I posted the text below on my social media channels after getting annoyed by trolls who always respond to my posts about the explosion in Jew hatred, and my analysis and reporting on extremism and radicalization.
Yashar - I hate that you’re experiencing this and empathize as someone who has seen and experienced it, too. I appreciate you speaking out and shining a light on it because this kind of abuse isn’t OK directed towards anyone and is way too normalized/excused. Thank you for seeing it, being unafraid to call it out, and always being an ally. ❤️
I despise Netanyahu for furthering his agenda by manipulating Jews under the phony guise of Zionism. I also despise Trump for furthering his agenda by manipulating Christians under the phony guise of Christian Nationalism. Despising these narcissists does not mean one is anti-Semitic or heretical, it means one is rational.
Sure Doreen. Or maybe I was noting that despising someone and blaming them for evil in the world is not necessarily an attack on their ethnicity or religion.
Respectfully, I beg to differ. I do not subscribe to antisemitism, nor to persecutions or condemnations of anyone based on group membership or stereotypes. I think doing so is a form of mental illness.
That said, can you consider that the horrendous behavior of the modern state of Israel maybe fueling a good portion of the antisemitism we see in the world today? Is it causing it to increase?
Again, I am NOT justifying antisemitism, but it might be useful to try to understand at least some of the factors that could be causing it.
I read the entire article, twice. I thought about it carefully. I have also been studying this issue for a long time. (Our family was the only Jewish family in our area for much of the time I was growing up. I still remember like it was yesterday the older kids in the neighborhood chasing me on my way home from school, screaming "Kill the kike.") I am 75 now. I am no stranger to this problem in our world.
I think it actually helps and supports Yahsar's perspective to point out the things that the modern state of Israel and its leadership is doing in this world that infuriate non-Jews all around the world, and that provide excuses for antisemitism. I see no actual conflict between what Yashar wrote and the comments from Curmudgeontrix. There actually is a natural synergy between the two different perspectives.
Perhaps go back and look again and see if you cannot see how they are looking at the same problem, but from a somewhat different perspective.
Perhaps it is an important enough point, that is never really acknowledged in the mainstream media or narrative so that it bears more than a single mention.
Respectfully, I do not see how it detracts from the main point that Yashar is making.
Perhaps we need to think bigger these days to make any progress in understanding that resolving the biggest problems in this small world we all need to share.
Perhaps our thinking needs to be big enough so that we can hold several concepts and ideas, simultaneously, even when they may not be 100% congruent.
I am curious to hear how that comment from Curmudgeontrix landed for Yashar? Maybe he will weight in here and let us know if he feels the comment was somehow inappropriate or otherwise harmful.
One thing I want to point out is that Israel's iron-fisted control of the narrative and even egregious censorship is at least part of what makes so many resent the state of Israel and view its leadership in such unflattering ways. Perhaps if as a state and in their policies they demonstrated more respect for and tolerance of free speech, it would actually diffuse some of the massive ill will that it otherwise directed at the state. Just a thought to ponder...
I do not hate Jews. I do not hate Christians. I do not hate Buddhists. I do not hate Jains. And so on.
That said, the modern state of Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians and in doing so is very close to perpetuating the horrors of the holocaust by doing to the Palestinians what was done to them during the awful reign of the Third Rich. It has been doing this for decades. The war crimes are ongoing and weekly, if not daily events
And yet somehow if I dare to point this out and try to focus attention on the ongoing and murderous crimes committed by the modern state of Israel, I am either an antisemite or a "self-hating Jew."
I absolutely agree. There is nothing Christian about Trump or his cohorts or followers.
So many so-called Christians in the US are filled with hate. I would not be surprised if they someday create a new religion, solely based on specific parts of the old testament.
Thank you, Yashar, for speaking out on Jew-hatred. It isn't new. The U.S. has always hated Jews. WWII brought it out, but even in the Thirty's we were unable to allow Jews to enter (considering the Immigration Act of 1924). All the great universities had quotas (because they were afraid of being overrun by Jews); and many housing developments excluded Jews. This had nothing to do with Israel; it was all part of the culture, both working class and middle class.
Thanks for speaking up. There are some Christians who shed light on antisemitism, sometimes others like Buddhists, but I feel there certainly aren't enough people of Islamic backgrounds speaking up about it. Conspiratorial bigotry towards Judaism is wrong no matter if done in the name of Christianity, Islam, or any other religion.
I didn’t believe antisemitism was a real issue one or two years ago.
Then I started posting about politics.
Wow. I was dead wrong.
The deranged conspiracy theories about Jews have completely severed people from reality. It devours their entire existence. They drag every personal failure, every domestic crisis, and every global event straight back to Israel and the Jews.
I appreciate you saying this. For several years before 10/7 some of us noticed a discernible uptick in antisemitism. Eve Barlow was/is particularly vocal about it.
