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What I have learned in recent years is how shockingly accepting of antisemitism people apparently are on both sides of aisle. Growing up in a prominently Jewish

• Dah00n 5y ago
  How so? The norm in human society is to accept that people can grow and learn with time. The fact someone can be fired or shifted because of something like this said 14 years ago speaks volumes of the power of cancel culture and says nothing about antisemitism.
  • FridayoLeary 5y ago
    The fact that he felt qualified to lead a diversity team (whatever that might mean), with the knowledge that he authored such an article speaks volumes about his moral compass and lack of conscience.
    • geodel 5y ago
      I'd say he'd be proud of his comments and really surprised what is this sudden noise all about.
    • Dah00n 5y ago
      It is incomprehensible to me how anyone could judge someone on something they said 14 years ago when it would likely instantly be explained today that that wasn't what he meant and isn't his opinion today anyways. This is a perfect example of people wanting to ruin other people's lives without so much as listening for one minute to what the victim have to say - because yes, this is making him a victim, persecuted for something that might very well be a misunderstanding. It's one thing the we see persecution by anti-Semitic people against jews -we are used to that sadly- but that it equally often happens the other way around from people who surely knows better is mind-blowing.
• mooseburger 5y ago
  It's really about Israel's actions. Can't really expect the Holocaust to buy an eternal Get out of Jail free card for Israel.
  • NateEag 5y ago
    And Jewish != Israeli. How is that hard to understand?
    • Udik 5y ago
      Easy, but then don't pretend that people calling Israel criminal are antisemitic. (Also, let's not pretend there aren't a lot of non Israeli Jews defending Israel whatever it does).
      • NateEag 5y ago
        Yup, I don't do that. The author of the post under discussion made statements about Israel and about Jews. It's the blanket statements about Jewish people that I'd call anti-semitic.
        • Udik 5y ago
          > It's the blanket statements about Jewish people that I'd call anti-semitic. I find those inappropriate too- I think he might have gotten carried too far in making his point. However, on one hand I think it's an understandable slip: after all, Israel calls itself the Jewish homeland and often tries to extend criticism it receives to all Jews (by calling it antisemitic). This with little objection from Jews elsewhere. On the other hand, "antisemitic" is a very strong accusation: are we sure there aren't middle grounds, such as calling something inappropriate or incorrect, without associating it straight away with one of the worst mass murders in history?
          • dragonwriter 5y ago
            > However, on one hand I think it's an understandable slip: after all, Israel calls itself the Jewish homeland and often tries to extend criticism it receives to all Jews (by calling it antisemitic) “Some racists justify racism by equating their racism with their race and calling criticizing of their racism an attack on their race” doesn’t even begin to justify, excuse, or mitigate racism against that race. That’s what all racists of all races do, and if we accept that as a justification for racism all racists will be justified by other racists.
• nso 5y ago
  Reading his blog post it seems to me like he is commenting on Israeli state politics and the extremists within its borders rather than "any" jew. Yes he uses the word jew in a general way, which of course is unfortunate as Israel does not solely consist of jewish people. His points are presented without hyperboles, and while they certainly do not paint Israels state politics in a good light, how is this anti semitism (which in wikipedia is defined as "hostility to, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews")? Antisemitism is of course as inexcusable as any other form of racism, but criticism of a country's or groups political views and policies is not hate nor discrimination. In my opinion his removal is an overreaction, but with how polarizing this subject I don't see how it could have gone any other way.
  • GranularRecipe 5y ago
    Anti-Zionists deny being anti-Semites, claiming they make a clear distinction between Israel as a political entity and Jewish people in general, and are only against the former. Bobb conflated Israeli politics with Jewishness and thus making the latter responsible for the actions of the former. The fact that Israel defines itself as a Jewish state does not mean that all Jews see themselves as Israelis or are pro-Israel. It is like criticising Arabs for the actions of Saudi-Arabia, or any other Arab (or Muslim) country, which is unfortunately an recurring theme in the West and justifiably regarded as a form of racism (Islamophobia).
• theossuary 5y ago
  I'm trying to understand what he did that was so wrong? He (correctly imo) called out Israel for its violent tendencies. The only mistake he made that I can see is he conflated Israel with the Jewish people generally. But Israel has a massive propaganda campaign leading people to do exactly that (an attack on Israel the country is an attack on Jewish people in general). If that blogpost was the same, but said Israel, instead of the Jewish people; would there be any issue with it today? I really don't know much about the Jewish faith or how it interplays with Israel, so I'm just trying to understand where all the anger is coming from. I feel like Israel is acting in bad faith on public forums too, which makes everything more complicated for somebody unfamiliar with it all. EDIT: Reading more comments I think I get the gist of the controversy, he insinuated all Jewish people should feel guilt for the actions of Israel? I agree that's wrong, but I understand how somebody could come by that belief. Israel themselves have fostered the narrative that Israel represents the Jewish people by constantly conflating an attack on Israel as an attack on the Jewish people.
  • adamrezich 5y ago
    in a culture where all white people are guilty for slavery, this mindset makes sense to me
    • dragonwriter 5y ago
      > in a culture where all white people are guilty for slavery, this mindset makes sense to me Not all white people are guilty of slavery, and virtually no one thinks that they are. Essentially all American white people continue to materially benefit from a long history of systematic racism in America [0], including slavery, state-mandated and state-tolerated post-slavery subjugation and segregation. Heck, many living white Americans are direct beneficiaries of overt discrimination in public programs, not to mention systematic, coordinated private discrimination. People who oppose acknowledging the latter point like to set up the former as a convenient strawman. [0] which is not to say all are in a good absolute position, or even not structurally disadvantaged on balance; systematic racial discrimination isn’t the only structural bias in American society.
• geodel 5y ago
  Yup. Just do "STEM research" and it will be fine. For others who do not even express views, forget inappropriate views "Silence is violence".