I asked a question about antisemitism on Thursday. There is an upward trend in antisemitic incidents in the UK. For 2010 the Community Security Trust recorded 639 incidents, the second highest annual total since records began in 1984. This follows a record high of 926 in 2009, mainly due to extreme reactions to the Gaza conflict at the beginning of the year. Note that the protests were aimed at Jews, not Israelis. Antisemitism is most pernicious when rooted in the minds of young people. So I asked the Minister about race hatred on campus and in schools.
The phenomenon of hate speech on our university campuses must be addressed. As a former don, I need no introduction to the fundamentals of academic freedom. If there is anywhere that constructive dialogue about politics and peace should take place, it is on campus. Yet there is from time to time an atmosphere of hate speech, which is a denial of freedom and against the law. There have been incidents at the London university colleges, inter alia, involving violence and calling Jewish students Nazis. The University and College Union has repeatedly tried to establish a boycott of Israeli academia, not antisemitic in intent but seeming so in impact. The universities need to bring up to date and implement the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech, as required under the Education Act (No.2) 1986, to ensure that debates take place in a calmer atmosphere and within the law. Manchester University and Oxford University’s recently revised guidelines are examples of good practice, whereas the recent UUK (vice-chancellors’) report on Freedom of Speech has been characterised as weak.
We must also recognise that there is hate material readily available on the internet, especially on online comment boards of newspapers. Some of them revive the old antisemitic tropes about conspiracies and Jews running the world. And we must protect our children from imbibing this material when they are impressionable. There have been well substantiated reports of vicious race and religious hatred material imported from abroad being made available in faith schools and out of school religious classes.
Government responses to antisemitism have been constructive. Systems are being implemented to empower victims, police data are now in better order and Jewish schools, which have to be protected round the clock, more secure. I welcome the efforts of the Coexistence Trust, of which I am a trustee, to foster good relations between Muslim and Jewish students. Parliamentary colleagues in the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism will continue to push for more to be done.
I fear the Root of Anti-Semitism is the same Root as causes Fear and Hatred of any other Group. Christians in the UK now re also subject to hate speech and shamefully mocked. But so are Muslims.
The reason for this is the same as Political Stereotypes or for those of other Nations, and that is that we are in General a very Intellectually Lazy Race, despite being gifted with a very High Intellectual Capacity, and Prefer to lump things into neat categories to make Things very simple, even Black and White, in order to rapidly be able to find blame or praise for what we want to believe in.
The general, albeit not entirely correct, vie is that Israel is a Jewish Nation. Jews support Israel. That means everything Israel does is supported by all Jews across the world, and all of them are simply evil.
Its then simple to look at old Anti-Semitic or Anti-Judaic materials and use those to further a pre-existing template of Hatred, and to flesh out seemingly more Rational reasons for what is otherwise simply a generic Hatred based on Vague Concepts and an Emotional state brought on by a sense that something is not quiet right.
Anti-Semitism and Anti-Judaism are distinct, by the way. Luther was Anti-Judaic, but did not hate Jewish People as a Race. Hitler hated the Race, and was not concerned with the Religion as much. But it doesn’t matter, both wrote about the Jews, and there materials still exist and are easy enough to access, and then simply be reactivated to give lie to a Modern day Anti-Semitism.
It’s the same thing that happens when we don’t bother to learn that Islam is a Complex Religion that is broken down into different sects and that has many different types of beliefs in it. Instead, we think all Muslims are the same, and all have exactly the same Understanding of Shariah, and all want to impose Shariah. We then see them all as Terrorists or Terror Sympathisers, so that all Muslims are feared and treated badly as if they all Hate the UK or the Western World in General.
And what about how Christians are endlessly subjected to Ridicule these days in regards to supposedly hating women, wanting to oppress others of other Faiths, seeking to Destroy Science, ect…
Same thing.
I think you will find the Hatred mainly is Emotional in Origin though. People are either upset and don’t know why, so pin it on an easy target, and then seek out information about said Target to give some form of Justification for their acquired Hatred, or else they hear how bad Group X is and begin to read said Materials given to them.
