Anti-Semitism Lives

New York Daily News ^ | 17 April, 2002 | Zev Chafets

[HiTech RedNeck]

So who's being marched into the museums. Do the schools require attendance of all students, or only those who choose to sign up for the presumedly associated class(es)? And as for the religious observances... how is that different from an evangelism club meeting in the school. The question is whether everything there may be used for a primarily secular purpose, not whether it can also be used for a religious purpose. Now if they installed at taxpayer expense, say, an Ark and a Torah so they could use it as a synagogue chapel, that would be another issue.

[Arleigh]

"Anti-Semite used to refer to someone who hates Jews, now an anti-Semite is merely someone who a Jew hates."

How true! Just like anyone who disagrees with a black or an asian or an hispanic MUST be a racist.

[mrustow]

However, my personal favorite is one in which Sobran creates a straw man arguement to denounce the use of the term anti-Semetism.

That sounds like one of Lew Rockwell's favorite essays, but the one I'm thinking of, was I believe written by a Jew. It basically went that, being accused of anti-Semitism proves you aren't an anti-Semite. I know that I'm making it sound pathetic, but it really was. Lew publishes a mixed bag of stuff, and some of the worst, is the anti-Semitic stuff that is near and dear to his heart.

[LarryLied]

Holocaustism is not only a business and a political weapon, it is a religion. Some Jews are not happy with the situation because it is surplanting among more than a few the teachings of Judaism and becoming what it means to be a Jew.

[Cinnamon Girl]

You know you're an anti-semite if...

you have to keep telling people you're not an anti-semite.

[Goldsters]

Everyone needs to take step back and reorganize his/her prejudices. From both ends of the spectrum.

2 things make me cringe:

- Those who use the term lightly and as a tool to silence any opposition (even if the opposition is wrong, it is not necessarily a result of bigotry.)
- and those who use the fact that it gets too freely used to brush off legitimate accusations.

The problem is that both of the above people are creations of each other.
The people who get hurt are those who are innocent - those who are genuinely trying to give constructive criticism, and the multitudes of Jews who do not approve of ADL-type tactics either.

There is more than just political correctness in judging a person by the content of their character. There is Wisdom and righteousness.

[LarryLied]

Bingo. That is the goal of all this. To force people to begin to say..."some of my best friends are..."

Same old identity politics schtick Jesse Jackson uses. Have everyone groveling at your feet denying they are racists and stuffing your pockets with money. Holocaustists and the Race Baiter crowd are selling indulgences.

[IM2Phat4U]

I made the point that the term had lost its meaning through overuse and then, almost immediately, the following post popped up (see #8):

I would also note that if you were not so blinded by anti-Semetism...

It must be reflexive to the Jesse Jackson types. "Don't waste your time thinking, just be the first to label those with whom you disagree a bigot, racist, anti-Semite or homophobe and you are the winner!"

[DoughtyOne]

Remember when Reagan was accused of wanting to starve old people and children? Did his denials make it true? I would suggest you rethink your test.

Those who cast labels do it for a reason. They are appealing to others on the basest of instincts. Toss out the label and watch the unfairly accused deal with it in the long term.

It takes only a few second to a few hours to slander someone unfairly, in a manner that is impossible to disprove. And those who use this tactic are themselves guilty of something akin to anti-Semitism.

[muawiyah]

Regarding that stranglehold on the press, when the Tisch brothers bought CBS the first thing they did was gut the news division.

We could all use more of that.

[Malcolm]

It doesn't live in me. I'm pro-Jewish, partly because I have tolerant parents who didn't blame everything wrong in the world on Jews, but mostly because of Biblical warnings not to mistreat Jews, or you will get it. The Palestinians will "get it" soon enough, for their acts against Israel; wait and see if that's not a true statement.

Whether or not you're religious, you ought to support the Jew because most are good guys. Israel is Westernized and democratic, vs the terrorists (aka Muslims, Palestinians, etc). Jews are heavily represented in the higher levels of American society, but I view that as a virtue, not a vice. It demonstrates how tolerant Americans are. If you're against the Jews, or against Israel in the current situation, you're wrong, and severely so.....

[Goldsters]

"I have no problem with Holocaust museums where ever they pop up. What I do have a problem with is even one tax dollar being used to develop them."

So do I. And many Jews.

But I also have a problem with those who choose to focus on the shortcomings of Jews disproportially to those of others who may or may not comprise an easily-identified group.

When we find ourselves doing that, we need to ask ourselves if we are being objective.

[LarryLied]

and those who use the fact that it gets too freely used to brush off legitimate accusations.

Nobody brushes off crimes. Conflict is normal. Humans have been at each other throats since we crawled out of where ever we crawled out of. We form groups to better get each other. That is natural. Prosecute crimes, not thoughts. Too many individuals who are simply unlikable use their group to hide behind when others treat them badly. Surely you see it with some blacks who blame everything on racism. Sadly, some Jews do the same. Must be a horrible way to live.

[LarryLied]

But I also have a problem with those who choose to focus on the shortcomings of Jews disproportially to those of others who may or may not comprise an easily-identified group.

Clinton and the current mideast problems are the reason Jews recently have been the center of attention and criticized for engaging in identity politics. Nothing else.

[BlackVeil]

You wrote: "people who get hurt are those who are innocent - those who are genuinely trying to give constructive criticism, and the multitudes of Jews who do not approve of ADL-type tactics either." I agree with you. It is the same thing with a lot of the rhetoric directed at the Islamic community - some of it is just hatred, then that sets off a reaction so that the fundamentalists can take over and dismiss any critique.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Holocaustism is not only a business and a political weapon, it is a religion

And?

[CARepubGal]

Clinton IMHO set up the current fiasco starting with 9/11. That socialist SOB and his evil witch "wife' Hitlary are the main architects of terror today. Sad but true. Hope NY and the rest of the country gets on the same page with Freepers soon! That evil pair should not get away with the evil they perpetrated. (Bill and Hill that is).

[DoughtyOne]

But I also have a problem with those who choose to focus on the shortcomings of Jews disproportially to those of others who may or may not comprise an
easily-identified group.

Well, that is one of my main beefs with the Bush administration.  I find myself constantly wondering why he can't see the double standard he is applying to Israel vs the Palestinians.  Bush and Powell hardly ever made comments regarding the murdering bombers before Israel reacted.  Then when Israel reacted they'd make a muted off hand condemnation on the way to a strident condemnation of Israel.  This really stuck in my craw!

Then I had to hold my tongue when Laden was labeled a terrorist, something the Arafat still hasn't been called.  I'm at a total loss on this one!

Bush's double standard regarding the war on terrorism, Israel vs the US, has completely undone my respect for him on this issue.

[IM2Phat4U]

You know you are using Jesse Jackson's tactics if...

you have to keep telling people you are not using Jesse Jackson's tactics.