Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues

Subject: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 02:28 PM

Someone brought up a subject I'd like to pursue.

From what I read, there is currently a wave of anti-semitism coursing through the world, evidenced primarily by attacks on synagogues. They're saying that it hasn't been this bad since during WWII.

I somewhat understand the causes. What with the current state of affairs in Palestine and Israel, fears and other emotions are high. Everyone is aware that, left alone, no one knows where this might go.

That said, I believe that hatred and its effects is so counter-productive that we - meaning the world- must explore its opposite. Surely there is something that we can do?

At this point, all I am able to do is to pray that myriads of angels descend upon the shoulders of those involved to whisper messages of wisdom and insight into their ears.

Wolfgang, I wonder if you might agree that when you are in a room or a crowd of people who are inflamed by negative rhetoric, you can feel the pulsing turbulence? Might you also agree that you can feel the serenity and acceptance of its opposite?

And, no - I haven't been drinking!

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 02:45 PM

I think people need to seriously spend some effort on coming to understand the facts about Mideast violence, so they can distinguish between religious bigotry and hatred, and legitimate outrage towards and criticism of the actions of the Israeli government.

Second, the suggestion that anti-Semitism is at it's highest levels since WWII seems to me to be a profoundly inaccurate statement--very disingenous. What that sort of hysteria does is dismiss the real suffering of Jews in the European holocaust.

It also is an attempt to wrongly associate Arabs with the holocaust. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. The holocaust was European against European, not Arab against European, and any attempt to associate the Palestinians with the Nazis who committed genocide is horrific and appalling misinformation/propagandazine which is racist in the extreme.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 03:08 PM

When Mathew Shephard was murdered, we took a cue from Billings, MT, as have other communities, and did our own "Not in Our Town" anti-hate actions. Here's how it all started in Billings, over anti-semitism: Please Click here. Ultimately, the best we can do is talk and try to change it in our communities...those small pebbles can make mighty wide ripples.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 06:01 PM

The difference between the attacks on Arab-Americans after September 11 and the alleged attacks on jewish synagogues now is that Arab-Americans did nothing to provoke their attackers while diaspora synagogues have all been funding the zionist conquest of Palestine since before 1948.

We recognize that fact and that's why you won't find the same sympathy for the jews here that you'll find for Arab-Americans.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 06:30 PM

Guest- are you certain of that?

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 07:17 PM

I strongly suspect that post by GUEST 07-Apr-02 - 06:01 PM was a bit of what they used to call "black propaganda". In this case, posing as a sympathiser with Palestinians, but phrasing the post in such a way as to try to turn people against them.

Attacks on religious buildings of any sort, wherever they are carried out, are inevitably damaging to whichever side is identified as carrying them out. Their only purpose is to try to get the pot boiling. In this case the purpose would be to try and provoke retaliation against Muslims, with the aim of generating another cycle of atrocity and counter-atrocity.

People who set out to generate and carry on that kind of cycle of violence are the enemy of all of us. Whichever side they might be on.And you can never make easy assumptions about that either, any more than you can about people making inflammatory posts on the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: toadfrog
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 08:17 PM

McGrath, I agree with your basic point of view, but am not at all sure about your approach to the facts.

1. GUESTS in political threads are inherently suspect, and you are probably right about this one. He sounds like a garden-variety scumbag, all right.

2. In Europe, and especially in France, there are outspoken anti-semetic groups other than Muslims who are likely suspects.

3. If you mean to say the attacks may have been done by Zionist agents-provacateurs, I think that's extremely improbable. I don't think that's how things mostly work, and I'd want to see some evidence before entertaining such a view.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 02:21 PM

That's not what I'm suggesting exactly.

I'm speculating that, in some places, the kind of people who hate Jews are the very same people who hate Muslims. I imagine the idea of stirring up troubled between them might seem a very neat idea indeed.

I'm not denying that there are people whose hatred of Zionism has been the seed of hatred of Jews as such, and, just as you have people whose reaction to "Islamic terrorism" has been translated into hatred of Muslims. But I think generalised racists who like the idea of stirring up trouble between the various people they hate may well have be involved.

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 04:04 PM

VOLTAIRE (Francois Marie Arouet) 18th century French philosopher, writer:

"Why are the Jews hated? It is the inevitable result of their laws; they either have to conquer everybody or be hated by the whole human race..."

"The Jewish nation dares to display an irreconcilable hatred toward all nations, and revolts against all masters; always superstitious, always greedy for the well-being enjoyed by others, always barbarous - cringing in misfortune and insolent in prosperity." (Essai sur le Moeurs)

"You seem to me to be the maddest of the lot. The Kaffirs, the Hottentots, and the Negroes of Guinea are much more reasonable and more honest people than your ancestors, the Jews. You have surpassed all nations in impertinent fables in bad conduct and in barbarism. You deserve to be punished, for this is your destiny." (From a letter to a Jew who had written to him, complaining of his 'anti-Semitism.' Examen des Quelques Objections...dans L'Essai sur le Moeurs.)

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: Troll
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 05:11 PM

Guest:

"The difference between the attacks on Arab-Americans after September 11 and the alleged attacks on jewish synagogues now is that Arab-Americans did nothing to provoke their attackers while diaspora synagogues have all been funding the zionist conquest of Palestine since before 1948."

The "attacks on Arab-Americans" are established fact while the attacks on Jewish synagogues are "alleged"?
Fascinating. Simply fascinating.

troll

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 07:16 PM

See what I mean?

Subject: RE: Review: Contemporary Attacks on Synagogues
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 08:40 PM

Indeed.