This past weekend, a disquieting tempest about anti-Semitism--in something quite a bit larger than a teapot—erupted in Denise Oliver’s diary about Bernie Sanders’ efforts to reach out to Trump supporters. The present diary was necessitated by that tempest. I’m not writing about the diary itself, nor taking oblique potshots at Denise. I want to put that idea to rest right away. I’ve had interesting and constructive discussions about anti-Semitism with Denise; enough that I’m convinced that she “gets” what I’m going to talk about and agrees with it.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about all “respected” Kossacks.
Here’s a summary of what happened: A handful of comments were posted in Denise’s diary expressing “surprise” that Sanders, who of course is Jewish, would solicit votes from neo-Nazis. Several Jewish Kossacks passionately objected to the notion that Sanders, whose own relatives were slaughtered in the Shoah, would ever contemplate that sort of loathsome pandering. Note: I’m deliberately not quoting from or linking to these comments nor naming the actors on either side of this drama, because my point is more general and can be clearly made without calling anyone out (and without freezing computers all over the Internet as people try to open that diary and its massive comment thread!) The most objectionable comments were explicitly described by Jewish Kossacks as anti-Semitic.
That’s where things went very wrong from my standpoint. Responses were posted and tipped strongly denying the charge of anti-Semitism… responses posted by gentile users here. (It will be wondered how I know if a user is a Jew or a gentile, here on the Internet where no one knows if you’re a dog. In some cases, I know because a user has self-identified as Christian in the past; my personal policy is to accept all such self-identifications, unless I’ve been given some truly compelling reason to question them. In other cases I’ve surmised it, for good reasons or bad. While I might be wrong in any given case, mostly I won’t be.) For gentiles to smugly inform Jews that we are wrong when we see anti-Semitism is deeply, profoundly offensive. It denies Jews the priority in defining bigotry against us, the primary overriding role in determining what is or isn’t anti-Semitic.
No other historically oppressed and marginalized group is treated this way on Daily Kos. This is othering of Jews, a phenomenon we’re all too familiar with.
It’s an article of secular faith here that historically oppressed minorities (or, in the case of women, an infantalized and “disappeared” majority) have the right to define the parameters of bigotry against them without interference or “guidance” from the dominant majority. There are always exceptions—inevitable I guess in a community this large—but I’m confident most of us agree with that statement. It’s a proposition I personally accept uncategorically, without the slightest quibble or hesitation. As a white straight Jewish guy, I claim absolutely no ability to decide for women what is or isn’t sexist… or to decide for gay people what is or isn’t homophobic… or to decide for AAs what is or isn’t racist. If a white user here attempts to “educate” a black Kossack on whether something is or isn’t racist, the pushback against that is typically prompt and fierce, from black and white Kossacks alike… as it absolutely should be.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable or outlandish to expect—to fucking demand—that Jews be afforded the same agency. I can’t decide for Native Americans, I can’t decide for Muslims, but I sure as hell do get a voice in deciding for Jews. Trust me, we don’t need gentiles to “help” in uncovering, or worse, in denying anti-Semitism. For the most part, we really do know it when we see it. Yes, it can happen that a particular Jew can see anti-Semitism where most Jews wouldn’t. Of course; we’re individuals with all sorts of perceptions and life experiences, no more monolithic than any other group. Other Jews have every right to disagree about a given charge of anti-Semitism and to discuss it publicly. Gentiles are welcome to ask for clarification—they should do that if they’re unclear about the genesis of a charge—but I’m sorry, gentiles simply don’t have the right to disagree.