Abusing Anti-semitism By Ran Ha Cohen Options

[silkworm]

Abusing 'Anti-Semitism'
by Ran HaCohen



The eve of the Jewish New Year is an excellent occasion for what Jewish tradition calls Kheshbon Nefesh, or soul-searching on so-called "anti-semitism", which has now become the single most important element of Jewish identity. Jews may believe in God or not, eat pork or not, live in Israel or not, but they are all united by their unlimited belief in anti-semitism.

When a Palestinian kills innocent Israeli civilians, it's anti-semitism. When Palestinians attack soldiers of Israel's occupation army in their own village, it's anti-semitism. When the UN General Assembly votes 133 to 4 condemning Israel's decision to murder the elected Palestinian leader, it means that except for the US, Micronesia and Marshal Islands, all other countries on the globe are anti-semitic. Even when a pregnant Palestinian woman is stopped at an Israeli check-point and gives birth in open field, the only lesson to be learnt is that Ha'aretz journalist Gideon Levy – who reported two such cases in the past two weeks, one in which the baby died – is an anti-semite.

Anti-semitism is an all-encompassing explanation. Anything unpleasant to anti-Palestinian ears is just another instance of anti-semitism. Jewish consciousness focused on anti-semitism has taken the shape of anti-semitic conspiracy theories, like that of The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion: whereas the anti-semitic classic relates every calamity to Jewish conspiracy, Jews relate to anti-semitic conspiracy every criticism of Israel. As we shall see, this is not the only similarity between anti-Palestinianism and anti-semitism.

It is high time to say it out loud: in the entire course of Jewish history, since the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BC, there has never been an era blessed with less anti-semitism than ours. There has never been a better time for Jews to live in than our own.

Up to just two generations ago, anti-semitism was a legitimate political and cultural attitude in most of the world's leading powers. Anti-semitism was something you could express openly, even be proud of. Disliking Jews was as natural then as detesting cockroaches is today. Nowadays, anti-semitism is a taboo and a criminal offence in every developed country on earth. Even truly anti-semitic groups deny their anti-semitic character, knowing it is politically unacceptable. Unlike earlier centuries, where anti-semitism stood in direct proportion to the number of Jews in the pertinent country and thus constituted a real threat to them, the countries where anti-semitism is still thriving today – mostly poor Muslim countries – are virtually empty of Jews, so that the actual danger to Jews there is minimal; representatives of Muslim communities in the West have to give up their anti-semitism as a precondition for entering the political system.

Just a few generations ago – the Holocaust aside for now – Jews were treated as second-class citizens in all major Jewish concentrations. They were denied civic and religious rights almost universally. There were limits on access of Jews to universities and many professions, to public service and to any position of power; sometimes even marrying and making children was dependent on quotas and licences. Such institutionalised discrimination and oppression is not only totally extinct today: it is utterly unimaginable. With one revealing exception (Israel, where non-orthodox religious Jews are discriminated against), Jews enjoy full religious freedom wherever they are. They have full citizenship wherever they live, with full political, civic and human rights like every other citizen. This may sound trivial, but it was not so just a few generations ago and throughout the entire first and second millennia. Repressive regimes have either collapsed, or their Jewish population has left them.

Nowadays, an orthodox Jew can run for the most powerful office on earth, the president of the United States (I personally hope he doesn't win). A Jew can be the mayor of Amsterdam in "anti-semitic" Holland, a minister in "anti-semitic" Britain, a leading intellectual in "anti-semitic" France, a president of "anti-semitic" Switzerland, editor-in-chief of a major daily in "anti-semitic" Denmark, or an industrial tycoon in "anti-semitic" Russia. None of this was imaginable a century ago. Jews have free and unlimited access to every institution in every country they live in; ironically, a converted Jew is even mentioned as a possible successor to the Holy See. At the same time, "anti-semitic" Germany (home to the world's fastest-growing Jewish community) gives Israel three military submarines for free, "anti-semitic" France has proliferated to Israel the nuclear technology for its weapons of mass destruction, and "anti-semitic" Europe has welcomed Israel as a single non-European country to everything from football and basketball leagues to the Eurovision Song Contest, and has granted Israeli universities a special status for scientific fund-raising.