But in the end it rests on our need to find a Scapegoat to lay all our problems on, and we proceed to project on such a Scapegoat all that we see as Negative, which in turn makes our Hatred of them Legitimate in our own Eyes.
Feelings and thoughts are also somewhat contagious, and its easy to sweep someone up in a Whirlwind of Hatred if others are into it as well. It becomes an Echo Chamber in which people hear only the one Side and uncritically accept it. I share your concern about Younger people being seeded with this, and raise you this. If we could educate them on who the Jews are and what they teach, and put forward the Truth, whilst clearly dispelling the Conspiratorial Theories and Great Lies told of them, as well as the Historical reasons around those claims, peoples Narrative of the world and History of events will subsequently also Change, and we will see Less Hatred aimed toward them. So I propose Education towards what they believe, and expansion of R.E. Classes, in order to allow for this, and other groups, to be Properly Presented, and clearly explain why such nonsense is wrong. as the Anti-Semitic Claims are exposed, and the Truth revealed, then shall it whither and die the Death all diseases die. And they say Sunlight is the best Disinfectant. Expose the claims about the Jews To the Daylight of Truth, and the rest will handle itself in short order.
that is that we are in General a very Intellectually Lazy Race,
Considering that Zarove claims to be living in th USA, that is a bit rich, unless he/she is refering to the human race, the only one which I know anything about.
Why does living in the US really effect what I say and its merits?
The problem is our (and especially ‘your’ Governance) Attitudes
to the enormously under-differentiated, and Earth-lifesupports extincting-&-destroying, human-civilisation powers of “Competition”.
Consider the model of human-management of other humans:
Exploitative ((including genocides, ethnic-persecutions (in cowardice labelled “ethnic-cleansing”) & Sweatshops, as well as various “George” workhorses and “Cinderella” home-chores-slaves on a more minor scale));
Manipulative;
Competitive (from friendly Tiddleywinks to the siphoning-off of Taxpayers-funds and bank-depositors savings and to Auschwitz-like ‘final-solutions’);
Nurturing;
Integrative.
(see Hendricks, Wills, Roberts, Fadiman et al USA).
—–
and to the inadequacy of the Education theory/model, of our schools-universities ladders, into three major importance and time-allocation sorts:
Competitive (learning);
Individual;
Cooperative;
at the bottom of which Cooperative-learning is grossly under-valued and under-time-allocated.
0439F110311.JSDM.
It is not that easy to put a complete perspective on this. Is it race crime or religious ? There’s also the problem where reports from so called victims could be they perceived an insult or remark in a certain way. We have seen recently on this blog that people are all too willing to cry I am the victim of haters/anti’s.
I’m not saying the problem doesn’t exist though I wonder how the 639 incidents compare to islamophobic incidents. In the year 2009 – 2010, reports of 4314 charges of race crimes across the country.
I do wonder if red heads reported all incidents of being taking the mickey out because of their hair colouring how many they would be.
Overall the Jewish community is well integrated in British society and I have never witnessed a problem myself, save the odd swastika daubed on establishments. That isn’t saying I do not believe it happens, it does, but I think we’re being a little over sensative in this one instance. I wonder why for instance everyone jumps at anti-semitism but not Islamophobia, or anti-catholic feeling or anti-anything else?
Looking something up just last week I came across Michael Hoffman, the holocaust denier and was appalled. Here I thought is what would appear an educated man that will convince people to deny the truth. This is far more worrying.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_A._Hoffman_II
I think the shouts of anti-semitism in perspective a little biased in comparison to others at present. Homophobic incidents, which appear not reported in statistics, do according to Stonewall far outweigh the incidents you mentioned.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/homophobia-the-forgotten-hate-crime-1651326.html
The anti-consumerist lobby, including the anti-WTO demonstrators, probably revolutionary socialists, identify fairly closely with the
radical Islamic cause, and are pro-Iranian/Moscow (was it ever?)
I see absolutely no reason to be anti-zionist, and the diaspora is apparently
unanimous in support of holocaust.
There is a limit to the way we can see the world from these tiny but heavily populated islands.
If I knew more about world religious representation at the general Assembly of the UN, I would be able to comment further.
The recent upheavals in the Arab world may make Israel’s international political stance no easier.
