Researchers blast EU for 'burying' anti-Semitism study

[Gimel]

LONDON - A German sociologist who led an
unprecedented, comprehensive research study on the
causes of anti-Semitism in Europe, has charged
that an "overly-politically correct" European
Union, which commissioned the research, "buried"
the report for fear that it could spark civil war.

The report on anti-Semitism in Europe was shelved
by the EU's racism watchdog after it found that
Muslims and pro-Palestinian groups were
behind many of the incidents, the London-based
Financial Times reported last week.

The EU has maintained that the report was
tainted by anti-Muslim bias and the use of
inappropriate research methods.

"I think that the European Union buried the
research out of fear of civil war, and from
excessive political correctness," Professor
Werner Bergman, one of the co-leaders of the
study, told Haaretz.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/364930.html

[La_Serpiente]

1. Perhaps the EU should have released the study

If the professor doesn't have a racist background, why should there be a need for concern? The truth hurts sometimes, but it is the truth.

But if there were some shady spots in his past, then maybe it shouldn't be released.

[MikeGalos]

2. If the study is valid it should be released.

If not, there should be SOLID documentation on how the study is flawed rather than tarring its authors just because the politicians don't like the study.

Of course, it's not like the EU has held studies bashing Israel or Israelis to any kind of scrutiny.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. I'll take that a step further

EDITED for typing

The report should be released even if it is flawed.

Neither you nor I know what is in that report, other than what the press tells us.

We may assume that the report purports to be a scientific study of the phenomenon of anti-Semitism in Europe today. Well, we should know what it has to say about anti-Semitism in Europe. No serious person would deny that the phenomenon is real. How deep is it? What is its nature?

If it is a scientific study, then the report will present data, draw conclusions from the data and describe the methodology used to both gather the data and arrive at the conclusions. Perhaps some on the commission will find fault with the method or dispute the conclusions drawn from the data. If so, they should be allowed to file a minority report and append it to the main report.

In any case, the report should be published and the chips fall where they may. That's how science is supposed to work. Beyond that, we should trust the public to determine whether the report is valid or not.

[bluesoul]

11. Whatever the study brings,

I know the whole thing is not even close to being such a "problem" as some would like to make it look like. As a European, I should know...

[Lurking Dem]

12. Isn't that like saying

as an American I should know the depth of the problem of racism here?

[bluesoul]

13. If you talk to people about it

most certainly!

[bemildred]

3. The Professor would probably serve his cause better

if he addressed the criticism put forward:

The EU has maintained that the report was
tainted by anti-Muslim bias and the use of
inappropriate research methods.

And the censors would serve their cause better
to publish the study with an argument for the
criticisms they allege.

Right now all we have is a name-calling contest.

[BlackFrancis]

5. Do you think it's wrong?

I have no idea what is in the study, but previous ones have shown that while there was no connection between the size of Jewish populations in Europe to anti-semitic vandalism or attacks there was a direct correlation between unemployed Muslim populations and these incidents.

I can understand why they would want to bury this. It's grist for the anti-immigrant propaganda machine, but I doubt that it's conclusions are wrong.

[bemildred]

6. I have no idea.

It seems to be more of a political football than
a scientific study, from what I can tell, so I'm not
sure whether the meaningful question is not "Do you
think it's wrong?" so much as "Do you agree with our
conclusions?".

I think vandals and the like should be apprehended and
punished; and people should be able to walk down the street
without being annoyed by bigots, but these are properly
police matters.

I agree with your implication that idle hands are the
devils playground, but unfortunately full-employment interferes
with the prerequisites of the ruling classes, so they try
to prevent it.

I am generally opposed to "burying" anything, and I do mean
anything; candor and openness make you free, bullshit and
censorship keep you in servitude.

[Gimel]

7. It sounds like

they were afraid of a backlash, a civil war. Do you think the anti-Israel crwod is holding them hostage? Why would the issue of Israel spark a civil war in Europe? Quite cowardly, or perhaps not an issue they cared enough to defend.

[BlackFrancis]

8. has nothing to do with Israel

It has to do with Jews vs. Muslims in European countries.

[Gimel]

14. Nonsense

the whole issue is about Israel. If it wasn't for Israel the Jews would be oppressed more.

