Why is anti-Semitism crawling out of the shadows?

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

ANTI-SEMITISM has come crawling back into popular politics, together with the far-right fringe that had kept it quiet, but never abandoned it.
According to an audit by the Anti-Defamation League, there were 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. in 2017, up 57 percent from the previous year. Far from being concentrated in “red states,” the highest number of anti-Semitic events occurred in New York, California, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
This increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and attacks on Jewish places of worship, cemeteries and elsewhere exists in other countries, particularly where far-right political forces have had successes.

To read more:

https://socialistworker.org/2018/07/16/why-is-anti-semitism-crawling-out-of-the-shadows

With an openly racist President, is it any wonder that racism and racists in all of their forms are crawling into the open?

[malaise]

1. Why is Israel passing Apartheid laws?

Our planet is sick with hatred of the other

[guillaumeb]

2. Hatred, and fear of the other.

They are always used to divide workers so that the rich can more easily exploit them.

[mitch96]

9. "divide workers so that the rich can more easily exploit them."

Exactly! The old divide and conquer plan... Jill Stein comes to mind...
m

[guillaumeb]

10. My opinion is that Jill Stein loves the attention

that she gets from her quadrennial publicity tours as she pretends to build a Green Party.

[JI7]

4. what does this have to do with the OP

its like bringing up anti gay laws in a muslim country if we are talking about hate attacks on muslims.

[malaise]

14. That's fine

Racism affects everyone
I have Jewish ancestors and relatives.

[stevil]

18. good for you.

The original post had nothing to do with Israel. But you went there. I recall a post about a bus attack on a Jewish person. You also blamed Israel that time. It happened in the US. You had someone come to your defense. You backed out and couldn't respond. I'm a Jewish Canadian. A resident of the United States. You couldn't care less. A prolific poster, it's a shame you can't be kinder.

[malaise]

22. All racism is racism

I don't care if it's anti-Semitism, apartheid, hatred of brown people, black people Indian people, Chinese people.
No people are more special than other people in my world.
Check the laws being passed in Israel right now. I against all forms of racism and all forms of racism are on the rise.

[leftynyc]

46. Now all you have to do is explain

what laws being passed in Israel has to do with anti-semitism in the US. You conflate the two all the time and it's time you explain yourself.

[malaise]

49. I don't have to explain anything

You explain why you don't condemn the apartheid laws being inflicted on Palestinians.
I condemn all forms of racism.

[leftynyc]

50. That's not what this story is about

and YOU are the one trying to deflect or conflate or whatever it is you're trying to do. Don't want to explain yourself? I'll draw my own conclusions as you OBVIOUSLY don't understand what anti-semitism is all about and DON'T condemn all forms of racism.

[LanternWaste]

51. Hence, your condemnation of the Rohingya genocide as well, I'd hazard.

"I condemn all forms of racism..."

Hence, your condemnation of the Rohingya genocide as well, I'd hazard; as it would appear, by your own direct implications, rather biased to reference the one while ignoring the other. Except...

[guillaumeb]

21. Malaise said "Israel", not "the Jews".

Israel in this context means the Israeli government. The Israeli Government does not represent all of the Jews, it represents a certain portion of the Israeli citizens.

[malaise]

24. Correct n/t

[guillaumeb]

27. I should have added that I was not speaking for you,

but I have never seen you write anything anti-Semitic so I felt that my response was needed.

[JI7]

29. but why bring up israel at all in this thread ?

[guillaumeb]

31. I cannot answer for Malaise.

But group hatred is a specific theme of this thread.

[stevil]

30. Right.

Was the original post directed at Jews? Yep. Directed at Israel? Nope. And I sent you a nice response to one of your posts because I'm not religious but, well fuck it. I like that you have a voice. Please tell me what the original post had to do with Israel? You can't and you won't.

[guillaumeb]

32. Please see #21 and #31.

It represents my opinion of why another posted.

[still_one]

39. I sorry, but that was not a mistake. The associate with Israel and the Jews is not a coincidence,

and the comment should either be edited or removed because the implication is obvious, and the history of Israel and the history of the Jews is closely entwined


The association between Jews and Israel in a negative manner among some here on DU, are not subtle at all, as evidenced when comments made by some here regarding certain Jewish members of Congress that vote a certain way because they say their "allegiance are to Israel, not the U.S"


And whether people want to admit it or not, that is anti-Jewish sentiment

So please don't be patronizing, because the association between Israel and the Jews is VERY CLEAR, and try to gloss it over as it doesn't mean "all people in Israel", or it is just the government is Israel not the "Jewish people" is disingenuous at best

[guillaumeb]

44. I do not see some right wing Israeli politicians

as representative of all Jews. JVP is one prominent group that opposes much of what the Israeli government has done. Does that make JVP anti-Semitic, or does it represent another viewpoint held by Jews?