It is reasonably easy to put a perspective on “this”, Carl (and one and all);
The domain of “Hatred” is not simply and clearly within the “Competitive” mode for managing-other-human-beings, as it clearly embodies some small amoounts of Nurturance and Integration,
but embodies huge and often inchoate masses of Manipulation and Exploitation.
Nonetheless, at its worst end it is harmful CONFLICT.
—————-
It can be conceptualised, given perspective, and guesstimatively-assessed, in a number of ways,
one of which could be graphic diagrams, notably from The Resolution of Forces in Mechanics & Dynamics whereby one represents each party-to-the-conflict by measured lines and angles.
Let us say that the major-force in UK is the Brit-one so give it a 10cm line drawn cardinally (pointing vertically-upwards for instance on your workings-paper); the minor-force being the Jews-in-UK they have the added task of trying to conform to the Brit-Line, and according to Carl they are doing so quite well, and this may also be because the Brits are using cooperativity methodology as well as the Jews AND of course other variously overlapping parties such as the Christians, the Buddhists, the Muslims, the Humanists, the Atheists, the Soccer-Community (etcetera-etceera-etcetera: even the ‘Neo-Nazis’ to a tiny extent);
so the resolutions-of-forces will become graphically-clear, on paper, albeit in guesstimate form.
Add to this some Enneagramming and Histogramming, and the eyes will be gaining even more perspective, and the ensuing intellectual words on top of that initial intelligemce-snapshotting would become clearer for all to understand and contribute to…
(I do now quickly and welcomely give-way to other members …)
— The recent upheavals in Egypt have lead to Muslims burning Churches and killing Christians, and Womens Rights activists being violently heckled and harassed.
But none of the people who thought the Revolution was ever so exciting and sure to bring about Liberal, Secular Democracy and Western Values says much of it now.
The same is so of Anti-semitism. Our Modern Secular Britain has not ended it. It has not made us more tolerant, more equal, or more Rational.
But we’ll not need to discuss that.
I have assumed that the noble Baroness is refering exclusively to the Zionist cause, when using the term Semitic.
It does of course include Arabs too, who are also semitic people.
Forget the race and religion aspect of the equation. Take ‘action’ instead. What are the actions of these people the world appears to abhor?
If you look at that with honesty and not with a bias toward one or other, then you will see the truth behind the so called ‘racism.’ It isn’t racism at all, it’s actionism.
Mankind despises those countries and governments where they see injustice. And injustice on a large scale with no intention of compromise or indeed even acknowledgement of their collusion in the matters at question.
Just take this thread, it began by stating what appears to be more racism in this country now than before the Lord left for his trip to the USA. When, in fact, it isn’t more racism, it is simply more realisation that those who rule are duplicitous and it is no longer being accepted as it once was. Just as the Middle Eastern nations are no longer mute in their acceptance of brutality under the guise of religion.
In fact, if you take that one step further, the universal psyche is in union. The Middle East and the Arab nations are fighting brutality and the Western world is fighting a different kind of tyranny, but a no lesser tyranny than they are out there. And that is the tyranny of mind control. The creeping cancer ripping civilisation apart. With the brain control of political correctness. The idea of controlling the social ethos by removing the right to express the thoughts which belongs to us all. Thereby denying the right to think for oneself.
So, no longer are people willing to listen to ‘we are doing this because we are victims’ or ‘because we want to rule regardless of our agenda, which we will hide from you.’ People are demanding to know where the rulers are taking them and to what end. And how much is in it for them and is it worth the money they are paying for it.
This universal movement is remarkable and those in power would do well to take note.
Maude Elwes, if they are no longer willing to accept Brutality in the Guise of Religion, why is it in the wake of the Egyptian revolution, which so many cheered as a true Example of Democracy even on these boards, we see now Christian Churches burned and Christians attacked and killed in the Streets, along with Women’s Rights workers? The Egyptian revolution did not lead to an end to that sort of thing, and in fact its gotten worse. That isn’t discussed much now, but its still True.