The problem with scapegoating Jews is that if/when Jews are gone, the issues remain. People don’t want the US involving itself in wars on Israel’s behalf but what they don’t realize is islamism isn’t just about killing Jews, it’s about creating a worldwide caliphate. Bin Laden didn’t take down the WTC because of the US’s support of Israel. He did it to take down the west.
The Koran does denigrate Jews specifically but also all non-Muslims. Perhaps it starts with the Jews but it doesn’t end with them.
I commented to someone Jewish of my acquaintance that as much as I think Israel has a right to defend itself, I nevertheless hate Netanyahu and his tactics. The response? He lunged at me and screamed, “You want to kill all Jews!” These are “parlous times” indeed. Ftr, I do not want to kill anyone, much less Jews. But the conflation of Israel’s political class with Jewry as a whole is a noxious viewpoint. Hatred of Netanyahu is not Jew hatred. It’s tyrant hatred.
Why are you attacking people for expressing their opinions?
People can certainly read what Yashar wrote and still add a comment that is not about that specific topic but related.
I also think that it's very important to make it clear that we can despise Trump without despising Christians, despise Netanyahu without despising Jews etc - perhaps these people just thought it was an important thing to add to the conversation.
Why don't you engage with them instead of trying to ridicule them?
The rise in antisemitism during the past few years is very worrisome. On Monday night the front doors of our synagogue in Toronto were riddled by bullets. Last night another two congregations in Toronto were attacked in the same way. Attacking Jews because they are Jews is antisemitism. I take no issue with protesting against Netanyahu and the actions of the Israeli government - it is legitimate protest. Attacking Jews is not. And it does point to general rot in society.
Palestinians descend from the original Jews who never left. We shouldn't hate them, either, and Israel shouldn't promote terror and oppressive hatred against the Palestinians in the West Bank.
Thank you, Yashar ❤️
Yashar - I hate that you’re experiencing this and empathize as someone who has seen and experienced it, too. I appreciate you speaking out and shining a light on it because this kind of abuse isn’t OK directed towards anyone and is way too normalized/excused. Thank you for seeing it, being unafraid to call it out, and always being an ally. ❤️
I despise Netanyahu for furthering his agenda by manipulating Jews under the phony guise of Zionism. I also despise Trump for furthering his agenda by manipulating Christians under the phony guise of Christian Nationalism. Despising these narcissists does not mean one is anti-Semitic or heretical, it means one is rational.
it’s like you didn’t read anything he wrote
Sure Doreen. Or maybe I was noting that despising someone and blaming them for evil in the world is not necessarily an attack on their ethnicity or religion.
… but why on this post?? is anyone disagreeing with you? it’s just totally irrelevant to what he wrote
Respectfully, I beg to differ. I do not subscribe to antisemitism, nor to persecutions or condemnations of anyone based on group membership or stereotypes. I think doing so is a form of mental illness.
That said, can you consider that the horrendous behavior of the modern state of Israel maybe fueling a good portion of the antisemitism we see in the world today? Is it causing it to increase?
Again, I am NOT justifying antisemitism, but it might be useful to try to understand at least some of the factors that could be causing it.
I read the entire article, twice. I thought about it carefully. I have also been studying this issue for a long time. (Our family was the only Jewish family in our area for much of the time I was growing up. I still remember like it was yesterday the older kids in the neighborhood chasing me on my way home from school, screaming "Kill the kike.") I am 75 now. I am no stranger to this problem in our world.
I think it actually helps and supports Yahsar's perspective to point out the things that the modern state of Israel and its leadership is doing in this world that infuriate non-Jews all around the world, and that provide excuses for antisemitism. I see no actual conflict between what Yashar wrote and the comments from Curmudgeontrix. There actually is a natural synergy between the two different perspectives.
Perhaps go back and look again and see if you cannot see how they are looking at the same problem, but from a somewhat different perspective.
yashar pointed it out himself in the article, so what does this add exactly?
Perhaps it is an important enough point, that is never really acknowledged in the mainstream media or narrative so that it bears more than a single mention.
Respectfully, I do not see how it detracts from the main point that Yashar is making.
Perhaps we need to think bigger these days to make any progress in understanding that resolving the biggest problems in this small world we all need to share.
Perhaps our thinking needs to be big enough so that we can hold several concepts and ideas, simultaneously, even when they may not be 100% congruent.
I am curious to hear how that comment from Curmudgeontrix landed for Yashar? Maybe he will weight in here and let us know if he feels the comment was somehow inappropriate or otherwise harmful.
One thing I want to point out is that Israel's iron-fisted control of the narrative and even egregious censorship is at least part of what makes so many resent the state of Israel and view its leadership in such unflattering ways. Perhaps if as a state and in their policies they demonstrated more respect for and tolerance of free speech, it would actually diffuse some of the massive ill will that it otherwise directed at the state. Just a thought to ponder...