[Hortensis]

52. Bias on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, language,

food and clothing, relative wealth or poverty, what cars are driven, politics, etc., are all variations of the same personality characteristics. A person who is strongly bigoted toward any one of those is often toward other groups seen as different, with active animosity developing toward those that inadvertently trigger it, like by just being noticed.

On the right the bias is, of course, toward people seen as "different," not members of the tribe. I read a study that reported animosity developing toward people of a fictional smaller group, differing from a fictional larger group only by fictional group size! Apparently the subjects identified with the larger group because of its size.

On the left, bias is more likely to be against members of groups seen as obstructions to acceptance/imposition of values/systems they believe all should benefit from.

On the left a great deal of the antisemitism reportedly arises from viewing Jews as overall wealthy and powerful and thus "establishment," (a bigoted delusion held in common with many on the right, of course) which has lead to casting them as evil victimizers to those biased against groups that have more than others and biased for those seen as victims.

Just being Jewish typically qualifies one for hostility by both types, though. Ultimately, there's more similarity between right and left wing acting out against their objects than otherwise. And it's no coincidence that the anxieties of this era have caused resurgence in hateful behaviors in both.

[guillaumeb]

53. A good post, with an excellent ending.

Anxiety, especially but not only economic anxiety, leads to hate and violence.

Hitler exploited German economic anxiety.

[Tarc]

20. "Israeli apartheid" is an antisemitic canard

Let's try to move past that, shall we?

[egduj]

41. Your slip is showing...

[leftynyc]

45. What does Israel have to do

with anti semitism in NY? Are you equating ALL Jews with Israeli's?

[kimbutgar]

3. I've been wondering that also..

Being a minority, I never get the prejudice over their fellow white people.

[guillaumeb]

6. Jews, like Muslims,

are not seen by conservatives as being truly white. Whiteness, having no scientific validity, is a purely social construct, so defining who is white is not based solely on skin color.

[kimbutgar]

8. Good explanation

I am from a family with African American ancestry. Could probably get away with passing for white. But I will never deny who I am. A Mormon told me once that I would be accepted in their church because God had given me white skin.

[radius777]

35. Nordic fetishism is at the core of white supremacy.

Within the white structure there is itself a racial hierarchy whereby those who possess the archetypal Nordic/Scandinavian traits - blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin, tall, chiseled features - are viewed as the ubermenschen.

Only northern Europeans WASPs are truly seen as white.

And increasinlgy many white nationalists don't view any type of Abrahamic faith (including Christianity, WASP or non) as a legitimate 'white relgion'... where only Odinism is the true white religion that embodies true white values.. where Christianity embodies 'Jewish values' being an offshoot of Judaism.

[guillaumeb]

36. This is much in line with Hitler's own views about Nordic/Aryan blood.

As if there could exist a "pure bloodline" anywhere in the world when all of us trace our genes to Africa.

[EllieBC]

47. And we are seen as white by the far left

to deny antisemitism except when they need to trot us out for some performative allyship.


Antisemitism is not new. Ask Jewish college students on US campuses who have been victimized for years usually under the lie of "Middle East concerns".

[guillaumeb]

48. Agreed.

Denying what is obvious brings into question the motives and/or intelligence of the denier.

[still_one]

40. Gee, we "killed Jesus after all". That is what has been preached for thousands of years, and until

Vatican II it was the widely held belief.

The history of the Jews is filled with hatred against them, a large part because they wouldn't accept Jesus as god.

It isn't a question of the color of their skin as much as their refusual to accept Christianity. Muslims have had the same problem. The crusades

When I was a kid growing up in Iowa I was constantly harressed. Jews are cheap, (I got jewed), Christ killer, Jews were not allowed to be members in certain clubs. Florida had hotels with signs, no dogs or Jews allowed, quotas in medical schools, etc. Had a lot of harassment and fights because of that shit.

I was told buy a baby sitter when I was 5 years old because I was Jewish that I would be going to hell. Needless to say my parents never hired that sitter again

Yes, African Americans have had it far worse, much due because it was more difficult to recognize someone as being a Jewish verses African American, but ironically while many demographic groups have animosities toward certain groups, a common thread as Tom Lehrer pointed out in his song "National Brotherhood Week", "Everybody hates the Jews"


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwingvrziqXcAhVmlFQKHVQFDKoQ3ywIKzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DaIlJ8ZCs4jY&usg=AOvVaw1KrXGhjIIUwPhFlqrRkMUY

[appalachiablue]

5. Anti everyone who's non Anglo white it seems recently, and

some longtime ugly, anti Semitism that rises in strange times. It's just awful.

[guillaumeb]

7. Agreed.

Non-Christians, even those with white skin, were never seen as truly white. In fact, Muslims were forbidden to become naturalized citizens until 1944.

[Honeycombe8]

12. I don't know. I don't even understand it.

Why is there anti-semitism? I don't know. One group can dislike certain things about another group. I get that. But to the degree that Jews are discriminated against and hated by some? I don't get it.

But I saw something recently that was sort of anti-semitic. I don't remember what it was.

