Anti-Semitism Lives

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

[mrustow]

Anti-Semitism Lives
In a State of Denial

he other day a neighbor came by. He was troubled, he said, by the outbreak of anti-Semitism around the world. "I thought it pretty much ended after World War II. I guess I was being naive."

My neighbor is a good man, a sincere man, and I recognized his kind words as an invitation for me to talk about my own encounters with Jew-haters.

But I couldn't. The truth is, I'm 54 years old, I've been a Jew all my life and I have never met an anti-Semite.

On the contrary. My experience is that the world is full of non-anti-Semites.

For example: A lot of German politicians are very upset by the Israeli-Palestinian war. Fair enough. Norbert Bluem, the former labor minister of Germany, has even accused Israel of waging "a war of extermination."

Germany has a small Jewish community (most German Jews killed themselves during World War II), but that didn't stop the Jews there from launching vicious charges of anti-Semitism against various German statesmen like Free Democratic Party leader Guido Westerwelle.

"This is an outrage," Westerwelle replied. "One must be allowed to criticize Israel's military policy without being pushed into an anti-Semitic corner."

Westerwelle is right. These days, in Europe, the slightest criticism of Israel or Jews gets blown up into a charge of anti-Semitism.

For example: Last week, in Kiev, a mob of Ukrainians chanting "Beat the kikes!" chased two Jews into a synagogue, tossing one of them through a plate-glass window. As usual, the Jews portrayed themselves as victims. Ukrainian police put that slander to rest by declaring that the incident "had nothing to do" with anti-Semitism.

Or take the case of Tom Paulin, an Oxford professor and frequent contributor to the BBC. His only crime was telling an Egyptian newsweekly that American Jews in Israel "should be shot dead. I think they are Nazis and racists. I feel nothing but hatred for them."

Paulin was immediately attacked for this observation. Fortunately, he was able to clear his reputation by declaring himself "a life-long opponent of anti-Semitism."

Former French Prime Minister Michael Rocard has "fought anti-Semitism" since he was "very young." That's what he told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in an open letter. He brought this up after asking rhetorically in the letter if Israel is planning to kill "half a million" Palestinians.

Rocard then warned that Israel's war on terrorism would lead to what he evidently considers a justified "torrent of worldwide anti-Israeli-ism."

This, presumably, is much different from a torrent of worldwide anti-Semitism.

There are non-anti-Semites on this side of the Atlantic, too. Minister Louis Farrakhan is one. Just this week, Farrakhan declared that he has nothing against Jews. "What I'm 'anti' is the type of control that some interests of that community exercise over our community."

Farrakhan, Paulin and Rocard may not like every single Jew or support every last Israeli policy. Neither do Pat Buchanan, Edward Said, David Duke, Ramsey Clark, Gore Vidal, John Trafficant and the Saudi royal family, but does that make them anti-Semites? On the contrary, these men have taken the extraordinary step of publicly declaring that they don't hate Jews.

That's why I told my neighbor to relax. If people like these aren't anti-Semites, there's really no such thing anymore.

E-mail: zchafets@aol.com

Original Publication Date: 4/17/02

[Goldsters]

Larry it is not complicated. You admit there are anti-Semites. We have them come in here frequently. They are at Stormfront and elsewhere. So why would you respond as you just did?

I did not suggest anti-Semitism be a crime. I said too many people use it lightly and must stop, but people who earn it get what they deserve when they are called on it. Just as would a socialist.

Yet you disagree... why?

I will not argue with you. It is a very simple concept. If you disagree, so be it. I just want you to realize that it is exactly that type of attitude that gives people pause.

[rmlew]

You know you are an anti-semite when you have to quote a man who works for Holocaust deniers to find an arguement to show that you are not.

[NeoCaveman]

Germany has a small Jewish community (most German Jews killed themselves during World War II),

Killed themselves? Oh how funny.

Thanks for the ping. This is a great article.

[wewereright]

I guess everyone you disagree with is anti-semetic? You people make me ill. Throwing these charges around so casually cheapens their meaning - you should be ashamed for belittling the suffering of those who have really be victimized by hate for whatever reason

[NeoCaveman]

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

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

Too cool, I am picturing a middle-eastern Jeff Foxworthy....."you might be an anti-Semite. LOL.

[NeoCaveman]

My favorite quote of the last week was when Shimon Peres said there is no anti-Semetism in France.

He may be as senile as Yasser Arafat.

[Goldsters]

I have no quarrel with your first statement, but your second one is unfairly simplistic.