The Holocaust has been the greatest catastrophe in Jewish history and among the greatest crimes in human history – but the very fact that these words sound so obvious is a great victory on anti-semitism. The term genocide, coined by a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust (R. Lemkin) and modelled on the genocide of the Jews, has found its way to international legislation and been affirmed as a crime by almost all the countries on earth, including eventually (with a shamefully long delay) the US. The Holocaust has (justly!) become the prototype of genocide, a synonym for Crime against Humanity. There were several other genocides in the 20th century – enough to mention the Armenian genocide by Turks (which preceded and inspired the Holocaust) or the Tutsi genocide by Hutu in Rwanda (which was even more "efficient" than the Holocaust). However, while other genocides are still struggling even to be acknowledged, the Holocaust is the only genocide which is considered unquestionable to the extent that its denial is in some countries a criminal offence. No other genocide even comes close to the 250 memorial museums and research institutes dedicated to the Holocaust around the world, and no other genocide survivors have been financially compensated like the persecuted Jews. In such a world, whoever cries "anti-semitism" twice a day has an extremely heavy burden of proof to shoulder.

The State of Israel has always been cynically exploiting allegations of anti-semitism, condemning purported and cooperating with actual anti-semites at will. Last week, to quote just a minor example, when the world was outraged by Italy's monarch Berlusconi's claim that his fascist predecessor Mussolini "had not killed anybody but just sent people to holidays in exile" – which comes fairly close to Holocaust denial – the only official Israeli reaction was that of an unnamed spokesman for the 2nd Minister in the Ministry of Finance, who mumbled that "If the words have been said (!), one can not agree with them, since History speaks for itself" (Ha'aretz 14.9, p.12 bottom). The reason for this ear-deafening outcry is simple: Berlusconi, like most right-wing extremists, has taken a decisive pro-Israel stand in Europe. So let him even deny the Holocaust if he likes, Israel will show understanding. After all, Israel was a closest ally of the most racist regime in the post-WWII era, South Africa's Apartheid: moral considerations have never played any role whatsoever in Israel's politics and diplomacy.

On a state level, some may excuse it as Realpolitik. The institutionalised pro-Israel lobby has compromised its integrity to such an extent, that I won't be surprised if, say, the Anti-Defamation League, which cries anti-semitic wolf on a daily basis, now hails the fascist apologist Berlusconi as a distinguished statesman; Actually, precisely this world-record of hypocricy has taken place this very week. Much more disturbing is the intensive resorting to "anti-semitism" claims by Jewish individuals and institutions who do try to maintain a look of integrity. Such claims take many creative forms: for example, some Jews have a morally repulsive pastime of looking for worst cases of oppression – Russian atrocities in Chechnya (whose veterans, by the way, join the Israeli army), Chinese in Tibet – which supposedly "prove" that the media focus on Israel is anti-semitically motivated. As if it were not outrageous enough to be on the shortlist of evil-doers, as if only the gold medal in this satanic competition, but not bronze or silver, is worthy of protest. And I wonder how many of those arm-chair pro-Israel Tibet specialists ever bothered to actually do something to free Tibet, except for exploiting its suffering to distract from Israel's atrocities.

The abuse of alleged anti-semitism is morally despicable. It took hundreds of years and millions of victims to turn anti-semitism – a specific case of racism, which led historically to genocide – into a taboo. People abusing this taboo in order to support Israel's racist and genocidal policy towards the Palestinians do nothing less than desecrate the memory of those Jewish victims, whose death, from a humanistic perspective, is meaningful only inasmuch as it serves as an eternal warning to the human kind against all kinds of discrimination, racism, and genocide.

Moreover, portraying the victimisers as victims – a standard characteristic of anti-Palestinian propaganda – is precisely what anti-semitism has always done: in blood-libels which portrayed defenceless Jewish victims as victimisers of Christian children, or in the ultimate accusation of Christ killing, which abused the persecution of early Christians to legitimate the persecution of Jews once the balance of power changed. Thus, evoking Jewish victims of the past to defend Jewish victimisers of the present –remember that Israel has one of the mightiest armies on earth – is a moral fault on a par with, and embarrassingly similar to, anti-semitism itself.

Happy New Year 5764.

