BLACK CLOUD OF ANTI-SEMITISM DARKENS EUROPE

I've educated myself quite well on the "political spectrum," having studied political philosophy at Indiana University. I've studied classic political philosophy, modern political philosphy: Plato, Aristotle, the Enlightenment philosophes, Nietzsche, Heidegger. I've even spent quite a bit of time studying Leo Strauss and Allan Bloom (two political philosophers popular among conservatives today).

Having said that, I don't know of anyone who would say that National Socialism was a left-wing political movement. It manifestly wasn't. The only people who are saying it seem to exist on Free Republic.

What I'm seeing now is liberal Jews turning on Israel. I stand, mouth agape. No question about it: you have seen it; it is real.

This happened in the past at all such turning points in history. You are familiar with the behavior of the "new money:" you know, those newly-rich people who flaunt their wealth lest people suspect that they don't have it. They truy to "act rich" more than truly rich people do.

This is somewhat parallel with the behavior on the part of some Jewish people. As you know, the issue of accetpance in the society at large has always been problematic for them (as well as for other minorities). So some Jewish wannabes become "more Catholic than the Pope:" in order to gain acceptance, they try to act "non-Jewish," whatever than means.

For a reporter to be objective is essential. If you are a reporter and happen to Jewish (or an atheist born Jewish, as many of them are), you are suspect to side with Israel. (Just witness here on FR the numerous accusations of being an "Israel-firster" rather than "America-firster." Nothing new: the same was done up until the WWII to Catholics, who were accused of siding with the Vatican at the alleged expense of America). Well, then, how do you prove your objectivity? Bash the Jews and Israel, hoping that your colleages and listeners will say, "Or this one is not like `others,' he is objectice; see, he can even criticise his own." Once you move in that direction, nothing is ever enough. I do not mean to get too philosophical, but I believe it was Nietzsche who observed that people invariable hate those whom they betrayed. So, sometimes this even takes extreme forms of self-hatred: here on FR, we have Justin Raimondo who was apparently born Jewish and seemd to have dedicated his life to eradicating Judaism.

What you see has happened at other times and in other places. When anti-Semitism was envigorated in the Soviet Union and much of professional employement ha become off-limits to people of Jewish descent, you could hardly see a Jew still in some power to employ another Jew. Everyone had the instructions not to hire Jews and, if you are Jewish yourself, how is it best to prove that you "agree," that you are "with them?" By expelling even those Jews whom tyou have under your command. Yes, it is betrayal, and this happened. Some Jews tried to get on the good side of the Nazis, too, only to be shipped with the second, rather than the fist, train to a gas chamber.

In sum, this is what we winess among the reporters, who try to prove their objectivity to us (in addition to simply playing the already predominant tune: in this country we are eager to quarell with the government, but it is un-American to quarell with the employer). This includes the upper echelons such as Ted Koppel: to me, he looks like a person who desparately tried to be British and bacame more so than the Earl of Salisbury.

I'm not getting a general sense of Jew hatred around here, are you? My Jewish friends (from very liberal to orthodox) aren't worried over what's happening here. I spent a few months in Munhen last year, and had the same sence, too. I think that German, as part of dealing with the past, are more on their guard with respect to hatred than the rest of the Europeans (this excludes, of course, the skinheads, who are mostly from East Germany).

Having said that, allow me to add, that I saw to armored vehicles in Berlin --- only two. Both were parked in front of the newly renovated and rededicated sinagogue. That is the level of fource that is needed to counteract the skinheads. Telling isn't it? I was there on the anniversary of the Kristalnaht, and it warmed my heart that thousands of people marched throughout Germany against racism and anti-Semitism. I do think that things are better, if not completely well, in Germany. For how long -- I do not know. Memories of the Holocaust will eventually die out, together with the perpetrators and victims.

On the far left you have Communism and Fascism. They are on the left, not on the right end of the spectrum. I know that what you said is almost universally accepted, if not unicersally known.

Please consider, however, that the spectrum may lie on a circle and not on a straight line. What then? If you go far enough to the left, you end up on the right. This is not too bad of a hypothesis: it explains, for instance, why the extreme left and extreme right resort to the same means, and why their look and feel is so similar.

Having said that, I don't know of anyone who would say that National Socialism was a left-wing political movement.

Er, here's a clue. It's the Socialism, stupid!

If, accorrding to Cukerman, the attacks are by Muslims, how does that make Europeans "anti-semitic"? You tell more in your post than you ask.

By the predominantly accepted Western standards, if you are born and reside in Europe, you are a European. Surely, you may be of Oriental, African, or any other more specific extraction, but you are a European. You can be of various religious persuasion: Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, etc.

It well may be accidental, but your question is based on a racist doctrine: that only Christians are Europeans. It is percisley this doctrine that led to much of the suffering in the past. Today you hear it in Polish, when someone speak of "Poles and Jews," while referring to the citizens of Poland; in Russian, when they speak of "Russians and Jews," while addressing the citizens of the Russian Federation. This terminloloy has never went away from France, where they too speak of "French and Jews," even when the latter have been in France --- worked for it, died for it in wars --- for centuries.

Again, you may have been accustomed to such terminology, but it is wrong. Please reflect how much is really burried behind this distinction.

Huh? We are talking about recent immigrants from Africa who are Muslims. Now it's true that the European governments dide not try to assimilate these people. But it's clear that a sub-strata of the population of European countries - namely Muslims of African descent - are the ones doing these acts. So fine, I'll restate it: if Europeans of African descent are acting out against Jews, then what does that tell us about Europeans of European descent. As for the Poles or Russians and Jews, there is a Polish state and there is a Polish nationality, just like there is for Russians. And, that's why we talk about Israelis and Israeli Arabs. I've seen "Israeli Arabs" used, but never "Israeli Jews".

Huh? We are talking about recent immigrants from Africa who are Muslims. Not necessarily: many of these are born in France, some a third generation.

So fine, I'll restate it: if Europeans of African descent are acting out against Jews, then what does that tell us about Europeans of European descent[?] Now, this question is both valid and deep. One cannot give justice to it in a short post.

In the very least it tells us something about the same thing the Catholic priest warned us about after the WWII: "When they came after the communists, I did not speak out because I was not a communist..." You probably know this often-quoted reference. In the very least there is complacency and lack of care.

Elswhere, I pointed to several other factors: post-colonial guilt, post-Holocaust mentality, leftist groupthink, and plain anti-Semitism. This is what seems to be happening in Europe in this area.

Nazi's are socialist which is leftist. Communist leftists do not promote equality. Equality is only of value when inalienable rights are recognized otherwise equality is irrelevant. As in you are all equally worthless.

The rightwing recognizes inalienable rights and limited govt. The left such as nazis' and communists do not.

Mussolini declares fascism the opposite of evil, marxism.

neat

... if these acts were happening with the same frequency per population, people here would be outraged.

Perhaps more telling, is that this outrage is not happening anywhere, and certainly not in Europe.

From a Christian viewpoint, any horror done to anyone should be criticized and condemned. Regardless of their race or religion.

From a freedom-loving/democratic viewpoint, a person has the right to express themselves freely, unless their actions infringe on the rights of others. While demonstrations may not directly harm Jews or Israel, damage to property or persons does, and should be stopped.

Yet these offenses have not been criticized or punished (as far as I can tell). Thus, the conclusion is that people, communities, and countries actually condone these acts.

And it is scary and shameful, that most of the world doesn't care what happens to the Jews or to Israel. Even here in America.

I hope Fortuyn can get things somewhat straight here in the Netherlands. Well, I wasn't planning to stay in Holland too long!