If you don't approve of foreign aid to anyone, that is understandable. Why not just say so?

[Edmund Burke]

Do you think the Jews will make the same mistake in the US that they did in Germany? They say "never again", but continue to adopt a very high profile in a country in which they are a tiny minority. Seems like they are just asking for trouble. I have a hard time understanding this.

[Goldsters]

Thanks! And I agree. =]

[weikel]

"Most German Jews killed themselves during WWII"

This is the stupidest type of holocaust denial Ive ever seen.

[rmlew]

1. The British mandate was to create a Jewish state. It was set up by the League of Nations in 1922 with the agreement of the Arab states.
However, local arabs had another plan and protested. They refused to sell land to Jews and began killing arabs who sold land at above market rates. In 1924, a new anti-Zionist British government began to renege on its repsonisibilites and started to promote Arab immigration to Palestine. Between 1890 and 1946 more Arabs than Jews settled the land. Thus the British screwed things up well before the Holocaust and created teh current mess.Teh PAlestinains had a country, composed of 75% of the land, (Trans)Jordan.
2. After the Second World War, the UN illegal abrogated the British Mandate as set up by the league of nations. Thus one could argue that the Zionist cause was worse off after teh Secoind world war due to British and UN duplicity.
However the LAbor Zionists were willing to accept the crumbs not given to the Arabs (13%).

If the local arab suffer, it is not due to the US or post World War 2 world opinion. they made their bed with the British.

I would also note that the World may have voted for teh 2nd division of the land in 1947, but they tried to disarm the Jews, while teh British were arming the Arabs. It seems to me that the world conscience purposely or not set up a situation that should have caused a second genocide of Jews.

Despite all the help of the world (including a forced ceasefire, one Jews began to make serious gains), the Israelis won the War of Israeli Independence.

[rmlew]

I guess everyone you disagree with is anti-semetic? You people make me ill. Throwing these charges around so casually cheapens their meaning - you should be ashamed for belittling the suffering of those who have really be victimized by hate for whatever reason

No, anti-Zionists who hold use classic anti-Semetic claims and write for Holocaust Denier publications, while trying to redefine or deconstruct anti-semetism are Anti-semites.

Thanks for playing. Next time, read teh articles before engaging fingures.

[Goldsters]

"Do you think the Jews will make the same mistake in the US that they did in Germany? They say "never again", but continue to adopt a very high profile in a country in which they are a tiny minority. Seems like they are just asking for trouble. I have a hard time understanding this."

First of all, it depends on the type of high profile. There are far too many people who are suspicious of simple success, and who, when looking for someone to blame for their own lack of it, point the finger at Jews (and republicans) who must have gotten where they are by some immoral tactic.

If you are referring to the high profile ADL and Liberal types, that is a good question.

My husband is Jewish (long-time Freeper - conservative activist - from a family of conservatives) and he discusses this as well. Even before Jewish groups. Thing is, so many Jews act just like my East Texas yellow-dog Democrat father. They live by conservative standards, but because of past issues, they insist on sticking with the democrats.

Many conservative and moderate Jews worry that the ADL types will cause a back-lash. I think that is why you see people like him and other Jews trying to balance them out. I think Jews for the preservation of firearms has an article about this subject, btw.

All we can do is keep bringing fellow Jews to the conservative fold, and to hope that Americans have more morality, sense, and if nothing else, respect for the constitution, than to judge people before even knowing what they think.

Categorizing people based on things they can't help is lazy and unjust. I don't like being considered a brainless twit because I am a soccer mom, regardless of how many with my profile think Clinton was "cute" and loved The Kiss.

[steve-b]

You would think with all the Holocaust memorials built across the USA, we would have one memorial up to those Americans who died in WWII. But we don't.

      

Proof that LarryLied is an example of Truth In Advertising.

[Goldsters]

Too much of the time, the label is misapplied - and that hurts everyone. But I think too, that sometimes the person who is observing thinks the accusation is tossed lightly because they have a) seen it done often before and b) are not aware of certain legitimate things on which the accuser bases the claim.

If the title is going to be at all helpful, or at least not cause slander or a backlash, the evidence needs to be clear. Unfortunately, sometimes the evidence is only clear as a pattern of hyperfocus on Jewish shortcomings and holding them disproportionally accountable.

[ChaseR]

fyi

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

LMAO

[rmlew]

Just like many anti-anti-Communists were either communists, comsymps or became such, many anti-anti-anti-Semites either dislike Jewish influence, Jews in general, or will in the future.