We Need to Start Taking Anti-Semites at Their Word

NY Observer ^ | 04/20/15 | Eliana Rudee

[Slings and Arrows]

When a University of Oklahoma fraternity sings a racist chant, we take them at their word. When LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling makes racist comments, we take him at his word. When racist emails of Ferguson officials are leaked, we take them at their word. As we should. Perpetuating racist discourse merely normalizes and reinforces racist behavior and structures. This is true for any system of prejudice and hatred.

Why, then, are anti-Semites so rarely taken at their word? Some Iranian officials broadcast their intention to use a nuclear weapon to wipe Israel off the map. But many still believe they will use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes if we negotiate properly. The Hamas charter states that it is each Muslim’s responsibility to kill Jews. But some still assert that Hamas terrorizes Israeli citizens merely as a political statement for their own domestic consumption. Last week, both Bosnian and Dutch soccer fans, on two separate occasions, sang chants about burning and killing Jews. Plenty dismissed that as “boys will be boys.” This week, two New York high school students were photographed underage drinking, wearing tee shirts with a swastika and the word “Auschwitz.” Just hooligans looking for attention.

On American college campuses and in the greater international community, those who espouse the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people are regarded as having humanitarian concerns. Their calls for violence are ignored. Campus champions of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel often chant, “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free!” demanding the expulsion (or worse) of millions of Jewish and Israeli citizens out of the land of Israel. But we are supposed to believe they are only interested in justice for Palestinians.

[Slings and Arrows]

I take them at their word.

[pallis]

Hate is the one human motivator I try to never underestimate or ignore.

[Slings and Arrows]

Sensible, that.

[Alberta's Child]

True. But I never waste my time trying to figure it out, either.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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Lots of people take them at their word. Others don't, I suspect the nation they promise to incinerate is the issue.

[verga]

I have to disagree. There are two very different standards. Privileged and white democrats are not held to the same standards as Privileged and white conservatives.

African Americans like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, make disparaging comments about Whites, and Jews etc... and no one blinks.

[Pollster1]

Why, then, are anti-Semites so rarely taken at their word? Some Iranian officials broadcast their intention to use a nuclear weapon to wipe Israel off the map . . .

Obama takes the Iranians at their word on nuking Israel, which is why he wants them to have nukes. Decent people take the Iranians at their word, which is why we do not want Iran to have nukes. We all know the truth, it's just that Obama and others who hate Jews like that terrible truth.

[Calpublican]

Try to understand. I don’t want to have to say this again:

HATE SPEECH IS REPREHENSIBLE (unless it’s aimed at Christians or Jews, then it is okay, even admirable and, in fact, politically correct.)

[Biggirl]

Second it!