Anti-Semitism

This a series of posts explores anti-Semitism, its origins, the motivations behind it, its various manifestations, its consequences, and its possible future. The series also proposes a method for determining when an act or statement is anti-Semitic and concludes with some suggestions for remedying the consequences of anti-Semitism. A series of discussion questions is also included.

Review of the previous post.

The previous post, post number 25 of 33, was the second of ten posts discussing a process for determining if an act or statement is anti-Semitic.

Preview of this post.

This post, post number 26 of 33, is the third of ten posts discussing a process for determining if an act or statement is anti-Semitic.

 Determining Anti-Semitism

 Introduction

The process for determining anti-Semitism further includes the following considerations.

The World Definition goes on to cite examples of how anti-Semitism manifests itself with regard to the State of Israel and the US State Department further modified the tests. Thus, with regard to actions taken or statements made regarding the State of Israel, these actions or statements can be considered as being anti-Semitic (and thus hiding anti-Semitism under the cloak of criticism of Israel), the following tests are useful.

• Does the act or action deny the Jewish people their right to self-determination or right to exist?
• Does the act or action apply double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation?
• Does the organization focus only on Israel for peace or human rights investigations?
• Does the act or accusation use symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
• Does the act or action draw comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis?
• Does the act or action hold Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel?
• Does the act or accusation blame Israel for all inter-religious or political tensions?
• Does the act or action call for the aiding or justifying the killing or harming of Jews, even in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion?

However, it must be remembered that these examples of anti-Semitism toward Jews and/or anti-Semitism hidden in antipathy toward the state of Israel or its citizens, are simply that – examples, and anti-Semitism can sneak into many otherwise innocuous appearing acts, statements or allegations. Thus, while the specific examples clearly meet the criteria of the above-outlined process step criteria, that criteria should be applied to any questionable act, statement or accusation.

As was the case with the other complex issues, it is not any one element that is outcome determinative, or even a plurality, but the conclusion is issue specific and one single element might be so powerful that it is decisive; or, it may need a plurality of elements, either a simple plurality or a significant plurality, all depending on the circumstances of the event, act or accusation. Certainly, at the base is the overarching consideration of hatred of Jews as Jews, that is, hatred of a person or a people simply because they are Jewish, or even because they are perceived to be Jews or part of the Jewish religion. Hatred or persecution of a person who happens to be Jewish is not anti-Semitic unless it is because that person is Jewish.

Preview of the next post.

The next post, post number 27 of 33, is the fourth of ten posts discussing a process for determining if an act or statement is anti-Semitic.