There's a new anti-semitism according to Denis MacShane in the Washington Post who says, "Hatred of Jews has reached new heights in Europe and many points south and east of the old continent." I agree with that. Here's the situation:
Our report showed a pattern of fear among a small number of British citizens -- there are around 300,000 Jews in Britain, of whom about a third are observant -- that is not acceptable in a modern democracy. Synagogues attacked. Jewish schoolboys jostled on public transportation. Rabbis punched and knifed. British Jews feeling compelled to raise millions to provide private security for their weddings and community events. On campuses, militant anti-Jewish students fueled by Islamist or far-left hate seeking to prevent Jewish students from expressing their opinions.More worrisome was what we described as anti-Jewish discourse, a mood and tone whenever Jews are discussed, whether in the media, at universities, among the liberal media elite or at dinner parties of modish London. To express any support for Israel or any feeling for the right of a Jewish state to exist produces denunciation, even contempt.
Nothing about that really sounds new or different. Jews have always been persecuted, hated, and yes, murdered. But here is the difference as Mr. MacShane sees it:
The old anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism have morphed into something more dangerous. Anti-Semitism today is officially sanctioned state ideology and is being turned into a mobilizing and organizing force to recruit thousands in a new crusade -- the word is chosen deliberately -- to eradicate Jewishness from the region whence it came and to weaken and undermine all the humanist values of rule of law, tolerance and respect for core rights such as free expression that Jews have fought for over time. (read it all here)
Is that really new? Is it? I'm asking, because I personally don't see it as something new and different. People are simply bolder, more outspoken about their racism and hatred these days. With internet, mass media, and other forms of communication -- news travels quickly. For example, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can say Israel should be wiped off the map, and within seconds anyone in the world with a television or internet connection hears his comments. Hatred of Israel is simply out of the closet and in the high speed world we live in. Just my opinion, I welcome yours.
Related: Jay Tea at Wizbang says, "I'd like to see the next prominent politician who says we ought to establish relations with Hamas nominated to be the US ambassador to them." Touche'!
See "Reformed Jewish Leaders?..Shame on YoU" at Woman Honor Thyself.
From Martin at Blogbat, WAC Promoting Moral Equivalency on 9/11?
On September 11, the World Affairs Council will be screening a film some might consider sympathetic to terrorists.
The HBO-produced documentary about the Arab-Israeli conflict titled, “To Die in Jerusalem” essentially seems to be another propaganda flick for the cause of moral equivalency; the ostensibly non-partisan World Affairs Council seemingly ready make that cause relevant to Americans by promoting it on the sixth anniversary of 9/11. (Go read it all)
Addressing this latest form of anti-semitism is an extremely important and woefully under-reported issue, and good for you for bringing it up here.
ReplyDeleteFor me, there is just no other reasonable explanation for why both Europe and the UN (and sometimes, sadly, even the US) side with these murderous Arabs against our only democratic ally in this whole violent region, other than plain old-fashioned anti-semitism. These days of course it can be cleverly disguised as statecraft or legitimate criticism of a Israel's foreign policy -- but make no mistake about it, Jew-hatred is alive and well and flourishing in the twenty-first century -- even amongst some of those leftist self-hating American Jews.
The Arabs hate the Jews and want them dead. Period. A large part of Europe and our own MSM have chosen to throw in their support to the "poor down-trodden Arabs" and the so-called "moderate Muslims" --the very same noble Arabs and moderate Muslims who lovingly embraced Adolph Hitler and eagerly swore allegiance to the Nazi swastika in order to more effectively kill the Jews.
Later, these down-trodden Arabs and moderate Muslims chose to align themselves with our bitter enemies in the Soviet Union.
I could go on and on but the bottom line is simply this -- once again, our Socialist friends in Europe and our elitist leftists here in this country have chosen the wrong side. And sooner or later they will come to realize their terrible mistakes.
To try to characterize this constantly threatened and beleaguered democracy as -- of all things! -- Nazi occupiers is one of the most vicious and flagrant distortions of truth in recent history.
Excellent article Debbie and I echo Roger's comments on this!
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