Muslims and pro-Palestinian groups were
behind many of the incidents, the London-based
Financial Times reported last week.

It is aimed at Israel and uses the Jewish population as scapegoats, defacing synagogues and property.

[bemildred]

9. You must be using "civil war" in some metaphorical sense

that I do not understand. The idea of a real civil war over
this is ridiculous. I think the good doctor is annoyed
that his study is being censored and is tootling his own horn
as vigorously as he can to rectify the matter.

[Gimel]

15. the core of the argument

was reported to be over the definition of anti-Semetism. Just as was discussed on this board, anti-Israel is also anti-Semetism.

[bemildred]

16. What else would the disagreement be about?

A suitable choice of the definition of anti-semitism
will broadly determine the results of the study. One
could view the study as a mechanism to advance a preferred
definition of anti-semitism, but of course that would be
un-scientific, eh?

[Gimel]

20. In such a case

If the definition of a term is inconsistent, then the terminology should also be the focus of a preliminary study. If the anti-Israel anit-semitism is a different variety, and then you can show that those a significant number of those who are anti-semitic in the general sense are not anti-Israel. They would be the ones defacing synagogues, but then of course have no negative feelings about Israel. Questions like approval of the Jewish State, would be answered affirmatively.

Then those who are anti-Israel, but not anti-Semitic. They should answer affirmatively to questions about accepting the Jewish community in their country.

As this second group would not be defacing synagogues, as they are not anti-semitic, you could say that they are politically opposed to Jews living in Israel.

By defining your terms, you could then have more sub-groups in the population, and more variety.

No single study should be taken as conclusive, either. It is better to look at longitudinal studies, taken over several years or decades time.

[Paschall]

21. Funny, in the thread on Mussolini's daughter...

...bolting the National Alliance party you say she is anti-Semitic but NOT anti-Israel. "A rare breed" you call her.

How do you deal with the cognitive dissonance?

[Gimel]

22. See post 20

There is room for exploration and differentiation of any social terminology. The study accepted the definition that anti-Israel is also anti-Semitic. There was some disagreement over this, as Bemildred has noted.

It seems to me that in the majority of cases, those who are anti-Semitic are also anti-Israel. There may be a small percentage, such as Mussolini that are not. I haven't met everyone yet. I have no closed book on observation.

[Classical_Liberal]

4. If they had released it, you would have accused them of

covering up the antisemitism of native europeans.

[rini]

17. This may help a bit

http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:IDbJutS7I74J:eumc.eu.int/eumc/material/doc/3e42ccb61af79_doc_EN.pdf+eu+anti-semitism+study&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Gimel]

23. Right -o

Interesting, yet seems very limited in scope. Found the link to the yet unpublished study:

http://eumc.eu.int/eumc/index.php

[aneerkoinos]

18. My thoughts.

The study should be published, of course, but not by EU if the study fundamentally flawed and does not deserve the credibility of EU, if the study is just scientifically embarrassing. This is hard to judge without seeing the study.

So let the guy/group who made the study publish it in papers, on Internet, let there be no censureship, let there be debate!

[pistoff democrat]

19. Update

---
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a leader of the Greens Party in the European Parliament on Tuesday strongly denounced the EUMC for shelving the report. "The completely mad thing is that they didn't want to continue because they were afraid to offend a certain Muslim opinion in Europe," he told Israel Radio. "This is a completely crazy and wrong approach."
---

The report on anti-Semitism in Europe was shelved by the EU's racism watchdog after it found that Muslims and pro-Palestinian groups were behind many of the incidents, the London-based Financial Times reported last week.
---

The sources told Haaretz that "the decision not to accept the report was taken by the 18 members of the Management Board of the EUMC all
of whom are eminent academics, researchers and campaigners in the field of anti-Semitism and xenophobia." They said the decision was made due to the "poor quality" of the study.
---

"The decision not to publish was a political decision," a source familiar with the report told the Financial Times. He said the report had uncovered a "trend towards Muslim anti-Semitism, while on the left there is also mobilization against Israel that is not always
free of prejudice."


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/365115.html

[Paschall]

24. The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia has responded...

...to the allegations its report has been shelved.

See this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=34292