But I guess it's been simmering beneath the surface until Trump came along and made it okay to be racist, misogynistic, and such.

I don't think anti-semitism is widespread in this country, though. Not that I can tell.

I will say that criticism of Israel is sometimes seen as anti-semitic, but I don't think it is. You can dislike Israel's actions without disliking its people for being Jewish.

I don't understand it. Jewish people seem like a great group of people to have in a country. Hard working, smart, family oriented. A lot of comedians are Jewish, have you noticed? I like the Jewish people I've known.

[guillaumeb]

15. I do not understand it either.

Except that perhaps every ruling class needs someone to blame, but that does not explain why Jews are so often singled out.

[stevil]

25. Hi.

You don't get much love in another one of the forums. I respect your faith. Jews were the "others", they lived among "others" as well. We lived on other people's terms and tried to survive. Almost. When I was growing up I learned about ancient history. I learned songs, I learned Hebrew. And I learned that we were hated. It's survival. It wasn't hatred against anyone else. Just a way to live. And we make the best husbands and wives.

[guillaumeb]

28. There are some few who take exception to my "good news" posts

in another group. I respect all beliefs, including non-belief. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism and other forms of group hatred never really disappear. Look at all of the anti-black prejudice, all of the Islamophobic hatred.

[Nevernose]

17. I can tell you why anti-senitism is a "thing"

Because Jesus spoke clearly about loaning money at interest. It’s a sin. Charging people interest on a loan is, with no ambiguity, a sin in Christianity.

Jews aren’t Christians. That's why they were the bankers of Europe through the Middle Ages and beyond and the origin of the “banker” slurs; they invented the European version of baking. So when anybody couldn’t pay their debts? Blame the Jews. King couldn’t pay for his wars? Pogrom against the Jews. Rich people couldn’t pay for their second summer mansions? Cheaper to invite sentiment/incite violence against Jews. For hundreds of years.

Conservatives don’t change. They like ripping people off and then getting poor people to blame minorities for it, then making poor people pay for it.

[Honeycombe8]

19. I've never heard that before. Interesting. I've heard the "Jesus" argument...

that they don't believe Jesus was the son of God. And that the Jews are responsible for Jesus' execution. But come on, most of the people who feel that way aren't that religious, anyway. And that's no reason for hatred and killing them. So I never fully bought that argument.

[mopinko]

13. this is a scab that was picked by those who prefer this country

divided. purposely, callously, predictably.

same as the racism.

[guillaumeb]

16. Yes, and it diverts attention from the 1%

who profit at the expense of everyone else.

[radius777]

23. Populists right and left resent successful 'others'.

Populists at their core tend to be nationalists who see themselves as the true citizenry entitled to the 'fruits' of 'their' land (eg, 'blood and soil', 'peace, bread and land',)and view 'others' as exploiting them.

Buried within the populist id is a volatile mixture of insecurity and entitlement.. and the dictatorial, conspiratorial and persecutorial policies that result are about resolving this contradiction.

Jews, through their hard work and dedication to education etc, are often successful despite historical persecution and oppression, and are thus scapegoated by the populists who resent that resilency.

[guillaumeb]

26. Rulers often need "others" to take the blame for their own failings.

The specifics of who is "the other" can vary, but the pattern is consistent.

[ucrdem]

33. Bataclan and Charlie Hebdo occurred before Trump.

I recc'd the OP and abhor the problem but the article would be better if the acts were better classified. Is Trump responsible for this? Possibly some of it but some of it is political in nature as Malaise pointed out above and blue states have more diverse populations than red states meaning more acts of violence will reflect international geopolitical tensions.

...................

Pew, Jan. 3, 2018:

Muslims are not evenly distributed around the country. Some metro areas, such as Washington, D.C., have sizable Muslim communities. Likewise, certain states, such as New Jersey, are home to two or three times as many Muslim adults per capita as the national average.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/03/new-estimates-show-u-s-muslim-population-continues-to-grow/

[guillaumeb]

34. I agree, but, no matter the specific claimed motivation, anti-Semitism

as an example of group hatred has a 2,000 year history. And open acts of group hatred have increased under Trump's misrule.

[ucrdem]

37. Yes, no argument.

[MicaelS]

38. THE RW have always hated Jews, but...

Up until the last few decades the Left have supported Jews, but as other posters have shown in this thread, the Palestinians are one of the darlings of many on the Left.

Just as Islam is the new darling of many on the Left.
No matter how opressive the behaviour that many of it's adherents engage it, it is anathema to criticize them, or their religion.

Seems like many on the Left can't live without being a champion of someone they believe is oppressed. If one does not exist, they will create one.

Since the Jews are seen as oppressing the Palestinians by these Leftists, it is fine to hate them.

Just my opinion.

[guillaumeb]

42. And an interesting opinion it is.

And well expressed. I disagree with much of it, but it is still well expressed.

[MicaelS]

43. Thank you very much. n/t