Some here believe that Jews, by virtue of genes or family history, bear guilt for the sins of the modern state of Israel...
Please forgive the intro, but a few Kos readers apparently need it. *This is NOT a policy diary.* (Continued below)
Israel is a largely Jewish nation, founded by diaspora Jews who were trying to return to their historical homeland after centuries of pogroms in Europe. Many Jews emigrated instead to America or Canada or England or Argentina, etc. Israel, as we all know, is a small country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, between Egypt and Jordan. Israel was founded in 1947-48 and encompasses the lands that had historically belonged to many groups, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
The Palestinian people have been especially hurt by the founding and expansion of Israel. During most of our lives, the more powerful nation of Israel has been at war with the weaker, but also violent, Palestinian territories.
I live in the largest Jewish city in the world, New York. I share an apartment with a Jew and my cousin is a Jew. My neighbors and friends and co-workers are Jews.
Anyway, Israel sucks and is acting immorally right now, as it has in the past--just like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Italy, the USA, etc...but right now, Israel is an especially egregious offender of humanity.
So: Israel. Jews. What's the connection? Jews! Jews run Israel. And since Israel's policies are often repugnant, progressive American should NOT hesitate to criticize Israel...or the US government, if the US seems to be making special exceptions for its ally...
All of the above ought to be completely uncontroversial, and I hope you agree. It's called "criticizing Israel".
Which is not antisemetism.
Antisemetic remarks are quite different, and take the form of the following post from an earlier Kos diary today, which I'll reprint:
"The rest of the American Jewish community who are not Neo-Cons and I believe that is a majority of the Jewish folks in America who put this country first had better wake up and help reign in these megalomaniacs before they manage to produce horrendous consequences for everyone." http://www.dailykos.com/...
Did you spot the racism? Here's a hint:
"...the Jewish folks in America who put this country first had better wake up and help reign in these megalomaniacs before they manage to produce horrendous consequences for everyone."
Had better or else? What? And WHY jewish Americans????
So, I'm sittin' here with a couple of friends talking about shit, and LO!, I realize that 1 of the 3 of us is a Jew...a Jew who hasn't declared either his condemnation of Israel, or--as far as I can recall--his primary allegiance to the USA! It's also true that my other friend, from Texas, has neither declared his feelings for Israelis policy, nor his allegiance to the US--but then, he's Irish.
An antisemite is a person who warns Jews--and only Jews--that they need to declare a position on a foreign country's policies. (Though, it is true that right-wingers ask the same of hapless Muslim-Americans, who have no more to do with the Taliban than I have to do with Israel.)
I hope this, my first diary, will help the few Kos readers who are still unaware of what constitutes antisemitism or racism.
P.S. I am reacting to commenters to this diary:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/2/151816/6761