Are charges of anti-semitism sometimes made to deflect criticism

[Karmadillo]

of Israel's actions? There seem to be a lot of anti-semitism threads in the GD forum lately and I'm wondering if they've appeared at least in part because of the collective punishment Israel is currently inflicting on Lebanon. I guess what I'm asking is whether the threads have something in common with the charge of anti-Americanism leveled by the right against those who criticize the United States.

[liberal N proud]

1. I believe that charges of anti-semitism is used too freely

And quite frankly, I think it just hurts any true charges of anti-semitism.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Yeah

-like saying Bob Dylan is a heeb

-like saying Washington is ZOG- Zionist Controlled Government

-like saying Jews control the media

-like suggesting defacing Jewish owned property in Italy is a legitimate form of protest to Israel's real or alleged sins.


-like saying Mel Gibson could solve his problem by writing a big , fat check to the Jewish community.
(my personal favorite for its atavistic roots)

[DistressedAmerican]

14. Links please?

I;'ve never said anything of the sort. But, I've been called an anti-semite no less than 8 differnet times this week alone for criticizing the indescriminate nature of the Israeli response.

If other have said those things, they were out of line and should have been alerted on. When someone sees an isolated comments like that, they shoulsd not assume that they rest of us share those offensive views. Yet is has been assumed about me over and over since the Qana bombing, the point that my criticism of these actions began in earnest.

Fair?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. How's This

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1803593



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1804534

[DistressedAmerican]

20. Did you alert on those comments?

If you do they will be removed. Them's the rules 'round here.

The rest of my post remains un-addressed. Is it fair to take those isolated examples and broad brush smear folks like me who have never said any such thing in his life with them? That is happening over and over day after day.

There are anti-semites in the world and apparently right here as well.

But, if you use their actions to smear those that are merely criticizing Israel's policies right now, you (in the general not you specifically) are just ad bigoted and prejudiced as the assholes you are referring to above.

Jerome_K seems to be the most offensive practitioner of the smear in question. He has hurled it at me 5 times this week, each time alerted and each time removed. That is unacceptable.

Right?

I do not condone anti-semites, no one should condone those that throw out the charge based on stuff the person they are talking to NEVER said.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. No- I Rarely Hit The Alert Button

I was trying to find the other links.

It seems the search function only goes back forty eight hours for your own posts.

I swear on my mother that the "Mel Gibson should should write a fat check to the Jewish community" and the "Bob Dylan's a heeb" crack is true. I hope the yahoo who wrote that reads this. I found the former comment funny because it's almost comic book anti-semitism.


To your question, imho there are posters on both sides of this issue who are over the top. Religious and/or ideological chauvinism are never the basis for constructive dialogue.

[LostinVA]

2. My opinion? Many of them, yes

[LaurenG]

3. Many people are using it and some aren't level headed enough

to see the forest for the trees. I personally don't feel one bit anti anything about a particular group, war sucks no matter who fights them.

I am anti killing for obvious reasons.

[Junkdrawer]

4. There used to be a prohibition against using the antisemitism charge...

just because one opposed the policies of Israel. I guess that's going by the boards.

[Lurking Dem]

5. It's used that way about as often as

the charge, "I can't say X or I will be called an antisemite" is.

[dipsydoodle]

6. See my note here from a minute ago

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1807298&mesg_id=1807469

[TreasonousBastard]

8. Not just anti-Semitism, but...

it's a common rhetorical device to deflect arguments by exploiting bigotry. And it works because we all know bigotry exists.

Note how carefully politically correct we have to be to avoid charges of being racist, homophobic, or any other sort of bigot in just about any discussion. There's always someone who will either be genuinely offended for some obscure reason, or try to turn the discussion around and obscure the real point.

Remember the "Fat Actress" wars here?

(It's time for an update on Godwin's Law.)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Isn't That A Good Reason To Be Respectful To All Groups?

eom

[malaise]

9. Yes if you're against the

US government's slaughter of Iraqis and now Lebanese, then if there is one iota of consistency in your being, you are also against the Zionist state's attacks on the Lebanon.

This morning I watched the Blair press conference and he was attacking Ahmadinejad. He said Ahmadinejad called for the destruction of Israel. In fact Ahmadinejad called for the destruction of 'the Zionist state'. I have no love for Ahmadinejad, but being against a state is very different from being against a country.

Sadly Bush and Blair have bombed sovereign countries and slaughtered their citizens to destroy the state (Iraq) and both support Olmert's destruction of the Lebanon even though they claim to be allies of the state of the Lebanon. I guess it's easy for them to confuse this issue.

There is much about both the US, Israel and Britain that I respect, but I support none of their regimes.

[H2O Man]

11. Yes.

Absolutely. In particular, we see this in regard to the neoconservative movement and AIPAC.

[RestoreGore]

12. I am pro Human Rights

And actually tired of the anti-semitic label placed on those who criticize the policies of the Israeli GOVERNMENT. I will criticize ANY government as I have the Iranian government and also terrorist groups that do not honor HUMAN RIGHTS and wage war resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians. To me, the life of a Lebanese child is no less precious than the life of an Israeli, Italian, German, French, or American child. Perhaps those who can't see that need to look at themselves in the mirror.

[wakeme2008]

13. I lumb all people that say I am anti-semitic with the ppl that say

I hate America because I do not love George Bush... Same mind set.

[liberal N proud]

16. Yup!

[BooScout]

17. IMHO most of them are.

And many are by the same people over and over again. I'd be willing to say they show up here soon enough.

[newyorican]

18. Too often they are...

it's a self-defeating mutation of Godwins Law.

[Dob Bole]

19. Any charge of wrongdoing or immorality can be made up...

charges of racism, sexism, antisemitism, are often made against people who are none of the above. People accuse people just because they can, and that's reality.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Israel, Love it or Leave it (alone).

Which seems to be the choice given to anyone who objects to the Israeli government's policies.

[Karmadillo]

23. Thanks for the responses.

I know many of us disagree regarding the Israel/Lebanon war, but it seems to me anti-semitism does not motivate those criticizing Israel. Many of the posters showing up on the critical threads can be found on threads criticizing the United States for its cruel use of force.