I also don’t think Injustice is what prompts Outrage. China routinely abuses Human Rights to a great many for a myriad of Reasons, but other than the usual suspects few bother to voice concern and no one seems to be Protesting China. There certainly isn’t an increase of Anti-Chinese Sentiment on Campuses, and Chinese Ethnic Britons or Foreign Students seem to be immune from Hostility.
Meanwhile, a Jew who is Born and raised in England is now the subject of Hatred based on the actions of a Nation he’s never been to?
I’m sorry but its quiet clear that “Israel” and “Jews” are now being used as Synonyms in the minds of many and the old Anti-Jewish has been renewed, not simply because of how awful and unjust Israel is, but because people need an easy scapegoat for the worlds problems and its just easier to target he Jews, in the same way its easier to target all Muslims or all Christians or all of a specific Political party. And the hatred is not resolvable by simply claiming it righteous indignation at Israel, which in and of itself is Problematic as Israel is a Nation. Not all people in a Nation always agree with its Government, nor does the Government of Israel really seem all that worse than those surrounding it. I don’t buy into the idea of Israel being particularly vile as a Nation, that’s more of a Media creation, much like how America is some sort of greedy power-hungry fascist police state, or how Russia is Cruel and Corrupt. Some truth exists to these claims, but the same claims are true of anywhere else one could name.
Its still no excuse to treat an American with Contempt, or a Russian with Disdain, and certainly no excuse to attack all Israelis. Even if so, not all Jews are Israeli.
Its just easier, and falling into Hatred sometimes gives a sense of false empowerment to people.
Its like Yoda said in Star Wars about the Dark Side. Its faster, easier, and more seductive, but not better or stronger than the right way.
@Zarove: Sometimes you can think so far inwards you miss the obvious.
When these people decided to take to the streets to show their dissatisfaction with the brutal government they had ruling them for decades, they did not do it with the intention of replacing it with another equally as brutal. They decided they wanted to take a stand. And with enormous bravery they did.
Outcomes in revolution are rarely peaceful. There are many earthquakes and after shocks. Read you history. It always repeats itself.
As I wrote on another thread, it wasn’t thought through as a military plan. No one appeared to know what they were expecting. They didn’t appear to follow a set path to takeover.
When your people took over the USA didn’t you have a great deal of toing and froing? I mean, you even had a civil war at one stage that had a similar pay back of events.
Christians are going through enormous difficulties all over the Middle East, as well as Europe, and the reasons for that are numerous. The ethos of the Christian faith doesn’t fit with that of Islam and therefore it is seen as an obstacle to absolute power.
And isn’t that same thing happening here in Europe as well as the USA. On a different scale of coure, but, nonetheless taking place. The Christian ethos is being challenged on every level.
When a different belief or way of thinking is imported into a nation, as has occurred throughout the West, did they really believe it would simply become accustomed to the differences? No they didn’t. So the powers that be began to dismantle the existing set up. In order to make way for something else. They too didn’t know what they expected from the something else. Which shows a grave lack of judgment.
And so, we are all in the middle of a similar revolution to those people in North Africa. And no, it will not be over in three weeks, as they believed when they began the assault on Iraq. In fact it hasn’t really begun, is the truth.
What has hapened is, metaphorically speaking, a nuclear reactor has exploded and no one knows what the fall out will be. Not here and not there.
@Zarove: PS.
Funny how the world blamed the German people for the moves of Hitler and they still do to this day. But, the moves of Israel are simply not to blame for the chaos and brutality there now.
Did the German people who didn’t live inside Germany suffer as a result of the Third Reich, or did people welcome them with open arms.
Are our soldiers welcomed on their return from duty? Or, are they spat on and insulted for taking part in what many see as mass murder?
Christians are scapegoats too. And they are suffering as a result. Look at what is happening all around us here.
Maude, regarding your PS, it doesn’t matter. Just because people blamed all Germans for Hitler doesn’t mean it was right, nor does it excuse hatred of all Jews now.
Besides, Israel is not as unequivocally Evil as the NAZI Regime was.
@Zarove: If it didn’t matter then why did you raise the issue.
And no one or movement is unequivocally evil. That is the notion of a child.
Black and white doesn’t exist in nature or mankind. There is always light and dark.
