What is Anti-Semitism?

[Jareth]

Just now, HanoiVillan said:

The problem is the assertion that Jewish people (and here you are conflating Jewish people with particular Israeli politicians) are 'bringing their abuse on themselves'. This is not a standard you would apply to other races. If someone said to you 'I don't want to be racist to black people, but they don't help themselves sometimes do they' you wouldn't have a hard time recognising that was a deeply racist thing to say.

Israel has no equivalent 'black' country. 

[Jareth]

1 minute ago, bickster said:

You really can't help yourself can you

But it bloody is mate

[Jareth]

Just now, meregreen said:

Uncomfortable with the fact you bring up their ethnicity. Israel is dominated politically at the moment by right wing politicians. Once you start down the road of linking their actions with their race rather than their political and moral stance, then you will not win any arguments.

It is run by powerful far right jews. But by all means please describe who is in power in Israel right now.

[meregreen]

9 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Netanyahu? 

Is a corrupt vicious right wing politician. They can be found around the world. Leave it at that, and you might find some sympathy.

[HanoiVillan]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

Israel has no equivalent 'black' country. 

I don't understand.

[Jareth]

2 minutes ago, meregreen said:

Is a corrupt vicious right wing politician. They can be found around the world. Leave it at that, and you might find some sympathy.

Name another Jewish corrupt vicious right wing politician in power anywhere. It is not a bad thing to signal the religious element of a far right government. 

[meregreen]

2 minutes ago, Jareth said:

It is run by powerful far right jews. But by all means please describe who is in power in Israel right now.

When Saddam Hussein was butchering thousands of his own people in Iraq. Did you condemn all Arabs. Of course not. People are responsible for their actions regardless of their ethnicity. Surely you can see this.

[Jareth]

Just now, meregreen said:

When Saddam Hussein was butchering thousands of his own people in Iraq. Did you condemn all Arabs. Of course not. People are responsible for their actions regardless of their ethnicity. Surely you can see this.

Is Judaism an ethnicity?

[meregreen]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

Is Judaism an ethnicity?

Now your being Pedantic. You haven’t answered my point. 

[Chindie]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

Is Judaism an ethnicity?

It's an ethno-religious entity. It has elements of religion, race, culture... Basically it's more than just a religion.

[bickster]

Just now, Jareth said:

Is Judaism an ethnicity?

It's like you've totally ignored everything that has gone on in the last few years in the debate about AS in the Labour Party and just dismissed it as being a total manipulation and there was nothing to see and you've been right all along

[Jareth]

2 minutes ago, bickster said:

It's like you've totally ignored everything that has gone on in the last few years in the debate about AS in the Labour Party and just dismissed it as being a total manipulation and there was nothing to see and you've been right all along

So in the current war, who started it? 

[Jareth]

15 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

I don't understand.

But you equated Judaism and being black as a 'race' equivalent 

[bickster]

Just now, Jareth said:

But you equated Judaism and being black as a 'race' equivalent 

Thats because they are. There are atheists that describe themselves as Jewish if that helps you understand this

[Jareth]

Just now, bickster said:

Thats because they are. There are atheists that describe themselves as Jewish if that helps you understand this

So Judaism is a race? 

[bickster]

5 minutes ago, Jareth said:

So Judaism is a race? 

Read @Chindiepost above

[Jareth]

Just now, bickster said:

Read @Chindiepost above

"It's an ethno-religious entity. It has elements of religion, race, culture... Basically it's more than just a religion."

What is Islam then?

 

[HanoiVillan]

13 minutes ago, Jareth said:

But you equated Judaism and being black as a 'race' equivalent 

Right. And going on from that, it wouldn't make sense or be okay for a person to say 'I profoundly disagree with Barack Obama's policies on things, so you'd have to say that powerful black people bring anti-black racism on themselves'. That would be both racist and illogical.

Now apply it to Netanyahu . . .

[Chindie]

Just now, Jareth said:

So Judaism is a race? 

Jewishness is difficult.

It's a religion. But it's also more than a religion. There are people who are 'genetically' Jewish - their DNA is traceable to groups that have historically been Jewish from time immemorial. There's actually been racism between groups of Jewish peoples historically. You've probably heard of Ashkenazi Jews - they're a race of Jewish people. There are Jewish people who would argue that you cannot 'become' Jewish - Jews are people born to Jewish mothers and you cannot convert to Judaism and be a Jew.

Equally it goes beyond that. There are a great many Jewish people that have binned off the religious aspects to one aspect or another, but kept the cultural elements - they eat pork, they couldn't care less about the Torah and don't believe it, but they might still celebrate Hanukkah. They might enjoy Jewish foods and so on but for all other intents and purposes they're no different to anyone else, but still identify as Jewish.

So, it's complicated.

[Jareth]

2 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

Right. And going on from that, it wouldn't make sense or be okay for a person to say 'I profoundly disagree with Barack Obama's policies on things, so you'd have to say that powerful black people bring anti-black racism on themselves'. That would be both racist and illogical.

Now apply it to Netanyahu . . .

Ok, Obama was elected to lead a predominately Black country that actually has racist policy creating an apartheid system where white folks are disadvantaged? Is this comparison hanging together?