– Ran HaCohen

[redcake]

Thanks for posting that antisemitic rant about anti-semitism.

"Jews are united by their unlimited belief in anti-semitism" .... so ignorant.

[Jim]

Thanks for posting that antisemitic rant about anti-semitism.

"Jews are united by their unlimited belief in anti-semitism" .... so ignorant.

uh... how can it be anti-semetic if the article is written by a semite?

This guy is Jewish, is he not?

[Jon]

uh... how can it be anti-semetic if the article is written by a semite?

This guy is Jewish, is he not?

So Wafta Sultan is not anti-muslim. Right?

[redcake]

uh... how can it be anti-semetic if the article is written by a semite?

This guy is Jewish, is he not?

Who cares that he's Jewish?

Can a Jew hate another Jew?

Can an Arab who is semitic be anti-Arab or anti-Jewish, and express bigotry against other semitic people?

If a Muslim wrote an opinion piece claiming that Muslims were only united by their hatred of Jews.... or their support of terrorism.... wouldn't he still be expressing anti-Islam sentiments? What about is a Muslim writer said "Islam is really only united by it's unlimited belief they're being targeted by Western Governments"?

Are you that far removed from reality that you can't see how this is anti-Jewish?
To say that the one thing uniting Jews is playing their victim card is bigoted.

Anti-Semitism is on the rise, and this is in great part due to essays like this posted on forums like yours, which only serve to validate hatred and distrust towards Jews. Antisemitic incidents around the world are way, way up. The climate right now is very scary. In the US the greatest number of hate crimes is against Jews.

[Jim]

Who cares that he's Jewish?

Can a Jew hate another Jew?

Can an Arab who is semitic be anti-Arab or anti-Jewish, and express bigotry against other semitic people?

Quite simply, no. Just because he is giving constructive criticism doesnt make him a hater of his own people. He obviously is speaking with experience as a semetic person in a free society that accepts semetic people. To be a hater of semites would make him a self hater and I don't see self hatred in his writing at all.

Your argument is the same argument that many Muslims use on me when I strongly criticize suicide bombings, even against Israeli civilians. Same logic. Am I a Muslim hater? No. I just want my own people to better themselves and see a flaw in their logic or practice.

[redcake]

WOW. You just equated suicide bombings which is an aggressive action with the Jewish victimization at the hands of antisemitism.

Speaking of antisemitism... I'm done here.

[Jim]

WOW. You just equated suicide bombings which is an aggressive action with the Jewish victimization at the hands of antisemitism.

Speaking of antisemitism... I'm done here.

What? How is this anti-semetic?

Just explain to us. Because I dont see it. Im willing to learn. But you are not willing to help me understand. You just make these confrontational offensive remarks.

[NoachideJoe]

It seems to me that the original article IS anti-semitic because the entire, overall impression it gives is that the Jews are only united by their self-pity (which, if one actually thinks about it, harbors negative connotations...REALLY). Although the intentions of the original poster may not have been to perpetrate an anti-semitic viewpoint, posting the article (in my humble opinion, anyway) is like someone saying: "No, not all of those ragheads are crazy anti-semites!!" See? The overall 'message' says one thing, but the details of it suggest another.

But, that is just my $0.02...I can't speak for redcake.

[Jim]

Thank you NoachideJoe.

Well, if an arab wrote an article criticizing Arabs based on a flaw they see among their own people, I wouldn't have a problem with that. A black standing up and criticizing blacks for their failings, i dont have a problem with that. This guy is an Israeli Jew who is well known for speaking against Israeli policy in Israel and I dont have a problem with that.

Silkworm has not given his opinion to speak ill of Jews as a group, race, or religion. He posted an article by an Israeli Jew. Are we now going to say that no one but a Jew can post an article written by a Jew otherwise it is antisemitic? That is irrational thinking and doesn't make sense.

I have done some research on Ran HaCohen. Here is his details:

Dr. Ran HaCohen (1964-) is a university teacher in Israel known for his strong criticism of Israel's policies. He grew up in Israel, but was born in the Netherlands. Having graduated from university with a B.A. in Computer Science, an M.A. in Comparative Literature and a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies, he works as a literary translator of German, English and Dutch and as a literary critic for the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. Occasionally, he writes on the libertarian Antiwar.com website.

