Written by by Jane Coleman at legalinsurrection.com
A Barrington, Rhode Island, School and DEI committee member set off a firestorm of online criticism after an Instagram account that appears to be hers shared posts crudely bashing Israel, including implying Jews “weaponized their religion” for genocide.
Amanda Basse is an elected Democratic Party member of the Barrington School Committee, which functions as a “School Board” functions in other towns. There are three Democrats and two Independents on the School Committee. Basse also is the co-chair of the Barrington Public School DEI Committee. The DEI Committee promotes “intersectionality” as its 2023-2024 priority.
As described below, posts were shared on what appears to be her Instagram account implying Jews “weaponized their religion” to “ethnically cleanse Palestinians,” as well as other gross pejoratives about Israel. Basse has not responded to our multiple requests for comment.
The controversy swirling around Basse’s remarks is the latest to beset Barrington, where Legal Insurrection is based. Once known as “Borrington” because nothing much happened here, the town has become a hotbed of government and school activism in the past few years, as we previously covered. Controversies have included the town flying the BLM flag over the Veterans Memorial, and then stripping the local veterans group of its role organizing the Memorial Day Parade after it protested. The Town Council even sponsored as an official town event an appearance by Ibram Kendi, while refusing to sponsor an alternative viewpoint.