commitment to Catholicism, crediting his mother's daily rosary prayers, his education under Jesuit and diocesan priests, and his ongoing involvement with the Dominicans at St. Louis Bertrand Church. He emphasized enduring faith despite scandals, quoting scripture: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
These details aren't obscure—they're public records that antisemites willfully ignore to push their narrative. Spreading such lies isn't harmless; it's a continuation of the blood libels and conspiracy theories that have justified violence against Jews for centuries. In a world still scarred by the Holocaust, where Nazis systematically murdered six million Jews, allowing these smears to fester is an affront to humanity.
Westman's Hatreds: Antisemitism as the Supreme Poison.
While Westman expressed disdain for multiple groups—Christians, Hindus, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and even vague references to Muslims like "Remove kebab" (a far-right meme)—his vitriol toward Jews and Israel stood out as uniquely ferocious and obsessive. As U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota noted, Westman admired only one "group": infamous school shooters and mass murderers. But his writings reveal antisemitism as his crowning hatred, echoing the genocidal rhetoric of Nazis and modern white supremacists.
Videos attributed to Westman, posted on YouTube before being deleted, showed firearms inscribed with chilling messages: "6 million wasn't enough" (mocking Holocaust victims), "Jew gas" on a smoke canister, "Burn Israel," "Destroy HIAS" (targeting a Jewish refugee aid organization), and "Israel must fall, release the files" (possibly referencing Jeffrey Epstein). One weapon bore "Robert Bowers," honoring the perpetrator of the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, where 11 Jews were murdered.
Westman's journal, partially written in Cyrillic and translated by the New York Post, drips with unfiltered antisemitism. He mused: "If I will carry out a racially motivated attack, it would be most likely against filthy Zionist Jews," and spewed slurs like "I hate those entitled, penny-sniffing k-kes." He advocated for "Free Palestine" while rejecting other motivations, ultimately choosing to target "children of innocent civilians" for "the most joy." This wasn't equal-opportunity hate; it was a hierarchy with Jews at the bottom, intertwined with anti-Israel fervor that often masks deeper antisemitism.
Mainstream media outlets like the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post have reported on Westman's broad grievances but largely downplayed this antisemitic focus, treating it as just another hatred rather than the ideological driver it appears to be. Why the reluctance? In an era of rising hate crimes against Jews—fueled by both far-left and far-right extremists—failing to highlight this empowers bigots. Meanwhile, outlets like the New York Post and fact-checkers have called it out, but the silence from "the Great and Good" allows false narratives to thrive.
On X, the false Jewish claim persists in posts sharing articles, which correctly debunks it but is amplified by users blending it with conspiracy theories. One user falsely claimed Westman was "Jewish by [supposed] ethnicity, Jesuit by faith," tying it to baseless CIA and government conspiracies—a classic antisemitic trope.
A Call to Reject Hate: Anti-Racism as Our Shield.
This tragedy underscores the dangers of unchecked bigotry. Westman's actions were the product of a deranged mind steeped in online radicalization, where hatred of Jews, transphobia, and other prejudices intersect in deadly ways. But the real villains here include those who exploit the dead to spread racism—modern Nazis hiding behind keyboards, "Christian nationalists" who pervert faith into supremacy, and anyone who amplifies division.
We must stand unequivocally against racism, Nazism, and all forms of hate. Honor the victims—Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10—by fighting for a world free of such poison. Educate against misinformation, support Jewish communities facing rising threats, and demand better from our media. Antisemitism isn't just "one more hatred"—it's a cancer that has claimed millions of lives. Let's eradicate it, once and for all, in the name of humanity's shared dignity.
Notes:
* Disproving claim Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman was Jewish.
A 23-year-old, who killed an 8- and 10-year-old in a Catholic church, became the focus of many rumors.
Anna Rascouët-Paz.
Published Aug. 28, 2025
[Disproving claim Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman was Jewish]
* Minnesota shooter wrote of killing ‘fil#hy Zionist Jews,’ ‘free Palestine’.
Robin Westman, who was transgender, killed two children at a Catholic school.
JNS Staff. Aug 27, 2025.