Besides being rational, it indicates that one has a decent moral compass.
You are spot on.
I do not hate Jews. I do not hate Christians. I do not hate Buddhists. I do not hate Jains. And so on.
That said, the modern state of Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians and in doing so is very close to perpetuating the horrors of the holocaust by doing to the Palestinians what was done to them during the awful reign of the Third Rich. It has been doing this for decades. The war crimes are ongoing and weekly, if not daily events
And yet somehow if I dare to point this out and try to focus attention on the ongoing and murderous crimes committed by the modern state of Israel, I am either an antisemite or a "self-hating Jew."
I absolutely agree. There is nothing Christian about Trump or his cohorts or followers.
So many so-called Christians in the US are filled with hate. I would not be surprised if they someday create a new religion, solely based on specific parts of the old testament.
Thank you, Yashar, for speaking out on Jew-hatred. It isn't new. The U.S. has always hated Jews. WWII brought it out, but even in the Thirty's we were unable to allow Jews to enter (considering the Immigration Act of 1924). All the great universities had quotas (because they were afraid of being overrun by Jews); and many housing developments excluded Jews. This had nothing to do with Israel; it was all part of the culture, both working class and middle class.
Thanks for speaking up. There are some Christians who shed light on antisemitism, sometimes others like Buddhists, but I feel there certainly aren't enough people of Islamic backgrounds speaking up about it. Conspiratorial bigotry towards Judaism is wrong no matter if done in the name of Christianity, Islam, or any other religion.
Thank you Yashar. As always, true mensch
I didn’t believe antisemitism was a real issue one or two years ago.
Then I started posting about politics.
Wow. I was dead wrong.
The deranged conspiracy theories about Jews have completely severed people from reality. It devours their entire existence. They drag every personal failure, every domestic crisis, and every global event straight back to Israel and the Jews.
mass hysteria… the Salem witch trials 2.0
I appreciate you saying this. For several years before 10/7 some of us noticed a discernible uptick in antisemitism. Eve Barlow was/is particularly vocal about it.
The problem with scapegoating Jews is that if/when Jews are gone, the issues remain. People don’t want the US involving itself in wars on Israel’s behalf but what they don’t realize is islamism isn’t just about killing Jews, it’s about creating a worldwide caliphate. Bin Laden didn’t take down the WTC because of the US’s support of Israel. He did it to take down the west.
The Koran does denigrate Jews specifically but also all non-Muslims. Perhaps it starts with the Jews but it doesn’t end with them.
I commented to someone Jewish of my acquaintance that as much as I think Israel has a right to defend itself, I nevertheless hate Netanyahu and his tactics. The response? He lunged at me and screamed, “You want to kill all Jews!” These are “parlous times” indeed. Ftr, I do not want to kill anyone, much less Jews. But the conflation of Israel’s political class with Jewry as a whole is a noxious viewpoint. Hatred of Netanyahu is not Jew hatred. It’s tyrant hatred.
oh look, you didn’t read anything he wrote either 🤦🏽♀️
Why are you attacking people for expressing their opinions?
People can certainly read what Yashar wrote and still add a comment that is not about that specific topic but related.
I also think that it's very important to make it clear that we can despise Trump without despising Christians, despise Netanyahu without despising Jews etc - perhaps these people just thought it was an important thing to add to the conversation.
Why don't you engage with them instead of trying to ridicule them?
You are spot on. Doreen's position seems to be reflex defensiveness rather than any desire for a better understanding.
I have not seen a single comment here endorsing antisemitism. I certainly do not endorse it.
But that does not mean that there are not valid criticisms of the leadership and policies of the modern state of Israel.
Thank you Yashar. Deeply appreciate your words.
The rise in antisemitism during the past few years is very worrisome. On Monday night the front doors of our synagogue in Toronto were riddled by bullets. Last night another two congregations in Toronto were attacked in the same way. Attacking Jews because they are Jews is antisemitism. I take no issue with protesting against Netanyahu and the actions of the Israeli government - it is legitimate protest. Attacking Jews is not. And it does point to general rot in society.
Palestinians descend from the original Jews who never left. We shouldn't hate them, either, and Israel shouldn't promote terror and oppressive hatred against the Palestinians in the West Bank.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settler_violence
Now do one about antizionism.
Are you Jewish?
Conspiracy comment award
Hoorah, I win!
I'm now on your secret "watch list."
You should start to believe in people with questions.
Good post. And I’m so glad I don’t have to kiss your Iranian ass. 😉
Thank you!
Holy crap Yashar……an intelligent analysis, well-written, thought provoking with the unusual “this” doesn’t come from personal prejudice or hate.
What were you thinking?