Ran HaCohen

Ran HaCohen, who teaches at Tel-Aviv University, maintains an active web site, Letter from Israel, where he makes a very compelling case against the Occupation. He was referred by Don Bustany, who calls him "an Israeli critic of Israeli policies."

Voice of Israel

Since Ran HaCohen is an Israeli Jew raised in Israel, has a PhD in Jewish studies and works in Israel at an Israeli newspaper, I cannot deem this an antisemitic article. Furthermore, the State of Israel allows him to live, work and freely speak his opinion in Israel. If the Israeli government has not taken action against this man, neither can I censor his article as antisemitic regardless if it is a Jew or non-Jew posting it.

I tend to think the article and it's dissention should be discussed openly, for or against. It expresses dissention, not antisemitism. We cannot confuse the two.

However, if you or Redcake still thinks that I am wrong on this issue, you can request that all of the moderators (not all are Muslim and some are pro-israel), review this thread. If it is deemed by any one of us to be antisemitic then we will remove it.

Just let us know.

[NoachideJoe]

...I tend to think the article and it's dissention should be discussed openly, for or against. It expresses dissention, not antisemitism. We cannot confuse the two.

This does seem reasonable to me (a non-Jew, and therefore not as likely to be sensitive to all forms of anti-semitism). However, I have nothing further to say on the matter; I have expressed my opinion.

...you can request that all of the moderators (not all are Muslim and some are pro-israel), review this thread. If it is deemed by any one of us to be antisemitic then we will remove it...

I, personally, don't believe that to be necessary. Although, I AM interested in their opinions, nonetheless. As I wrote above, it seems that there are some anti-semitic views expressed in the article...views that may go beyond simple dissention. It should also be noted that I believe in the right to free speech, and strongly encourage those who feel that speech is being directed against them, specifically, to make their own views heard.

[redcake]

Silkworm has not given his opinion to speak ill of Jews as a group, race, or religion.

I'm outraged. I have no interest in continuing to post here, but this truly disgusts me.
BrJimC, You should be ashamed of yourself.

Silkworm came to this forum with a post count from other forums where he has routinely made Holocaust revitionists posts:

http://www.forumofislam.com/index.php?show...=6399&st=20

Finally the word is out, the author of Anne Frank diaries claims (rightly so) that it was fake, that pulls down the whole "Holohaux" curtain to a stark naked stage. So hallelujah to that brothers & sisters.

More of the same here:
http://truemuslim.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=1560
http://truemuslim.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=1243

He has also engaged in historical revitionism in this forum, along with a forum moderator BRJimC when depicting Anti-Jewish pogroms as a result of Jewish aggression and/or Zionism despite their predating any formal Zionist movement by 50 years or more. Any suggestion that the events which occured in Safed in 1834 or the Damascus Affair in Syria, in 1984 were Jewish provocations or related to Israel is ignorant and hateful.

Worse... again on this very forum Silkworm made a thread giving his opinion on Jews. It's not exactly ambiguous, it's titled "My personal opinion about Jews" http://islamfactor.org/index.php?showtopic=233
where he says

"they made their Rabbis and Ravs their gods"....."They brought destruction upon themselves by monopolizing and capitalizing the "money-matters", corrupting government officials and siding with tyrants to protect their existence sometimes by bribing Christian clergies."..... "the worst thing is, the Jews never learned to respect humanity after the alleged "Holocaust""

Now jeepers BrJimC.... how the hell can that be construed as anything other then speaking ill of Jews as a group, race, or religion? The Holocaust is alleged? It's laughable that BRJimC has also written a definition of Anti-semitism for this forum, and feels he is qualified to moderate such discussions, while also defending, or turning the other cheeck from the above hate speak.

As for the hate filled concept that Jews are only united by anti-semitism.... let me make it very clear - Jews are bound by their beliefs, their common ancestry, culture and history....NOT their victimization. END OF STORY.

It does not matter who the hell tells you otherwise, be they a supposed Jew, or the Prime Minister of Israel for goodness sakes....it's incorrect, and it portrays Jews negatively. The entire purpose of it is to libel Jews as if to say that by recognizing anti-Jewish sentiments, the victims are in actuality milking it, using it to their benefit, and using it as provocation. It also suggests that anti-semitism is only something Jews create for purposes of propaganda, while aslo accusing modern Jews in the diaspora and Israel of being void of a culture, or religion beyond remembering pogroms.