[Minnesota shooter wrote of killing ‘filthy Zionist Jews,’ ‘free Palestine’]
* Heleringer | Why I will always be Catholic. Bob Heleringer.
I dreaded my first weekend home from college. Apr 19, 2016.
[https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...ger-why-i-will-always-be-a-catholic/83224236/]
1. What would his uncle [mother's brother] Kentucky state Rep. Robert "Bob" Heleringer respond to Lauren Witzke's false claim?
2. Do these fascists ever retract their lines?
$$$
From link
Exposing the Antisemitic Smear: Robin Westman Was Catholic-Bred. An Antisemite, Not Jewish. Of German origin just like racist Nazi like Lauren Witzke German roots.
In the wake of the horrific mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, 2025, where 23-year-old Robin Westman (formerly Robert) murdered two innocent children—an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old—and wounded 17 others before taking his own life, a vile wave of misinformation has surged online. Far-right extremists, white supremacists, and self-proclaimed "Christian nationalists" have peddled the baseless lie that Westman was Jewish, attempting to twist this tragedy into fuel for their antisemitic agendas. This claim is not just false—it's a deliberate distortion designed to deflect from Westman's own rabid hatred of Jews and to perpetuate Nazi-inspired tropes about "Jewish conspiracies." As we mourn the victims and condemn all forms of bigotry, let's dismantle this racist fabrication with facts, while shining a light on Westman's true motivations: a toxic brew of hatreds, with antisemitism at its core.
The False Claim: A Tool of Modern-Day Nazis.
Immediately after the shooting, accounts on X (formerly Twitter) began spreading the rumor that Westman was a "transgender Jewish man" responsible for killing "Christian children." One prominent example came from fascist Lauren Witzke, a failed Senate candidate from Delaware who identifies as a "Christian nationalist" and promotes QAnon conspiracies. Her post, which garnered over 530,000 views and 8,000 likes in a single day, exemplifies how antisemites exploit tragedies to stoke division. Other users, including one ironically named "Six Million" (a grotesque nod to the Holocaust's six million Jewish victims), echoed the claim, insisting Westman was "Ashkenazi[sic]Jewish[sic]." These assertions often hinged on misinterpretations of family names like "Heleringer," which Witzke falsely labeled as Jewish—ignoring its German origins, much like her own surname "Witzke."
But this is pure fiction, rooted in the same hateful ideology that fueled the Nazis' genocide. Fact-checkers, including Snopes, have thoroughly debunked it. There is zero evidence that Westman was Jewish by birth, conversion, or any other measure. Under Jewish law (halakha), Jewish identity is typically matrilineal—passed through the mother—or acquired via conversion. Westman's maternal lineage is unambiguously Catholic, with no Jewish ties whatsoever.
Westman's Deep Catholic Roots: Family Ties That Disprove the Lie.
Westman's family history paints a picture of generational Catholicism, not Judaism. His mother, Mary Grace Westman (née Heleringer), worked as a secretary at the very Catholic school he targeted, from 2016 to 2021. Westman himself graduated from Annunciation Catholic Church's school in 2017, as confirmed by yearbook photos reported by CNN and local ABC affiliate KSTP.
Digging deeper, Westman's maternal grandmother, Mary Lou Heleringer (née O'Donnell), was a devout Catholic who received a Catholic education. Her 2004 obituary described a funeral Mass and encouraged donations to the Dominican Renovation Project at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, Kentucky—a Catholic institution. Westman's maternal uncle, former Kentucky state Rep. Robert "Bob" Heleringer, graduated from Catholic high school and university, and served as chairman of a legislative committee for Catholic PTAs, as noted in a 1985 Courier-Journal article. In a 2016 opinion piece for the Courier-Journal, Heleringer himself affirmed his lifelong commitment to Catholicism, crediting his mother's daily rosary prayers, his education under Jesuit and diocesan priests, and his ongoing involvement with the Dominicans at St. Louis Bertrand Church. He emphasized enduring faith despite scandals, quoting scripture: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
These details aren't obscure—they're public records that antisemites willfully ignore to push their narrative. Spreading such lies isn't harmless; it's a continuation of the blood libels and conspiracy theories that have justified violence against Jews for centuries. In a world still scarred by the Holocaust, where Nazis systematically murdered six million Jews, allowing these smears to fester is an affront to humanity.
