Wouldn't it be more correct to call the Muslim, Asian and African opponents of Israel "anti-israelites" instead of calling them antisemitic? — Eros1982
Here I need a little help now, cause I thought that the word antisemitism refers to systematic discrimination, prejudices and conceptions of the Jews that have prevailed in the Christian world the last 2000 years — Eros1982
It is hard in my view to trace systematic prejudices against Jews in the non-Christian world — Eros1982
Wouldn't it be more correct to call the Muslim, Asian and African opponents of Israel "anti-israelites" instead of calling them antisemitic? — Eros1982
Since Christians and Europeans now are a minority in the Planet Earth, it makes sense, I guess, that the world antisemitic should not be applied to Asian, African and Arab critics of Israel — Eros1982
It wouldn't be more correct to confine the word antisemitic to the Christian and Western World, instead of using it for people who might live in Nigeria or Yemen? — Eros1982
Why? Nigerians are not semitic. It seems you just want to reserve a special word for a certain group in order to demonise them, specifically Europeans and Christians. — Lionino
Even if the term were not obsolete, most people who refer to antisemitism either are not aware of the inclusion of Arabic-speakers, or don't care: they just mean 'discrimination against Jews' either as an ethnic minority or as a religion, usually both, they never include the anti-Arab sentiment so prevalent today in various countries.A member of any of the peoples who speak or spoke a Semitic language, including in particular the Jews and Arabs. The name comes via Latin from Greek Sēm ‘Shem’, son of Noah in the Bible, from whom these people were traditionally supposed to be descended.
Even if the term were not obsolete, most people who refer to antisemitism either are not aware of the inclusion of Arabic-speakers, or don't care: they just mean 'discrimination against Jews' either as an ethnic minority or as a religion, usually both, they never include the anti-Arab sentiment so prevalent today in various countries. — Vera Mont
When you call someone antisemitic — Eros1982
I hardly understand how people who do not know Jews at all (were taught nothing about them) — Eros1982
But it is hard for me to call a Nigerian Muslim, to take an example, antisemitic, even if that person dreams the end of Israel. Insofar as the latter was taught to see the history of Israel from the Palestinian/Arab perspective, not from the European far right perspective, he better be called Anti-Israeli or even Jewish-hater, but not antisemitic. — Eros1982
What?"Antisemitism" is a euphemism. — Ennui Elucidator
It sounds pretty bad to me. Especially when applied to someone who has never harmed, berated or done anything mean to a person who identifies as Jewish.a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
A simple heuristic is that anytime you speak about (or react to) Jews or someone's Jewishness you are in ambiguous territory. — Ennui Elucidator
Obviously if you are talking about banning ritual slaughter of cows in the EU and you fail to account for Islamic or Jewish views on the subject, you would be missing a significant consideration in the conversation. — Ennui Elucidator
Israel (whatever you think about it) is far too complicated to be a helpful example of what antisemitism is or isn't. — Ennui Elucidator
In some respects, merely discussing it is evidence of antisemitism unless such discussion is happening amongst people meaningfully effected by it. — Ennui Elucidator
And yes, you are right, speaking about any group puts you in ambiguous territory. Seems pretty simple. The question is whether there is sufficient intellectual warrant to speak in those terms and potentially be misunderstood. — Ennui Elucidator
Whether or not you are entitled to your opinion is neither here nor there, what is being discussed is whether it is useful to speak in terms of religion. — Ennui Elucidator
"I want you to stop cutting down my lawn" — Ennui Elucidator
pretending as if you are discussing individual ethics rather than communal ethics is more trouble than it is worth. — Ennui Elucidator
The same does apply to the US and Japan. When people who hate the US talk about the US in negative terms, it is a) evidence that they hate the US and b) might be true. — Ennui Elucidator
Do you think Jews are the only group/people capable of being hated? — Ennui Elucidator
That Israel does bad things is self-evident, but also insufficient to explain why it is the topic of conversation. — Ennui Elucidator
It doesn't take a thesis to know that most people talk about Jews and Israel because they are antisemitic — Ennui Elucidator
Maybe because it's in the news? Maybe because people are suffering and dying? Maybe because there is cause for concern regarding the direction in which events are going? Maybe because some people have questions about the leadership? If you talk about the weather or goldfish or a possible cure for Parkinson's or how to grow cabbages, you don't have to produce a "sufficient explanation". Again, I ask you, what puts Israel in a special category? — Vera Mont
For the Western audience, you can't just point to its coverage as reason for why you are talking about it as if that is independent of the Western antisemitism. It is covered because the West is antisemetic and when you talk about it, you are likely just acting out that antisemitism. Isn't your fault. You don't know any better. It is a system of antisemitism just as it is a system of racism. — Ennui Elucidator
Did anyone care about Palestine before? — Ennui Elucidator
t is covered because the West is antisemetic — Ennui Elucidator
Foreign Secretary William Hague said Israel is a "friend and a strategic partner" of the UK in a speech to Chatham House today.
This cultural and political affinity is behind the U.S.’s current unconditional support for Israel, as well as the fact that the U.S. is seen in the region and beyond as deeply implicated in Israel’s actions.
the U.S. is by far the biggest supplier of military aid to Israel, contributing around $130 billion since its founding.
They don't look all that hostile to me.Israel and Canada have nurtured a friendship and partnership based on shared values since Canada voted in favour of establishing a Jewish state at the United Nations on November 29, 1947.
You don't know any better. — Ennui Elucidator
I started to care about Israel when it became relevant in a conflict escalation that could lead to world war 3, before that I did not care.The West only cares about Israel because it is antisemitic — Ennui Elucidator
There are powers in the Middle East that have nuclear options, things can happen.nothing that happens there would cause WW3 — Ennui Elucidator
In any event, I already pointed out that things can look supportive of Jews (or Israel) and yet be antisemitic. — Ennui Elucidator
I am a person "in the west" so yes, I matter here.Your personal feelings are entirely aside from the system. — Ennui Elucidator
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