I don't know though... maybe Muslims are only united in their unlimited belief in Islamophobia? Gosh that's not bigoted is it?

Shame on you.

[NoachideJoe]

I'm outraged. I have no interest in continuing to post here, but this truly disgusts me...As for the hate filled concept that Jews are only united by anti-semitism.... let me make it very clear - Jews are bound by their beliefs, their common ancestry, culture and history....NOT their victimization. END OF STORY...

I agree with your assesment of what unifies the Jews...and your feelings and viewpoints are PRECISELY why you should remain here to post.

[Jim]

Redcake,

I dont care what silkworm has written on other forums.

On this forum, we have a process to deal with things deemed "hateful".

Your attitude is what is the problem here. You seem very hateful and angry in everything you say.

If you think Silkworm or anyone else has posted anything against our forum rules, you should ask us to make a decision on it. READ our forum rules.

Your link to Silkworms opinion on Jews:

Silkworm said, "Whatever happened in the past I can't blame them because every nation has its priorities

Through out human history, Moslems and Jews never had any problems.

In 1099 AD, Moslems and Jews fought Crusaders side by side and time and time again they proved to be good friends of Moslems."

These are positive statements, not hateful.

I agree with most of your post above, except the accusations of antisemitism. He did use the terms "Alleged Holocaust" Even I disagree with that statement of his. However, it is not a crime or hateful to believe something no matter how untrue it is, in my opinion or yours, or even his.

I agree with NoachideJoe. You should stay.

But dont think that we are going to dish out favoritism to any member of any ethnic group, religion or nationality.

If you have a problem with anything that is posted, let us know and we will make a unified decision on whether to remove it, edit it, warn the member or suspend/ban the member.

But don't rant and show the hateful agression you have been, please. It doesn't do you any good. Instead of this, respect our forum purpose and rules and use our system that is in place to decided on issues that you think are against our rules. Getting in a fight with the mods or admin staff isnt the answer.

[Coexist]

Redcake, instead of being so angry, why don't you answer his posts with factual answers from your side? We (Muslims) have done the same with another member here, (on another thread). It's called 'freedom of speech'. As long as he is not being completely insulting, threatening, he is entitled to his opinion. So if his opinion is wrong, prove him wrong.

[redcake]

These are positive statements, not hateful.

I agree with most of your post above, except the accusations of antisemitism. He did use the terms "Alleged Holocaust"

How can you disagree with my accusation of antisemitism while confirming he used the phrase "Alleged Holocaust" ?

Read it again, so next time you can recognize this as unacceptable bigotry and moderate instead of joining in on the conversation:

"they made their Rabbis and Ravs their gods"....."They brought destruction upon themselves by monopolizing and capitalizing the "money-matters", corrupting government officials and siding with tyrants to protect their existence sometimes by bribing Christian clergies."..... "the worst thing is, the Jews never learned to respect humanity after the alleged "Holocaust""

There's nothing there to "debate". Also, who cares about any supposed positive comments about Jews he threw in? The quality of my responses to bigotry is secondary to recognizing the bigotry itself. How dare you pretend these accusations against Jews warrant anything but anger and attitude. So, if this is what you consider acceptable, then I'm glad you think I'm the problem.

This post has been edited by redcake: Mar 30 2008, 07:04 AM

[Jim]

How can you disagree with my accusation of antisemitism while confirming he used the phrase "Alleged Holocaust" ?

Read it again, so next time you can recognize this as unacceptable bigotry and moderate instead of joining in on the conversation:



There's nothing there to "debate". Also, who cares about any supposed positive comments about Jews he threw in? The quality of my responses to bigotry is secondary to recognizing the bigotry itself. How dare you pretend these accusations against Jews warrant anything but anger and attitude. So, if this is what you consider acceptable, then I'm glad you think I'm the problem.

Antisemitism has been defined by many sources in many different ways. Denial of holocuast however erroneous is not itself any more antisemitic than denying 911 happened is anti-american. It is simply a historically wrong assertion but not itself a hatred of Jews. We should maybe discuss this at on another thread if you like. Although some white supremacist groups use denial of holocaust as a platform for their hatred, denial isnt itself a hate comment but simply an erroneous one.

