It Scarcely Exists Now
Tags:
update The leading suspect for this particular incident is a disgruntled/mentally-unstable Jewish ex-employee.
Arsonists Destroy Jewish Center in Paris
From an interview published eight months ago:
Q: Is anti-Semitism on the increase?
Noam Chomsky: In the West, fortunately, it scarcely exists now, though it did in the past.
France, New Zealand, Canada. How many times does this have to happen before we acknowledge that, yes, anti-Semitism is still a big problem in the West.
What I don't understand is why we trouble ourselves with a word for anti-semitism that's different than racism. It's all the same thing to me. Or is hatred of Jewish people worse than hatred of black people?
Posted by: petrilli on August 24, 2004 4:48 PM | permalinkWell, I can think of a few reasons why it's not *worse* but certainly *different*:
* Anti-Semitism has a racial basis (converts to Judaism aren't excepted, nor is there distinction between Jews of Russian and Yemenite ancestries) *and* a religious one (leading to such incongruities as blaming Jews for the ultra-secular Communism yet portraying them in beard and sidelocks). It reaches across several categories of bigotry (which, to a lesser extent, the intermixing of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hatred does too).
* Some people (myself included) are offended by classifying Jews as a race (classification as a religion, less so).
* Anti-Semitism, in many respects, is unique in its history (you can trace a very clear line back to the Greeks and Romans), breadth (from Russia to England to Japan to Saudi Arabia), etc.
* It shows a connection between what falls under its description. Anti-Semitic actions and words aren't hatred that, just coincidentally, is aimed at people or things that happen to be Jewish in some respect. There are several common threads that are shared by groups as disparate as Neo-Nazis, Islamic fundamentalists and Communists (e.g. Jews secretly controlling the world). Lumping it in with other forms of hatred would disguise some important patterns.
As far as the *specific* terminology, "anti-Semitism" -- well I agree the etymology is stupid. But "black" people are really brown and not all homophobes are necessarily "phobic" about gays. But, despite such misgivings, it's more concise than "hatred toward Jewish people, things and ideas" and Judeopathy (Alan Dershowitz's suggestion) is an unfamiliar term.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on August 24, 2004 5:36 PM | permalinkWell, for what it's worth, this was done by immigrants, not French natives. Also, institutional racism against Jews is pretty much gone in the West. Maybe there's still some golf clubs. But compared to other racism in the West -- against African Americans, Gypsies, Hispanics, etc. -- I don't think Anti-Semitism is very bad. It's unfortunate that these things happen, but they aren't the worst present racism, nor that bad compared to historical Anti-Semitism. I find it hard to condemn the West of Anti-Semitism because a couple times a year someone in the world vandalizes a Jewish community center.
It's hard to acknowledge that there are levels of racism, as that a person seem like an apologist for racism. But jeez... at some point we have to make some distinction. There's too many things about racism that people aren't allowed to discuss, too many ideas that can't even be thought about or addressed.
As far as Jews being more than a race, and Anti-Semitism being more than racism, of course racism is about more than race. It is very hard to find a case of racism that is only about skin color. Generally it's about cultural identity, which describes Jews as a class quite well (certainly better than race or religion).
Posted by: Ian Bicking on August 24, 2004 6:05 PM | permalinkWell, yes, I agree that anti-Semitism isn't "the worst present racism, nor that bad compared to historical Anti-Semitism". And yes, the West is miles better than the insane ideas broadcast over Arabic TV or in their textbooks.
But we've seen where unchecked tolerance of anti-Semitism leads. And I think it's understandable that people are worried about trends as much as current data points.
And, while Jews' status in the West isn't nearly as precarious as that of other groups', I think it's dangerous to assume that the problem is solved, or that it won't come back again.
I think the notion (admittedly not what you said) that progress == "problem solved" is mistaken.
Posted by: Joe Grossberg on August 24, 2004 6:39 PM | permalinkNo more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.