We reject antisemitism in all its forms, including when it masquerades as criticism of Zionism or Israel’s policies. We also recognise that, as journalist Peter Beinart wrote in 2019, “Anti-Zionism is not inherently antisemitic—and claiming it is uses Jewish suffering to erase Palestinian experience.”
The Jews are the only people for whom criticizing the government of the country they’re typically associated with is interpreted as racism. If I say the Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity no one thinks I’m a racist. If I say Donald Trump is a moron, no one thinks I hate all Americans. If I say the Israeli government shouldn’t be responding to Hamas’ attack the way they are? Oh man, now I’m an antisemite and hate all Jews!
The fuck is wrong with this world?
It’s public relations spin. If you haven’t noticed, the Israeli government isn’t exactly what one would call ethical. They use every trick in the book to insulate themselves against criticism, up to and including crying antisemitism.
It’s disgusting, really. After WWII, many people did what they could to distance themselves from even the barest hint of antisemitism, and with good reason: the actions of the Nazis were reprehensible. Israel has taken that cultural awareness, unwillingly purchased with the blood of their ancestors, and used it to commit genocide of their own.
The foundational myth of Israel is that Jewishness is a national essence holding a supreme right to control over particular territory, above the rights of those who contest the right.
Conceding the distinction between antisemitism and criticism of Israel is conceding the fallaciousness of the myth on which depends “Israel’s right to exist”.
Protecting the myth depends on disparaging any Jewishness of critics and disparaging the humanness of the occupied population.
Jews must be united in their claim to the lands, and any opposing the claim must be opposed, as an opponent of undivided and untainted Jewishness.
Which is funny since there’s plenty of Jews that are against Israel at the moment or as an artificial construct instead of a miracle from God, believing that it should be peacefully dismantled so that God would be the one to choose when they are to go back from exile, not men.
The fuck is wrong with this world?
Religion.
Ok maybe not all of it, and not all religious people. Kinda like how #metoo wasn’t actually about all men, just the problematic ones. When I say religion is what’s wrong with the world I’m not talking about memaw going to church on Sunday. I’m talking about people fucking people blowing each other up in the furtherance of what they perceive to be some divine goal.
Sure, the type of person to feverishly go to war over some stories would probably be extremely opinionated without religion, but you don’t see anyone going down to the fucking Renaissance faire with a rifle because of the guys dressed as pirates.
Believing things strongly isn’t the problem. It’s the system of organized moral superiority that’s the problem.
I would actually disagree on China, the position that it was possible the WIV was the cause of COVID was successful painted as xenophobic or racist, rather than a viable option.
Which always struck me as odd considering a bunch of your people eating random jungle meat so much they cause worldwide diseases sounds like you could be way more racist about it. Yet, somehow that was painted as the less racist option.
If I say the Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity no one thinks I’m a racist.
I see you haven’t met any tankies