This url describes the childlike splitting into black and white. I do hope it will shed some light on it for you.
http://www.aapel.org/bdp/BLsplittingUS.html
Maude, its interesting how you bring up how my people fought a Revolution, as if that’s suppose to make my point go away. For one thing, even though Americans tend to look with Pride on their Revolution, and say this was about Heroic efforts to End Tyranny, I have never myself promoted the Revolution as good. Then again I am English, and only live in Tennessee now. Tennessee is a State that, under the evil, Tyrannical King George the Third, was protected by the King for the Indians. One of his “Intolerable Acts” was not letting the Colonies expand past the Appalachians into Indian Territory. Another Intolerable Act was allowing Catholics to keep their Law rather than an imposed English Common Law in Conquered Quebec and Ohio.
I make no pretensions about the American Revolution, and do not Romanticise it as Noble American patriots fighting a Tyrannical King.
I also know that it did not lead instantly to only peace and prosperity, and in fact after it was over the whole Union near collapsed and other Revolutions against the new Powers-that-be had to be crushed.
The only reason the American Revolutionary War did not lead to the Terror that we saw in France or Russia, or are beginning to in Egypt, is because it was, as Karl Marx said, a “Conservative Revolution”. This does not mean they fought for Conservative Principles, only hat they didn’t really fight a full scale Revolution. It was really just a Secessionist Movement, in which they sought Independence for he Colonies. The aftermath of it still saw all the same Social Institutions in their original Power, with only the Crown Government removed and replaced by Autonomy, and a Republican Government that ran similarly to the Parliament that had been its originator. Even today, America’s Government works along the same idea as Parliament, Only now, Rather than a King, there is a President, and Rather than lords there is a Senate.
My Ancestors at the time of that War were either in Ireland or England, mainly England. One, however, did fight in that War, but was a Loyalist. He was mistreated by the “Patriots” and left.
I have no sympathy for the American Revolutionaries, and still find all Revolutions wrongful. They Violate the common understanding of Civil Order and breed only contention.
Machiavelli said that if a people now know they can overturn a Government by Force and have participated in just such an event, then the Prince shall have a tenuous Grasp on his Power, and will either have to capitulate to all, or else be a Tyrant and Brutally suppress all dissent.
It has been my observation that Suppression is the normal route, and we see this in Egypt. The Pro-Democracy Revolution is over, and no Churches are reduced to Ash, and Christians Harassed, beaten, and even Killed, while women working towards an Equal Rights Goal are similarly abused by less-than-tolerant crowds.
I see no reason to think that this Revolution is different from any other, and think the anger and demand for Change has been met with Force, and now that force is known to get you what you want, it will be used on anyone who disagrees with the prevailing mob.
@Zarove: From my point of view, you see this blog as a source of therapy. Far cheaper than the US rates you would not find free.
Put your hand in your pocket and pay for your own time. The British tax payer has far more important welfare issues to deal with than a half baked semi preacher from the old south of America who is looking for solace.
You said yourself in another thread, giving welfare increases the dependancy and I feel you should take that to heart when leaning so heavily on us this side of the pond for your health needs.
You are taking advantage of our compassion.
Maude, its interesting how you turn hostile toward me. Im not using this as Therapy I’m merely stating that I don’t find the Democracy Movement in the Middle East to be all its promised to be.
And again, I only live in the South of America. Why is it hard to grasp I wasn’t always here?
@Zarove: You are an American. Accept it. And try to do something for your own people. They need it desperately.
Maude, I live in America and already accept that, but the real question is why don’t you accept that I still also concern myself with my homeland as well?
or that I don’t just automatically accept everything either of them do as good. Even the defining events such as the American Revolution. In fact, I know people born in America who see it as morally questionable.
Which brings us back to the Middle East, which still has not proven that the revolutions there will produce actual freedom.
It’s interesting that Baroness Deech is rightly concerned about anti-semitism and the racism associated with it.
What a pity that her outright racism shown towards Scots in the BBC Any Questions broadcast in 2010 shows her to be somewhat inconsistent where racism is concerned.
Please see Melanie Phillips’s “The World Turned Upside Down”
and my post today to Lord Hylton’s “Address to Interfaith” 050811.