I joined the conversation because Im trying to understand what exactly it is that you are saying, because it seemed to me that he wasn't trying to be antisemitic in his comments.

we have two other mods that will weigh in on this who havent spoken yet.

If we get some more people from the Jewish community to weigh in, I can better make a decision on this.

BTW, I apologize if I have offended you in any way. I will try to do better to handle Jewish and or Israeli issues. We have no other problems like this on the forum. It seems the Israeli Palestinain crisis strikes very deep into the core of people. That is why we need more discussion on it.

[LadyGarnetRose]

Labeling entire groups of people, countries what have you as Antisemitic is wrong, very very wrong.

I will say Holocaust denial is part of the antisemitic attitude, yet is not antisemitic in and of itself. I also will have a kneejerk reaction and the moment somebody denies the Holocaust happened think 'antisemite'. Yes even if the person is a semite. There is such a thing as self hating, Hitler embodied it, while not Jewish in any sense he was not a member of his "Master Race".

While antisemitism is not what it was, it still exists wholesale. Sometimes a person doesn't even know what they are doing is antisemitic, in the Midwest of America (never heard it anywhere but there) people, when they have to pay a lot for something or they feel were cheated in a deal of some sorta will say, "he Jewed me"... Even those that have never had a problem with a Jew, do not look upon Jews in a negative light will use that term until educated, "you know that is like really offensive".

Unless you are the object of racist, creedist, or a nationalist type speech, it is very difficult to see it.

[Jim]

Labeling entire groups of people, countries what have you as Antisemitic is wrong, very very wrong.

I will say Holocaust denial is part of the antisemitic attitude, yet is not antisemitic in and of itself. I also will have a kneejerk reaction and the moment somebody denies the Holocaust happened think 'antisemite'. Yes even if the person is a semite. There is such a thing as self hating, Hitler embodied it, while not Jewish in any sense he was not a member of his "Master Race".

While antisemitism is not what it was, it still exists wholesale. Sometimes a person doesn't even know what they are doing is antisemitic, in the Midwest of America (never heard it anywhere but there) people, when they have to pay a lot for something or they feel were cheated in a deal of some sorta will say, "he Jewed me"... Even those that have never had a problem with a Jew, do not look upon Jews in a negative light will use that term until educated, "you know that is like really offensive".

Unless you are the object of racist, creedist, or a nationalist type speech, it is very difficult to see it.

You are right Lady. I am from Midwest America and as a young boy (before I knew better) I heard such comments from my relatives (who are all Roman Catholics).

Sometimes people dont realize it. Even as a Muslim, I have had well meaning American folks say something totally offensive to me (as a Muslim) and not realize it. I usually combat that with a degree of tolerance and education, not reverse hatred or comments.

I believe antisemitism if real and alive today.

I see it. As per this thread and some of the other comments I have had to deal with, I see some comments that walk that 'tight rope'. Rest assured though that if there is an antisemitic comment, it will be dealt with swiftly.

I wonder how we detect what is self hating and what is constructive criticism??


PS. I like your name

[LadyGarnetRose]

You are right Lady. I am from Midwest America and as a young boy (before I knew better) I heard such comments from my relatives (who are all Roman Catholics).

Sometimes people dont realize it. Even as a Muslim, I have had well meaning American folks say something totally offensive to me (as a Muslim) and not realize it. I usually combat that with a degree of tolerance and education, not reverse hatred or comments.

I believe antisemitism if real and alive today.

I see it. As per this thread and some of the other comments I have had to deal with, I see some comments that walk that 'tight rope'. Rest assured though that if there is an antisemitic comment, it will be dealt with swiftly.

I wonder how we detect what is self hating and what is constructive criticism??


PS. I like your name

We detect it by how others react to it. I am reactionary and I've worked on changing how I react, but sometimes I get a craw in my toe where I go off and KABLOOEE it's not a good thing really, I can get mean very very mean. Tight ropes are balanced. If one walks a tight rope without falling they are very very balanced in their thoughts and deeds. I've known many who have helped open my eyes to the world.


PS. Thank you