Westman's Hatreds: Antisemitism as the Supreme Poison.
While Westman expressed disdain for multiple groups—Christians, Hindus, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and even vague references to Muslims like "Remove kebab" (a far-right meme)—his vitriol toward Jews and Israel stood out as uniquely ferocious and obsessive. As U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota noted, Westman admired only one "group": infamous school shooters and mass murderers. But his writings reveal antisemitism as his crowning hatred, echoing the genocidal rhetoric of Nazis and modern white supremacists.
Videos attributed to Westman, posted on YouTube before being deleted, showed firearms inscribed with chilling messages: "6 million wasn't enough" (mocking Holocaust victims), "Jew gas" on a smoke canister, "Burn Israel," "Destroy HIAS" (targeting a Jewish refugee aid organization), and "Israel must fall, release the files" (possibly referencing Jeffrey Epstein). One weapon bore "Robert Bowers," honoring the perpetrator of the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, where 11 Jews were murdered.
Westman's journal, partially written in Cyrillic and translated by the New York Post, drips with unfiltered antisemitism. He mused: "If I will carry out a racially motivated attack, it would be most likely against filthy Zionist Jews," and spewed slurs like "I hate those entitled, penny-sniffing k-kes." He advocated for "Free Palestine" while rejecting other motivations, ultimately choosing to target "children of innocent civilians" for "the most joy." This wasn't equal-opportunity hate; it was a hierarchy with Jews at the bottom, intertwined with anti-Israel fervor that often masks deeper antisemitism.
Mainstream media outlets like the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post have reported on Westman's broad grievances but largely downplayed this antisemitic focus, treating it as just another hatred rather than the ideological driver it appears to be. Why the reluctance? In an era of rising hate crimes against Jews—fueled by both far-left and far-right extremists—failing to highlight this empowers bigots. Meanwhile, outlets like the New York Post and fact-checkers have called it out, but the silence from "the Great and Good" allows false narratives to thrive.
On X, the false Jewish claim persists in posts sharing articles, which correctly debunks it but is amplified by users blending it with conspiracy theories. One user falsely claimed Westman was "Jewish by [supposed] ethnicity, Jesuit by faith," tying it to baseless CIA and government conspiracies—a classic antisemitic trope.
A Call to Reject Hate: Anti-Racism as Our Shield.
This tragedy underscores the dangers of unchecked bigotry. Westman's actions were the product of a deranged mind steeped in online radicalization, where hatred of Jews, transphobia, and other prejudices intersect in deadly ways. But the real villains here include those who exploit the dead to spread racism—modern Nazis hiding behind keyboards, "Christian nationalists" who pervert faith into supremacy, and anyone who amplifies division.
We must stand unequivocally against racism, Nazism, and all forms of hate. Honor the victims—Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10—by fighting for a world free of such poison. Educate against misinformation, support Jewish communities facing rising threats, and demand better from our media. Antisemitism isn't just "one more hatred"—it's a cancer that has claimed millions of lives. Let's eradicate it, once and for all, in the name of humanity's shared dignity.
Notes:
* Disproving claim Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman was Jewish.
A 23-year-old, who killed an 8- and 10-year-old in a Catholic church, became the focus of many rumors.
Anna Rascouët-Paz.
Published Aug. 28, 2025
[Disproving claim Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman was Jewish]
* Minnesota shooter wrote of killing ‘fil#hy Zionist Jews,’ ‘free Palestine’.
Robin Westman, who was transgender, killed two children at a Catholic school.
JNS Staff. Aug 27, 2025.
[Minnesota shooter wrote of killing ‘filthy Zionist Jews,’ ‘free Palestine’]
* Heleringer | Why I will always be Catholic. Bob Heleringer.
I dreaded my first weekend home from college. Apr 19, 2016.
[https://www.courier-journal.com/sto...ger-why-i-will-always-be-a-catholic/83224236/]
